Bariloche and the Lake District
Turquoise lakes nested in forests of arrayanes and coihues, corniche roads and chocolate in every window: northern Patagonia plays the alpine card, at outsized scale.
Suggested stay — 3 to 4 nights
San Carlos de Bariloche, set on Lago Nahuel Huapi at the heart of Argentina's oldest national park, is the perfect base for a gentler Patagonia: the Circuito Chico strings together viewpoints, bays and forests in 60 km (go up Cerro Campanario by chairlift or on foot — the panorama was ranked among the world's finest by National Geographic, and for once the marketing tells the truth), while Cerro Catedral and the Refugio Frey draw hikers and climbers to granite needles above a hanging lake.
The great road classic heads north: the Ruta de los Siete Lagos, 110 km of route 40 between Villa La Angostura and San Martín de los Andes, threads seven lakes (plus a few uncounted) between volcanic-sand beaches and dense forest. Savour it in a day with swimming stops in summer, or over two with a night in San Martín — and come back for the chocolate of Calle Mitre, an institution founded by the Swiss and Piedmontese immigrants who gave the town its alpine décor.
Don't miss
- The Cerro Campanario panorama, earned on foot (30 min) or by chairlift
- The Circuito Chico with a stop at the Bahía López viewpoint
- The Seven Lakes route to San Martín de los Andes, swimming stops included
- The arrayán forest of the Quetrihué peninsula, by boat or bike from Villa La Angostura
Our tips on the ground
- Drive the Circuito Chico anticlockwise and early in the morning: the viewpoints fall on the right side of the road and you beat the afternoon flow.
- On the Seven Lakes route, the finest stops (Lago Traful via the route 65 detour, the Lago Espejo beach) lie off the main axis: allow yourself the side turns.
- January-February is Argentina's high season: accommodation in Villa La Angostura and San Martín evaporates — book ahead, or aim for December and March, just as beautiful and half as busy.
Our flagship guide — €29
Guide available“Argentina Self-Drive”, the complete edition, is out
10 chapters: day-by-day itineraries, driving and transport, a costed budget and checklists — the same method as our Namibia guide.
The guide is currently written in French — an English edition is in the works.
Before you go
Readers' questions about Bariloche and the Lake District
Is Bariloche worth it if you're already doing southern Patagonia?
They are two different Patagonias: the south is steppe, glaciers and wind; the lakes are forest, swimming and an almost alpine softness. If your trip is built around mineral treks, the south is enough; if you want variety, flying to Bariloche adds three days of breathing space — and the Seven Lakes route is one of the country's most beautiful easy drives.
Can you swim in the lakes?
Yes, in summer (December-February) and with the local vocabulary: the water is 'invigorating', meaning 14-18 °C depending on the lake and the exposure. The beaches of Lago Espejo and Villa La Angostura are the mildest; the Nahuel Huapi, very deep, stays cold year-round. Argentines throw themselves in cheerfully in January — a matter of training.