Hiking Cerro Llao Llao in Bariloche: Your Complete Guide (2024)

Table of Contents

Breathtaking Views at Cerro Llao Llao

Cerro Llao Llao, pronounced “Sha-ow Sha-ow”, is one of the best hikes in Bariloche. Yielding similar views to Cerro Campanario, but a lot less crowded, hiking Cerro Llao Llao in Bariloche is an absolute must-do. It is fairly easy and there are tons of spots to stop, take in the views, and relax. We’ll go over everything you need to know before hiking Cerro Llao Llao and hopefully convince you why this deserves a spot in your Bariloche Itinerary!

This can be done as a do-it-yourself loop, which we highly recommend, but if your short on time, the round-trip hike to the Cerro Llao Llao viewpoint can be done in an hour and thirty minutes. Let’s get into the logistics, tips, and recommendations for the famous Cerro Llao Llao hike!

Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, we earn a commission if you make a purchase.

Everything you need to know about hiking Cerro Llao Llao Bariloche

Cerro Llao Llao Hike: At a Glance

Total Loop Time: 3-6 hours
Cerro Llao Llao Out-And-Back Time: 1-1.5 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Guide Needed: No
Trekking Registration Required: No

Llao Llao Hiking Trail Map

This is the official Llao Llao Trail Map, which has the hike to Cerro Llao Llao outlined in red, as well as all the other side trails as well. We recommend doing a loop if you have time, so you can see the views from all points of the Llao Llao Peninsula. The Circuito Chico road is marked below in solid green, which is also worth driving if you rent a car, or plan to go as part of a tour, like this one! The trails pictured below are well marked and it’s hard to get lost, although there are tons of out-and-back lookout points.

How to Get to Cerro Llao Llao in Bariloche

How to Get to Cerro Llao Llao by Bus

Grab the #20 bus and take it until right before it turns into Hotel Llao Llao. This takes about 50 min from downtown Bariloche and costs ~33 cents. You’ll need to walk 15 minutes to the trailhead for the Arrayan Forest. If you plan on going clockwise, you can enter here, and if you plan on going counterclockwise, or just doing the quick hike instead of the full circuit, walk another 5 minutes down the road to the Cerro Llao Llao trailhead.

Make sure to wave down the bus so it stops, and scan your SUBE to pay. When it’s almost time to get off, press the button on the railings near the rear door to alert the driver to stop at the next stop.

To use the buses in Bariloche, you need a SUBE card. Find places to buy and recharge your SUBE card using this map. Worst case scenario, you can pay someone to use their SUBE card, but this is not a guaranteed option.

How to Get to Cerro Llao Llao by Car

Renting a car definitely gives you more freedom because you can pretty much park along the road anywhere you please. In addition to this, the Arrayan Forest trailhead has a free parking lot that is fairly busy, so no one will be breaking into your car! You can also park at this dead end for beach access!

Rent your car here or with Booking.com if you’re in the Genius loyalty program for cars less than $40/day!

Ubers are also a great option for getting around Bariloche, costing around 40 cents per minute. They will also pick you up all around the Circuito Chico road, even though it’s much less busy than the city! Taxis are slightly more expensive than Ubers, but if you want to schedule a taxi, contact one of the official Bariloche taxi services here.

Best Time to do the Cerro Llao Llao Hike

Cerro Llao Llao being hike-able year round makes it one of the best things to do in Bariloche. While it is colder in the winter, and heavy snowfall would prevent your from hiking (but not snowshoeing!), it is still very popular during these months! Cerro Llao Llao is more crowded in the summer, so spring and fall are great times to avoid the crowds. Keep in mind that the seasons in Patagonia are the opposite of what they are in Europe and North America!

More Tips For the Llao Llao Hike in Bariloche

When you’re hiking to Cerro Llao Llao, you’ll get to a viewpoint near the top that looks like it’s the end of the trail. However if you keep walking for 5 minutes you’ll arrive at an even better viewpoint!
The hike up to Cerro Llao Llao is uphill, but the rest of the loop is fairly flat and easy for all physical abilities!
The sunset from Cerro Llao Llao is beautiful, but make sure you leave enough time to hike back will there is still sunlight left!
There is a small coffee and food truck in the parking lot for the Arrayan Forest. We didn’t go, but it looked great!
The Patagonia Brewery located about a 15-20 minute drive from the Cerro Llao Llao parking lot has one of the nicest views of any brewery we’ve ever gone to. Unwind with a well-deserved beer after your hike!

Combine Cerro Campanario and Cerro Llao Llao

We recommend taking the chairlift up (or hiking!) Cerro Campanario in the same day as Cerro Llao Llao. They are only 30 minutes away from each other using a combination of bus #20 and walking, and they are both fairly easy hikes. Cerro Campanario has the best 360-degree views in all of Bariloche, so it’s not something you want to miss! Make sure to save both Cerro Llao Llao and Cerro Campanario for a clear, blue-skied day!

Check out our post for everything you need to know about visiting Cerro Campanario!

Where to Stay in Bariloche

We recommend staying downtown to be near the main attractions and the public bus stops. However, the Llao Llao Resort is legendary, and a great place to splurge for a day or two!

Bariloche Accommodations

Keep Exploring Bariloche…

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!