By air
Bariloche (BRC), ~15 km
South America · Argentina
Bariloche, Argentina
Lakes, chocolate and Alpine-style peaks
Getting there
Best time to visit
December to March for the lakes; July to September for skiing
Don't miss
Nahuel Huapi Lake
Cerro Catedral
The Circuito Chico
The Civic Centre
Things to do
The Circuito Chico drive
Skiing Cerro Catedral
Kayaking the lakes
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: enzofloyd · CC BY-SA 3.0
What to pack
Layers, hiking or ski gear
A quieter corner
The chairlift up Cerro Campanario for the view
Questions travellers ask
When should I go to Bariloche?
December to March for the lakes, or July to September for skiing. Pack layers plus hiking or ski gear.
What is there to do in Bariloche?
Drive the Circuito Chico, kayak the lakes, explore Nahuel Huapi Lake and the Civic Centre, and ski Cerro Catedral in season.
Where can I get a great view in Bariloche?
Take the chairlift up Cerro Campanario for the view.
What should I eat in Bariloche?
Browse the chocolate shops, and try the trout and fondue.
About Bariloche
- Lakeside
- Mountains
Where it is
San Carlos de Bariloche, usually called Bariloche, is in Río Negro province in northern Patagonia, Argentina, on the southern shore of Nahuel Huapi Lake in the foothills of the Andes, within Nahuel Huapi National Park and near the border with Chile.
History
Tehuelche and Puelche peoples lived around the lake, and from the 17th century Mapuche culture spread here. The town grew from a shop opened in 1895 by Carlos Wiederhold, a German-Chilean settler from Osorno, and was officially founded in 1902; its Alpine-style civic centre of stone, slate and timber opened in 1940.
People
Bariloche's people speak Spanish, and the town keeps a Central European flavour from its German, Swiss and Italian settlers, seen in its chocolate shops and chalet-style buildings. Mapuche communities live in the region, and each winter the town fills with Argentine students on their end-of-school trips.
Known for
- Nahuel Huapi Lake
- The Circuito Chico drive
- Skiing on Cerro Catedral
- Chocolate shops on Calle Mitre
- The Llao Llao Hotel
Did you know?
Nahuel Huapi National Park, which surrounds Bariloche, is Argentina's oldest national park; it grew from land that the explorer Francisco Moreno, known as Perito Moreno, donated to the nation in 1903.
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