Bariloche - Las Grutas - Villa La Angostura - El Bolson

San Carlos de Bariloche is today the 2nd biggest destination in Argentina. Just 1500 visitors in 1935 evolved into 500,000 annually at present. Activities all year round and a well developed infraestructure have been key to Bariloche's becoming a top vacation spot. Over 220 places to stay with more than 15,000 beds (1999 stats) to satisfy every taste. By 1930, federal laws protecting national parks and the arrival of the railroad ignited the development of the whole region. Bariloche's downtown is of incredible beauty, however, the real treat are the many short escapades and tours that can be arranged from here -some of which may take an entire day-.

Cerro Catedral, cerro Otto, cerro Tronador, Puerto Blest, the seven lakes area and the Arrayanes forest are without a doubt some of the most popular attractions when in town. At the same time there are a myriad of activities that can keep even the most demanding visitor busy. Rafting, trekking, parachuting, climbing, dirt bikes, ecotourism and skiing (winter time) are a few examples. Bariloche is also known for its chocolate industry and chocolate specialties which in the beginning were marketed as a treat for the ski enthusiast. Today, the chocolate industry has gone beyond this image and has become and important part of the local commerce.

Originally, the area of the Nahuel Huapi was conceived as a settlement for Jesuit missions. There are factual records of the 'Mision de nahuel Huapi' founded by the jesuit College of Castro de Chiloe in the year 1670. But after many natives attacks this post was abandoned in 1717 when the last of the missionaries was assasinated. The order of the Fransiscans followed their steps but it was not until 1856 that german immigrants arrived to the area from Chile. Much later, once railroads connected the region and federal laws protecting national parks were signed, Bariloche caught the attention of some of the richest families in Buenos Aires. The rest is history.

Visitors are amazed by the extraordinary beauty of the beaches in Las Grutas located along the Gulf of San Matias, south of Viedma - Rio Negro's capital city-. Its warm waters are an open invitation for the most pleasant of dives. About 400 km of coastal lands, covered with fine sand at the foot of rock formations are making of Las Grutas a favorite destination for argentines. New developments are taking place and the humble lodgings from late 60's are being recycled into mediterranean style houses. During January, the Festival of Golfo Azul takes place with campings, casino activity and great food. But there is more to Rio Negro than warm water beaches.

The fertile valley of "Alto Valle" may not be of interest to every visitor but those who are into agrotourism are in for a treat. A group of several towns along RN22 -a stretch of 130 kms - are at the core of the production of apples and pears, supplying as much as 70+ % of the domestic market. Such output places Argentina as the 10th producer worldwide. The two most important cities in this corridor: Villa Regina (24,000 habitants) and General Roca (65,000 habitants). The cultivation of fruits got started around the year 1930, after the artificial water channel system for irrigating the land was in place. This system of irrigation was initiated in 1910 and it took almost 2 decades to complete.

As many other industries in Argentina, this one too has its roots tied to british interests. Two key developments took place back in the 30's that helped distribute apples and pears internationally. The varieties were reduced to only a few by the "Argentine Fruit Distributor" company and the production was gathered along railroad stations where it was categorized inside warehouses. This allowed for rapid shipment to the ports of Bahia Blanca and Buenos Aires. In 1948, the government nationalized all railroads and british influence started to dwindle. By mid 60's argentine capital was injected into this industry converting it in what it is today, expanding the cold chain locally which allowed for packing in origin.