Bariloche — 3-Day Itinerary
Bariloche is Patagonia gateway city, a lakeside town surrounded by snow-capped peaks, ancient forests, and crystalline lakes. The Swiss-German architectural influence, legendary chocolate shops, and craft breweries earn it the nickname South American Switzerland. Three days covers lakes, mountains, and Argentine alpine culture.
Circuito Chico, Lakes & Viewpoints
Morning: Drive the Circuito Chico, a 65 km loop road along the shores of Lake Nahuel Huapi and Lake Moreno. Stop at Cerro Campanario chairlift (ARS $5,000) for what National Geographic called one of the 10 best views in the world: a 360-degree panorama of lakes, islands, and mountains. Punto Panoramico and Bahia Lopez offer additional viewpoints. The road winds through forests of coihue and lenga trees with mountain reflections in the lake water. Stop at Colonia Suiza for a traditional curanto lunch (ARS $8,000-12,000), a Patagonian feast of meats, potatoes, and vegetables cooked underground.
Afternoon: Continue to Llao Llao Peninsula, one of the most photographed landscapes in Argentina. The luxury Llao Llao Hotel is worth visiting for coffee on the terrace (ARS $3,000-5,000) with views of Lake Nahuel Huapi and Cerro Tronador glacier in the distance. The Parque Municipal Llao Llao trail (12 km, moderate) circles the peninsula through ancient arrayane (myrtle) forests with cinnamon-colored bark. The Bosque de Arrayanes on Quetrihue Peninsula (boat trip ARS $15,000-20,000 or kayak) has the largest myrtle forest in the world.
Evening: Return to Bariloche Centro for the chocolate circuit. Calle Mitre, the main street, has over 20 chocolate shops (chocolaterias). Rapanui, Mamuschka, and Del Turista are the most famous. Sample hot chocolate (submarino style: a bar of chocolate melted into hot milk, ARS $2,000-4,000) and truffles (ARS $500-1,000 per 100g). Dinner at Cerveceria Manush (ARS $4,000-8,000) for craft beer from one of Argentina best microbreweries, or El Boliche de Alberto (ARS $6,000-12,000) for Argentine steak in a rustic parrilla setting.
Cerro Catedral, Forests & Craft Beer
Morning: In winter (June-October), ski at Cerro Catedral (ARS $30,000-50,000 day pass), the largest ski resort in South America with 120 km of runs and 39 lifts. In summer, take the Catedral chairlift (ARS $8,000) for hiking above treeline with views of the lake district. The Refugio Frey hike (24 km round trip, strenuous, 7-8 hours) reaches a mountain refuge beneath granite spires reflected in a glacial lake. The shorter Lago Gutierrez circuit (8 km, moderate) passes a beautiful swimming beach on the lake south shore.
Afternoon: Afternoon exploring the Circuito Grande, a 240 km loop through the lake district passing seven major lakes, each a different shade of blue or green. Highlights include Lago Traful with its dramatic cliff-side road, the Villa La Angostura (worth a stop for lunch and the Bosque de Arrayanes), and the confluence of rivers at the Route of the Seven Lakes viewpoints. This drive takes most of a day so choose sections rather than attempting the full loop. The scenery rivals anything in Switzerland or New Zealand.
Evening: Evening craft beer circuit in Bariloche, which has quietly become one of South America craft beer capitals. Wesley Brewery (ARS $3,000-5,000 per pint) and Berlina (ARS $3,000-5,000) both produce excellent European-style ales. La Cruz Brewery in the Circuito Chico area has a beer garden with lake views. Dinner at Cassis (ARS $6,000-12,000) for modern Patagonian cuisine using local lamb, trout, and wild mushrooms, or Familia Weiss (ARS $5,000-10,000) for hearty Swiss-German dishes including fondues and wild game stews.
Isla Victoria, Bosque de Arrayanes & Farewell
Morning: Take a catamaran excursion (ARS $20,000-30,000 for half day) to Isla Victoria and the Bosque de Arrayanes on Quetrihue Peninsula. Isla Victoria has beaches, forests, and a deer reserve with introduced European deer. The Bosque de Arrayanes is the highlight: a forest of cinnamon-bark myrtle trees with white flowers that Walt Disney reportedly used as inspiration for the forest in Bambi. The trees are 300+ years old, the bark is smooth and cool to the touch, and the forest has an enchanted quality that photographs cannot capture.
