Bariloche & The Lake District

• Transfer from the airport to your hotel in Bariloche – Day at leisure 

Upon arrival we’ll drive you to your hotel in Bariloche. Then you will have the day to explore the city or the surroundings.

Bariloche sits on the southern coast of Nahuel Huapi, a glacier-water lake with enthralling islands and beaches. Hills and mountains framing the area allow visitors to enjoy all sorts of hiking trails and winter sports (Cerro Catedral is home to the biggest ski slopes in South America), as well as some mesmerizing views of the natural wonders of Patagonia. This region has it all — horseback riding through the Patagonian steppe, navigations through pristine blue-green waters, and the most mouthwatering chocolate in the country!

Say Hueque Tips

Our recommended activities for your free day in Bariloche:

• Visit Playa Bonita, it is on km 8 of Av. Bustillo (there are public buses leaving from downtown every twenty minutes). During summer months, in hot days, it gets full up with families and brave people who jump into the cold waters of Nahuel Huapi!

• Take a horseback ride through a long-living cypresses and coihues forest, surrounded by mountains and glacier streams until reaching an excellent panoramic view of the outstanding Patagonian landscape. Set off along the shore of the lake to complete this beautiful two hour horseback riding experience.

• Visit Cerro Otto Mountain 

On the second day of your tour of the Lake District in Bariloche you will visit the famous Cerro Otto, a mountain located on the southern shore of Nahuel Huapi Lake. Our local operator will arrange your tickets and tell you where to take the shuttle up to the base of Cerro Otto Mountain. It’s a really easy journey since they depart directly from downtown! Once at the base, take a gondola to reach the summit, where you’ll enjoy the multiple viewpoints — admire Lake Nahuel Huapi and the entire bird’s eye view of Bariloche!

The main attraction of Cerro Otto is the °360 spinning restaurant. Enjoy a hearty meal or a delicious hot chocolate while the restaurant makes a slow turn; you’ll get the best views of Tronador Hill, Victoria Island and Lake Moreno (as well as many other attractions!). It takes between 20 and 40 minutes to make a complete turn!

Enjoy the art gallery next to the restaurant, where you can see an identical reproduction of the famous sculpture ‘David’ by the Italian artist Buonarroti. Outdoor activities include various ski slopes, multiple hiking trails, a hanging bridge and a visit to “The Mirrors Cottage”.

• Explore the famous viewpoints of the Small Circuit tour in Bariloche

When you get back down from Cerro Otto’s peak during the afternoon, we will pick you up from your hotel to take you on your second excursion of the day: ‘Small Circuit’. This is one of the most classic trails in Bariloche. We will drive you along the famous Bustillos Avenue, passing by Lake Nahuel Huapi; enjoy beautiful views of the forest growing on the shore, secluded islands, and pristine beaches during this 10-mile trip.

Upon arrival to the base of Cerro Campanario, take a chairlift to reach the summit, where you will discover the most famous viewpoint of Bariloche. Take your time to admire the beautiful views of Colonia Suiza Woods, Cerro Lopez and other amazing places, all while accompanied by a local guide.

Continue your journey towards Llao Llao Park, home to a world-famous luxury hotel, the wooden San Eduardo Chapel, and Puerto Pañuelo, the traditional port of Bariloche, where boats depart to explore Nahuel Huapi National Park.  At the end of the day, we will drive you back to the city of Bariloche. 

Say Hueque Tips

• What do they say about Bariloche?

 “Strung out along the shoreline of Lago Nahuel Huapi, in the middle of the national park of the same name, Bariloche (formally San Carlos de Bariloche) has one of the most gorgeous settings imaginable. This, combined with a wealth of summer and winter activities in the surrounding countryside, as well the production of Argentina’s best chocolate, has helped it become the Lake District’s principal destination.” (Lonely Planet). Find out what other famous travel publications say about Bariloche in our Bariloche Travel Guide

• Sail and discover a magical forest

Today, you’ll set out by boat from Puerto Pañuelo on the Llao Llao peninsula, and after one hour of sailing, passing by Centinela Island, the resting place of Perito Francisco Pascasio Moreno, one of the first explorers of Patagonia, you’ll arrive at Puerto Blest.

Puerto Blest is one of the heavenly ports of Nahuel Huapi Lake, a secluded place that has amazed travelers from all over the world with its beautiful vegetation – one of the most varied in Bariloche – and a relaxed atmosphere created by the mountains and the surrounding Valdivian Forest.

Once there, you’ll be able to tour the bay, eat your boxed lunch and walk the shores of Lake Frías to see its peculiar green waters, which help to form the natural border between Argentina and Chile.

From there, and after a short 5-minute sail later,  you’ll visit Cascada de los Cántaros (Cántaros Waterfall) and take a walk through the lush vegetation of the Valdivian rainforest, arriving at Lago Cántaros, where the overwhelming 1,500-year-old larch tree will be waiting. At the end of this full-day experience, we’ll drive you back to Bariloche.