When the mapuche people were heading for the hot springs of the Copahue Volcano, they used to stop their march at Caviahue, so baptized because it means “site of gathering and celebration”.
1,600 meters over sea level, Caviahue is located in a narrow and steep valley to the East of the Andes Mountain Range and to the South of the Copahue Volcano, bathed by the homonymous lake.
Protected by the Copahue Provincial Park, its streams, cascades and prehistoric monkey-puzzle forests spread on the prairie, reaching the base of the terraced mounts that are part of the volcanic mass.
Its amazing geography offers a quiet landscape, with multiple proposals to relax but also to enjoy the mountain to the utmost. The ski resort guarantees powder snow quality during the winter season in order to practice downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, off-piste skiing and snowboarding. A special attraction is the snow track, which climbs to the volcano to do free skiing, descending along the Copahue slopes among the monkey-puzzle forests. And to complete the winter in Caviahue, there are sleds pulled by dogs, snowmobiles, four quads, and an ice-skating rink, which invite visitors to forget about cold weather.
Caviahue becomes singularly beautiful in the summer. The local protected flora and fauna may be watched during horse-riding and hiking excursions to Lake Escondida or its cascade, to the Salto del Agrio, among other alternatives. In order to practice sport fishing, the Achacosa, Escondida, El Rincón and Hualcupén lagoons offer good specimens of rainbow and brown trout and perch.
To get to Caviahue from
Neuquén capital city, you must go along 352 kilometers and 1,570 kilometers from the
city of Buenos Aires, along paved National Route 22 and Provincial Routes 21 and 26. The closest airport is located in the city of Neuquén.
In this mountain village, nature has given shape to a pure landscape that invites us to relax and stop the march in order to admire the charming nooks of the Neuquén mountain range.
