Seven days in the Lake District
Two nights each in Bariloche, Villa La Angostura and San Martín de los Andes, with time to leave the road and enjoy the lakes you came to see.
Follow the lake routeThree bases, one lake corridor
Arrive in Bariloche on Day 1 and travel north in stages, spending two nights there, two in Villa La Angostura and two in San Martín de los Andes. Depart through the San Martín area on Day 7, with the actual airport and transport arranged before committing to this one-way route. The six nights support full days around Bariloche, the Angostura shore and Lago Lácar, while the Seven Lakes road becomes a journey to enjoy rather than a there-and-back obligation. This is a lake-and-forest plan for conditions that suit those outings. Winter can require a different driving and activity plan; the same sequence should not be read as a promise of clear roads, open walks or summer boat services.
A departure through Chapelco airport can support this route when flights and ground transport fit. Confirm any rental-car drop-off and its cost. Returning to Bariloche is a different final travel day, and may call for another night.
Bariloche brings the broad Nahuel Huapi setting and a substantial city base; Angostura gives the shore and forest more time; San Martín brings Lago Lácar and a compact town for the final stay.
The road connects the bases, but the full days belong to a chosen walk, a lake outing and the places beside the water. Leave ambitious mountain hikes for a plan with the right preparation and conditions.
Route at a glance
Every transfer, recovery window and overnight base remains visible.
Nights 1–2 · Arrival and a full day around the western lakeshore.
Nights 3–4 · Travel north, then a shore and forest day.
Nights 5–6 · Seven Lakes arrival and a full Lago Lácar day.
Days 1–2 · Bariloche
Use the arrival day for Bariloche itself: the Centro Cívico, the lakeshore and a meal close to your accommodation give the regional journey a clear starting point. On the full day, choose a focused version of the Circuito Chico area instead of trying to stop everywhere. A clear-weather view from Campanario, time around the Llao Llao landscape and a suitable forest walk can make a varied day, but transport, current access and your pace decide which combination works. A boat excursion is an alternative main activity, not another item to squeeze between every roadside stop. If the hills disappear into cloud, the city has cultural visits, cafés and the ordinary pleasure of watching the water change. Keep the day enjoyable at ground level rather than chasing a viewpoint that the weather will not reveal.
Collect the car if using one, settle in and walk a manageable part of the centre or lakeshore. Check the following day's conditions and the northbound route. Avoid making a distant excursion depend on the arrival flight being on time.
Choose the western lakeshore for a few purposeful stops and one suitable walk, with time for lunch. If a boat trip is the priority, build the day around its actual departure and return. Keep an indoor alternative ready for poor weather.
Days 3–4 · Villa La Angostura
Travel to Villa La Angostura on Day 3, with the lake scenery part of the journey and the village as its destination. After checking in, explore the port and historic area or take a short lakeside walk, depending on daylight. The second day is for a more deliberate forest-and-water experience. Los Arrayanes can be approached through different combinations of boat and walking, but the complete peninsula route is a substantial outing, not a short stroll to the trees. The official route to the forest is about twelve kilometres one way, so a return walk is a major part of the day. Choose a booked boat option if that better suits the stay, confirming what walking time and return arrangements it includes. You can also enjoy Angostura without making the full Arrayanes route a requirement: a shorter local walk and time at the shore are valid choices.
Travel north without adding the entire Seven Lakes road to the same day. Settle into the accommodation and explore the port area or a nearby shore. Agree on the next day's activity while there is time to confirm its details.
Choose one main outing suited to current conditions. For Los Arrayanes, decide on the actual walking and boat combination before leaving. Otherwise, take a shorter advised route and keep the afternoon for the village and lake.
Days 5–7 · Seven Lakes and Lago Lácar
The drive from Villa La Angostura to San Martín de los Andes is the scenic centre of the route, but it becomes more rewarding when you choose a few stops rather than trying to prove you saw every lake. Use designated viewpoints and places where parking is permitted, leave time for food and keep enough daylight for the arrival. On the following day, give Lago Lácar its own attention. A suitable lake excursion, Quila Quina outing or locally advised walk can fill the day; choose one version rather than collecting all the names around the lake. Quila Quina is also a lived-in place associated with the Curruhuinca community, so access and local requests matter alongside the scenery. Return to San Martín for the final night and arrange the departure from the actual accommodation, which may be farther from the centre than its description suggests.
Leave Angostura with fuel, food and current road information. Select a few safe stopping places, enjoy them properly and continue to San Martín before the day becomes rushed. This day ends at the next base rather than doubling back.
Choose a lake or shore outing with its return transport confirmed, or stay with a town-and-walk day if conditions favour it. Leave time for San Martín's waterfront and a final meal. Do not combine several distant lake sectors by default.
Use the confirmed airport or onward journey to set the morning, including car return if needed. If your ticket departs Bariloche, allow a separate road journey and consider an overnight margin there rather than assuming the original one-way plan still fits.
Keep the road trip simple
This plan works because it moves in one direction and keeps two nights at each base. The final airport, car arrangements and seasonal conditions should be settled before the sightseeing details.
Nights
Book Bariloche for Nights 1–2, Villa La Angostura for Nights 3–4 and San Martín for Nights 5–6. Arrival and departure are included in the seven days. Removing a night from a base removes its full local day, not just an accommodation cost.
Car
A rental car makes the stopping places flexible, but a different drop-off location must be confirmed with the rental company. Check the actual branch, opening arrangements, charges and seasonal equipment. A one-way flight itinerary is useful only if the ground arrangements work too.
Without a car
Current buses can connect the towns, while an organised outing may provide the scenic stops. Do not assume an ordinary intercity service stops at viewpoints or waits while you explore. Choose accommodation that makes the terminal, meals and local excursions practical.
Walking
A lake view can involve a brief stop, a forest path or a full mountain day. Ask about the precise trail, registration, closures and return before setting out. Los Arrayanes' full peninsula walk and high Bariloche hikes should not be treated as interchangeable short outings.
Season
Snow, ice, short daylight and seasonal services can change both the road journey and the outing choices. A winter stay may work better with fewer bases and suitable local transport. The photographs show particular moments, not the condition of every road or trail throughout the year.
Extra time
An extra day can support a second lake outing or a more ambitious walk from one of the existing towns. Villa Traful is a separate detour with its own access and timing; add it deliberately instead of inserting it into the Seven Lakes day and rushing the whole corridor.
Useful visitor information
Use these official sources for the current detail behind the journey. Conditions and available services can change after you make the first plan.
Last editorial review: 7 September 2026
Stay with the last light
The road offers a sequence of views. A few unhurried hours beside one lake can make the stronger memory: changing light, forest at the edge of the water and time to put the map away.
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