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Bariloche - Circuito chico tour

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San Carlos de Bariloche. Winter after winter thousands of tourists come to this city, one of most famous in the Argentine Andean South. There are those who love snow sports and those who prefer shopping, trekking, an afternoon eating cakes, a catamaran trip on the lakes, and pictures, pictures and pictures!!! Let's look at the outstanding sights of the Circuito Chico (short tour), in the chocolate city. The experience the 26 participants of Adventour 2003 went through, was as deep as the precipices of the altiplano, and as strong as the solitude of "La Puna".

Catamaran in Nahuel Huapi Patagonian ranch Llao Llao in the distance
Bariloche - Rio Negro


WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

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1. Circuito Chico is a typical tour most visitors do when in Bariloche. Most packages, even if short, will include this visit.

2. This tour offers a relaxing moment for those who are not that attracted to skiing and are more into gorgeous landscapes.

3. Standard tours may take half a day, combined with other excursions, it may take all day.

4. There are bi-lingual guides Spanish - English and you can request other languages as well.

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A typical tour when in Bariloche

The "Circuito Chico" is a 62-km round trip around Bariloche. You start at the Civic Center and, west along Bustillos Ave., you go around the Lago Nahuel Huapi (Nahuel Huapi lake) till the Lago Moreno (Moreno Lake).

Km 1. "Parque Ecoturístico Cerro Viejo" (Old Hill Ecological-Touristic Park) It was founded in 1998 and has lots of attractions: a 900-meter high chair lift, sculptures carved in wood, a mountaineering museum, a local flora track, a little forest of "arrayanes" and a huge slide.

Km 4. Candles and Handmade Ceramics. You can visit some regional stores full of souvenirs: Candles of different shapes and colors and hand-painted ceramic objects.

Km 5. "Teleférico Cerro Otto" (Otto Hill Funicular). The exciting attraction here is the famous revolving restaurant on top of the hill (1400 meters)-which was named Otto after the well-known explorer Otto Mailing. You access the restaurant by a funicular. The view of the Nahuel Huapi Lake and Huemul Island is just awesome!

Km 8. "Playa Bonita" (Pretty Beach). From the shore, you can see Huemul Island, declared a historical, ecological and touristic reserve in 1994. The island, famous for the nuclear fusion laboratories built in the 50's, can be reached daily by boats from San Carlos (Saint Charles) Port.

Km 17. "Cerro Campanario" (Bell Tower Hill) When visitors get to the top of the hill (1050 meters) they can enjoy the view over the Nahuel Huapi's Campanario branch while tasting exquisite food at the restaurant.

Km 20. "Ahumadero Familia Weiss" (The Weiss Family Smokehouse). This family has been producing traditional products: wild boar, deer and smoked trout since 1983. These and other delicious canned specialties are displayed in the show and sales room.

Read more about Ecoturism in Argentina

Km 20. "Desvío Península San Pedro" (Saint Peter Peninsula Detour) Nahuel Huapi's Campanario branch is enclosed by this peninsula, which has thick forests and two interesting points: the mirador over the lake and Puerto Bueno (Good Port), at the end of the road.

Km 25 "Capilla de San Eduardo" (Saint Edward's Chapel) Built on grounds of National Parks in the early 40's with donations from Juana G. Devoto, it shows a typically European architecture.

Its artistic value is given by the reproductions of the vitraux done by artists such as Forte, Vazquez Malaga and Marcos Jerman and by Raul Soldi's painting "Retablo", which recreates scenes from Saint Edward's life.

Km 26. "Desvío Hotel Llao Llao" (The Llao Llao Hotel Detour) This traditional hotel was inaugurated in 1938 but in 1993 was renovated and opened to the public as in its best times.

Designed by Architect Alejandro Bustillo, it has a Canadian style that combines Norman tiles, logs and stone. Located between the Nahuel Huapi and Moreno Lakes, it enjoys a breathtaking view of southern scenery where mountains stand as its dumb witnesses. To continue the tour, you can go back till you reach Bustillo Ave. again.

Km 26. "Puerto Pañuelo" (Handkerchief Port) Catamaran trips on the Nahuel Huapi Lake leave Puerto Pañuelo's Bay with different destinations: Victoria Island, Quetrihue Port ("Arrayanes" Forest), Blest Port (Frias Lake and crossing to Chile through Lagos).

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Km 32. "Bahía López" (Lopez Bay) Over the Nahuel Huapi's Tristeza (Sadness) branch, the bay makes two magnificent miradores of the surrounding forests and hills. A small bridge goes over the Angostura creek, which joins the Nahuel Huapi and the Moreno Lakes.

Km 35. "Desvío Colonia Suiza" (Swiss Colony Detour) The first settlers of Swiss origin who came to Bariloche in the XIX century gave their name to this area. You can visit the handicrafts fair, have tea with homemade cakes and taste a typical meal: curanto - (Chilean stew of meat and seafood barbecued on heated stones.)

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If you are into skiing or if you would like to be, you are in the right place. Take a risk and make the trip of your lifetime. An experience you will surely never regret. Let us know where you would like to spend your next skiing trip and for how long and we'll prepare you a very convenient estimate.