Nahuel Huapi National Park

Nahuel Huapi National Park is in San Carlos de Bariloche, which is a city in Rio Negro, Argentina. Bariloche is one of those places you'll end up staying longer than you planned. Why? it's not for the city's aesthetic appeal, rather it's for the great outdoors and night life. It's the elite honeymoon capital in Argentina. It's the main hub for travelling around the Lake District, the gateway to Patagonia and chocolate capital of Argentina.
For national park information and a good collection of maps, visit Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi on the corner of San Martin and Morales.
Also Club Andino offers free maps and provide information on trekking area. They sell transfers and trekking packages and you can reserve a bunk there for most of the shelters in the nearby mountains.

History

The Nahuel Huapi National Park is the oldest of Argentina's parks and was founded in 1934.

Landscape

Flora and fauna

Climate

From Buenos Aires by plane, Aerolineas Argentinas. By bus Via Bariloche and Crucero del Norte. By car see in the web Interpatagonia or Automovilclub guide.

At some access points to the park you are required to pay the park entrance fee of AR$120 (March 2016). This fee is payable if going to Pampa Linda (Tronador) and if entering the park on a boat excursion; there is also an AR$37 port tax. Access to the refuges in the national park around Bariloche are free: Refugio Frey, Refugio Lopez, Refugio San Martin & Refugio Italia.

There is an excellent local public transport system from the centre of Bariloche to Llao Llao, Colonia Suiza and Cerro Catedral. There are tourist buses leaving to Pampa Linda (Tronador) on a daily basis during the summer.

• Cerro Catedral
  Kevin Gabbert - (WT-shared) Kevin James at wts wikivoyage
• Cerro Otto
• Lago Nahuel huapi
• lago Moreno
• LLao LLao
• Bosque de Arrayanes
• beaches Bahia Serena

• Rafting
• skiing in Cerro Catedral
• kayaking Pura Vida
• mountain biking
• rock-climbing
• kite surfing
• canopy
• paragliding
• golf the most well recognized one is LLao LLao
• take a ferry to Puerto Frias
• Trekking Trek Bariloche has a full list of trekking routes in the National Park

• Chocolate, the city hosts an amazing number of shops where they produce and sell all sorts of varieties of chocolate. Local fruits and licor make some of the fillings. The most renowned ones are Mamuschka, La Abuela Goye, Benroth, Fenoglio, Rapa Nui, Del Turista, Bonifacio & Tante Frida .

The area is rightly famous for its barbecued meats, Parrillas "Boliche de Alberto" fondue "La Alpina", pizza "El Mundo de la Pizza", trout and deer "familia Weiss". Palacios Street has a lot of restaurants.

"Blest" the beer. Wilkenny, Pilgrim, The map room, South bar - they are all a safe bet. Sip a little mate as well.

Most of the cheap accommodation is in the centre of the town for more information pass by the tourist office on Centro Civico where they have a full list of budget and not so budget accommodation.

Budget

Bariloche's budget accommodation quickly gets fully booked, so make your reservations in advance, particularly during high season.

• La Justina

  phone: +54 2944 524064
  address: Quaglia 726
  A few blocks from the city center. Big, spacious rooms, cozy common spaces for relaxing,watching TV or DVDs, listening to music or playing games. Free internet and breakfast, a well stocked kitchen, and very friendly owners. They can help you with any tourist info you need, and rent bikes. Minihostels.com members get 10% off.

• Periko's

  phone: +54 2644-522326
  address: Morales 555
  Named after the owner's dog.

• Penthouse 1004

  phone: +54 2944 432228
  address: Edificio Bariloche Centre 10th floor
  Offers an amazing panoramic view. Excellent public areas, especially the kitchen. Free breakfast, wi-fi internet and has a computer for use but it is very busy and hard to get access to. Won't make reservations if you are arriving after 14:00.

• Hostel La Puerta Verde

  phone: +54 2944 429051
  address: Quaglia 160 1º floor

• Hostel Refugio Patagonia

  phone: +54 2944 422539
  address: Mitre 1338
  Feel at home with Tato and Sandra, they're building a big "quincho"/barbecue saloon.

• Lake View Bed & Breakfast

  phone: +54 2944 1534-1876 (Mark)
  address: Pioneros kn 4.6

• Marcopoloinn Hostel

  phone: +54 2944 400105
  address: Salta 422
  Modern, clean hostel. Free breakfast and dinner, fast internet, WiFi. Lots of party folk. Easily the best value in town.

