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Río Negro and Neuquén
It is the oldest and second largest national park in the country. In its more than 700,000 hectares, covering Río Negro and Neuquén, in the border with Chile, you will discover lakes, rivers, waterfalls and trails crossing the Andean-Patagonian forest, the steppe and the high mountains.
You can visit all year round. From October through March, you can practice beach and water sports, or go trekking and mountain biking. From June through September, you can do activities in the snow. Free admission, except for the Mascardi and Pañuelo Port areas. Recommended for family trips.
The Nahuel Huapi National Park is so large that it can be visited from the towns of Bariloche, San Martín de los Andes and Villa La Angostura. Several vehicular roads and a large network of trails allow you to explore it on foot, by bicycle or by car. The mythical Route 40 crosses it and passes through several of its main towns.
Bariloche is one of the most popular cities in Patagonia and the starting point to discover the southern area of the park. Located on the shores of the Nahuel Huapi Lake, Bariloche offers a wide range of services, accommodation and tours to suit all tastes. You can enjoy different landscapes and activities throughout all the seasons of the year.
The coast of the immense Nahuel Huapi Lake is the perfect place to relax and unwind, especially during the summer. It is also worth visiting the beaches of the Moreno, Gutiérrez and Mascardi Lakes, which are just a few kilometres away from the city. But remember to keep them clean. Enjoy the beaches, but at the end of the day, take your trash with you.
There are several catamaran tours to sail on the Nahuel Huapi Lake and visit Victoria Island (which has a network of trails to hike in the forest and enjoy amazing views of the lake), and the Los Arrayanes National Park in the Quetrihué Peninsula (with its mythical enchanted forest of myrtle trees, a unique place in the world).
The tour to Puerto Blest, Los Cántaros Waterfall and the Frías Lake is an experience you cannot miss. After navigating for 1 hour, you will reach the border with Chile, where the Andean forest turns into the magnificent Valdivian forest thanks to the effect of the heavy rains. You can explore the place through a series of walkways, and you can return on the same day or continue your trip to Chile through the Pérez Rosales border crossing.
There are several attractions that you can visit for the day, like the cable car to Otto Mountain (offering views of Bariloche and several trails), the Small Circuit (a traditional tour bordering the Nahuel Huapi and Moreno Lakes), or either hike or take a chairlift to the top of the Campanario Mountain (15 km away from the city) where you will find panoramic views and great cuisine. There are also various beaches in nearby lakes, perfect to enjoy during the summer.
The national park has a wide network of trails and refuges: Frey, Agostino Rocca, López, Italia, Jakob and Otto Meiling. For those seeking to spend several days on the mountain, some refuges can get connected between each other. There are various trekking options of different duration and complexity, and some refuges provide food and accommodation. In some cases, a guide is required.
Around Bariloche, some ski resorts to practice skiing and other winter sports are: Catedral Mountain, Otto Mountain, or Perito Moreno Mountain, closer to El Bolsón.
18 km away from Bariloche, along National Route 237, you will find the entrance to the Nahuel Huapi National Park on the other side of the bridge over Limay River, just a few metres away from the river source. That is the starting point of a 65-kilometre circuit (one-way) that you can visit by car or with a tour, and that offers extraordinary views, such as Rincón Chico, the Anfiteatro and the Encantado Valley, with incredible volcanic rock formations.
40 km away from Bariloche, along National Route 237, you will find a footbridge crossing over the Limay River to access Villa Llanquín, a rural village in the middle of the steppe that keeps its traditions and customs. There is a hostel and several camping sites.
70 km from Bariloche, taking the detour to Pampa Linda along provincial route 81, you access a road to reach the base of Mount Tronador, within the Nahuel Huapi National Park.
Several treks depart from Pampa Linda – where there are accommodations and gastronomic options – among which the Otto Meiling refuge, the Ilón lagoon and the Agostino Rocca refuge stand out. There is also an 8 km vehicular path that reaches the viewpoint of the Ventisquero Negro glacier. Another attraction is visiting the Los Alerces waterfall, entering through a path that is close to the Los Rápidos campsite.
To enter this area of the park, you must take into account the entry-exit times, since there are times when the paths become one-way (see the times in this link).
The city of San Martín de los Andes, in the province of Neuquén, is the entry point to the northern area of the Nahuel Huapi National Park, through the famous Route of the Seven Lakes.
Due to its transparent waters, Lake Traful is one of the best places in the province of Neuquén for diving. At 30 meters deep, it recreates a fantasy landscape among gigantic, almost intact trees (due to the average water temperature and the complexity of the descent, it is necessary to take a course beforehand). To get there, from National Route 40, it is 26 km of gravel until you reach Villa Traful. There are also several walking trails.
Located on the shores of the Correntoso and Nahuel Huapi Lakes, Villa La Angostura is the doorway to the park's central area. It is a beautiful mountain town on the shores of the Correntoso and Nahuel Huapi Lakes that turns into an important ski resort in winter.
Because it is located in the heart of the park, this city is ideal for adventure tourism and outings including horseback riding, sailing in the lake, mountain biking, birdwatching or trekking (the most popular ones are the Huella Andina trails, which are long trails covering different areas of the national park, and the trails leading to the Bonito River and the Inacayal, Dora and Santa Ana Waterfalls.
You can also cross the Cardenal Samoré border crossing to visit the Puyehue National Park in Chile.
La Angostura is also the entrance door to the Los Arrayanes National Park. You can visit the park on a 12-kilometre tour on foot, by bike from the city, or with a navigation tour.
The Nahuel Huapi and Correntoso Lakes, and the Correntoso River are great places for kayaking, canoeing, windsurfing or simply enjoying their black sand beaches. It is also a popular destination for sport fishing enthusiasts.
Very close to La Angostura, Bayo Mountain is one of the main ski resorts and winter sport centres in Patagonia.
+ info: http://neuquentur.gob.ar/es/destinos/villa-la-angostura/
There are regular flights to Bariloche, San Martín de los Andes (Chapelco airport) and Esquel. There are regular bus services to the main cities. There are several public transport services connecting the main points of the route to nearby towns, like El Bolsón or Esquel. In the cities, you can rent a car or hire a private transfer.
Bariloche and its surrounding towns (such as Colonia Suiza, Villa Catedral and Dina Huapi) have a wide variety of accommodation options, ranging from 5-star hotels to inns, hostels, boutique hotels and aparthotels.
Villa La Angostura has a wide range of accommodation, cuisine and services options, and in Villa Traful there are hotels, hostels, cottages and camping sites.
Moreover, inside the park, there are free and organised camping sites, and a network of interconnected mountain refuges offering accommodation for 1 or various nights (prior reservation required, visit www.barilochetrekking.com).
