Scenic San Carlos de Bariloche is situated in Río Negro Province, near Argentina’s Nahuel Huapi National Park. It lies at the foot of the majestic Andes range and is surrounded by four lakes—Nahuel Huapi, Moreno Lake, Gutiérrez Lake and Mascardi Lake—and the Tronador, Cerro López and Cerro Catedral mountains.
Bariloche is a fabulous ski resort, popular for its winter skiing and claims to be reminiscent of Switzerland’s famous slopes, ambience, yummy chocolates and St Bernard dogs. It is also famous for being the largest city of a very large Lakes District. If you’re outdoorsy, go fishing in its several lakes, skiing at its chief ski station, Cerro Catedral, enjoy the sun and surf at its pristine beaches at Playa Bonita and Villa Tacul or mountain trekking. If you’re a history buff, enjoy the city’s Swiss architecture and gorge on the many varieties of chocolates available.
Explore the El Bosque de Arrayanes, a forest of extremely rare orange colored trees on an island; Nahuel Huapi National Park, Argentina’s oldest park which offers the widest range in flora and fauna; Lake Nahuel Huapi, where you can indulge in fishing, boating, hiking, skiing and participate in the year-round activities; and the Museo de la Patagonia, for its stuffed wildlife, pre-Hispanic inhabitants of this region, sections of Natural Science, regional history and anthropology.
You can fly in here from Buenos Aires. In the city, go by a bus or a car, or just walk around.