Things to Do in San Martin De Los Andes

To the native Mapuche of Argentina’s Andes, the name Huechulafquen means “long lake.” It’s an apt title for this azure spectacle that stretches for 18 miles, and is officially the largest of the 24 lakes in Lanin National Park. Next to the lake, on the northern shore, the conical, snowcapped Lanin volcano rises 12,293 feet into the blue Andean sky. In spring, summer, and early fall, thousands of visitors flock to the lake for camping, hiking, and staging attempts on the dormant volcano’s summit. There are boats for hire at Puerto Canoa and scenic lakeshore cruises, and the fly-fishing in the neighboring Chimehuin River is among the best in the world. A mile and half past Puerto Canoa, visitors will find scenic Piedra Mala and a protected corner of the lake. Walking trails lead towards Lake Paimun and El Salitillo waterfall, and the epic, Andean, mountains vistas are a highlight of both Lanin National Park and San Martin de los Andes.

With its shimmering blue waters and forest-lined shoreline, Lake Lacár is one of the most popular attractions in San Martin de Los Andes. In the peak of summer, when the temperature can regularly reach 70 degrees and the sun hangs high in the sky, bask on a beach beneath snowcapped peaks over 200 miles from the ocean. Enjoy the 15-minute stroll from the center of town to dramatic Bandurrias Lookout, and then continue on foot for 30 minutes to La Islita beach. Hire a canoe and paddle the waters surrounded by mountains and silence, or hop on board a sightseeing cruise to motor past islands and virgin forest towards the neighboring Chilean border.

On a full day cruise, disembark at the port of Chachín to hike 30-minutes to Chachín waterfall as it powerfully spills through the forest. On the ride back towards San Martin de los Andes, admire a shoreline pockmarked with caves where the indigenous Mapuche once thrived, and soak in the vistas that arguably rank as some of the best in Patagonia. Or spend a day at Quila Quina on the lake’s southern shore, a lakeshore village that’s full of watersports and native Mapuche crafts.

Covered in native Araucaria trees and riddled with dozens of lakes, Lanin National Park is a Patagonian treasure in the Argentine state of Neuquén. This park was established in 1937 at a time when the border with neighboring Chile was still hotly disputed. Both of the nations could agree, however, that given the area’s biodiversity and magnificent natural beauty, it was an area deserving of preservation for hundreds of years to come.

Today, Lanin National Park holds some of Argentina’s best hiking, fly fishing, and camping. The park stretches out over a total area that’s larger than the state of Rhode Island, and the dormant, snowcapped, Lanin volcano dominates the vista from a lofty height of nearly 12,300 feet. The two-day climb up Lanin volcano is one of the park’s most popular activities, but shorter day hikes and biking trails are available for summer visitors. 24 shimmering, forest-lined lakes are found within the park, including Lake Lacár, Lake Huechulafquen, and the famous “Road of the Seven Lakes” that’s one of Argentina’s best drives. In summer, bask on sandy Catritre Beach on the shores of Lake Lacár or explore the backcountry in search of puma or the elusive Andean Condor. Camping is available at designated spots throughout Lanin National Park, and from its southern border with Nahuel Huapi National Park to the summit of Volcán Lanin, this park is a Patagonian utopia of beauty and recreational fun.

Every June, when snow begins to fall on the hills of San Martin de los Andes, skiers and snowboards from around the globe journey all the way to Patagonia for the chance to ski at Chapelco. While smaller than Catedral ski resort in neighboring Bariloches, Cerro Chapelco offers exceptional skiing in a relaxed and friendly setting. Chapelco’s base is higher than Catedral—at just over 4,100 feet—and tops out at 6,945 feet for over 2,800 feet of vertical. Cerro Chapelco also receives more snow than many of the surrounding resorts, and since the slopes haven’t been affected by deforestation, offers the best tree skiing of any resort in Argentinian Patagonia. In total, Cerro Chapelco offers 346 skiable acres with 22 different runs, and has modern, gondola lifts and carpets for black diamond on down to beginners.  Best of all, is at the end of the day, when your thighs are burning, cheeks are red, and a smile is tattooed on your face, the alpine village of San Martin de los Andes is only a short drive away.