Afternoon: Afternoon at Playa Bonita, a beach on Lake Nahuel Huapi with mountain views and swimming in glacier-fed water (refreshingly cold at 15-18 degrees in summer). Rent kayaks (ARS $5,000-8,000 per hour) and paddle along the lakeshore. The Museo de la Patagonia (ARS $1,000) in the Civic Centre has exhibits on regional natural history and indigenous Mapuche culture. The Civic Centre itself, a stone and timber complex around a central plaza, is the architectural heart of Bariloche designed by architect Ernesto de Estrada in the 1930s.
Evening: Farewell dinner at Butterfly (ARS $8,000-15,000) for chef Matias Aldasoro creative Patagonian tasting menu, or keep it casual with a choripan (chorizo sandwich, ARS $1,500-2,500) from the grill stands along the lakefront. A final submarino at any chocolateria rounds out the Bariloche experience. The town combines the outdoor adventure of Patagonia with the warmth and culinary culture of Argentina in a way that makes it one of the most complete travel destinations in South America.
Budget Breakdown (Per Person, 3 Days)
| Category | Budget | Mid-Range | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (3 nights) | ARS $30,000 | ARS $80,000 | ARS $250,000 |
| Food & Drinks | ARS $20,000 | ARS $50,000 | ARS $150,000 |
| Transport | ARS $10,000 | ARS $30,000 | ARS $80,000 |
| Activities & Entry Fees | ARS $15,000 | ARS $40,000 | ARS $100,000 |
| Total 3 Days | ARS $75,000 | ARS $200,000 | ARS $580,000 |
Getting Around Bariloche
Bariloche is a city designed around the car, and renting one — or joining a guided tour — dramatically expands what is possible in three days. The city centre (Centro Cívico, Calle Mitre, and the lakefront) is walkable and pleasant on foot, but the Circuito Chico, Cerro Catedral, and the Seven Lakes road all require either your own wheels or organised transport. Rental agencies cluster around Calle Moreno near the bus terminal: Bariloche Rent a Car, Andina, and Hertz all operate from around ARS $8,000-15,000 per day for a basic hatchback, and a 4WD is worth the premium (ARS $18,000-25,000) if you plan to do any unpaved mountain roads or travel in winter.
The city's local bus network (Transporte Bariloche) covers routes to Llao Llao (bus 20), Cerro Catedral (bus 55), and Colonia Suiza (bus 10), making these destinations accessible without a car. Single fare tokens (fichas) cost around ARS $350-500 and must be purchased in advance from kiosks and lottery shops — the driver does not sell tickets. Bus 20 runs along the Circuito Chico road every 30-45 minutes and is the easiest way to reach the Llao Llao Peninsula hotel for coffee without committing to a full car rental. Buses to Cerro Catedral (bus 55) depart from Moreno and Palacios approximately every hour in ski season.
Taxis and remises (private hire cars) are plentiful in the city centre. The fixed-rate remises are generally better value than metered taxis for longer journeys — ask at your hotel for the current flat rate to Cerro Catedral (around ARS $5,000-8,000 one way) or Llao Llao (ARS $4,000-6,000 one way). Uber operates in Bariloche, though the app can be slow to find drivers outside peak season. MibaApp, Argentina's national ride-hailing platform, often has more local availability.
Arriving in Bariloche by air is most practical. Bariloche International Airport (BRC) sits 15 km east of the city centre and is served by Aerolíneas Argentinas and JetSMART with multiple daily flights from Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP, 2.5 hours, from ARS $45,000-80,000). Taxi from the airport to the city centre costs around ARS $5,000-8,000 for the 20-minute drive. Bus 72 runs between the airport and the bus terminal for around ARS $500 but runs infrequently. By long-distance bus, Bariloche is connected to Buenos Aires (Via Bariloche and Andesmar, 20 hours, ARS $20,000-35,000 semi-cama) and to Puerto Montt in Chile (4 hours, ARS $15,000-20,000) via the scenic Paso Samoré mountain crossing.
For excursions along the Seven Lakes road toward San Martín de los Andes (200 km north), renting a car is the only way to stop at viewpoints and lake beaches at your own pace. The road is entirely paved, the petrol station at Villa La Angostura is the last before Junín de los Andes (fill up there), and the drive takes a minimum of 3 hours but rewards those who stop often with some of the finest lake and mountain scenery on the continent. A guided full-day minibus tour from Bariloche (ARS $18,000-25,000 per person) covers the highlights with lunch included at Villa La Angostura.
