San Martin de los Andes
This small village is as Bariloche was ten years ago.
At a little under a hundred kilometers to the north of “Villa”, San Martin de los Andes is like driving into the Bariloche of twenty years ago. Similar in its location, bordering Lago Lacar, and featuring the Alpine, wooden chalet design for many of the buildings in the main area, the town has a wonderful feel and pace to it. On top of this, again like Bariloche, it is a firm favourite of both those looking to spend a little time in the wilderness during the summer, or speeding down slopes in the winter.
Nestling in the valley between two mountain peaks, the main road through town, the Av. San Martin, is very much the heart of things. From the main road, all roads lead either back to it or out of town and so it is wonderfully impossible to get lost!
The skiing to the north at the Cerro Chapelco, while not as high as that of Cerro Catedral outside Bariloche, is still very good indeed. On top of this, as the winter turns to summer, the beautiful and relatively un-crowded Parque Nacional Lanin provides walkers, bikers and all sorts and playground in which to expend a bit of energy.
For our tastes, we tend to recommend that clients look to stay just out of town in the excellent Loi Suites or slightly further north in Tipiluike.