Nahuel Huapi National Park
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Nahuel Huapi National Park () is the oldest
national park A national park is a nature park, natural park in use for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state dec ...
in
Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
, established in 1934. It surrounds
Nahuel Huapi Lake Nahuel Huapi Lake ( es, Lago Nahuel Huapí) is a lake in the lake region of northern Patagonia between the provinces of Río Negro and Neuquén, in Argentina. The tourist center of Bariloche is on the southern shore of the lake. The June 2 ...
in the foothills of the
Patagonia Patagonia () refers to a geographical region that encompasses the southern end of South America, governed by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and gl ...
n
Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...
. The largest of the national parks in the region, it has an area of , or nearly 2 million acres. Its landscapes represent the north Patagonian Andean Zone consisting of three types, namely, the Altoandino (with perpetual snow above an altitude of ), the Andino-Patagónico (in the lower reaches of the hills) and the
Patagonian steppe The Patagonian Desert, also known as the Patagonian Steppe, is the largest desert in Argentina and is the 8th largest desert in the world by area, occupying 673,000 square kilometers (260,000 mi2). It is located primarily in Argentina and ...
. It also represents small parts of the Valdivian Rainforest. The park and the reserve lie at an altitude of , and are designated under
IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...
management categories II (National Park) and IV (Management Reserve). The park is completely protected while the reserve is partially protected. The national park is dominated by the high mountain chain of the Andes, many lakes, rapid rivers, waterfalls, snow-clad peaks, glaciers and extensive forests. It is bordered by
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
on its western side.


Etymology

The park derives its name from the lake which it surrounds, namely the "Nahuel Huapi". In the
Mapuche language Mapuche (, Mapuche & Spanish: , or Mapudungun; from ' 'land' and ' 'speak, speech') is an Araucanian language related to Huilliche spoken in south-central Chile and west-central Argentina by the Mapuche people (from ''mapu'' 'land' and ''che ...
, N''ahuel'' means "jaguar", and H''uapi'' means "island".


History

The earliest discovery of Nahuel Huapi by the non-indigenous peoples is linked to the
conquest of Chile The Conquest of Chile is a period in Chilean historiography that starts with the arrival of Pedro de Valdivia to Chile in 1541 and ends with the death of Martín García Óñez de Loyola in the Battle of Curalaba in 1598, and the destruction of th ...
. In the summer of 1552–1553, the Governor of Chile
Pedro de Valdivia Pedro Gutiérrez de Valdivia or Valdiva (; April 17, 1497 – December 25, 1553) was a Spanish conquistador and the first royal governor of Chile. After serving with the Spanish army in Italy and Flanders, he was sent to South America in 1534, whe ...
sent
Francisco de Villagra Francisco de Villagra Velázquez (1511 – 22 July 1563) was a Spanish conquistador, and three times governor of Chile. Early life Born at Santervás de Campos, he was the son of Alvaro de Sarría and Ana Velázquez de Villagra, who were not m ...
to explore the area east of the Andes at the latitudes of the city of
Valdivia Valdivia (; Mapuche: Ainil) is a city and commune in southern Chile, administered by the Municipality of Valdivia. The city is named after its founder Pedro de Valdivia and is located at the confluence of the Calle-Calle, Valdivia, and Cau-Cau R ...
. Francisco de Villagra crossed the Andes through
Mamuil Malal Pass Mamuil Malal Pass (Mapudungun for ''corral of wooden sticks'') is an international mountain pass in the Andes between Chile and Argentina. The pass connects Pucón and Curarrehue in Chile with Junín de los Andes in Argentina. The road passes j ...
and headed south until reaching
Limay River The Limay River is an important river in the northwestern Argentine Patagonia (the region of Comahue). It originates at the eastern end of the Nahuel Huapi Lake and flows in a meandering path for about , collecting the waters of several tributari ...
in the vicinity of Nahuel Huapi Lake. In colonial times explorers in the search for the legendary "Ciudad de Los Cesares" visited the zone and Jesuit missionaries coming from
Chiloé Archipelago The Chiloé Archipelago ( es, Archipiélago de Chiloé, , ) is a group of islands lying off the coast of Chile, in the Los Lagos Region. It is separated from mainland Chile by the Chacao Channel in the north, the Sea of Chiloé in the east and t ...
established a precarious mission on the shores of the lake.
Quinoa Quinoa (''Chenopodium quinoa''; , from Quechua ' or ') is a flowering plant in the amaranth family. It is a herbaceous annual plant grown as a crop primarily for its edible seeds; the seeds are rich in protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins, and ...
is known to have been cultivated near the shores of the lake during this period. In the 1870s and 1880s Perito Moreno undertook a series of exploration trips into Patagonia. Later he worked for the Argentine government's boundary commission. In short —Perito Morenos‘ explorations and work were fundamental for securing Argentine sovereignty of the Nahuel Huapi area. As compensation for his services Perito Moreno was granted a huge tract of land around Nahuel Huapi Lake. In 1903, Perito Moreno donated of land in the area to the federal government. At the same time he proposed the creation of a national park. A decree of February 1, 1909 recognized that the area needed protection then in 1916 works begun to establish a park and it finally opened in 1922 as ''Parque Nacional del Sur''. The total surface of the incipient national park in 1916 surpassed that of the donations of Perito Moreno. It was not until October 9, 1934 that Nahuel Huapi National Park acquired it present name. At the same time in 1934 the
Iguazú National Park The Iguazú National Park ( es, Parque Nacional Iguazú) is a national park of Argentina, located in the Iguazú Department, in the north of the province of Misiones, Argentine Mesopotamia. It has an area of . History The area of the park ...
was established in Argentina. In contrast to subtropical Iguazú National Park, however,
temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...
Nahuel Huapi National Park was believed to be able to compete with the tourism of Europe and was therefore, along with
Bariloche San Carlos de Bariloche, usually known as Bariloche (), is a city in the province of Río Negro Province, Río Negro, Argentina, situated in the foothills of the Andes on the southern shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake. It is located within the Nahuel ...
, prioritized by national tourism development planners.Tourism Policy in 20th-century Argentina
/ref> In the first year of the National Park Service, 1935, several regulations were implemented that affected Nahuel Huapi. These included construction code, sport fishing, standardization of drinking water sanitation, and issuance of vendor permits. The area opened up for mountain climbing and other recreational activities after the park was established. PARQUE NACIONAL NAHUEL HUAPI: Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi: Trekking Trekking, Retrieved 21 February 2011


