The administrative headquarters of Nahuel Huapi National Park is located in San Carlos de Bariloche. The park offers visitors mountaineering, boat trips, hiking, camping, horseback riding and rafting. Options range from mountain excursions to trips on the water. Shorter walks, viewpoints and regional culture are also among the discoveries that make Bariloche Department distinctive.

Excursion Routes, Scenery and Regional Cuisine

The Circuito Chico is Bariloche’s traditional excursion route, linking the city, forests, lakes and mountains in a single landscape. At kilometer 30, the road branches off toward Villa Tacul on Llao Llao Bay; the Circuito Chico continues toward Lago Escondido. Colonia Suiza is also along the route. There, you can visit farms and campsites and enjoy tea. Along the Circuito Chico, you’ll also find tea houses, restaurants, grill restaurants and beer bars serving regional cuisine, as well as shops selling local handicrafts. The route brings together scenery, food and crafts.

At the summit of Cerro Campanario, there is a viewpoint and a café, offering panoramic views. The beaches at Villa Tacul are suitable for diving. A separate trail to Lago Escondido leads through the Bosque de Coihues. In summer, the lake water is considered pleasantly warm. Each destination has its own appeal: views, diving or a forest trail leading to a lake.

Hikes by Duration and Difficulty

Several hikes make it possible to compare walking times and difficulty levels. The Cerrito Llao Llao–Villa Tacul hike is considered easy and takes between 50 minutes and 1 hour 20 minutes, depending on the section and starting point. The hike at Bahía López is also considered easy and takes about 1.5 hours. The Travesía de los Cuatro Refugios is considerably longer: this challenging Andean trek has a high difficulty level and takes 4 to 5 days. The Cerro Tronador–Pico Argentino ascent is a high-altitude climb of moderate to high difficulty and takes 3 days.

A trail from the summit of Cerro Otto runs at an elevation of 1,400 meters above sea level through a lenga forest to Piedra de Habsburgo and back along the same route. Puente Romano is an old stone bridge built by the National Parks Administration in 1937. Bosque Tallado is about an hour’s walk away and features 60 sculptures by artists from around the world. During the summer season, Cerro Perito Moreno offers walks, a climbing and adventure park, horseback riding, snow activities and local mountain cuisine.

Trails and Discoveries in the El Bolsón Valley

The El Bolsón Valley brings together organic farming, handicrafts, the production of sweets and beer, and tourism. There are different routes for getting around: the Circuito de Mallín Ahogado is about 25 kilometers long and can be traveled by car or bicycle. The 10-kilometer Camino de los Nogales passes through an agricultural area and can be traveled by car, bicycle or on foot. This route takes you to Rinconada de Nahuelpan on the slope of Cerro Piltriquitrón. There, you’ll find Cascada de Nahuelpan and opportunities for horseback riding.

The Circuito Río Azul offers rafting, canyoning, camping and hiking. A viewpoint on the Río Azul provides views of the clear, winding river and its valley as far as Lago Puelo, with Cerro Tres Picos in the background. The Área Natural Protegida Río Azul–Lago Escondido has trekking routes through lenga, coihue, ñire and Andean cypress forests, as well as through Valdivian and high-Andean landscapes. The area includes a network of 13 connected mountain refuges. The trail to Refugio del Encanto Blanco takes about 3 hours, follows a moderately challenging to somewhat difficult path, crosses a wooden suspension bridge and runs alongside the Río Blanco.

Culture and Handicrafts

The Feria Regional Artesanal de El Bolsón is another expression of regional culture. It is a cultural and productive tradition dating back to the 1970s. Together with handicrafts, the production of sweets and beer, and organic farming, it is one of the features that define the El Bolsón Valley.

Discover more destinations: San Carlos de Bariloche, Llao Llao, Villa Mascardi, Río Villegas, El Foyel, Puerto Blest, Avellaneda Department, General Roca Department.

For the broader travel overview: Río Negro.