Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
335
dropping into the town of San Martín de los Andes. On the shores of the Rio Hermoso
is the outstanding Rio H ermoso Lodge (see “ Where to Stay” under “San Martín de los
Andes,” below).
5
SAN MARTIN DE LOS ANDES
1,640km (1,017 miles) SW of Buenos Aires; 200km (124 miles) N of San Carlos de Bariloche
San Martín de los Andes is a charming mountain to wn of 35,000 nestled on the tip of
Lago Lácar betw een high peaks. The to wn is consider ed the tourism capital of the
Neuquen province, a claim that's hard to negate, considering the copious ar ts-and-crafts
shops, gear-rental shops, restaurants, and hotels that constitute much of downtown. San
Martín has gr own considerably in the past 15 y ears, yet a city law that limits building
height and r egulates ar chitectural style means the to wn has kept its lo vely character,
unlike Bariloche. The town is quieter than B ariloche and decidedly mor e picturesque,
thanks to its timber-heavy architecture and Swiss Alpine influence. Because it's in a valley
between two peaks, however, it lacks the majestic lake view and can feel dark and closed-
in. San Martín overflows with activities including biking, hiking, boating, and skiing.
The town is also very popular for hunting and fishing—and, believe it or not, some come
just to r elax. The tourism infrastr ucture her e is ex cellent, with ev ery lodging option
imaginable and plenty of great restaurants.
11
ESSENTIALS
Getting There
BY PL ANE
Aeropuerto I nternacional Chapelco
(
&
02972/428388
) sits halfway
between S an M artín and J unín de los Andes (see later in this chapter) and, ther e-
fore, ser ves both destinations.
Aerolíneas Argentinas/A ustral,
Capitán D rury 876
(
&
02972/427871;
www.aerolineas.com.ar), flies fr om B uenos Air es. A ne w airline,
SUR Líneas A éreas
(
&
11/5278-6367
in B uenos Air es; www .surla.com.ar), began
twice-weekly ser vice in 2009. The hope is that r ecent impr ovements in the airpor t's
infrastructure will keep the number of flights canceled due to bad w eather to a mini-
mum. A taxi to S an Martín costs about $22 (£15); transfer ser vices are also available at
the airport for $18 (£12) per person. A taxi to Junín de los Andes costs $20 (£14); trans-
fer services are $12 (£8.20) per person.
By Mich Rent a C ar
and
Avis
both hav e auto
rental kiosks at the airport.
BY BUS
The
Terminal de Omnibus
is atVillegas and Juez delValle (
&
02972/427044).
Via Bariloche
(
&
02972/422800) r uns daily bus ser vice to S an Martín de los Andes
from B uenos Air es (a 19-hr . trip).
Ko-Ko Chev alier
(
&
02972/411295) also offers
service to and fr om Buenos Aires, and ser ves Villa La Angostura and B ariloche by the
paved or by the scenic Siete Lagos route.
Centenario
(
&
02972/427294) has service to
Chile and also offers daily ser vice to B uenos Aires; Villarrica- and P ucón-bound buses
leave Monday through Saturday, and those for P uerto Montt depar t Tuesday through
Thursday.
Albus
(
&
02972/423808 or 02944/423552) has trips to B ariloche via the
Siete Lagos route (about 3 hr.). Bus service can vary due to season, and it's best to evalu-
ate a coach's condition and services before buying a ticket, especially for trips to and from
Buenos Aires.
