The Argentine Lake District - Argentina - page 306

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Tips Bringing a Car into Chile

If you're hoping to do a Lake District circuit combining both the Argentine and
Chilean lake districts, be warned that you'll need additional insurance and writ-
ten permission from the car-rental agency to take the vehicle across the border. If
you are planning to drive back to Argentina, you'll have no problems but you will
need special papers. Few agencies, however, will allow you to leave the car in
Chile. I suggest using Budget or Avis for these trips: They're the only companies
with offices in numerous towns in both countries; they can offer roadside assis-
tance, and they can quickly provide you with a replacement car if you run into
problems. Note: The passes into Chile require chains in wintertime.

BY BUS Bariloche's public bus system is cheap and efficient, whether you're heading to
the Cerr o Catedral ski r esort or exploring the lakeside r oute of the Cir cuito Chico .
Regular buses depart from Calle San Martín, just in front of the National Park headquar-
ters, or from Moreno and Palacios. Bus no. 20 follows the shores of Lago Nahuel Huapi
past the Campanario chairlift to the Llao Llao Hotel & Resort. Bus no. 10 does the same
route but continues past the village at Colonia Suiza. Bus no. 50 will take you directly to
Cerro Catedral, and snowboards and skis are allowed onboard. Rides cost less than $1.50
(£1; just ask the driver).
When navigating the streets of Bariloche, be aware that two streets have similar names,
though they ar e distinct r outes: V.A. O'Connor r uns parallel to the Costanera, and J.
O'Connor bisects it.

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Visitor Information
The Secretaría de Turismo, in the stone-and-wood Civic Center complex between calles
Urquiza and P anzoni ( & 02944/426784; [e-mail]), has general
information about B ariloche and is an indispensable r esource for accommodations list-
ings, especially during the high season.They also operate an information stand in the bus
terminal, open M onday through Friday from 8am to 9pm, and S aturday and S unday
from 9am to 9pm. Useful tourism information, as well as the best maps and local books,
are available at an information kiosk at the corner of Villegas and Moreno, next to the
Artisan Market (no phone).
Good websites for all sor ts of up-to-date trav el information include www.bariloche.
org and www.interpatagonia.com .
The Club Andino B ariloche, A v. 20 de F ebrero 30 ( & 02944/422266; fax
02944/424579; www.clubandino.com.ar), provides excellent information about hiking,
backpacking, and mountaineering in the ar ea. They sell maps and pr ovide tr eks and
mountain ascents led by guides from the Club Andino; they are open daily from 9am to
1pm and 6 to 9pm during winter, daily from 8:30am to 3pm and 5 to 9pm during sum-
mer. This is an essential stop for those heading into the mountains. For general informa-
tion about Nahuel Huapi National Park, head to the par k's headquar ters acr oss the
street from the Civic Center ( & 02944/423111 ), open M onday through Friday from
8:30am to 12:30pm.