7 Lakes, Endless Vistas: Exploring Bariloche’s Scenic Route
Ever dreamt of a road trip with scenery that looks straight out of a postcard? Well, pack your bags for Bariloche, Argentina! This beautiful town in northern Patagonia is surrounded by stunning lakes and mountains, and the 7 Lakes Drive is the perfect way to experience it all.
Bariloche’s Route of the 7 Lakes boasts amazing views of the contrasting lakes, alpine peaks, dense forests, and a beautiful valley. This is one of the most amazing things to do in Bariloche, and the long drive is 100% worth it!
Grab a coffee or Mate, South America’s famous tea, bring an appetite for adventure, and you’ll be met with one of the best travel experiences ever! You do NOT need an international driver’s license to rent a car in Bariloche, but if you prefer not to drive there are a bunch of tours (like this one) available! You’ll almost certainly lose service along the route, but it’s just one road, and all the lookouts are clearly marked.
In this post, we’ll unpack all of the best stops to make along the route, discuss how long it will take, and go over all the logistics you need to know before embarking on this unforgettable road trip!
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Stops Along the Route
1. Lago Nahuel Huapi Miradors: Lago Nahuel Huapi is one of the largest lakes in northern Patagonia and the lake the Bariloche sits on. On the drive from Bariloche to Villa La Angostura, you’ll pass numerous miradors (lookouts) with beautiful views of this lake, and we urge you to pull off for at least a few of them!
2. Villa La Angostura: Villa La Angostura is a beautiful little town and the perfect place to stop for a bite to eat. The main street is lined with cute cafes, restaurants, and shops, all of which have the ski chalet/log cabin architecture.
3. Mirador Lago Espejo: “Espejo” means mirror, as this lake can be a beautiful mirror on a clear day. All the more reason to do the 7 Lakes Drive on a good day!
4. Mirador Lago Correntoso: There are two lookouts for this lake, and we recommend visiting both!
5. Cascada Ñivinco: If you have the time for it, we highly recommend visiting this waterfall. It takes about 1.5-2 hours to do this easy round trip hike. Be aware that you may need to cross through water, but there is a fallen tree that we climbed across to avoid taking off our shoes, so look for that!
6. Mirador Lago Escondido: This lake doesn’t have a great viewpoint (the name does mean hidden lake!), but it’s still worth stopping by. Be on the lookout for a pudu here – the world’s smallest deer!
7. Mirador del Lago Villarino: While this is named after a colonizer, as many landmarks in the Americas are, this is a beautiful lake. The best viewpoint is just east of the official lookout! A special type of endangered deer called the “Huemul” lives in this region.
8. Mirador Lago Falkner: This was our favorite of the lake viewpoints along the Seven Lakes Drive because you can walk along the beach! Definitely stop here for a bit and just enjoy the peaceful surroundings.
9. Cascada Vuliñanco: This waterfall can be seen from the highway, but it’s definitely worth taking some time at the viewpoint to get a really good view of it. I don’t think you can hike down to it, but it’s super cool to just look at!
10. Mirador Lago Machónico: This lake is named after the indigenous word for fresh-water crabs commonly found in this area. The hawk in the picture was probably off to hunt for one of these crabs!
11. Mirador Pil Pil: Pictures don’t do it justice. Driving through this valley was an amazing experience and a nice contrast to the many lakes we had already seen!
12. Mirador Lácar: This is the lake that San Martin de los Andes is nestled on and has many great viewpoints. The last one (when coming from Bariloche), looks over the lake, San Martin de los Andes, and the towering mountains behind it!
13. San Martín de los Andes: Once you reach San Martín, you’ve made it! Spend some time wandering around the town and stop in for a meal somewhere!
Not Pictured: Arroyo Partido, or “Split Stream” (between Lago Machónico and Pil Pil) isn’t anything special to look at. HOWEVER, when the stream splits, one side flows into the Atlantic Ocean, and the other to the Pacific Ocean, which is pretty neat!
How long does it take to do the Route of the 7 Lakes?
There are many options depending on how much time you have. It’s certainly possible to do as a day trip, but we recommend taking a few days to do the route of the 7 lakes if you have the time!
The Route of the 7 Lakes as a Day Trip
If you only have the time to do the Route of the 7 Lakes as a day trip, then we recommend starting as early as possible. You’ll need to be very intentional about your day if you want to fit everything in, including the hike to Cascada Ñivinco.
The Route of the 7 Lakes in Two Days
This is the way we chose to do it, and though we wish we had more time, it was perfect for our budget (we only wanted to pay for a rental car for one 24 hour period). If you want to do the same, we recommend getting your car starting either at 10 am or 11 am and staying overnight in Villa La Angostura (or somewhere near there) on your way back to Bariloche. This will split up the driving a bit and allow you to spend the night in a cute town with lots of restaurant and hotel options! On your second day, the drive from Villa La Angostura back to Bariloche only takes about an hour and 15 minutes.
The Route of the 7 Lakes in More than Two Days
If you have the time to spend a few nights along this route, this is definitely the option we recommend. There’s a lot more along this route to explore, and there are also just some amazing hotels that we’ll definitely be returning and staying at once the budget allows! In the next section we’ll go over potential things to add into your route of 7 lakes itinerary!
