Bariloche and its Brand-New Track

All throughout its long tourist life, San Carlos de Bariloche has been one of the most yearned destinations among those who choose to sleep under the stars during their vacations. Camping and hiking across the forests have gained quality after Huella Andina (Andean Track) was inaugurated. This project joins the northern Patagonian Andes in stages. Our first step was to get information and the maps containing the nearby attractions at Bariloche's Nahuel Huapi National Park Office. We were traveling with our backpacks, the essential apparel and accessories. We chose a trail spanning from the proximity of Lake Mascardi to Lake Steffen. The first direction we followed was to take the route leading to Mount Tronador without crossing Llodconto Creek. This is an old road that features a steep slope that would take us right to Boock station. We tested our resistance and had a rest at the top. We conditioned our gear and resumed our march along another trail going across plain ground which would demand less physical effort.

We changed our footwear in order to wade a river and avoid a somewhat dangerous muddy area. Back on the move, we crossed some small creeks. Afterwards, we put our all-terrain hiking shoes back on. We descended alongside a creek and reached the access to a site known as Montes (hills). It would not be long before we got to the head of Lake Steffen, where we would have our rest. We were quite tired when we got to the primitive camping site. We needed to have something to eat and change our clothes. It was then that we revised every moment we had enjoyed during the day. We had walked along 19 kilometers in about 7 hours. The whole trail was well-marked and let us find our way perfectly well. Huella Andina is part of an even more ambitious project: Senderos Argentina (Argentina Trails), which is supposed to increase tourism amidst nature. The circuits near Bariloche are pioneers in the country and provide the possibility to open up the range of activities in unspoiled spaces by joining different spots. The already existing shortcuts are also added by sign-posts and services according to region. Lying on the grass, we watched the sun set behind the trees and lit a fire to face the cold night. The aroma of the forest was more present than ever and when the last pieces of firewood burned down, we resolved to get our tiredness into our sleeping bags and say good-night.