The Seven Lakes Route.
There’s something about road trips that are just the bees knees. Could be the nostalgia of rambling around the countryside with my family playing game boy and visiting national parks or it could be the sense of exploration that tugs at that basic instinct to seek the horizon. Either way if you give me a rental car (with that new rental car smell), a loooong windy road, and no particular destination in mind I’m as happy as a clam at high tide.
Apparently you do not want to be a clam at low tide… link
Anyhoo, you may not be able to just pop on over to Argentina any time you like, But if you happen to find yourself there, you would be a FOOL to pass up the chance to take the three-ish hour flight from Buenos Aires and frolic among the Andes. (Like will Farrel at the north pole kinda frolick)
If you do plan to partake in the aforementioned route, Bariloche will most likely be your first stop.
Fun fact: Bariloche is home to Cerro Catedral, a wonderful mountain where the ski runs are long and ungroomed, and if you are lucky you can get stuck on a lift for over an hour with a young ski enthusiast named Nacho.
Once you arrive at Bariloche you have two options for places to stay. The first being Bariloche, and the second (which I prefer) being Villa la Angostura. Angostura is a bit north of Bariloche but it’s got a delightful small town feel. You will find fewer crowds, but still a lot of opportunity on the activity front. The main street is packed with restaurants, bars, and shops that you could easily spend a day exploring. We were also able to find a “tour” guide to get us out for a day of kayaking on Lago Espejo. I mean the guy seemed like a tour guide but also seemed like he just really enjoyed kayaking and had some extra kayaks. However, he did bring an entire siesta style snack and tea setup for us so you really can’t get much better than that. A media Luna in one hand, a Yerba mate in the other, and relaxing on an island in the Andes…. Perfecto.
Semipro tip: if you plan your trip right you can bike through the expansive parque nacional los arrayanes. But make sure to get to the end at a reasonable time or there won’t be a boat to take you back to town :(
Now for the seven lakes route. The route itself is 108 kilometers, and includes Lago Espejo, Nahuel Huapi, Correntoso, Escondido, Villarino, Faulkner and Machonico. The main route is a delicate serpentine cut into some of the most scenic landscapes Argentina has to offer, and will eventually lead you to San Martin de los Andes; The ridiculously quaint termination of the road trip.
Semipro tip: save some time to explore San Martin de los Andes. It is a bit more pricey than Angostura, and has the air of wanting to appeal to tourists, but it was still heavenly.
Ok back to the route, again…
You can either take it all in via the windshield with some beach boys playing softly in the background and a bag of cherries in the cup holder. (Seriously though I came across a traveling cherry salesman outside of the national park, the cherries were heavenly.) Orrrr you can investigate every inviting dirt road with a high probability of finding something worthwhile at the end.
Semipro tip: the main road is well kept, but all the roads leading to the lakes and hikes are dirt and might give you some trouble if you aren’t in an SUV.
Each lake you pass has the typical pristine beaches you’d expect, small adorable out of the way cafes, and friendly locals to rent you the watercraft you need, but the true beauty of the trip is the opportunity to make it your own. Does crystal clear water lapping at your ankles tickle your fancy? How about trying your luck at catching some trout in lago Faulkner? Heck you could just pull over at a lookout, grab some Patagonia (local beer), and just relax the day away. For me a good hike is how I like to spend my time, and being in Argentina didn’t dampen that desire. So at an unassuming dirt road somewhere between two majestic mountains I found what I believed was a “trail head”. The hike was relatively short but it took me a very long time, as I had to divine the trail from the overgrowth, the dead-end paths, and the entire river that I crossed barefoot. In the end though, I reached a vista that opened up to a series of waterfalls that just kept going. Still one of the best spontaneous hikes I have had the pleasure to traverse.
Semi-pro tip: if you don’t start to head back until dark you will be rewarded with an entire sky full of stars.
Ohhh also, on your way back through to Bariloche make sure to hit up one of the chocolate shops :)
My travels will never be exhaustive as I do my best to fit them into my PTO, and this trip is no exception. To me, it’s a bit brash to think that you could ever uncover everything that this road trip has to offer. My goal is simply to give you a plan to mold to your own ambition.
Whether you have a free weekend or a free month, travel is the right way to fill it.
If you have any questions about the trip or just want to let me know how wonderful I am, give me a shout at jake@personaltravelobsessions.com
- Jake
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