02-03 Jan - Lake Crossing from Bariloche to Puerto Varas

The description of this 2-day journey reads, “Along the whole length of their mutual frontier, the Andean Cordillera separates Argentina and Chile. This journey from Bariloche to Puerto Montt - three lake crossings interlaced with four separate bus journeys - cuts through one of the few chinks in that mountain chain. Sheer rock faces, monkey-puzzle piedmonts and conical snow-capped peaks, flank the deep glacial lakes.  If the weather holds [which it did for us!] this is one of the most beautiful journeys in the world.”

This was indeed a beautiful trip!  But you could (and should) do it in one day.  The tour stretches it to two by taking a couple forgettable side-trips and including a stay at Hotel Peulla, something more like a hostel than a hotel.  Peulla has a population of 123 and is pretty much in the middle of nowhere.  We tried to do some hiking, but only trial wasn’t maintained.  We soon found ourselves swimming through very tall bamboo and had to turn back for fear of getting lost.  It was also horsefly season, which did spoil our attempts to look at birds and wildflowers.  Everybody was very happy when we finally boarded the boats again for more fantastic views.   

See our photos of the Lake Crossing:

Day 1 crossing

The border, views of Mt.Tronador, and our buses

Peulla, our hike in the bamboo, and wildflowers

Day 2 crossing

Click to continue to Puerto Varas