• Tango Inn Downtown Hostel

  phone: +54 2944 400004
  address: Salta 514
  Modern, clean hostel. Dorms from AR$37 (YHA members), AR$40 (non-members). Fast internet, WiFi. Free breakfast buffet. Very quiet.

• Ruca Hueney Youth Hostel

  phone: +54 2944 433986, +54 2944 437026
  address: Elflein 396
  Free breakfast, internet.

• Hostel 41 below

  address: 94 Pasaje Juramento
  Fun, young atmosphere. Many tour options to book right there for the same prices as in town. You will feel like you're home.

• Nomad Backpackers

  address: Salta
  When all the other ones are fully booked, this one might be worth a try.

• Alaska Hostel

  phone: +54 2944 461564
  address: Av. Bustillo 7500

• Albergue Patagonia Andina

  phone: +54 2944 421861
  address: Morales 564

• Hosteria Bello Horizonte

  phone: +54 2944 422621
  address: Salta 394

Mid-range

• Edelweiss Hotel +54 2944 445500, Av. San Martin 536.

• Penon Del Lago

  address: Av. Ezequiel Bustillo, 54-02944
  KM 13,900.
• Nido del Condor, +54-11-4315-3305, Av. Bustillo Km. 6.9
• Los Helechos +54 2944 461189, . (Bungalows/Cabins) Francisco de Biedma 80 (altura: Av. E. Bustillo km 8,65)

• La Farola - Lago Gutierrez

  phone: +54 2944 9-551072

• Grand Hotel Bariloche

  phone: +54 2944 430622
  Grand Hotel Bariloche is a 9-storey hotel (3,000 m²), which is at the main street in San Carlos de Bariloche. At half way in the commercial route of Mitre avenue and 100 m from the Nahuel Huapi lake. They offer 75 rooms organized in singles, doubles, triples and apartments. Mitre 408 - (8400) S.C. de Bariloche.

• Aconcagua Hotel

  phone: +54 2944 424718
  address: 289, San Martín Avenue, San Carlos de Bariloche
  Aconcagua Hotel is along San Martín Avenue. It is near the Civic Center, Lake Nahuel Huapi, and casino. 32 rooms. Each accommodation is equipped with a central heater, TV, Internet access, and toilet & bath with shower.

Splurge

• Galileo Boutique Hotel

  phone: +54 2944 460-388
  address: Av. Antartida Argentina, s/n, Base Cerro Catedral, San Carlos de Bariloche, C.P. 8400
  Along the base of Cerro Catedral.
• Hotel Llao Llao - Beautiful alpine style hotel, built in 1939, adds to the dramatic backdrop of the mountains. A classic resort: there's a golf course, boating, and much for the wealthy to see and do. Nightly rates were around US$300 back in Dec 2004, so the AR$8 coffee might be the way to go in order to enjoy the view, the ambiance, etc., without paying an arm/leg to stay there overnight. Excellent service, slightly OTT decor. About 25 km from the city centre and about 35 km from Cerro Catedral.

• Design Suites Hotel

  address: Av. Bustillo Km.2,5 8400
  Modern hotel (not all suite as the name might imply), with all the benefits (Spacious rooms, Free Wifi, Stunning Panorama Views, clever design touches) and drawbacks (Awful restaurant, no room service, staff not trained to deliver 5-star service) you expect from a boutique hotel. The suites themselves are not traditional suites, rather larger rooms with a couch and a balcony. 3 km from the city center.

Apartments

• Rentals Bariloche Rentals Bariloche - Luxury vacation rental apartments and houses in the best locations. From the heart of downtown to the prestigious Arelauquen Golf & Country Club; Lake and Mountain views to quiet forested streets. All these vacation homes are fully equipped including complementary WiFi access to ensure you get the most out of your time here in Bariloche.

Lodging

Camping

Camping in the National Park is permitted in the designated areas. There are free wilderness camp sites and paid sites with facilities.

Backcountry

If you go trekking you are required to register your intentions with the National Park, do so at their Information Centre (San Martin 24) or

• Villa la Angostura - A small town about an hours drive from Bariloche, very picturesque, you can also hike a 12 km trail to the famous Bosque Arrayanes.
• El Bolson - A small hippie town (founded in the 1970s) in a mountainous valley about 120 km/75 mi south of Bariloche. There's a twice weekly outdoor flea market (get there in the morning, it closes down around 3pm). Lunch at "Las Brasas" parrilla is recommended. Transportation on the El Valle bus line is AR$24 round trip from Bariloche and is worth it for the scenery alone!