Bariloche is an excellent city to set up your base and plan your trips around Patagonia. By renting a car or booking an excursion with a tour operator you can easily get to various places where you admire the natural beauty of Patagonia. Some of the “must-go” places for weekend trips are:
Villa La Angostura: While Bariloche is on the Nahuel Huapi lake’s southern shore, Villa La Angostura is the reference point on the northern shore. It is a beautiful and charming small village where there is an annual “garden fiesta”. From Villa La Angosture you get to the Península de Queterihué where you will find the unique forest called “Bosque de Arrayanes”. Villa La Angostura is about 80 km from Bariloche and several daily buses guarantee easy travels.
Seven Lakes (“Siete Lagos”): this probably the most well-known and romantic trip connecting San Martin de los Andes with Villa La Angistura along a route (now partly paved) with 7 lakes full of crystal-clear mountain water in an amazing setting along the Andes mountain range. In the area you will find many beaches, people trout-fishing, cypress forests and coihues.
El Bolsón: this is the city between the Piltiquitrón mountain and the Andes mountains. Its population is an interesting mix of hippies who “discovered” the place in the 60’s and 70’s, Mapuche indigineous people and the first Europeans who also “discovered” the area. The economy there is based on hop production, which is the base material for the local beers. There is also a very favorable micro-climate for growing all kinds of berries. Brewing and tasting local beers and fruits in all forms (jellies, jams, juices etc.) are very popular down there. Add to that a wide variety of trails, trekking options and the traditional artisan market on Saturdays and you have a good excuse for your weekend trip.
The Cerro Tronador (mountain) and La Cascada de los Alerces (waterfall) in the National Park on the way to Lago Gutierrez and Lago Mascardi (lakes) are two places you can´t miss once you are there. Many people make this tour on horseback. More adventurous students can stay for a night in one of the mountain shelters, the less sporty ones can visit the region participating in excursions and discover the incredible landscape in a more comfortable way.
Refugio Frey is one of the many mountain refuges that invites students to fully enjoy the life in nature. All paths are well marked and the staff of the Club Andino, which you can find in one of the starting points, is always helpful and happy to advise you. There is a great variety of different paths and refuges in Bariloche, a fact that really makes the difference for mountaineers. On the homepage of the Club Andino you will find details concerning the refuges, maps and more useful information.
Chile. Just 3 hours from Bariloche you will find the pass Cardenal Samoré, where you can enter Chile and experience the spectacular crossing of the Cordillera de los Andes. Once you are in Chile, you can visit a lot of picturesque places on the other side of the mountain chain like Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas, El Frutillar as well as get to know the volcanoes of our neighboring country.
