8 Must-Do Activities in Bariloche

We propose you 8 Awesome Things to do in Bariloche, detailing each place we recommend visiting

1. Adventure Sports

Bariloche is the perfect destination for winter vacations, when tourists fond of skiing arrive mostly, who mainly enjoy Cerro Catedral, being a very important destination in the southern hemisphere. There you’ll find the Skimax Ski & Snowboard school where they offer Ski and Snowboard lessons, group, private, and family sessions. For all ages, for all levels: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced. Freeride classes and CAMPS. SKIMAX is composed of outstanding instructors. It’s open from 09:00 – 18:00 hrs. Suggested duration: 1-2 hours. Address: Plaza Catalina Reynal Base of Cerro Catedral, Local 20

Another option is the one provided by the Catedral Ski Resort ski & snowboard school. It offers exclusive or group classes, Ski Baby, Children’s School, Youth School, Adaptive Skiing, Ski Touring. You can also find it at the Cerro Catedral Base.

Undoubtedly, Bariloche is the ideal destination for adventure sports lovers since in addition to skiing, you’ll find the best slopes in the region to practice rafting, canopy, windsurfing, diving, kayaking, mountain biking, etc… there are many activities to choose from, so… Where to practice adventure sports? Between the lakes and hills there’s a great variety of options to enjoy. The recommendation is to first decide the destination and then choose among the activities available at each place. Notable mentions include: Cerro Tronador is the highest in the area and at its base is the Ventisquero Negro glacier, Cerro López, ideal for different adventure sports, and Cerro Campanario, which has one of the most impressive views of Bariloche.

2. Nahuel Huapi National Park

Nahuel Huapi National Park has 710,000 hectares of territory between two provinces, Neuquén and Río Negro, and serves as a meeting place for visitors and residents of nearby cities such as San Carlos de Bariloche, Dina Huapi and Villa La Angostura, and the existence within the park of two villages: Mascardi and Traful, in addition to rural settlements like Cuyin Manzano.

Activities
Nahuel Huapi National Park through its diverse activities and excursions allows you to enjoy contact with nature. Both in winter and summer, you can take walks and engage in sports activities through forests, lakes and mountains, choosing between lake tours, rafting, kayaking, bicycle excursions, horseback riding, climbing and mountain trekking. More information https://www.nahuelhuapi.gov.ar/intro_turismo.html

3. Civic and Commercial Center of Bariloche

A highlighted activity is touring the city center to enjoy its charm and appreciate the beautiful characteristic architecture of Bariloche.

The Civic Center of Bariloche is an unmissable point for its architecture and design, being a set of very notable buildings in the city, located around the plaza with a view of the lake at different levels, where you’ll find the library and museum, at the southern end the municipality and post office, and to the west the police and customs.

The project was the work of architect Ernesto de Estrada, inaugurated on March 17, 1940, and declared a national historic monument in 1987. In its conception, the aim was to create an architectural point of interest and first-level tourist attraction. The walls of the buildings are built with green stones extracted from Cerro Carbón and brick masonry, plus numerous elements built with cypress and larch wood.

In the civic center there are arches that connect it to Mitre Street; when walking along it you can visit the notable commercial establishments and try the city’s specialty: chocolates always distinguished by their variety and excellent quality.

Very nearby and as another emblematic building stands out The Cathedral of San Carlos de Bariloche, “Our Lady of Nahuel Huapi,” which is the main Catholic temple of the city. It’s located at the intersection of Almirante O’Connor and Beschtedt streets, surrounded by two plazas with beautiful gardens that seem taken from a postcard.

For its construction, architect Alejandro Bustillo offered the project for free and its design has a neo-Gothic style with French reminiscences, it has a Latin cross shape with sober forms, its head is oriented to the East so the sun illuminates from the beginning of the day. This also achieves various variations of light when passing through the stained glass windows. Viewed from the outside, planes of light and shadow are generated, accentuating its aforementioned architectural features. The material used for its construction was “white stone,” the roof is black slate and it has a 69-meter bell tower in the shape of a spire.

How to get to Bariloche: the city of Bariloche is the most visited tourist destination in Patagonia, it has an International airport that connects it with direct flights from different cities in Argentina and neighboring countries like Brazil.

