Argentina - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 117

Hospital Moreno 601 ( T 02944 426 100).
Police Centro Cívico ( T 02944 422 772).
Post o ce Moreno 175 and numerous smaller branches.

mountain-framed Llao Llao Hotel and Spa
at Km25 ( T 02944 448 530, W llaollao
.com), an alpine-style creation by architect
Alejandro Bustillo. Non-guests can feast on
pastries at the hotel's decadent afternoon
tea (daily 4-7pm).
Just after the turn-off for the Llao Llao
is Puerto Pañuelo , where boats leave for
leisure trips to Puerto Blest, Isla Victoria
and the Parque Nacional Los Arrayanes
(see p.116). Beyond here the traffic
dissipates and the circuit follows an
undulating road flanked by thick forest.
The scenery is superb, with worthwhile
stops at Villa Tacul , Lago Escondido ,
Bahia López and Punto Panorámico , the
last of these offering the most recognized
postcard shot of the region. For a detour,
the pretty Swiss village of Colonia Suiza
offers an enjoyable opportunity for
a lunch or afternoon tea break.
Cycling the circuit allows the flexibility
to leave the main road and ride along
forested trails to hidden beaches and
lakes. As traffic is heavy along the first
20km stretch west of Bariloche, it's best
to take a bus (#10, #11, #20 or #22)
from downtown to Avenida Bustillo
Km18.6, where Bike Cordillera ( T 02944
524 828) rents bicycles . To see the circuit
by public bus , take #20 along the
lakeshore for Llao Llao and Puerto
Pañuelo or #10 inland for Colonia Suiza.
In summer, #11 does the entire circuit.

1

DAY TRIPS FROM BARILOCHE
Most day-trips from Argentina's outdoor
adventure capital involve conquering - or
at least ogling - the nearby mountains,
rivers and lakes. Outside the winter
months, when skiing at Cerro Catedral
reigns supreme, the most popular
excursions are cycling or driving the
scenic Circuito Chico route (see below),
white-water rafting on the class III-IV
Río Manson some 80km southwest of
Bariloche, and hiking in Parque Nacional
Nahuel Huapi (see p.122). Local tour
operators also offer kayaking, kitesurfing,
windsurfing, scuba diving, horseriding,
canyoning, rock climbing, mountain
biking, parapenting, scenic flights, bus
tours on the Seven Lakes Route (see box,
p.116) and boating trips.
Shopaholics and beer-lovers will find
their spiritual home 123km south of
Bariloche in the hippy-ish town of
El Bolsón , where the outstanding fería
artesanal (every Tues, hurs, Sat & Sun
10am-3pm), sells locally crafted wares
and food. Afterwards, sample a pint of
the local brew at Cervecería El Bolsón , at
RN258 Km124 ( W cervezaselbolson.com),
or stay on in the valley for exemplary
hiking in the surrounding mountains.

Cerro Catedral
Named for a summit (2405m) that
resembles the spires of a Gothic cathedral,
CERRO CATEDRAL ( T 02944 409 000,
W catedralaltapatagonia.com) is one of
South America's top ski resorts from June
to October, offering bedazzling lake and
cordillera views, more than fifty runs,
forty lifts and descents up to 9km long.
Villa Catedral , a village just 20km south of
Bariloche, lies at the base of the mountain
and has hotels, restaurants and ski-hire
shops. When the snow melts, Cerro
Catedral stays open for trekking; a cable
car (AR$75) and chairlift (free) provide
access to Refugio Lynch (1870m) and
spectacular mountain vistas. A tough but
worthwhile trail leads along the ridge and
past glacial lakes to Refugio Frey (4hr);

Circuito Chico
he CIRCUITO CHICO , a 65km road circuit
heading west of Bariloche along the shores
of Lago Nahuel Huapi, is a popular day
excursion, with a variety of possible
stop-offs. It can be explored by bike, rental
car, minibus tour (4hr) or by catching
a public bus and jumping on and off
wherever you fancy. The first point of
interest - and a decent half-day excursion
on its own - is Cerro Campanario at
Avenida Bustillo Km18. Take the chairlift
(daily 9am-6.30pm; AR$60) or trail
(a 30min steep walk) to the lookout for
camera-battery-depleting 360-degree
views ; tours don't usually stop here, so
you'll need to come under your own steam.
The next point of interest is the luxurious,