San Carlos de Bariloche

Bariloche is in the Río Negro Province, near the Nahuel Huapi National Park in Argentina. One of the most visited cities in Argentinian Patagonia, it is famous for skiing and is great for sightseeing, water sports, trekking and climbing. Despite being an undeniable tourist magnet, Bariloche is set amidst incredible landscapes which should not be missed by nature-loving travelers. Another claim to fame is its Swiss-like atmosphere and its chocolate boutiques and breweries, and look for the St Bernard dogs on display for tourists.

Understand
San Carlos de Bariloche is a city in the province of Río Negro, Argentina, situated on the foothills of the Andes, surrounded by lakes (Nahuel Huapi, Gutiérrez Lake, Moreno Lake and Mascardi Lake) and mountains (Tronador, Cerro Catedral, Cerro López).

Weather
San Carlos de Bariloche weather is transitional between the wet climate of the Andes to the west and the dry climate of Patagonia to the east. Areas to the west such as the city centre receive more precipitation than areas to the east such as the airport. Summers are characterized by long stretches sunny, dry, and windy weather with pleasant afternoons and cold nights, occasionally dropping below freezing. The strong winds make the temperatures feel colder than it should be. Spring and fall are variable with some days being pleasant while other days being cold. Snowfall is common in these seasons. Winters are cool to cold with frequent precipitation, bringing stormy weather with mixed precipitation (snow, rain, sleet), occasional snowstorms. Temperatures during the day are usually above freezing and nights are cold. The city receives abundant snowfall during this season, averaging 23-42 cm (9.0-16.4 in), making it an excellent destination for skiing.

Tourist information

 * Bariloche Tourism website

By plane

 * Lade flies from Buenos Aires and El Calafate.
 * Aerolineas Argentinas flies from Buenos Aires. A ticket costs around US$550.
 * GOL and LATAM fly from Sao Paulo.
 * Flybondi and JetSmart are budget carriers that operate to San Carlos de Bariloche from Buenos Aires.
 * Flybondi and JetSmart are budget carriers that operate to San Carlos de Bariloche from Buenos Aires.

There is a local bus #72 that serves the airport. It will drop you at the central bus station and from there you can catch another bus or walk to El Centro. Minibus service is AR$250 and will drop you at your hotel. Remis from El Centro to the airport are AR$550. (Nov 2019).

By train
The once-weekly El Tren Patagónico slowly winds along the vast open plains on an 19-hour journey from Viedma on the Atlantic coast stopping by in San Antonio Oeste and several remote outposts along the route. The train offers Pullman seats and sleepers and it's also possible to bring along vehicles. Departures are Fridays at 18:00 from Viedma, arriving just after 12:00 the next day.



By car
To go by car to Bariloche from Buenos Aires takes about 22 hours. One of the best alternatives is to go to Neuquen on the first day (a distance of about 1200 km) and then to continue the second day driving about 450 km.

There is more than one route to get to Bariloche by car from Buenos Aires:


 * Short route: Take “Ruta Nacional Nº 5”, then take “Ruta Provincial Nº 1” nearby Lonquimay. Then, take “Ruta Provincial Nº 18” nearby “Macachin”. Take “Ruta Nacional Nº 35” south for 22 km, and then turn right and follow “Ruta Nacional Nº 152” through General Acha and until the “Casa de Piedra” where the route name changes to “ruta provincial Nº 6”. You must follow this until the intersection with “Ruta Nacional Nº 22”, where you must turn right again through Cipolletti – Neuquen. These big cities are connected by a bridge with a toll. Follow through the "million" traffic lights until you exit the city. Approximately 32 km later, stop in Arroyito and sleep deeply. Continue driving south using “Ruta Nacional Nº 237”, which will lead you to Bariloche.
 * Long route: take “Ruta Nacional Nº 3” south. Rest in Azul for 15 minutes, follow south until Bahia Blanca, rest for some time. Follow south; take “Ruta Nacional Nº 22”, set the air conditioner on and turn on your CD player; don’t travel too slowly, or you might fall asleep! Rest in Choele Choel. Drive through lots of tiny cities and through Cipolletti – Neuquen, big cities which are connected by a bridge with a toll. Follow through the million traffic lights until you exit the city. Approximately 32 km later, stop in Arroyito and sleep deeply. Continue driving South using “Ruta Nacional Nº 237”, which will lead you to Bariloche.

By bus
If you decide to travel by bus you can choose between different companies, such as "Via Bariloche", "El Crucero del Norte", "Andesmar", etc. The first 2 companies offer different services, where the main variable is comfort and price. You can take "supercama", which has wide and large seats. "Cama" has wide seats. "Semi-cama" has the normal distribution of 4 seats per row. From Buenos Aires, "supercama" and "cama" take as long as 19 hours (summer); "semi-cama" makes several stops and takes as long as 22 hours. There are also direct buses to and from Chile (6 to 8 hours ride), going to Osorno or Puerto Montt.

