Bariloche: Exploration Brazo Tristeza - Navigation

San Carlos de Bariloche (commonly called Bariloche) is a city in the Patagonia region of Argentina. It borders Nahuel Huapi, a large glacial lake surrounded by mountains in the Andes. Bariloche is known for its Swiss alpine-style architecture and its chocolate, which is sold in shops on Miter Street, the main avenue. It is also a popular base for hiking and skiing in the nearby mountains, and for exploring the surroundings of the Lake District.

The Nahuel Huapi is a lake of glacial origin, hence its waters of intense crystal blue. It has an area of 557 km² and is located at an altitude of about 700 meters above sea level. It stands out for its depth and its seven branches or arms: Campanario, de la Tristeza, Blest, Machete, del Rincón, Última Esperanza and Huemul.

Bahía López is located on the Circuito Chico and has a large beach in the shadow of the imposing Cerro López. Present is the Alun Nehuen hotel, although the beach is public. At the end of the beach opposite the hotel there is a path that leads to a viewpoint of the Sad Arm of Lake Nahuel Huapi.

The Nahuel Huapi National Park is a wide protected area in the Lake District, in Argentine Patagonia. The park is known for the Nahuel Huapi, the largest glacial lake. On its coasts are the cities of San Carlos de Bariloche, famous for its chocolate industry, and Villa La Angostura. In the west, it borders the Andes, and there is the high-altitude Cerro Tronador, which is an inactive volcano. The forest areas are home to pudúes, a rare species of deer.

From Bahía López, 25 km from Bariloche, you can get to the Brazo Tristeza by motor boat. There, if the day is clear, you can see the glaciers at the top of Cerro Tronador, the highest in the park. When we reach the end of this Arm, we descend to land to walk a path through a dense forest, in which species known as the coihue and the cane alternate. Then we arrive at the Frey Stream Cascade. The flow of this stream varies according to the time of year, producing a peculiar and characteristic sound, which is generated when the water runs between wells, on a bed of rock polished by years of erosion.