Bariloche is a must-see destination, very popular for Argentines and all travelers who discover it! I mention San Carlos de Bariloche in the “My favorites” section as I love this region of Patagonia.

Nahuel Huapi Lake between Bariloche and Villa La Angostura

Bariloche is a great introduction to a trip to Patagonia. The spaces are smaller than in the deep south, but much more varied! What surprises you first is the arrival by plane. The arrival is done by flying over the Estancia “El Condor”, one of the largest in the region, exceeding 100,000 hectares! The airport is therefore located in the middle of the Patagonian steppe and arid landscapes.

Tailor-made Patagonia in all seasons

Where are the lakes, forests, rivers, volcanoes so detailed in the guides?? Patience… as you get closer to the town of Bariloche, the scenery gradually changes. You then have to go even further west to reach these forests of centuries-old, even thousand-year-old trees. All the charm of the region comes down to this variety of landscapes.

In the same day, it’s possible to go from a river, wandering in the middle of a canyon surrounded by rocks pointing towards the sky, to lakes surrounded by forests, the last ramparts on the vertiginous mountain sides.

And for those who want to travel around Bariloche, here again the possibilities are as numerous as they are varied – to the north, we’ll discover the surroundings of Villa la Angostura, Villa Traful, San Martín de los Andes and Junín de los Andes – to the south, El Bolsón, Epuyén and Esquel will leave us amazed.

Also, from Bariloche, in Argentine Patagonia, it’s possible to reach Puerto Montt or Puerto Varas, in Chile, by successively crossing three lakes by boat, as the Jesuits and the first German settlers did. I suggest an excursion that takes us to the Pacific Ocean. The excursion is quite long, but the beauty of the sites – forests, volcanoes and crystal clear lakes – is such that it is worth doing. On the Argentina side, we cross the western arm of the Nahuel Huapi as well as Lake Puerto Alegre and, on the Chilean side, Lake Todos los Santos. We go from one lake to another by bus. This excursion is possible in all seasons, in 1 day, or in 2 days with an overnight stop in Peulla.

As you’ll have understood: to the west of the Bariloche region, Chile also extends its arms to you.

Visit the Bariloche region