Different routes to get to Bariloche by bus from Buenos Aires are:


 * Non-stop: “Ruta Nacional Nº 5” – “Ruta Provincial Nº 1” (la Pampa) – “Ruta Provincial Nº 18” (la Pampa) – “Ruta Nacional Nº 35” – “Ruta Nacional Nº 152” – “Ruta Provincial Nº 6” (Río Negro) - “Ruta Nacional Nº 22” – Neuquen – “Ruta Nacional Nº 22” - “Ruta Nacional Nº 237”
 * Stopping: “Ruta Nacional Nº 3” - “Ruta Nacional Nº 22” – Neuquen - “Ruta Nacional Nº 22” - “Ruta Nacional Nº 237”

By boat
You can arrive or depart Bariloche by taking a series of ferries that wind through several lakes and connect by short bus rides from the Pacific at Puerto Montt, Chile. It's a one day trip unless you opt to stay overnight at Hotel Peulla near the pass.

On foot
It is actually possible to hike from Cochamó, Chile, which is close to Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas, to Bariloche, passing by the famous and picturesque. There is a small police checkpoint at where you will receive a small note with which you have to head to the police station once you arrive in the next big city to complete your registration and entrance into the country.

Get around
Excellent public bus service, served by just one company (since 2017): My Bus. The only exception is if you want to visit Dinahuapi, then you should catch a bus of "Las grutas". If you are planning on using the buses more than a few times, buy a magnetic card—otherwise tickets will suffice. The magnetic card is the same "Sube" system used in Buenos Aires so your can reuse the card if you already have one. As in Buenos Aires, the same card can be shared by more than one person. Alternatively, you can buy the one for the My Bus company on arrival in the bus terminal for AR$11 plus a minimum first credit of AR$29 (subsequent top-ups have a minimum of AR$10) to get into town (AR$35). If you don't have the card, you can ask a passenger to exchange a trip in return for money. Further top-ups are possible in kiosks; the tourism office in the Centro Cívico has a full list, and complete information on bus lines. The trip from downtown Bariloche to Llao Llao is AR$35 (Nov 2019).

Confusingly, there is also another IC card in use in Bariloche, e.g. to go by bus to Dina Huapi northeast of Bariloche. This one is called Solución. However, you might find someone helpful on these buses to share his card with you if you give the related money in exchange.

Do


If you're interested in going to the lakes and islands:

Other activities include:
 * Rafting – Several agents offers rafting on the grade I Rio Limay or the grade III/IV Rio Manso. There are several outfitters that organize full day tours with lunch included.
 * Kayak – Half-day tours in the Gutierrez Lake, with Pura Vida.
 * Horseriding – Horseriding tours to the Nahuel Huapi National Park from Bariloche in English and Spanish are provided by Carol Jones. Also try Tom Wesley Cabalgatas—their 3-hour lake ride is amazing.
 * Historical Steam Train – A full-day journey into the steppe, riding a 1912 railway, which has been rebuilt keeping its original features.
 * Historical Steam Train – A full-day journey into the steppe, riding a 1912 railway, which has been rebuilt keeping its original features.

Hiking
There are many trekking trails close to Bariloche. You can get more information on Trek Bariloche which provides a comprehensive guide to the trekking routes in the National Park.





Further afield:

Learn

 * Brittania School of English and Spanish. Housed in a Swiss/Bavarian style store front, the school is part of Argentina's COINED Spanish school system.
 * La Montaña Spanish School. Spanish courses and more in Bariloche.

Buy

 * 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,, Benroth, Fenoglio, Rapa Nui, Del Turista, Bonifacio & Tante Frida.

Eat
Bariloche offers an excellent array of restaurants, with cuisines from all around the world, serving quality food.



Dance clubs
Teens from all over Argentina arrive on a school trip to Bariloche to celebrate their last year of high school with their classmates. That is why Bariloche features a lot of sophisticated dance clubs.



Sleep
Prices vary with the season, being the highest during ski season (July-August) and very high during summer (December-February). The accommodation is varied, from renting bungalows and cottages to five-star hotels with the best views.

Budget
Bariloches budget accommodation quickly gets fully booked, so make your reservations in advance, particularly during high season.



Stay safe
Because of the high tourist presence, petty crime is a reality but there tend to be a large number of police in force and the smaller and relatively affluent nature of the city makes crime less likely than in Buenos Aires. Still, exercise caution and keep valuables within sight. Never hike alone on the trails which touch the city, particularly up to Piedras Blancas. There have been many reported robberies of tourists on these paths.

If you decide to change money with the street changers, be very careful of fake notes, check every bill and count them properly.

Go next

 * El Bolsón – 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 15:00). Transportation on the El Valle bus line is AR$24 one way from Bariloche and is worth it for the scenery alone.
 * 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. Buses regularly go there from the bus terminal (1½ hrs, AR$52), and the journey along the lake is fantastic.
 * Chile – It is actually possible to hike to Chile, namely Cochamó, which is close to Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas, passing by the famous and picturesque La Junta. There is a small police checkpoint at Paso El León where you will receive a small note with which you have to head to the police station once you arrive in the next big city to complete your registration and entrance into the country.