San Martin de los Andes: ruta de los siete lagos (3/3)
From Villa Traful, we arrive at the end of the afternoon in San Martin de los Andes, a nice little village. It is also the beginning or the end of the road of the 7 lakes (it depends in which direction we drive). If the village is very crowded in winter for its ski resorts, in summer, it is taken by storm for the road of the 7 lakes or the hikes.
Part 1: Travel Diary Part
2: Practical Tips
Part 1: Travel Diary
Almost all the signs in the city are made of wood like this:
We are staying at Cabañas Duplex del Chapelco (600AR/night, link Agoda). We are entitled to a small house for 6! The Wifi is super fast, JB takes advantage of it to work all the afternoon.
We take the car for shopping. On Sundays, all the supermarkets are closed, except one: Todo, which is at the other end of town.
A few meters from our Cabaña, we have the view of the lake and the boats.
The city is nice, the central square is used for the Christmas market. Not far away, there is the Che museum. The main street is full of stores, but only with hiking brands.
Day 2 :
The next day, we take again the road of the 7 lakes in the other direction, to explore the part that we crossed too quickly the day before. There is even a sign Zona de Miradores which promises us many stops to admire the landscapes.
We make a quick stop at Villa la Agostura before coming back to Bariloche, because we love this small town too much. To enjoy one last time their home-made ice cream.
On the road, one is controlled by a policeman. It’s a little stressful, but in the end it’s just a routine check-up. However, it makes us understand that we must always turn on the lights. It must be obligatory here.
From the other side of the lake, you can see how beautiful Bariloche is! What we do not necessarily realize when we are inside the city.
From the heights of Bariloche, the lake can be seen from afar.
Here, at the red light, there are quite a few people who take advantage of the stop to juggle and ask the drivers for a few pennies. It reminds me of my Argentinean Couchsurfer who did that for several months to travel for free in Bolivia. People are very generous, at every red light, there is at least one who gives money.
You have to return the car now. The Argentinians were right, this small road does not deserve to linger 3 days because the lakes all look alike. If there was to be redone, we would have reduced all this to 2 days, while spending a night in Villa la Agostura.
Tomorrow we will leave for Chile and will not return to Argentina for a while.
Part 2: Practical Tips
- To make the 7 lakes route, you can start from Villa la Agostura, Bariloche or San Martin de los Andes. The tours cost in the 900AR.
- We recommend the Cabañas Duplex del Chapelco (600AR/night, link Agoda)
- The room prices indicated on Booking do not include VAT (19%). So don’t be surprised if the price on Booking differs from the price you are charged on site.
- Supermarkets: You will find La Anónima supermarket everywhere, with a butcher’s shop. The Todo supermarket is also a good compromise. You can find real sausages there, unlike other supermarkets (which sell salami).