Get your bearings on your first day with the Short Tour (Circuito Chico), probably the most popular sightseeing route in the Lake District. Most tours visit the historic buildings of downtown Bariloche, then continue along Nahuel Huapi Lake to the San Pedro Peninsula, where attractions include Llao Llao park and Saint Edward's Chapel. The Circuito Chico goes on into the Llao Llao Peninsula and to Escondido Lake—some tours take a detour to the Bahía López area to see López and Capilla hills—and continues to Moreno Lake, the Swiss hamlet of Colonia Suiza, and Mount Campanario. In the evening, take a deep dive into local culture with an asado (barbecue) dinner, accompanied by local wines, in the home of a Bariloche resident. 

Spend your second day discovering why this region is called the Lake District. A full-day tour from Bariloche can take you along the scenic Route of the Seven Lakes, which winds through blue and emerald pools, dramatic rock formations, rivers, and alpine forests and skirts the lakes of Nahuel Huapi, Correntoso, Espejo, Escondido, Villarino, Falkner, and Machónico. You’ll stop at plenty of scenic lookouts on lake beaches, and some tours also drive around Lake Lacar to have lunch and explore the town of San Martín de los Andes. Alternatively, explore the region’s lakes with a catamaran cruise on Nahuel Huapi Lake, stopping at Los Arrayanes National Park and Victoria Island for a gentle hike through the forests. Have dinner at one of the many downtown Bariloche restaurants and bars serving a diverse array of cuisine.

Hikers are drawn to the Lake District for its many trekking opportunities, and from Bariloche, you can embark on a hiking excursion that lasts all day or just a few hours. Hike through beech and cypress forest on the way up the granite slopes of snow-capped Cerro López for spectacular views over Bariloche and Nahuel Huapi Lake. Experienced hikers can make the taxing trek to the Frey Refuge mountain hut on Cerro Catedral in Nahuel Huapi National Park, while those who prefer a low-key option can travel by car along Nahuel Huapi Lake and the Manso River to Cerro Tronador, the area’s tallest mountain, for a short walk in the woods to see its glaciers. Conclude your visit with a Patagonian-style barbecue feast on the shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake.