Trekking and botanic trails hiking in
Challhuaco valley - Refugio Neumeyer

Just 18 km away from San Carlos de Bariloche, to the southeast is located the Club Andino Bariloche's mountain hut dr. Juan Neumeyer in the Nahuel Huapi National Park reserve. This mountain hut it is placed in the middle of Andean forest from where start 8 different trekking and hiking trails . This trails have different difficulty level but most of them are recommended for anyone with no special physical training. Families can enjoy hiking in nature, included children and elders. Some of the trails are panoramic view points, other are botanic interpretation trails.

This hiking trails vary in its extension, the shortest takes just 20 minutes hike but there are also longer trails for about 4 fours hike. This marked trails are open in winter season for snowshoeing and cross country skiing. Everyday, all year round there is a transfer service (van or 4x4 vehicle) that goes for a whole day or half day (starting at 15 Hs) excursion to the Challhuaco valley which include a short trekking and a botanical interpretation hike with meals included. Also at night time you can go for a night hike with flash lights through the forest. This option is available all year round, starting at dusk from the city. More details here

Trekking tours in south Nahuel Huapí national park:

Challhuaco mountain summit
Transfer service from your hotel to the mountain hut in Challhuaco Valley. From here we start the trekking which does not require any special training, you just need some fitness condition and willingness to hike. The first part of the trail goes through lengas' forest (nothofaghus), then goes round Verde lagoon and continues slowly ascending through forest to 1600 metres over sea level. From here onwards we continue in a different ecosystem called high Andean steppe, with small plants adapted to the arid soil conditions. All the way up to the summit takes about 3 hours. Then the return is much more dynamic and shorter in time..


Three summits in one day: mountain Challhuaco, Blanco and Ñireco (November to April)
(Trekking for people with medium level of fitness). You go through rich botanical interpretation trails with different ecosystems with some unique high Andean rocky plants. We ascent to Challhuaco mountain (2060 m) from Neumeyer mountain hut (in Challhuaco valley), we continue over the ridge to Blanco (2225 m) mountain and from there over a new ridge up to Ñireco mountain (2220 m). The whole trek is about 15 km long. This trekking includes transfer service from the hotel, lunch (lunch box) and afternoon snack, guiding.


Mount Tronador - two days (November to march)
(Trekking for people with medium to high level of fitness). We trek through high rocky trails on volcanic soil with high precipitation levels so there is abundant vegetation albeit the high level over sea. We stay for the night in Meiling mountain hut just by the glacier. We start the trekking in Pampa Linda through forest trails. Then the vegetation gets lower as we ascent up to the glacier zone where there is some small high Andean rocky plant. The following day we return to Pampa Linda.



Mount Tronador with hiking to Los Césares waterfall, Ana Mariana trail, Ventisquero Negro and Saltillo las Nalcas waterfall - one day easy hiking
We start our tour with transfer service from the city heading south driving round lakes Gutiérrez and Mascardi. The we continue on a non pavement road crossing Manso river bordering west Mascardi lake coast up to Piuque Huapi or Corazón island. Here we start our first hike of about 40 minutes up to the Los Césares waterfall. It is a charming beautiful place with three water falls curved in a rock. From here we continue hiking up to Vuriloche pass where starts Pampa Linda. By Blanco stream is the perfect spot for a pic nic at lunch time. From here we continue on Ana Mariana trail passing along the Manso river spring and reaching Ventisquero Negro, which is a half an hour hike approximately. Then we return through another trail passing along Saltillo de Las Nalcas waterfall which is another 15 minutes hike. From here we return in vehicle to Bariloche.



Catedral mountain - two days (November to March)
(Trekking for people with medium to high level of fitness). We go through high rocky and bog ecosystems with low vegetation over the mountain ridge with amazing views to the regional mountains. We stay for the night in Frey mountain hut by Toncek lagoon, at the foot of the granite spires of Catedral mountain, considered as rock climbers paradise. The following day we return on a different trail, called Slovenian trail, which goes through the forest down to Gutiérrez lake, bordering small streams with abundant low shrub vegetation.

Contact us for further options and combined excursions like multiadventure all year round (in winter time with cross country skiing)


One day in the Patagonian Steppe: ( botanical and cultural trekking)
The Patagonian steppe stretch between the Andes and the Atlantic ocean. The landscape is made up of plateau, ridges and valleys descending to the East. Andean cordillera. The soil is sandy and rocky with vast volcanic ash accumulation. The climate is harsh with strong winds blowing from the west. The vegetation is low bushy, thorny, mild colors and with small leafs. The most common are coirones and neneos. There is a rich fauna: guanacos, foxes, choiques (ostrich), piches, maras (patagonian rabbit), pumas, eagles and condors. There are traces of humans in the are since 12.000 years ago. There were divided in two groups: Aoniken on the South and the Gununaken on the north. Both of them were nomad people so they were hunters and collectors. Their life traces could be 'read' from their cave paintings.

Recommended for the excursion: The weather in the are is arid and changing so we recommend you to bring along comfortable wearing and trekking shoes. Also you should have sun glasses, a hat with large brim, also in summer time a bathsuit to swim in the river.

Excursion's description: We start from San Carlos de Bariloche, bearing East on provincial route 23 to a place called Pichi Leufú. During the excursion there are some short stops along the itinerary. This stops are at archaeologically interesting places. Includes visit to fossil beds, cave paintings and fauna observation areas. We have lunch in a rural area in a local family house. This will give us the opportunity to closely appreciate their way of living and rural livelihood. After lunch we continue our journey over valleys and ridges to the river banks of Limay river, river that we cross on a fix raft, from here we return to Bariloche.

Contact Trekking, hiking ecotourism Diversidad:
office: 20 de Junio 728
phone: (0054-2944) 428-995
e-mail: infotrek@diversidadpatagonia.com
(8400) San Carlos de Bariloche - Río Negro - Patagonia - Argentina

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