Trekking in the Argentinian Lake District (TS)

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Bariloche is the main town in the Argentinian Lake Disrsict, is the most northern town in Patagonia and is a mecca for trekkers, climbers, fishermen and skiiers. Nahuel Huapi national park crowded with mountains and lakes surrounds the town and is one of Argentinas most visited parks. Due to the schedule of our journey we have arrived in Bariloche and in fact Patagonia in low season, meaning that it is not the summer so you can´t fish and its not winter so you can´t ski. In fact it´s pretty damned cold and much accomodation is closed down including most refugios in the national park. On the plus side because it is low season it´s not rammed with tourists, it´s cheaper and whilst the weather is cold there are bright crisp days and lots of autumn colours.

It was our first destination in Argentina and our initial impression was very positive. Not only had someone given us the bus fare into town (we had arrived in Argentina with no local currency) we checked into a fantastically cheap hostel which was more like a travel Inn but at a hostel price. Bariloche resembles an Alpen mountain town with lots of wooden chalets, chocolate shops and stores selling outdoor sports equipment. Very touristy but very nice all the same. After a look around town we grabbed some food in a Mexican restaurant whilst deciding our route for trekking in the national park the next day. We plumped for a two day
trek with an overnight stay in the only serviced refugio open. After dinner we packed our sleeping bags and waterproofs before getting a good nights sleep.

The next morning we stored the rest of our luggage before getting a bus to the beginning of the trek. It took us a while to establish where the walk actually began because there was motor car racing on our planned route! A policeman informed us we couldn´t pass, not that we were planning to with motor cars spinning around the bend. We briefly thought our two day trek might be over before it had began until a nice local man suggested we get a cable car up the mountain. After interrogating the map we discovered it was possible to trek from the top of the only cable car open around to our refugio - Frey. This meant the following day we could return the way we had originally intended to go up, enabling us to do a circuit and see more of the park than we had initially intended.

By the time we had taken the cable car and then the ski lift (very strange getting off without skis!) up to the top of the mountain and had the nicest hot chocolate in the world ever, it was 13.30. We commenced our trek following the map which began with an incredibly steep ascent up a gravelly hill. As it was more of a climb I was not convinced we were going the right way. Neither of us has much experience of trekking in national parks (Noel trekked when he was in the scouts) so I naively expected more of a walk through green countryside. At the top of the hill a series of red spots that marked the way became visible, thus it became apparent that out trek consisted of climbing on and around jagged rocks high up in the mountain. At times we literally clung onto the edge of the mountain with massively scary drops at our sides. The scenery was amazing, beautiful mountains, lakes in the distance and clear blue sky. We soon got the hang of scrambling the rocks with our packs on and luckily for us the weather held out (it would have become dangerously scary if it had begun to rain). After about 4 hours we spotted our refugio in the distance and a very welcome site it was too. It stood isolated in the middle of a mountain perched by a lake. Inside it was very basic and bare, but there was a fire and mattresses so it was lovely for cold aching bodies. After cheese fondue for dinner we had an early night.

The walk back the following day was more as I had expected the trek to be. This is probably because the route we had taken the day before was not actually marked on the map as a tourist trek but as a route for the more experienced. We only realised this when we were reviewing our map in the refugio. The path took us through woods (which had been badly damaged by fire the previous year) and around beautiful lakes. Half way back whilst taking a wee I managed to slip, twist my ankle and impale myself on a branch but hobbled on the rest of the way without too much moaning. As we got nearer to town we were getting more excited about the fact that our hostel had a bath. We have only managed to have 1 bath since December so they have become very much a treat for us and it was a particularly exciting prospect after 2 days of walking. I was most distraught when on our return the receptionist told us no plugs were provided in the bathroom. However my genius fiance fashioned a plug out of a plastic bag and toilet roll so we both bathed until we were wrinkled prunes.

That evening we attempted to book horse riding in the national park for the next day but with no luck. This was obviously fate because the next day it was peeing it down so it would have been miserable. Instead we put on our waterproofs and mooched around town looking in my favourite type of shops - outdoor sports equipment and clothing. We then decided to walk the few miles to the bus station to book tickets to El Calafate. The next day we were to commence the 34 hour journey, with one change. This was very frustrating as the road which could take you there in half the time through amazing scenary had just been closed for the winter. Bizarrely the only bus that went there was a semi cama bus with no service meaning no food and little sleep. Still, as we have now come all the way from the equator by bus they are becoming more like homes to us so we knew we would cope. On the walk up to the bus station we managed to attract three stray dogs in true 'Littlest Hobo´style. They followed us wherever we went, waited patiently outside shops for us and barked at anyone who came near. I think they mistook me for Barbara Woodhouse as it wasn´t until we got a bus back to town that we managed to shake them off.

We were sad to be leaving Bariloche and with more time we would have been happy to do more treks. However with the rest of Patagonia yet to explore it was time to get a welly on and get to El Calafate the gateway to Los Glaciers National Park.

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