Trip to Bariloche in Autumn - Biking the Seven Lakes - San Martin de los Andes - What to eat

While in San Martin I recommend indulging in its local delicacies, such as cheese, smoked meats, trout and Lamb.

Not like the pampas where Meat and dairy products are abundant and cheap, In Patagonia Cows are rare since they lack the fertile lands full of luscious grass from the Pampas. Here most livestock consists of sheep. So I picked up some at the local butcher and cooked it myself at the hostel, but of course its served at most restos.

There are plenty of well stocked delicatessens in town that have a wide variety of cold cuts and cheese and even a store that only does smoked meat.

 

Trip to Bariloche in Autumn - Biking the Seven Lakes - San Martin de los Andes- where to stay

I was referred to the Puma Hostel back in Villa La Angostura,  located at Asunción Fosbery 535 in walking distance from the downtown area and the bus terminal

The premises are clean and it has a great kitchen, but I was more satisfied with the one in La Angostura.

The city can be toured walking and if you need to catch a bus or take a tour you can walk there from this place.

They overdid the signs on washing dishes, basically in every language unles you speack arameic  or some ancient dialect.

Trip to Bariloche in Autumn - Biking the Seven Lakes - Villa La Angostura to San Martin de los Andes III

 

After "Cascada Vullinanco" there were another three "Miradores" before Lago Lacar, but its literally down hill for the last 20 clicks before arriving in San Martin.

So enjoy the ride cuz literally you don't have to pedal the last 20 clicks so you can actually count 108 minus twenty on this part of the trip.

When you finally see "Lago Lacar" you will rejoice and be glad you made the trip, the acces to San Martin de los Andes brings you right there.

Trip to Bariloche in Autumn - Biking the Seven Lakes - Villa La Angostura to San Martin de los Andes II

Without describing each stop of the seven lakes route I have to tell you that the trip is extremely entertaining even though it takes from 6 to 8 hours, having reached Pichi Traful wich is more or less half way in between both cities.

After stoping at Lake Falkner Y moved on to Cascada Vulliñanco where I had lunch.

 

Trip to Bariloche in Autumn - Biking the Seven Lakes - Villa La Angostura to San Martin de los Andes

So, after resting for a day (sort of) in Villa La Angosture I departed to my next destiantion on the seven lakes route, which is San Martin de los Andes, a larger city compared to La Angostura.

I left La Angostura at first light and found the road covered in a beautiful morning mist.

First stop was Lago Espejo (Mirror Lake) which greeted me with all its morning splendor, there would be 10 sight seeing other stops with equal beauty to complete the 106 km trip.

Next stop was Lago correntoso which also seems so calm in spite of its name (current lake).

Trip to Bariloche in Autumn - Another place to eat- La Marca Patogónica

As I mentioned before, I was on a mission to eat Patagonian trout in Bariloche, so besides cooking my own, I went to several restaurants to taste the different preparations.

One evening I went to "La marca Patagonica" locatedat at Urquiza 230, smack beside the "Centro Cívico square", you wo´nt find anything more downtown.

warning: it can be a tourist trap if you order without checking the menu, but if you stick to the specials, which are mostly local game and fish, you´ll be o.k.

I went for the grilled trout with rustic potatoes, something very simple whit no side effects.

Trip to Bariloche in Autumn - Tour to Cerro Tronador

Totally not a fan of paid tours, theye are way overcharged, not bring you to the right place at the right time and tie you up for the whole day.

Never the less I did like the Tour to Cerro Troandor which included "Cascada de los Alerces" (below) and "Ventisquero negro" Glacier (Last pic), specially cuz I had just come back from a 200 click bike trip, so I needed some Pick me up and bring me time.

Organized by the biggest tour company in Bariloche, Called "Turisur" it will have tours to all of the major places of interest. This one was a whole day experience leaving at 8am and back at 6pm, with a long route and a pretty sympathetic tour guide.
The Alerces waterfall and the "Ventisquero Negro" glacier are a must see in Bariloche.

Not to mention that I paid 25 bucks for the whole day excursion, not including lunch of course.

Trip to Bariloche in Autumn - Lake Trout

Patagonia is a world renowned spot for trout fishing, even if you do not practice the sport you may consider eating some fresh Patagonian lake trout at a restaurant or if you are staying at a place where you can cook, you can buy some at any local fish store.

 

There´s also the smoked or pickled variety, one of the eatable souvenirs you might consider bringing back home.

Trip to Bariloche in Autumn - Rosehip paradise

 

If you ever had Rose hip tea or jam you know what I'm talking about. I will not get to explain what Rose hip is, but suffice to know that its basically a plague in Bariloche, brought by Europeans like most yummy things here, you will see them in every trail, beside the road and everywhere that is available for the bush to grow.

It is quite thorny all over, even the fruit has some prickles around it, so beware if you want to harvest some, do wear gloves.

If you go to Bariloche in late summer, or early fall you will see the bushes in full bloom, so fill free to collect some, nobody will tell you otherwise.

