As the entrance door to Nahuel Huapi National Park, Bariloche offers always pleasant and spectacular surrounding scenery. The combination of mountains, lakes and forests make Bariloche one of the preferred Patagonian destinations.
On the first day you’ll be welcomed at the Bariloche Airport and transferred to your selected hotel. During the afternoon we’ll embark on a tour to admire Bariloche in all its splendour, doing a circuit of the beautiful Nahuel Huapi lake. We’ll start driving along the lakeshore on Bustillo Ave. until reaching Playa Bonita, which boasts an amazing view of Huemul island. We’ll then reach Campanario Hill, where you’ll have the option to take the chairlift to the top and appreciate an incomparable view: Lakes Nahuel Huapi and Perito Moreno, San Pedro Peninsula, Victoria Island, downtown Bariloche and the Otto, López, Goye and Catedral hills. Afterwards, at Llao-Llao, we will visit the San Eduardo chapel and Pañuelo Port, lakeside. The last part of the circuit will take us across the bridge over Moreno Lake and, on our way back we’ll skirt lakes El Trébol and Nahuel Huapi until reaching Bustillo Avenue.
Small circuit tour – Duration: 4 h.
Overnight at Bariloche.
Our adventure for the day is set on Victoria Island and the emblematic Arrayanes forest. Behind its impressive cliffs, Victoria Island houses an amazing variety of flora and fauna, as well as historical cave paintings.
After traveling for 11 km from San Carlos Port (downtown Bariloche) or Pañuelo Port (Llao-Llao), we’ll reach this wonderful island. We’ll walk through the conifer nursery and then take the chairlifts to the top of Bella Vista hill along a beautiful stretch of green, filled with native centenarian coihues and cypresses. Afterwards we’ll hop onboard again and head to Quetrihue Peninsula, where the majestic and iconic Arrayanes Forest rises, with its characteristic cinnamon smell, stony tree barks and its famous wooden cabin. This unique tree formation holds Natural Monument status and served as inspiration to Walt Disney in his creation of the legendary cartoon for the movie Bambi. We’ll enjoy a walk along an easy path and then finally return on board to travel back to Puerto Pañuelo.
After an early breakfast we’ll head to Puerto Pañuelo, where we’ll embark on our fascinating lake crossing journey. Cruising along the Blest arm of Nahuel Huapi Lake we’ll get to see the beautiful Cántaros waterfall before continuing the journey on to Lake Frías from Puerto Alegre. Sailing Lake Frias, we’ll be surrounded by a spectacular view of Tronador mountain as well as amazing natural beauty resembling a subtropical forest, with huge specimens of cypresses, oak trees, larches and other local species. We’ll then disembark at Port Frias and cross the international border, where we’ll board a bus along the forest to the rural locality of Peulla, where the Chilean Customs and Migration offices are located. At Peulla one usually stays the night to continue with the journey the following day. From there, we embark on a 2-hour navigation leg on Lake Todos Los Santos with its impressive emerald green waters and views of the imposing Puntiagudo volcano, Osorno volcano and Mount Techado. We’ll then reach Port Petrohue, from where a vehicle will take us to Petrohue falls, seven beautiful waterfalls formed by the Petrohue river. The trip continues to the small rural settlement of Ensenaada, located on the sides of Osorno volcano and where you can find many beautiful cottages, restaurants and outdoor activities. From here onwards we travel on a paved road bordering the vast Lake Llanquihue, reaching the city of Puerto Varas after 64 km.
Suggested: 01 Night in Puerto Montt & 2 days at Lake Crossing.
REMARKS
* Accommodation in SGL/DBL.
NOT INCLUDED:
* Lunch or dinners not included in the program.
