Outings and excursions · San Carlos de Bariloche
Kayaking on Nahuel Huapi and the lakes of Bariloche
Photos: Alexrebolledo · CC BY-SA 3.0 / CarlosJBJ · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Bahía López, Brazo Tristeza, Lake Moreno and Lake Gutiérrez seen from the water: half-day guided outings and multi-day trips with camping.
Paddling in Bariloche means seeing the lakes from the inside. From the shore, Nahuel Huapi looks like a mountain sea: it covers about 557 km², sits 764 metres above sea level and drops to more than 460 metres at its deepest. From a kayak, though, it turns into a string of bays, rocky points and forest running right down to the water.
The classic outing starts at Bahía López, on the Circuito Chico, at the foot of Cerro López. From there you can follow the shore towards the mouth of Brazo Tristeza, one of Nahuel Huapi's arms, hemmed in between Cerro Capilla and the ridge of Cerro López, Bailey Willis, CAB and Cristal. No road or trail reaches the arm: the only way in is by water, which gives it a quiet of its own. Multi-day trips paddle it with nights camping by the lake.
Another option is Lake Moreno, which is really two lakes, Moreno Este and Moreno Oeste, joined by a narrow passage crossed by a road bridge. Moreno Oeste drains through the Angostura stream into Bahía López itself, so some routes link both lakes along that short channel of clear green water, with the Llao Llao peninsula on one side.
Lake Gutiérrez, south of town at 790 metres, rounds out the trio. It is fed by the streams coming down from Cerro Catedral, has Villa Los Coihues at its northern end and several beaches reached by paved road, handy for launching and landing. On still days the lake turns into a mirror and the snowy peaks are doubled on the surface.
Half-day guided outings are the easiest way to start: the guide picks the lake depending on the day's wind. If you paddle on your own, keep in mind that the Coast Guard (Prefectura) requires a life jacket at all times and, for kayaks, a spray skirt, bailer, tow line and whistle. Report your departure and return, and always stay within sight of the shore: the water is cold and Patagonian wind changes fast.
- Tour type: Recreational and scenic, by kayak
- Difficulty level: Low to medium (guided outings in bays and smaller lakes); medium to high (multi-day trips)
- Tip: Check the forecast before setting out, wear a wetsuit or lycra because of the risk of hypothermia and, if you capsize, stay with the kayak: it floats. Water emergencies: 106.
