Feb. 4-7, Bariloche, Argentina

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San Carlos de Bariloche, commonly called Bariloche, is a city in Argentina’s Patagonia region, known as the “Switzerland of South America” for its Swiss-style architecture, chocolate shops, and stunning scenery of the Andes mountains and Nahuel Huapi Lake. 

It's a year-round destination most famous for winter skiing at Cerro Catedral and summer activities like hiking, watersports, and exploring the Lake District. 

Key features 
  • Location: 
    Situated in the northern Patagonian Andes on the shores of Lake Nahuel Huapi, within Nahuel Huapi National Park. 
  • Nickname: 
    Often called the "Little Switzerland of Argentina" due to its alpine landscape and European-influenced architecture. 
  • Activities: 
    Offers skiing and snowboarding in winter, and hiking, mountain biking, rafting, and fishing in summer. 
  • Culture: 
    Famous for its chocolate, craft beer, and a mix of German and Swiss cultural influences. 
  • Tourism: 
    A major tourist hub, serving as a gateway to Patagonia, with a vibrant nightlife, dining, and a variety of hotels and services. 

    ******************

    Wednesday, Feb. 4

    Our two-hour flight to Bariloche went without a hitch. Everyone got their bags, got on the bus, and we headed into town for a city orientation walk, while our bags were delivered directly to our lake-front hotel, Cacique Inacayal Lake and Spa Hotel. 



    Cathedral

       Chocolate Shops Everywhere





    The Ibis is the pigeon of Bariloche. 

    Sunny but windy. 

    Gabo’s impassioned and excellent presentation about what we call the 1982 War of the Falkland Islands, but are called the Malvinas Islands in Argentina. 

    The flags are (L-R) Patagonia, Argentina, Malvinas Islands. 


    Our Hotel


    Fabulous Room with a View of Lake Nahuel Huapi



    Dinner at Girula Restaurant



    They all sang for me tonight, brought me a nice little birthday cake, and dammit,
    I forgot to take a photo of it. 
    Wait! Gabo got this photo. 

    Gabo Lessons from Travels At Dinner :
    « It’s not richer, he who has more,
    It’s richer, he who needs less. »

    Tomorrow:
    Chairlift to Amazing Viewpoint
    First Real Hike in the NP
    Brewery Tour and Lunch
    Lesson re Nazis who hid here
    Dinner on our own

Thursday, Feb. 5

Busy Day

Breakfast







First Stop of the Day
Companario Hill











Hiking in Nahuel Huapi National Park






Lunch at the Brewery


Rocky, house mascot

Five different kinds of beer

Wild Boar and Potatoes

Spinach Cannoli with white sauce

Final Scenic Viewpoint of the Day
Punto Panorámico





Nora Shultz, Guest Lecturer
The Story of Nazi War Criminals Hiding in Argentina, Specifically in Bariloche

Her brother’s Book

Mañana:
Post-breakfast discussion re the treatment of the Mapuche people, indigenous to this area
Visit to a Patagonian ranch house with horseback riding and BBQ lunch
Float trip on the Limay River

Friday, Feb. 6

The start to our day was a présentation about the Mapuche people, one of the indigenous tribes that has been misplaced and mistreated by the European settlers and governments. 

Kristina with Gabo

Hanock Ranch Visit

El Mate







Steppe Horseback Ride







Parilla Asado Lunch







Unbelievable Beef  Chorizo

Limay (lee-My) River Float Trip










Mañana:
Long Day
Leave Argentina🥲
Cross the Andes by Bus
Viaje a Chilé

¡Adiós. Bariloche!
¡Adiós, Argentina!

Don’t Cry for us,
We’ll be back !

Home Page

Back to Buenos Aires 

Next: Puerto Varas, Chile

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