12 Best Things to Do in Bariloche: Circuito Chico, Cerro Catedral & Lake Cruises

Whether you visit in January for fifteen-hour summer days of granite ridge trekking and kayaking or in July for deep powder snow on South America's largest ski mountain, San Carlos de Bariloche packs an extraordinary range of Andean lakes, forests, and Alpine-Patagonian gastronomy into a single base. Here are the twelve experiences not to miss.

1. Iconic Scenic Loops, Viewpoints & Lake Cruises

1. Ride the Chairlift Up Cerro Campanario (1,050m): Located at Km 17.5 of Avenida Bustillo, the seven-minute chairlift (or 35-minute forest trail) up Cerro Campanario delivers the single most famous 360-degree panorama in Patagonia over Lakes Nahuel Huapi and Moreno.
2. Drive or Cycle the 60-Kilometre Circuito Chico & Llao Llao Park: Follow the loop past the 1938 Capilla San Eduardo and Hotel Llao Llao, walk through ancient coihue and arrayán woods to Villa Tacul and Puente Romano, and stop at Punto Panorámico.
3. Sail from Puerto Pañuelo to Isla Victoria & Bosque de Arrayanes (or Puerto Blest): Board a catamaran at Km 25 for Parque Nacional Los Arrayanes to walk among 600-year-old cinnamon-barked trees, or cruise up the Valdivian rainforest fjord of Puerto Blest and Cascada de los Cántaros.
4. Drive the Route of the Seven Lakes (Ruta de los Siete Lagos): Follow paved Ruta Nacional 40 north through Villa La Angostura to San Martín de los Andes past seven mirror-clear glacial lakes.

2. High Peaks, Glaciers & Mountain Refugios

5. Ski, Snowboard or Ride the Sightseeing Gondolas at Cerro Catedral (2,388m): Explore the 1,200 skiable hectares of Cerro Catedral in winter, or ride the summer cable cars to the 2,000-metre ridge.
6. Hike to Refugio Emilio Frey (1,700m) Beside Laguna Toncek: Trek four hours up the Van Titter valley to the 1957 stone mountain hut set directly beneath the granite climbing spires of Cerro Catedral.
7. Marvel at Cerro Tronador (3,491m) & the Black Glacier (Ventisquero Negro): Travel south-west past Lago Mascardi to Cerro Tronador to hear calving hanging glaciers and see the soot-dark ice tongue of Ventisquero Negro and Cascada Los Alerces.
8. Ascend Teleférico Cerro Otto to the 360° Revolving Café: Ride the red gondolas to the 1,405-metre summit of Cerro Otto and walk down to Lago Gutiérrez.

3. Downtown Heritage, Chocolate & Craft Beer

4. Tasting Earth-Oven Curanto in Colonia Suiza

Visit the 1895 Swiss settlement of Colonia Suiza on a Wednesday or Sunday to watch meats and vegetables unearthed from a hot-stone curanto pit.

9. Tour the 1940 Centro Cívico, Museo de la Patagonia & Neo-Gothic Cathedral: Admire the green-tuff stone arches of the Centro Cívico and the lakeside 1946 Catedral Nuestra Señora del Nahuel Huapi.
10. Follow the Artisan Chocolate Route Along Calle Mitre: Sample flaky chocolate en rama and chocolate-dipped raspberries at Mamuschka, Rapa Nui, Benroth, and Abuela Goye.
11. Drink Patagonian Craft Beer Overlooking Lago Moreno: Sip IPAs brewed with El Bolsón hops at microbreweries along the Patagonian craft beer trail.
12. Feast on Patagonian Lamb & Smoked Lake Trout: Enjoy cordero patagónico al asador and rainbow trout.