In all of Argentina—or perhaps the world—has a stretch of 114 miles ever looked so good. Patagonia is known for holding some of the world’s most breathtaking alpine landscapes, and the section known as “Road of the Seven Lakes” is the most spectacularly scenic of it all. Beginning in Villa de Angostura to the north of Bariloches, the road travels all the way to San Martin de los Andes on the shores of Lake Lacár. In between, visitors are treated to epic vistas that stretch all the way out towards Chile, and pass by shimmering cobalt lakes such as Correntos, Espejo, and Falkner. The name of the road is actually a misnomer since there are far more than seven lakes, although all combine to create pinchworthy scenery that borders on the surreal. By summer the road is clear of snow and is the most popular time to visit, although unpaved section can occasionally become muddy after exceptionally heavy rains.  Though the road only takes about 3.5 hours to drive from end to end, plan on devoting the entire day towards the exceptional alpine beauty. Many of the lakes have short hikes that lead to sweeping overlooks, and the fly fishing in the gurgling streams is Argentina’s best. Or, to truly immerse yourself in Andean beauty, stay at one of the primitive lodges scattered along the route, and find your own little corner of the forest to sit, relax, reflect, and rejoice in how lucky you are to be here.

Between 1000 and 1600 AD, native Ayampotín, Sanavirones and Comechingones peoples inhabited a series of caves outside of Córdoba, leaving behind one of the most important collections of petroglyphs in Argentina. These cave paintings, carved and painted into the pink rock faces of the caves and mountains near the village of Cerro Colorado, depict animals and human forms, including what appear to be native hunters and Spaniards on horseback. 

The ancient artists of Cerro Colorado used a mixture of pigments — ochre, charcoal, chalk, oils and vegetable extracts — to add color to their scenes. Many of the petroglyphs have faded from centuries of erosion, but other, especially the black and white ones, remain visible. A small archaeological museum displays photos and information about the petroglyphs and the native animals they depict.

At the far western end of Lake Lacár by the placid shores of Lake Nonthué, Chachin Waterfall spills 66 feet through the green Valdivian forest. This isolated cascade near the Chilean border is a highlight of Lake Lacár boat trips, and one of the most popular outings and day trips from San Martin de los Andes. Admiring the tumbling waterfall itself only takes a couple of minutes, but it’s the journey to get there that makes it such a popular and enjoyable trip. To reach Chachin waterfall, visitors must board a three-hour cruise from the port in San Martin de los Andes, and disembark by the port of Chachin on Lake Lacár’s western end. The cruise to Chichin passes small islands that spring from the impossibly blue lake, and skirts past sea caves that were once used by indigenous Mapuche settlers. Or, to drive to the waterfall, rather than cruise, the drive down gravel Route 48 passes numerous hidden beaches. Once in Chichin, a 30 minute hike leads through temperate rainforest to the lookout over the falls, where snowmelt gathering from the Andean peaks will eventually make its way down to Lake Nonthué and on to the big blue Pacific.

With a summit at 12,388 feet (3,776 meters) Volcano Lanin ranks among the highest peaks in Patagonia. The volcano straddles the border between Argentina and Chile, where three quarters of it sits within Argentina’s Lanin National Park. Surrounded by plains and low hills, the snow-covered conical peak is visible from towns well over 100 miles away.

A trek to the summit of Lanin takes two to three days and requires crampons and other climbing gear. During the spring and summer months (November to April), it’s possible to take a sightseeing flight over the volcano. Softer trekking opportunities abound throughout the park for visitors who want views of Volcano Lanin but don’t necessarily want to summit it.