Bariloche, Argentina

San Carlos de Bariloche, usually referred to as Bariloche, is located in the northern region of Patagonia in Argentina that sits on the southern shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake. It is a common tourist destination for skiing and trekking in the mountains!

Getting there:

A bus from Buenos Aires to here is very long (21+ hours) and not all that cheap. I recommend planning ahead because if you plan enough in advance you can find cheap flights (only 3 hours from BsAs), which is definitely worth it. Once you get to the airport there is a public bus that comes every two hours that can take you to town or you can cab. If you choose to take the bus make sure you buy your tickets before inside the airport and then wait outside for the bus. There isn’t really a bus stop and you might start to get nervous that no bus is really coming, but it will. Things in Argentina and all of South America for that matter tend to be on the slower more laid back side as anyone who travels down there will come to find out quickly.

Gear:

I would definitely suggest serious hiking gear if you are looking to do two or more day treks. However, when I went I was very under prepared and stuck to more beginner trails, but they were still extremely breath taking. Make sure you bring a backpack to fill with supplies you may need during hiking and wear warm clothes that you can layer. You start to get very hot while hiking, but then once you get to the top you are hit by a serious temperature drop and in order to really appreciate the view it’s nice to be able to put your layers back on and relax comfortable before you make the journey back down.

Transportation in Bariloche:

There are public busses, but they don’t run that often to all the outside hiking areas so you must plan in advance what busses you will be needing to take and the times that they come. Also you must buy your bus tickets in advance at the bus terminal located on Moreno Street. If you become impatient waiting for the bus, as I sometimes do, it is common and safe to “hacer dedo” (hitch hike).

Hiking: There is an information center in town that provides great advice as to what hikes are the best for you depending on the gear and time you have and the season of course. Below are the hikes that I did when I went in mid-February.

Lago Guiterrez: This is a pretty flat hike so you don’t reach as high of altitudes as many of the other ones, but there is a quaint little waterfall and cool little wooden bridges that make you feel as if you are in a hobbit land! The trail dropped us in Cerro Cathedral where we were then able to catch a bus back to town.

We didn't get the best weather, but with our ponchos protecting us from the rain we were still able to enjoy the scenery 

Cerro Cathedral: Is famous for having great skiing slopes during the winter, but when there is no snow you can hike up the summit. You can take a bus from town to get here, do some hiking, and then once you are finished you can grab a bite to eat or some hot cocoa while you wait for the bus back to town. 

Cerro Campanerio: a quick 45-minute hike to the top with a spectacular view. Once you reach the top there is a restaurant and gift shop, so it is definitely more of a touristy, beginner hike. If you are feeling really lazy, but want a view there is a gondola that also runs to and from the top of the mountain.

View from Cerro Campanerio

Bahia Lopez: An 8 km steep hike to Rufugio Lopez. Parts of the trail are not very well marked, but it is a popular trail among hikers so you are likely to make a friend along the way. Rufugio Lopez can be your final destination before the climb back down or depending on how ambitious you are, you can hike (or more appropriately climb) another 2 km to the summit. I HIGHLY recommend this; just make sure you wear warm clothes because it is extremely cold when you reach the summit. It is an incredible experience! You are so high up that you feel as if you are in an airplane looking at the tops of clouds with the world beneath your toes.

Refugio Lopez 

Trekking my way up to the summit!

Arriba del mundo!

Other Activities: Bike and kayak rentals are also fun things to do when the weather is warm and of course skiing and snowboarding is a must if you visit during winter. Also, just walking around the town, browsing in the markets is fun!

Cool street ark work in the center

Accomadations:

The House Hostel: cheap, near a bus stop, supermarket and walking distance to all the restaurants, shopping, and bars in town. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. A breakfast of freshly baked medialunas from a local bakery and coffee is included. There are many hostels in the area, but this one is cheap and great!

Street view of House Hostel

Very comfortable and affordable private rooms!

Hotel Llao Llao: expensive resort, but even if you can’t afford to stay there it is worth it to go explore the property. You can take a bus from town or try and hitch hike—whichever one proves successful first!

The picturesque setting of Hotel Llao Llao

Eats:

After a tough day of hiking you must get fondue—the town of Barioloche is known for its cheese fondue, fine chocolates and homemade beer (reminds me a lot of Zermatt, Switzerland)

La Marmite: Great cheese and meat fondue! This restaurant is located on Mitre Street, and is so warm and cozy. This is a perfect place to recoup and reward yourself after a long hike.

So much cheese!!!

Bachmann: my favorite cerveceria in Bariloche. They are known for artesanal beers, specifically their frambuesa beer (strawberry). Not a typical flavor you’s think of for a beer but it is wicked good! Located at 1348 John Oconnor street, this bar away from all the main bars and restaurants so it is a real local joint. The beer is quality and the pizza isn’t to bad either…what more could you ask for!

Frambuesa cervezas y pizza

Antares: A chain bar/restaurant (also have two in Buenos Aires) but this place does have a great happy hour that is hard to turn down!

Wilkenny: most popular late night bar/club that attracts both locals and tourists.

There are many other restaurants and a few nightclubs, but I was always too tired at night after hiking all day to stay up past 11pm!

Besos!