4. Arrayanes Forest

The Arrayanes Forest is located in the southern part of the Quetrihué Peninsula and is connected to the mainland by a small isthmus, where the beautiful town of Villa Angostura is located. We learned that the Arrayán, name of Mapuche origin “quetrihue,” is actually a shrub of exquisite saffron color and white flowers. In this place they grew to the size of trees to form this magical and unusual forest, with centennial specimens of thick trunks. Therefore, it’s a forest with unique characteristics in the world, because it’s the only habitat where Arrayanes have tree form and also grow in forest formation. The striking bark of this tree is cold, smooth and cinnamon colored with white spots and heights that exceed 15 meters. It has white flowers similar to orange blossom and purplish fruits of pleasant taste. The forest has an area of 1,000 hectares and was declared a National Park by Law in 1980. It’s recommended to take one of the excursions, traveling a path of approximately 600 meters in length and of course, respecting with maximum care a protected site like Los Arrayanes National Park, within Nahuel Huapi National Park.

Also located there is what’s informally called Walt Disney’s little house, which is actually a small cabin for buying gifts or souvenirs. The guides are always ready to answer questions, providing very valuable information on different topics, such as vegetation, flora and the development of the history of the places to visit, customs and who their inhabitants were, etc.

You might be interested in reading Travel Story: Arrayanes Forest and Victoria Island

5. Swiss Colony

Swiss Colony, a beautiful place surrounded by nature and typical constructions inspired by that European country that amaze tourists who visit it. Undoubtedly, Patagonia has been a destination for European emigrants who came to start a new life bringing their customs and traditions, which is reflected in the Swiss Colony.
Towards the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, there was an important movement of Swiss, families originally from the Valais canton of Switzerland such as the Goye, Mermoud, Cretton, Felley, Jackard, Fotthoff, Lojda and Neu were the first to settle at the foot of Cerro López.

Currently it’s a destination that has places to spend the night and picturesque restaurants. Among the dishes, a food called curanto stands out. It’s a preparation originating from southern Chile and Argentina, where foods are cooked in a hole dug in the ground, covered with hot stones and covered with branches. We recommend two places that prepare curanto:

The most economical option is at the Artisans Fair. They give you a tray with a variety of meats and vegetables to try. You buy a ticket at the box office while the curanto is being made in view, you take a tray at the place where they serve and choose a place at the available tables, which are spacious to be shared by more people.

The Los Curantos Restaurant by Víctor Goye, who explains the preparation of curanto and is one of the original inhabitants of the Colony. The dish is enjoyed in “steps” where it’s brought little by little, what’s being cooked with the possibility at the end, to repeat the dish. It includes dessert and features a live folk show.

How to get to Swiss Colony: Swiss Colony is located 25 kilometers from Bariloche and with bus line 10 you can get there in about an hour.

6. Small Circuit

One of the must-do activities in Bariloche, mainly in summer, is a beautiful circular route of 65 kilometers that can be done by car, by bicycle (there are various rental points along the way) or on a guided tour. The main attractions are Villa Llao Llao, surrounded by lakes, and the viewpoints such as the Hidden Lake viewpoint, the La Angostura Stream Bridge viewpoint and the López Bay pier viewpoint.

The Small Circuit excursion begins on Bustillo Avenue, bordering Lake Nahuel Huapi, heading west. Below we offer you a detailed guide km by km, starting from the center of Bariloche, these are the highlighted places:

Km. 8: Playa Bonita: It’s a beautiful pebble beach located on the shores of Lake Nahuel Huapi. In summer it’s usually very frequented, but you have to keep in mind that the water temperature is still cold for bathing in the lake. Ideal for enjoying outdoors, doing sports like kayaking and windsurfing and visiting from this point Huemul Island, which is located in front.

Km. 17: Cerro Campanario: one of the most important hills in Bariloche, with 1,000 meters of height, you can go up by chairlift or doing a trekking of little difficulty. The 360-degree view of lakes Nahuel Huapi, Moreno, El Trébol lagoon, the San Pedro peninsula, the Llao Llao hotel and Victoria Island stands out. There’s also a restaurant where you can eat or have something to drink.

Km. 20: San Pedro Peninsula: here you’ll find the Regatta club and access to the San Pedro Peninsula. Here there’s a viewpoint where you can stop to take photos and enjoy the landscape.

