Outings and excursions · Villa La Angostura
Arrayanes Forest on foot or by bike
Photos: Fadesga · CC BY-SA 3.0 / SoleFabrizio · CC BY-SA 3.0 / Alexrebolledo · CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Twelve kilometers along the Quetrihué Peninsula, from Bahía Brava to the arrayán forest, with a catamaran ride back across Lake Nahuel Huapi.
A few kilometers from downtown Villa La Angostura, between Mansa and Brava bays, the Quetrihué Peninsula reaches out like a long tongue into the northern end of Lake Nahuel Huapi. The whole peninsula is Los Arrayanes National Park: 1,796 hectares split off from Nahuel Huapi in 1971 to protect a one-of-a-kind forest. The entrance sits a few meters from the Bahía Brava pier, and that is where the trail begins, a 12-kilometer path shared by hikers and cyclists.
The first stretch climbs. Near the start, a stepped path leads up to the Quetrihué Viewpoints, with the Andes, Bahía Brava and, on the other side, Bahía Mansa with the village behind it. Then the trail settles down and runs along the peninsula through coihue and ñire trees, the lake flashing in and out between the trunks. In the middle lie the Hua Huan and Patagua lagoons, where the huillín, an endangered otter, has been recorded; you can walk down to Patagua's beach for the view, but swimming is not allowed.
At the far end is what gives the park its name. The arrayán, also called quetri, grows slowly, with twisted trunks and cinnamon-colored bark that peels off in white patches. Some trees here are over 650 years old and taller than 15 meters. A wooden boardwalk winds through the forest, and Antonio Lynch's old log cabin is now a tearoom. Legend says it inspired Walt Disney's Bambi, but it's a myth: Disney never came here.
The easiest way back is to board a boat at Puerto Quetrihué, next to the forest, and cross to the bay by catamaran. By bike, National Parks estimates about 3 hours round trip. Mind the entry times: from November 1 to March 15, walkers returning by boat must enter by 3 p.m.; from March 16 to October 31, by noon, and you have to show your boat ticket before setting off.
- Tour type: Hiking, cycling and boat ride
- Difficulty level: Easy to moderate: the trail isn't technical, but it's 12 km one way
- Tip: Start early and bring layers, a windbreaker and water; the only parking lot is on the isthmus between Mansa and Brava bays.
