Because of its majestic and snow caped Andean mountain range, as well as its vast forests, crystal clear blue rivers, streams and lakes, San Carlos de Bariloche is the ideal place to practice adventure sports.
Floating a quiet and peaceful river in a boat, amid majestic scenery, is a captivating experience.
Where to practice it: River Limay.
Another unique experience to enjoy nature is paddling and exploring the crystal clear rivers and lakes of the Andes mountain ridge in a guided kayaking tour, using whitewaters kayaks (rivers and streams) and recreational kayaks (lakes).
It is undoubtedly a great privilege for those who enjoy outdoor sports, reaching beaches and special spots with only access through water.
Guided tours are organized and tailored for all levels.
Tourists can enjoy different horse riding activities, lasting one or more days, having the chance of visiting the steppe as well as mountains paths, and enjoying wonderful landscapes being in direct contact with nature.
Excellent horses, fit for any type of terrain, and guides (baqueanos), who know the area, will help you reach places you never imagined.
Horse riding treks (depending on the time of the year):
Cerro Otto Hillside – Cerro Campanario Hillside – Lake Moreno – Steppe: several Ranchs – Cuyin Manzano – Manso or Foyel River Valley – Lake Gutierrez – Mt. Tronador (Pampa Linda – Hotel Tronador) – Lake Hess – Crossing to Chile: El León Pass
Paragliding
Have you ever found yourself wondering what will fly like a bird would be like? You can be out there too in a lifetime experience…by taking off from a ridge, with stunning views, in a paragliding tandem flight with a qualified instructor over the beautiful mountains of Bariloche.
Evaluating the right weather is essential for paragliding due to its variability. The winds should be under 30 km/hour. It is an activity that combines adventure and scenic landscapes, since from the heights you can enjoy the best panoramic views.
Flying sites: Cerro Catedral – Cerro Otto
Mountain biking is today one of the most popular outdoor activities. Riding a mountain bike along hidden paths in direct contact with nature, takes you to interesting places of outstanding beauty, where you wouldn’t have accessed in other way, enjoying every moment of the trip.
Bariloche offers low, medium and high difficulty level trails for biking.
Beginners: for those who can ride a bike but don’t know how to use and shift gears.
Advanced: for those who have enough experience with mountain bikes, know how to shift gears effectively, can manage bicycle tracks and are sufficiently trained.
Experts: for expert cyclists, who are good at handling their bikes on all kinds of surfaces and are very well trained.
The best bycicle tracks
Lake Gutiérrez – Mt Catedral – Colonia Suiza – Cerro Otto – Refugio Neumeyer – Laguna Llum – Villa Los Coihues (Lago Gutiérrez) – Villa Catedral
Canopy is basically a ride through the top of the trees using fantastic tirolesas, hanging bridges and rappel.
Small groups, always accompanied by qualified instructors who teach the basic techniques of sliding and safety. The safety equipment includes: helmet, professional mountain pelvic harness, carabineers, and tape for anchorage, roldana slider and leather gloves.
Canopy is an eco tourist activity, of low impact on the environment that gives tourists a close approach to observe the biodiversity of our Andean-Patagonian forest.
A different and safety activity for the whole family in Circuito Chico.
Trekking/ Hiking
Hiking is one of the easiest athletic activities known to man. You don’t need much gear, much experience, or much money. Everyone can do it. All you need is a good pair of hiking shoes or boots, access to food and water, the know how to get where you want to go, and you are set. The main objective of this walks will then be for the visitor to find hidden spots, panoramic lookout points and other places inaccessible to vehicles, with the simple aim of enjoying nature to the full. Sometimes you will have a marker showing you the way, other times you need to cut your way through the jungle, machete in hand, or following sheep or deer paths.
Bariloche and its surrounding area is ideal for trekking, with a wide range of matchless landscapes that goes from the serene steppe, deep valleys, thrilling forests and majestic mountain ranges.
In the surrounding area of Bariloche there are complex networks of mountain climbing slopes and mountain refuges, most of them established decades ago by the Club Andino Bariloche, one of the oldest and most important mountaineering clubs in South America. These refuges are cabin-like constructions with a large common bedroom, kitchen, a large place to eat and restrooms. There are currently seven refuges operated by the Club Andino, each one with different features and levels of difficulty.
Sometimes camping equipment would be necessary
Mountain Refuges
* Otto Meiling. Mt. Tronador (2000 m)
* J J Neumeyer. Challhuaco Valley. (1250 m)
* San Martín. Lake Jakob (1650 m)
* Emilio Frey. MT. Catedral (1700 m)
* Manfredo Segré. Laguna Negra- Cerro Negro (1750 m)
* Berghoff. Cerro Otto. (1200 m)
* López. Cerro López (1620 m)
There are also different options for beginning hikers. The beginner may set off on a well-marked trail inside the boundaries of the National Park. They will often stick to flatter land, shorter trips, and lower altitudes.
Beginner options: Cerro Llao Llao, Sendero Fundación, Sendero al lago Escondido, Cerro Otto, etc.
The best time of year to practice Trekking in San Carlos de Bariloche for climate reasons is from November to April.
Remember that you go up the mountain with your heart, more than your feet.
For further information: www.clubandino.org
Scuba diving
Scuba diving fans enjoy the natural beauty of the crystal clear waters of the lakes and rivers of the area… actually, they can’t resist to the temptation of scuba diving in the transparent depths of the lakes, rivers and streams in Bariloche.
Furthermore, visitors wanting to try scuba diving will be assisted by highly qualified scuba diving instructors, all of them authorized by PADI and registered in the Argentine Naval Command. They work under security rules, by performance standards and according to official procedures.
In San Carlos de Bariloche, diving can be practiced on:
De las Gallinas Island
Duration: half day
Skilled drivers can also practice night diving in:
Victoria Island – San Miguel Shipwreck
Duration: all day
Lake Traful – Underwater Forest
Duration: all day
Lake Moreno – Puerto Venado – La Angostura Stream (between Moreno and Nahuel Huapi lakes) – Villa Traful – Muelle Viejo – Limay River.
There are also specialized training courses in:
• Open water diving for tourists.
• Advanced diving for different specialties.
• Specialization in rescue work.
The only limitation to practice this sport is determined both by age (over 10 years old) and the size of the neoprene diving suits. Wet suits or dry suits need to be worn during dives
