Suggestions for San Martin, Bariloche, Esquel

[jeff1234]

We're planning a trip to San Martin De Los Andes, where we'll stay a few days then rent a car and go to Esquel to visit friends, Bariloche and Villa La Angostura.
I would appreciate suggestions on sights worth seeing and how many days to spend in each place.
We'd also like to drive over to Chile for shopping and sightseeing and we could use suggestions about which Chilean town would be good for us to visit.
Thanks in advance

Aso: We're thinking of renting a car in San Martin when we arrive then dropping it at Esquel and departing from there. Does this make sense?

 

[sergio]

The Llao Llao Hotel setting is spectacular. World class. The hotel has very good restaurants - definitely worth having a meal there. Best place in Bariloche.

 

[vanessa]

Does CFK own the Llao Llao now?

 

[sergio]

Don't know if CFK owns it. Someone told me that he called one of her hotels in Patagonia and asked the price. They quoted USD. Then he asked "official or blue". Amazing, no? Seems Cristina can't get over her dollar mentality ..... By the way, did anyone ask her at Harvard or Georgetown how she manages to pay for her daughter's education in New York? Must cost a fortune. How can CFK get the dollars to pay? And WHY WHY does she send her daughter to study in a country that she clearly dislikes? If the University of La Matanza is not up to snuff, surely LA PLATA university will do.

 

[BXpat]

@jeff1234

The When: I went to San Martin De Los Andes for the week of New Years Eve 2011.

How: Took Via Bariloche both ways cama suite and it was a great ride and pretty empty.

Where: We stayed at the La Posta Del Cazador in San Martin de los Andes. Located one block from the lake it was a great family run bed and breakfast. The breakfast is warm breads with jams with tea and coffee. They also cook you fresh scrambled eggs and panqueques when you sit down to eat. There is no limit to how much you can order and it is a great kitchen to eat in.

We loved the small town of SM de los Andes and were glad we stayed there the entire trip with just the "7 lakes" driving tour taking us to Villa la Angostura and Bariloche for a day. I wanted a "country" vacation to get away from city life and for that reason we did not get a hotel in Bariloche.

We also did two hiking day trips, one with a guide to the top of Mt. Falkner which we need to get driven to and the other was solo in a comunidad Curruhuinca trail that started right in town and ended at beautiful beaches for swimming in the lake.

Both were awesome and if you are looking for outdoors activities I recommend you look into them.

I can't touch on any of the other topics you ask about but if you want more details about SM de los Andes, let me know.

enjoy your trip.

 

[arlean]

You didn't mention your age or how many of you there are (at least that I saw) but from Angostura you might want to go over to Pucon, Chile. It is not just beautiful, there is white water rafting, horseback riding, volcano climbing, depending on when you go, snow skiing--it's just a great place if you want exciting things to do.

As for things to see, the area you are going to is, itself, jaw-dropping awesome. Unless you're from the Rockies in Montana, in which case it will be familiarly beautiful. It's very similar and I LOVE IT! We don't know what types of things you like to see but if natural phenomenon, you might like El Califate in the South. There is a glacier there larger than Buenos Aires, about 7 stories high. You know how we always hear oh dear, the glaciers are melting way. Well that's partly true. But in El Califate that glacier is growing. When we were there you could see where it was pushing the ground out of the way in the area open to tourists. There is a sightseeing boat that goes out near it, but not to it. There are huge cracking sounds just before chunks of ice larger than the boat fall into the water.

You will love Patagonia. Good choice for natural phenomenon. Have a wonderful time. I'll be wishing I were there! ;D

Thanks to @Jeff1234 for the Villa Bariloche hint. Wrote that one down for future reference.

 

[Nicole_Ramirez]

In Bariloche you should go up Cerro Campanario. The view is breathtaking.