The Standard Tours Isla Victoria and the Arrayanes Forest There are half and full day tours from Puerto Pañuelo (25km from Bariloche heading towards Llao Llao) to Isla Victoria, and the Arrayanes Forest near Villa La Angostura. You can book this tour in Puerto Pañuelo, but given that both boats are generally fully booked, it’s worthwhile purchasing tickets in advance in the centre. For a small extra fee they can arrange transfers, or you can get there on your own by bus (take No. 20, and get off just before you arrive at Hotel Llao Llao, From there it’s a 2 minute walk to Puerto Pañuelo). Mount Tronador Assuming that you haven’t done our highly recommended trek to Otto Meiling (p. 5) it’s still worthwhile taking a tour to the base of Mt. Tronador. They’ll pick you up at 9am in Bariloche and after a 1½ hour drive, you arrive at the Mascardi Lake. If you’ve booked your tour to include a boat trip on the Mascardi Lake, you’ll be on the high seas for an hour, and then arrive at Puerto del Hotel Tronador. If you didn’t pay-up for the boat trip, you get to stay on the bus and meet-up with everyone else when the boat docks. Afterwards you head off to Pampa Linda, where you stop for lunch, and then move on towards Las Nalcas (the black glacier), and then the base of Mountain Tronador. Here you can spend some time before the bus heads back. On the way back, you’ll not have the option to take a boat back to Bariloche, and you’ll arrive at 7pm. Scenic Flights Take in a bird’s eye perspective of Bariloche and the region (up to 120km from Bariloche) from the skies, riding in a glider. It’s not cheap, but well worth it if you’re not travelling on a tight budget. There’s room for only one passenger. If you really want to hang around the skies for an extended period, it’s also possible to glide from Bariloche to Mt Tronador. When the boat drops you off at Isla Victoria you get just under an hour to wander around the islands´ forests and beaches. Afterwards you head off to the Arrayanes forest where you disembark and take a meander along a raised walkway through the dark cinnamon coloured forest of Arrayanes trees. Apart from the two stops, the trip can be recommended just for the beauty of a day cruise along the Nahuel Huapi Lake with snow capped mountains pegging the limits of one’s panoramic views. Puerto Blest The ship for this day trip leaves Puerto Panuelo at 10:30am and you arrive back in Bariloche at 7pm. Once there everyone boards the Catamaran and you motor through Lake Nahuel Huapi to Puerto Blest. If you’re thinking of getting away with someone for a bit of romance it doesn’t get any better than this… just get the boat back the next day. It’s an especially serene little village with only one major hotel. There’s no night life to speak of so be prepared for romantic sunsets, walking hand in hand through the forests, and going to bed early. Siete Lagos If you’re running out of time and can’t visit the Seven Lakes by bike or car as we recommended, then plan to do it from Bariloche as a day tour. It would be an awful waste not to experience this part of Patagonia just because you don’t have a few extra days to spare. If possible try and choose a tour that will bring you back from San Martin de los Andes to Bariloche via the beautiful Paso Córdoba.

The Guru Team