Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
311
summertime, visitors can take part in day hikes or backpacking trips, with many trails to
choose from, or boat out to one of the lake 's islands. The park also has plenty of other
outdoor activities such as rafting, horseback riding, and fishing; during the winter , the
park's other dominant peak,
Cerro Catedral,
is a popular ski r esort. Easy access to all
regions of the par k makes Nahuel Huapi popular with visitors seeking mello wer activi-
ties, such as sightseeing drives and chairlifts to magnificent lookout points.The following
information applies to all attractions within N ahuel Huapi and around Bariloche.
THE ROAD TO THE LLAO LLAO PENINSULA
The
Cerro Campanario
provides possibly the best lookout point in the r egion, with
exceptional vie ws of N ahuel Huapi and P erito Moreno lakes, as w ell as the ravishing
beauty of the Llao Llao P eninsula and the peaks surr ounding it. The lookout point is
accessed by a 7-minute chairlift ride located 18km (11 miles) outside B ariloche on the
road to Llao Llao, meaning y ou'll hav e to arrange transpor tation with a tour , driv e a
rental car, or take the local bus no. 20, which departs from behind the Centro Civico on
Calle San Martín. A restaurant here offers panoramic views. The office is at Belgrano 41,
#B (
&
02944/427274
), open daily from 9am to noon and from 2 to 6pm; the cost for
the chairlift is $6 (£4.05), and y ou don't need reservations. Just show up at the chairlift
at Avenida Bustillo, Km 17.5, during operating hours. You can also hike up a dusty trail
for free.
The Cerro Campanario is along a popular 60km (37-mile) drive around the Llao Llao
Peninsula, commonly known as the
Circuito Chico
. This drive affords spectacular
views of N ahuel Huapi and P erito Moreno lakes and the sno wcapped peaks of Cerr o
Lopez, Capilla, and Catedral, which tower over the water. Head west out of town on the
lakeside Avenida Bustillo. At 18km (11 miles) fr om Bariloche, the r oute changes into
Ruta 237, loops ar ound the peninsula as R uta 77, and meets back at R uta 237 and
eventually Bustillo, all the while meandering thr ough dense forest and picturesque bays
with outstanding lookout points. There are short hikes en route as well, including a trail
through an enchanting
arrayán
(myrtle) forest at the Parque Municipal Llao Llao, and a
trail out to the hidden Lago Escondido. Visitors will find
parrilla
(grill) and fondue-style
restaurants along the way , as w ell as the world-r enowned
Llao Llao H otel & R esort
(p. 318). Overlooking the hotel, the lovely
Capilla San Eduardo
chapel
displays the
unique rustic Andean ar chitecture that so typifies B ariloche. In front of the Llao Llao,
Puerto Pañuelo
is the main dock for boat trips (see belo w), as w ell as trips to P uerto
Blest and the boat cr ossing to Chile. P ast the Llao Llao, the R uta 77 continues to a
lookout below Cerro Lopez and then descends to B ahía Lopéz, which has a nice beach
11
Nah-Well What?
You're not the only one who has tr ouble pronouncing the name of Bariloche's
stunning lake and national park ,
Nahuel Huapi
—that's
nah
-well
wa h
-pee. It
means Island of the Tiger in the nativ e Mapuche language. With 524 sq . km
(204 sq. miles), this stunning lake is mor e like an inland sea, c onnecting the
lush forests and high peaks of the Andes with the rugged plains of the Patago-
nian Steppe.
