Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
11
The Argentine
Lake District
by Christie Pashby
With its tall peaks and crystalline
waters, the Argentine Lake D istrict is one
of the world 's most spectacular mountain
playgrounds, yet it is remarkably unknown
and unexplored by foreigners.
The r egion str etches fr om the r ugged,
Wild West town of Junín de los Andes in
the north to the emerald waters of Cholila
in the south. I n betw een, cottage-lined
towns are scattered about, affording plenty
of options for o vernight stops. A range of
travelers will find something of inter est
here—alpine adv entures, aquatic spor ts,
fabulous wine and cuisine, and cozy cha-
lets and hotels.
Argentines flock her
e during their
twice-annual holidays—to ski in J uly and
August, and to raft in the lakes and hike
the mountains in J anuary. The rest of the
year, it's
tranquilísimo.
I suggest you sched-
ule your visit when the locals ar e back at
work, during the shoulder-season months
of N ovember (spring) and M arch
(autumn)—my favorite time to visit here.
For more information about the region,
see
www.interpatagonia.com
.
EXPLORING THE REGION
In this chapter, I hav e focused both on the Lake D istrict's principal destinations—S an
Carlos de B ariloche (kno wn her e simply as B ariloche), Villa La Angostura, and S an
Martín de los Andes—as w ell as stops off the beaten path, such as E l Bolsón and Junín
de los Andes. This coverage includes numer ous national par ks, as w ell as driving tours
and boat trips that take in the best of the stunning lakeside scenery. I recommend basing
yourself in one of these to wns and striking out fr om there to explor e the surr ounding
wilderness. All the towns described in this chapter offer enough outdoor and sightseeing
excursions to fill 1 or ev en 2 weeks, but 4 to 5 days in one location is ample time for a
visit. Based in Bariloche, you can take a day trip south to the crafts fair and lakes at E l
Bolsón, and then head out for daytime adv entures in N ahuel H uapi N ational P ark.
Then, take 2 nights to visit San Martín de los Andes and Villa la Angostura. If you're up
for it, don't miss the chance to sleep in the backcountr y—in either a rustic high-moun-
tain hut, a fly-fishing lodge, or a simple tent, after y ou've taken in the scenery on horse-
back. Another interesting route is to make a detour into Chile via the lake crossing from
Bariloche, or to organize a boat-bus combination that loops from Bariloche and Villa La
Angostura in Argentina, then crosses the border into Chile, then stops in Puyehue, con-
tinuing south to P uerto Varas or Puerto Montt, and finally cr osses back into Argentina
and Bariloche via the Lake C rossing. Another option is to cr oss from San Martín de los
Andes to Pucón, Chile.
