NAHUEL
HUAPI NATIONAL PARK - SAN CARLOS DE BARILOCHE
The Nahuel Huapi National Park (from the araucano Nahuel, that means tiger
and Huapi: island) extends over 750.000 hectares (1.875.000 acres) of
which 330.000 (825.000 acres) of them is a National Reserve. Situated
in the south-west of Neuquen province and north-west of Rio Negro, it
stretches from the Patagonian steppes to the high Andes.
To the west, its highest peaks delimit the border with Chile. Among these
is the impressive Tronador (3554 Mts.) and Campana, Capilla, López
and Catedral (between 1800 and 2400 Mts.). Between these high peaks these
are several deep valleys that allows easy crossing to Chile trough passes
such as Cardenal Samore, Perez Rosales and Vuriloche.
Another interesting feature is the quantity of lakes and rivers, that
due to the abundant rains and the melting of snow and glaciers rushing
down either to the Atlantic or the Pacific Ocean.
Lake Nahuel Huapi, covering an area of 60.000 hectares (150.000 acres)
and with the maximum depth of 464 meters around Puerto Blest, is the most
important of the area, to which we must add: Perito Moreno, Gutierrez,
Mascardi, Los Moscos, Hess, Fonck, Guillelmo and Steffen lakes.
The most important feature of this National Park is its diversity of habitats.
Such as the large lake and river system, the sub- Antartic and valdivian
cold forests, the dry steppes, lowland forest undergrowth and the high
Andean ranges that host an interesting native flora and fauna.
Big forests of cipreses, ñires, lengas, coihues, notros, guindos,
lauras, arrayanes, radales, alerces and maitenes - all native trees -
in the west give way to the neneo and the coiron - patagonian grasses
- that cover the sterile landscape of the patagonian steppe to the east.
The exuberant vegetation of the valdivian forest, towards the border with
Chile, is made up of impressive trees like coihues, mñiu, laura
and alerce, entwined by varieties of lianas such as the pahueldin and
pil pil voqui. The ever damp undergrowth is dominated by the caña
colihue and ferns.
In spite of mans devastating effect on nature, the local fauna is no less
rich than its flora. The variety of habitats host a number of interesting
species: along the waterways we can find the native perch and river otter;
down on the steppes many raptors, guanaco, rhea and patagonian hare and
up in the snow covered peaks we find we find the majestic condor, puma
and huemul. In the dense undergrowth there are pudu and chucao and in
the open wetlands lapwing and Andean geese.
These qualities give it special importance as a nature reserve, with strict
conservation measures but open to scientific, educational and recreational
activities for present and future generations.
DAY 1 - Arrival to San Carlos de Bariloche
Airport and transfer to hotel. 03 nts of accommodation with breakfast
DAY 2
- Excursion called "Circuito Chico" to visit Panoramic Point,
Llao Llao, Puerto Pañuelo, Moreno Lake, Cerro Lopez, Colonia Suiza...
DAY 3
- Boat Excursion to visit Isla Victoria and Los Arrayanes National Park.
DAY 4
- Transfer to airport
This is a basic program to visit Bariloche Area. Please visit our tour
list to see more tours combining this area and others place in Argentina
and Chile