Trip to Bariloche in Autumn - Restaurante Familia Weiss

Now in Bariloche you will find a wide variety of restos, touristy, family owned small, big, but i do recommend "Familia Weiss" which is one of the oldest still in bussiness restaurants that serve local
game with a German- Austrian twist.

Located at Valte O´Connor 401 in downtown Bariloche across the neo gothic Catholic Cathedral

I recommend all the trout and venison dishes and also the desserts are spectacular, specially those with berries.
I had the "Ciervo a la Cazadora" and "Peras al Borgoña", very good and not expensive at all.

Trip to Bariloche in Autumn - Hot Chocolate mandatory

In Bariloche you will find a chocolate shop in every corner and good ones too, a reflection of the German, Swiss and Austrian immigrants.

In That department one of my favourites is "Hot Chocolate" which is served in most stores

Now I´m not talking bout a thick chocolate mixed with milk and not water like some supermarket bought stuff.

I do recommend drinking hot chocolate at one of the famous chocolate stores, specially during the winter months.

  

Trip to Bariloche in Autumn - Circuito Chico

What´s called the short circuit in Bariloche spans for 60 clicks but has its most intense views spanning from Puerto Pañuelo to the Base of Cerro Lopez if you ask me.

I did it walking, that was more or less 20 clicks, later I patched up some areas by car, but it can be also done biking- It will bring you to the most interesting views around Bariloche, be it lakes mountains and forest.

You´ll get the feel of the local flora and fauna and see picturesque places like "El Puente Romano" and many other areas which you can access via trails filled with Rose Hip and blackberry bushes.

 

Trip to Bariloche in Autumn - Puerto Pañuelo

Puerto Pañuelo, amy seems a funny name for a place, but as pañuelo means handkerchief, it refers to the early days of the Llao Llao Hotel, which lays right across from it, since there was not an official port there, people working or staying at the hotel had to summon passing boat whith a hanky to be able to catch a ride to Bariloche.

Since today it is an official port and one of the Gateways to "Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi"you can catch the boats that take on Lake tours into the park on the Nahuel Huapi lake.

These tours are a great day trip and you can buy the tickets there or in Bariloche, even at your own Hotel.

If you want to also see the other places mentioned in my previous posts and you don't have your own wheels, you can take the #20 city bus from downtown that will drop u off right in front of the Port in half an hour.

Trip to Bariloche in Autumn - Llao Llao Hotel

The Llao Llao hotel is one of argentina´s most luxurious Hotels, considered a National historical monument.
Built in 1937 by Architect Alejandxro Bustillo in a Canadian Style (Whatever that means), it was inaugurated 1n 1938 and burnt to the ground a year later, it was later rebuilt and closed down until it reopened 1993.

If you can afford the price it is a spectacular place to stay in Bariloche, but if not you can still enjoy the view of the surrounding area.


Villa Lao Llao, the area where the Hotel was built is named after a fungi that grows on the alerce trees and which was considered sweet by the natives of the area, I was told that it isn't actually so delicious but I guess that they did not know sugar or honey so that had to do.


The location is really spectacular,. You can see the Nahuel Huapi and Moreno lakes from the Hotel´s entrance, it reminded me of The Banff Springs Hotel in the Rocky mountains in Canada.

Trip to Bariloche in Autumn - Capilla de San Eduardo

 

Some 25 clicks on Bustillo Avenue, out of Bariloche you will surely visit the Llao Llao area, there you´ll probably pass by St. Edwards chapel, an Icon of the Area, a small chapel built in 1938 in a lumberjack style by the same architect who built the Lla Llao Hotel at the time when Bariloche was a top destination for Argentina's wealthy families who also had their estancia´s houses built by Bustillo.

The chapel is built on a small hill from where there is also a beautiful view of the sourrounding Cerro Lopez, the Llao llao Hotel and Puerto Pañuelo.

 The church was built mostly with local wood (Alerce) and is quite picturesque inside, the altar features a cross shaped painting done by Raul Soldi a famous Argentine painter

Trip to Bariloche in Autumn - Lake Nahuel Huapi

 Beautiful lake Nahuel Huapi is the third largest lake in the Patagonian region after "Lago Argentino" and "Lago Lacar" in between the provinces of Rio Negro and Neuquen, with a surface of 530 square kms. and a maximum depth of 15.22 feet, resting 2510 feet above sea level. It even has a legend of a lake monster called the "Nahuelito" similar to its cousin at Loch Ness.

staying in Bariloche you are in for great sunrises and sunsets on its shores.

Really nice to hike or bike along its shores not so great for bathing since its of glacier origin it can be chilly even at the apex of summer.

Exploring Patagonia - Ruta 40 - La ruta de los 7 Lagos

The 7 lake road or Ruta de los siete lagos goes from San Martin de los Andes to Villa la Angostura  (Neuquen province ) and is something really worth visiting it spans 70 clics and it circles seven of the most beautiful lakes in the province.


I had the oportunity to spend the last night at a camp site at the shores of one of the lakes and it brought me many flashbacks from my camping days in the graet lakes in Canada and the USA.