Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
314
HORSEBACK RIDING
Horseback rides in v arious ar eas of the par k ar e offer ed b y
Tom Wesley Viajes de Aventura,
Bustillo Km 15.5 (
&
02944/448193
), which also has
a kid-friendly adventure camp. Rides cost an av erage of $40 (£27) for 2 hours and $55
(£37) for 3 hours. J ust east of to wn, visit the
Estancia Fortín Chacabuco
(
&
02944/
554148;
www.estanciaspatagonicas.com) and ride with local gauchos. Full-day rides with
a giant
asado
lunch cost $70 (£47). F or overnight or multiday horseback riding trips,
contact
Gatomancha
(
&
02944/523009;
www.gatomancha.com).
KAYAK TOURING
Recently, the many fiords of Nahuel Huapi Lake have been tempt-
ing visitors to explore in sea kayaks, or touring kayaks. I t's a lovely outing that's possible
in a variety of weather conditions. Operators such as
Senza Limiti
(
&
02944/520597;
www.slimiti.com) also offer overnight tours, often year-round.
MOUNTAINEERING
Experienced climbers, and those looking for a taste of the high
peaks, have plenty of options in Bariloche, including the challenging 3-day climb of Mt.
Tronador. Contact
Andes Cross
(
&
02944/15-633581
[cell]; www.andescross.com) for
guiding services.
RAFTING
Various companies offer riv er rafting on the Río M anso in both Class III
and Class IV sections, on full-day trips. The Rafting Frontera trip takes you to the Chil-
ean border and is thrilling! The average cost for a trip is $65 to $95 (£44-£64). Easier
floats down the Class I Río Limay ar e also available, for about $55 (£37) for a half-day .
Excursions include all equipment, transpor tation, and a snack or lunch (full-day trips).
The two best local rafting companies are
Patagonia Rafting,
San Martín 86 (
&
02944/
522438
), and
Extremo Sur,
Morales 765 (
&
02944/427301
).
SKIING & SNOWBOARDING
Bariloche's main winter draw is the ski resort at
Cerro
Catedral
. When the r esort's two former halv es joined in 2005, ev eryone r ejoiced.
There are more terrain, better lifts, and close to a doz en on-slope restaurants to choose
from, making this perhaps South America's greatest ski hill. The scenery is stunning. Lift
tickets cost $25 to $45 (£17-£30) for adults and $12 to $28 (£8.20-£19) for kids,
depending on high and low seasons. The season usually runs from June through October,
with mid-August by far the busiest and most expensiv e time (when all Argentines hav e
their 2-w eek winter holidays). H eavy sno wfalls in S eptember the past fe w y ears hav e
helped keep the top sections open well into spring (which here means mid-Oct). Regard-
less, experienced skiers will want to stay high and explor e the mountain fr om P unta
Princesa to the south to P iedra del Condor on the nor th. There is lots of terrain for
beginners and intermediates, as well as a snowboard park and tons of events throughout
the season. For great slopeside atmosphere and a dr op-dead view, have lunch at the tra-
ditional Refugio Lynch. Nonskiers can also enjo y the scene thanks to pedestrian lifts,
open daily, that ferry passengers to the top. Every July, Catedral hosts the
National Snow
Party,
with torchlight parades and other events (contact the Catedral ski resort for more
information and each y ear's dates). The bustling Villa Catedral is at the base of the
resorts, with a jumble of shops, rental stores, and several lodging options. The only ski-in,
ski-out hotel is
Pire-Hue Hotel and Resort
(
&
02944/460040;
www.pire-hue.com.ar).
Sudbruck Hostería
has a handful of spacious rooms decorated with rustic cypress wood
(
&
02944/460156;
www.sudbruck.com). Rooms start at about $95 (£64) per night for
a double.
Cabañas Antu Pukem
has cabins for six to eight guests; consult them directly
for prices (
&
02944/460035
).
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