Km. 23: Llao Llao: here you’ll find an icon of the city, the famous Llao Llao hotel, the San Eduardo chapel and Puerto Pañuelo, from where boats depart to the Arrayanes forest and Victoria Island and the excursion to Puerto Blest. The Llao Llao hotel is high-category accommodation, built with wood and stone and with fine interior decoration, located in a privileged place. To access the hotel you have to stay there, or simply sit in the cafeteria area and have something to drink to enjoy the impressive views.

Km. 25: Llao Llao Municipal Park: from this kilometer the route goes into a leafy forest where you can stop to enjoy the views and take photos, it has a Tourist Information post. Also found here are the hiking routes to ascend Cerro Llao Llao and the walk to reach the Hidden Lake pier and Los Troncos bay.
Km. 33: Angostura Stream Bridge. It’s a panoramic bridge that connects López Bay with Lake Perito Moreno. In the surroundings there are beaches on the shores of the lake and picnic area. From here you can reach the López Bay pier.

Km. 34: The Mountaineer’s Cemetery: leaving the car on the side of the route and walking along a one-kilometer path, you reach this small cemetery in homage to all the mountaineers who died in their expeditions and journeys.

Km. 35: López Stream and detour to Swiss Colony: here you can take a path along López stream and enjoy the views of a waterfall among the forest. Also, you’ll find one of the detours to reach Swiss Colony.

Km. 40: Panoramic Point where you’ll also find craft brewery establishments like Patagonia and Gilbert, the Nahuelito park, place to enjoy a drink or food at the restaurant along with excellent views.

Km. 42: Lake Perito Moreno bridge, panoramic bridge that divides the west and east arms of Lake Perito Moreno. Here you’ll find another detour to go to Swiss Colony.

Km 44: El Trébol Lagoon, it’s the section of the route that borders the small El Trébol lagoon, to subsequently resume the way back to the center of Bariloche.

7. Lake Perito Moreno

Lake Perito Moreno that we mentioned in the previous point, is the product of water accumulation of glacial origin that is divided into two parts: the west and the east. It’s the only lake in the area where you can fish with a permit, throughout the year.
As its waters are warmer than the other lakes in the region, it attracts numerous bathers on good weather days. On its shores are Swiss Colony and Villa Llao Llao, so you’ll be able to see it when you visit these small towns.

How to get to Lake Moreno: In addition to by car, you can also access it with bus service number 10. Also, this is one of the points we mentioned in the Small Circuit.

8. Seven Lakes Road

Very close to Bariloche in Villa la Angostura to San Martin de los Andes, we recommend traveling this beautiful road to discover the different lakes surrounded by nature that’s very difficult to describe, you have to see it.
The Seven Lakes Road is the name given to a section of National Route 40 in the province of Neuquén, specifically the route that connects the towns of San Martín de los Andes and Villa La Angostura in Neuquén Province and owes its name to the fact that seven lakes can be seen during its journey.

The lakes that give the road its name, in order from Villa la Angostura to San Martín de los Andes are: Espejo, Correntoso, Hidden Lake, Villarino, Falkner, Machónico and Lácar. Nahuel Huapi is not part of the “7 lakes” since the route begins after the bifurcation between route 40 and route 231 that goes to the Samore pass. Other lakes can also be visited by taking detours from the main route. They are: Meliquina, Hermoso, Traful and Espejo Chico.

It’s a total of 110 kilometers to travel by car, it’s recommended to make stops and travel some sections on foot, to be able to appreciate the typical characteristics of the Patagonian Andes region: extensive forests, snowy hills and lakes. This road crosses two national parks: Lanín and Nahuel Huapi.
How to get to the 7 Lakes Route: you can do this route on your own by car, by bicycle or even hitchhiking, since many people travel this route, also by contracting some tour making stops at the most important points.

Bariloche is a destination that has it all

From snow adventures and dreamlike landscapes to culture, gastronomy and relaxation facing crystalline lakes. These 8 must-do activities —like skiing at Cerro Catedral, exploring Nahuel Huapi National Park or touring the magical Small Circuit— are just the beginning of what this Patagonian jewel can offer. Ready to live a unique experience? We help you plan your trip, choose your favorites and let yourself be surprised by the beauty of Bariloche. Patagonia awaits you!