Bariloche Active – Lake Nahuel Huapi

Surrounded by mountains, lakes and forests (and sitting within a national park), Bariloche is a veritable natural playground (and a familiar-feeling place for a homesick Canadian in Latin America!) If you want to work up a sweat or just get out into the famously clean clear air of the Argentinean lake district, there’s no end of options.

The natural first option is skiing—the whole place seems geared for skiers, and Cerro Catedral boasts the largest ski centre in South America. But what if you find yourself here outside ski season?

One great option is a boat trip on one of the lakes around Bariloche, starting with massive, glacial Nahuel Huapi, which stretches 100 km to the Chilean border. Interesting stops include El Bosque de Arrayanes – a forest of rare, orange-coloured trees, while beautiful Victoria Island, blanketed by towering forests and home to fascinating remnants (including an abandoned experimental forest) is worth spending a few hours hiking around.

Boats leave regularly from Puerto Pañuelo, about half an hour’s drive from Bariloche, and include informative commentary (Spanish only); tours that include transportation to the pier can also be arranged in Bariloche.

Only a few of the numerous other active options in the area:
• Hiking: from easy walks to challenging multi-day hikes, to trekking the glaciers of nearby Mt Tronador volcano (3500m)
• Fly fishing
• River rafting
• Mountain biking and horseback riding

The Bariloche Tourist Office is located overlooking the water in a beautiful new wooden building, just lakeside of the Centro Civico.

There is also plenty of good information about activities and outfitters to be found on the interpatagonia.com website.

Next: beer and chocolate!