Alpine architecture, ski resorts and high quality chocolate, Switzerland you say? No, this is Bariloche, The Little Switzerland of South America!
Bariloche is a small city nestled in the foothills of the Andean Mountains, it’s the gateway to the lake district in Argentina’s Patagonia.
It boasts many stunning hikes and trails, endless lakes to explore and the snow capped Andes, this is a paradise for nature lovers far and wide.
Let’s jump into this guide so you have all the information you need to plan your trip!
Best Time to Visit & Weather
Bariloche is such a visually stunning town, each season brings its own beauty and a chance to experience different activities. Let’s break it down;
Spring (September- November)
Temperatures range from 5-20°C. Spring brings life back to the town, the flowers start to bloom and the snow is melting, the vibrant green starts to take over.
The day’s start getting longer, the sleepy winter town is awakening and it’s a lovely time to witness the transition.
Summer (December- Febuary)
Temperatures range from 15-25°C. The ideal temperatures for outdoor activities such as mountain biking, hiking and enjoying time in and around the lake.
The summer season is the peak tourist time, bare in mind there will be an influx of tourists and prices will be higher than usual.
Autumn (March-May)
Temperatures range from 5-15°C. If you’re not into extreme sports such as skiing or snowboarding, then Autumn is an ideal time to visit because the snow isn’t quite here yet and neither are the crowds, this make’s it a more affordable time to visit.
You’ll get to witness the beautiful autumnal colours, the orange and red vibrant change of the leaves transforms Bariloche into one of the most spectacular displays that everyone should witness.
Winter (June- August)
The lowest temperatures during winter range from -10°C to 0°C. This is the most popular and busiest time of year due to the outdoor activities that the winter season brings.
The ski resorts are jam packed with avid skiers and snowboarders. It brings people from all over the world to experience a snowy wonderland.
Getting to Bariloche
By Air
The fastest and most convenient way to reach Bariloche is by catching a flight to Bariloche’s international airport, San Carlos de Bariloche Airport (BRC).
During the high season they have up to 50 flights a day, transporting excited and eager tourists to witness one of the most naturally stunning places on earth.
The airport is a short 8 miles from the centre, you can get a shuttle bus to downtown Bariloche or even grab an Uber or Cabify.
By Bus
As you know here at Nomadic Wives, we always try and find the best budget option of getting around, we got a bus from Puerto Montt in Chile to Bariloche, if you missed our guide to Chile’s Lake District, be sure to give it a read.
If you’re coming from Chile, you can book your bus online at Recorrido, or you can book directly at the bus terminal you’re travelling from.
We got a bus with Andesmar and it took around 8 hours and cost $45 each, we opted for the Salon Cama seats which are slightly bigger and more comfy.
Where to Stay
There are many options for accommodation to suit each budget, depending on what you’re looking for and what you need.
In the city centre prices are much higher, we opted to stay out of the centre in an area called Los Retamos, the locals identify different parts of town by KM, so we stayed in KM 6.
We were close to the number 20 bus stop, which goes from Downtown all the way to Llao Llao, it was really easy getting around from here.
The usual websites such as Booking.com or Airbnb will be your best bet, be sure to check out our money saving hacks on Airbnb!
SIM Card & Data
Movistar and Claro are the two best options for a SIM card, we read a lot of bad reviews for Movistar so we opted for Claro as we’ve been using Claro since Colombia pretty much.
We got a data only pre paid SIM, 25GB for $14,000 ARS. We had issues paying for this as they only take visa card payment or cash, and well getting cash wasn’t easy.
Getting Cash out
As you may have already heard Argentina has a long history of economic struggles and this year the inflation is at the highest in history.
We really struggled to get cash out, many cash machines have a limit or were unable to dispense any cash.
We spent hours going from ATM to ATM, anxiously trying to withdraw cash. We only ever managed to get out no more than $10 USD around $15,000 ARS.
We decided to use Western Union by downloading the App and following the easy instructions, you do need to use an Argentinian number when registering, we asked our Airbnb host if we could use his.
Once you make the payment through the app you’ll get a notification when your cash is ready to be collected, we we only had to wait 20 minutes.
Head to any Western Union, there are many doted around. The transaction fee costs us less than $1 USD!
Public Transport
The public transport is great in Bariloche, the number 20 was a service we used daily and it goes the longest route from downtown to Llao Llao, it’s a very scenic drive too.
You need a SUBE card to ride the buses, you can get this from any kiosk in town, two people can also use one card, but there’s a cap of what you can top up on each card of around $9,500 ARS.
If you’re riding from downtown to say Llao Llao that costs $2,500 so you won’t actually have enough for two people on one card to get there and back.
You can only top of your SUBE card using cash, so get that Western Union app for hassle free cash.
Things to Do
There’s an endless amount of things to do in and around Bariloche, it’s a natures paradise in this Swiss stye town and you won’t be short of activities. Let’s check out our top picks;
View at Cerro Campanario
To get one of the best panoramic views in Bariloche head to Cerro Campanario, you can either hike up, which takes around 1 -1.5 hours or you can grab the chairlift which takes 10 minutes and costs $12,000 ARS per person for a return trip.
The views are insane, on a sunny day the lake shimmers a turquoise blue and you can see 360 views of all the powerful Andean mountain range!
Cerro Llao Llao
For more mind blowing views check out this relatively easy and beautiful hike, it guides you along Llao Llao’s peninsula.
Starting through a forest trail at the entrance of the Municipal Park, the hike has no difficulty other than the ascent to the viewpoint which is slightly steep but worth it for those stunning views of Lake Moreno and Lake Nahuel Huapi!
It’s a great way to experience some of Circuito Chico if you don’t have a car.
You can grab the number 20 bus and jump off at Puerto Pañuelo from here you have to walk on the road for about 1km until you reach the park entrance.
Circuito Chico
If you have a car or can afford to rent one doing the Circuito Chico is a must!
You can also do a tour with a guide. It’s a 60KM circular trip and you’ll get to see the most iconic and stunning views Bariloche has to offer such as Panoramic Point and Perito Moreno Lake Bridge.
The views and sights from this day trip will blow your mind!
Consider hitting the road early to avoid the crowds and be sure to check the weather forecast as here in the Andes the weather can change in an instant.
Llao Llao Hotel
This iconic landmark is one of the most famous hotels in not just Argentina but the world, built in 1938 it holds a strong historical importance for Bariloche.
You might not be able to afford the nightly rate to stay at the LLao Llao but a good way in is either doing the afternoon tea service or heading for lunch in the Winter Garden, this will give you the opportunity to check out the grand decor inside and enjoy the panoramic views of the surrounding lakes.
Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi
Bariloche is the gateway to Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi, it’s one of Argentina’s oldest national parks, a must visit during your stay.
The park offers many hiking opportunities for all levels, some options are Lago Los Huemules 3-5 hours (round trip) , Refugio Frey 4-6 hours (round trip), Bosque de Arrayanes 1-2 hours ( round trip).
You’ll have the chance to swim in the lakes to cool down and all the hikes offer spectacular views of the Patagonia landscape.
Day Trips
Staying in Bariloche means you’re close to many other amazing and charming towns to explore, it’s a great base to be.
You can rent a car, hitch a ride which is very common here, take a bus or even a boat tour, there’s many ways of getting around.
Located just an hour away is the charming Villa La Angostura, this resort town is known for its alpine wooden buildings and located on the famous Seven Lake Road, which winds north to another must see town, San Martin de Los Andes, 3 hours from Bariloche.
You can drive the route in a day, but if you have time it would be better to stay at some of these picturesque towns along the way, giving yourself more time to take it all in.