Bariloche: The Little Switzerland of South America

San Carlos de Bariloche is a beautiful city in the province of Rio Negro in the Argentinian Patagonian region which is home to many lakes with stunning mountains that is a ski paradise for adventurers.

Occupying the southern shore of the sapphire-blue Lago Nahuel Huapi and surrounded by the Andes, Bariloche is an entry point to the northern reaches of Patagonia. We happened to travel to Bariloche by chance as we had met a friend who owned a hotel there had recommended us to stay there. We had browsed the internet looking for photos and things to do around the area but when we reached there, it was much better than what we had expected as the photos did no justice. We were supposed to stay there for a couple of days but extended for a week which also seemed short for us where we did almost everything from catching the best sunrise, cruising along the lakes, taking a gondola up the hill to catch the majestic views, driving the road of Circuito Chico, hiking many pathways, enjoying the nightlife, eating the best chocolates and ice-cream and strolling around the Swiss-tinged villages with bright yellow and purple wildflowers bloomed.

 

 

It was all spontaneous as we rented a car as soon as we got there and took some suggestions from our friend and the manager of the hotel we were staying at. On the first day, we checked ourselves into the hotel which consisted of a wooden cabin with the view of the alps and the lake just stopping us from doing anything rather than lighting up the fire in our room, getting in our jacuzzi and sipping our wine, laying back and just pampering ourselves with some relaxation after a lot travelling, we had done in the northern Patagonia which was full of extreme trekking and adventure. In the evening we went to treat ourselves with a fine dining experience in one of the best restaurants and hopping along the bars to meet more travelers with gags and giggles. It was amazing to see that there were travelers not just from other countries but also from Argentina itself as it was the honeymoon capital and many from around the country had visited to enjoy the beauty of this place.

 

 

 

The next morning, we woke up early with a red fiery sky full of clouds and immediately left the hotel to catch a glimpse of the majestic sunrise. It was breathtaking as it was one of the most beautiful sunrises we have ever experienced with the sound of birds and the sound of the calm breeze whispering in our ear with the view of the magnificent Lake Nahuel Huapi with the Snow-Capped Andes in the background. It felt as if time had taken a pause and engulfed us in an ocean of enchanting emotional bliss. With a smile on our face, we went back to the hotel to have our breakfast. Then, on this day, we decided to drive through the road of Circuito Chico which would take us a whole day in itself.

 

 

Covering over 60 kilometers, the road is one of the most picturesque regions in the world. On the journey, we would enjoy stunning views, scenic vistas, magnificent mountains, and serene forests. From the shores of the lakes Nahuel Huapi and Moreno to the peak of Cerro Campanario and Villa Tacul, through the forests and along the Liao Liao peninsula, the Circuito Chico is a must-see for anyone visiting Patagonia. We left the hotel early as the road of Circuito Chico was around 30 kilometers away from where we would get started. The driveway was beautiful on the way as we stopped by in almost every turn thinking that it was the highlight but there was more as we continued. We stopped by at Cerro Campanario where we took an open gondola to the top to catch a 270-degree majestic view. We were left mesmerized and the gondola we took to the top was also a romantic treat on its own.

 

 

On the way, we stopped by the Liao Liao hotel, took a hike to Punto Panoramico to catch more of the great view, went for a tour in the Patagonia brewery to have amazing, crafted beers along with some great food where we also took a tour of the distillery and stopped by many viewpoints on the way where we just stared at the magnificence of the beauty of nature. The roads were filled with beautiful pines and differently colored wildflowers where we also trekked to watch some waterfalls along the way. We took a thousand photos and wanted for more and still haven’t had enough. Just when we thought that it was what Bariloche was all about, we had much more in stores for us as in the following days, we had more surprises in store for us.

 

 

The next day, we decided to take a cruise to Lake Frias which is a mirror water of glacier origin. It is fed by the abundant rainfall in the area and the streams that descend from the Frias glacier, located on Cerro Tronador, and the sediments in the waters give it its peculiar emerald green color. We drove there by our car, along a road in the middle of the Valdivian Rainforest. Once in Puerto Alegre, we took a modern catamaran that crossed the lake in about 15/20 minutes until we arrived at Puerto Frias. In Puerto Frias, we visited the La Poderosa kiosk where they exhibited a replica of the motorcycle used by Che Guevara to pass through the same place on one of his trips to Chile. From there, the cruise took us to Puerto Blest where we trekked through the forest to catch many waterfalls and a 1500-year-old tree in the end. It was all a great experience whereas we cruised back to the shore at the end of our trip, we had rainfall which turned into snow and capped the mountains which looked surreal as if we were in a little Switzerland.

 

 

It was all a great trip for us as we had the time for our life in this beautiful place which seemed like a fairy tale for us and stole our heart away which has left us with many reasons to go back as we have found a little home away from home for us as the kind of travelers we are where we look for adventure and nature, this is the perfect place for us.