Other Amazing Activities Along the 7 Lakes Route
If you have extra time to spend along the route, here are some things we wish we had done! Doing all of these would probably take over a week – so if you can’t fit them all in it’s just another reason to return! These are listed in order as they appear from Bariloche to San Martín.
Cerro Centinela
Cerro Centinela is located about 25 minutes south of Villa La Angostura. It’s a medium difficulty, well-marked trail that takes 3-5 hours round trip and has amazing views of Lago Nahuel Huapi.
Parque Nacional La Arrayanes
This national park is located right near Villa La Angostura. You can walk all the way through it (about 11 km one way) and take a boat back or do that the other way around, which sounds like a lovely way to spend a day!
Cerro Bayo
This is also in Villa La Angostura. In the winter it’s a ski hill; in the summer you can take the chairlift up to the top for some great views of the town and the lake! If you drive up to the chairlift, make sure to make a quick stop along the way to see Cascada Rio Bonito!
Playa Lago Espejo
Camping, relaxing on the beach, and kayaking on the peaceful Lago Espejo beach is a great way to pass the time in greater Bariloche. This is obviously much better in the summer!
Lago Traful
If you (and your car) can handle the 30-40 min drive down a bumpy road, you’ll be heavily rewarded. Various lookouts, waterfalls, a submerged forest, and gorgeous campsites await!
Cerro Falkner
Cerro Falkner is a 5-7 hour round-trip hike that is fairly difficult but worth it! You must first register at the Lago Falkner campground.
Lago Hermoso
This lake is just a 5-10 minute drive off the highway, but be warned that the road isn’t in great condition! We already have plans to rent a 4×4, return, and stay at Hermoso Eco Lodge.
Lago Meliquina
This lake is also a short distance off the highway, and if we’re being honest we’re going to be coming here just to stay in a dome. This is definitely an off the beaten path spot where you won’t have much cell service, but it’s a great place to unwind and enjoy nature. Some popular activities in Villa Meliquina are trekking, fishing, mountain biking, kayaking, horseback riding, and kitesurfing.
Cerro Chapelco
In the winter it’s a ski mountain; in the summer it’s a fun park with lots of activities including mountain biking, horseback riding, and a toboggan ride. It’s a great place for family fun and will give kids an interesting switch-up from looking at lakes all day!
Where to Stay along the Route of the 7 Lakes
The Route of the 7 Lakes has some amazing properties along it. You can stay in various towns, remote campsites, glamp it up, or splurge on a boutique hotel.
Where to Stay in Villa La Angostura
When we did this route, we stayed in Villa La Angostura and loved it. It’s such a cute town and definitely deserves more attention than the quick stop you’ll be allowed by doing this route as a day trip!
Villa La Angostura Accommodations
Where to Stay in San Martín de los Andes
If you have the time, we definitely recommend at least spending one night in San Martín de los Andes. It’s a cute town and there are a few different things to do in the surrounding area – especially miradors Arrayanes and Bandurrias.
San Martín de los Andes Accommodations
Best Time to do the Route of the 7 Lakes
The summer, from December to February, is definitely the best time to do the Route of the 7 Lakes to ensure warm, sunny weather. However, the drawback of summer is the crowds – you’ll certainly need to reserve your rental car in advance and you’ll likely have lots of company on the road! If you have some time and don’t mind a bit of unreliability with the weather, the shoulder seasons can also be a great time for this drive. We did it mid-April and got lucky with a couple decent days, but they were definitely fewer and farther between than what you’d get in the summer.
Rental Car & Rules of the Road
- Argentina uses speed monitors which are all marked on Google Maps. Don’t speed!
- You don’t need an international drivers permit; only a license from your home country
- Gas stations are not super common, so fill up when you can!
- The route is well-paved but the pull-offs are mostly gravel, so slow down before pulling off
- No 4×4 is necessary for stops along the route, but it is recommended if you plan on doing any detours!
Rent your car here or with Booking.com if you’re in the Genius loyalty program for cars less than $40/day!
Keep Exploring Bariloche…
- Wonderful Things to do in Bariloche, Argentina
- The Complete Guide to Hiking to Refugio Jakob
- Hiking to Refugio Frey: Your Complete Guide
- Cerro Campanario: The Absolute BEST View in Bariloche
- Hiking Cerro Llao Llao in Bariloche: Your Complete Guide
- Travel Guide for Cerro Otto in Bariloche: Hiking, Activities and More!
- The Complete Guide to the Mirador Lago Gutiérrez Hike
- How to Exchange Money in Argentina: Your Complete Guide to the Argentina Exchange Rate
Our Favorite Travel Resources
Accommodations: We use Booking.com for hotels and HostelWorld for hostels. We also use VRBO or TrustedHousesitters for longer stays.
Flights: We recommend using Skyscanner to find the cheapest and best flights.
Ground Transport: We use 12Go and Omio for buses and private transfers, and rentalcars.com and Discover Cars for rental cars.
Activities: GetYourGuide and Viator are the best websites for booking organized tours.
International Medical Insurance: We highly recommend SafetyWing for Digital Nomads and HeyMondo for those not traveling full-time, or who frequently engage in higher-risk adventure activities.
eSIM: We recommend Airalo or Holafly for getting data internationally.
Check out our Travel Resources Page for more of our favorite travel-related products and services!