Geography

The park covers approximately . It is located in the southwest section of the
Neuquén Neuquén (; arn, Nehuenken) is the capital city of the Argentine province of Neuquén and of the Confluencia Department, located in the east of the province. It occupies a strip of land west of the confluence of the Limay and Neuquén rivers w ...
and northwest section of the Río Negro provinces, bordering with Chile. The park has two zones: the park and the natural reserve with development concentrated in the reserve. The largest city and a base for
tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...
is
San Carlos de Bariloche San Carlos de Bariloche, usually known as Bariloche (), is a city in the province of Río Negro, Argentina, situated in the foothills of the Andes on the southern shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake. It is located within the Nahuel Huapi National Park. ...
, which is surrounded by the park. San Carlos de Bariloche is the main hub when visiting the lake, and is known as the "Gateway to Patagonia", the "Chocolate Capital" and the "Honeymoon Capital" of Argentina. However, the city and other settlements are zoned outside the limits of the park. A further subzoning into the north, south and southern zones has been implemented with an exclusive recreational area named the Cerro Cathedral.
Villa La Angostura Villa La Angostura (Spanish for ''Town of the Narrowing'') is a town located in the Los Lagos Department in the south of the Argentine province of Neuquén, on the northwest shore of the Nahuel Huapi Lake. Nestled in the northern part of the Nahu ...
is another lakeside resort also within the boundaries of the park. The area is known as the Argentine Lake District, as there are many lakes in the park, including Nahuel Huapi, Mascardi,
Gutiérrez Gutiérrez (, , ) is a Spanish surname meaning "son of Gutier / Gutierre". ''Gutierre'' is a form of ''Gualtierre'', Spanish form of Walter. Gutiérrez is the Spanish form of the English surnames Walters, Watkins, and Watson, and has Germanic ety ...
, Traful, Guillelmo, Fonck and Perito Moreno Lakes.
Cerro Catedral Cerro Catedral is a mountain located from San Carlos de Bariloche, and inside the Nahuel Huapí National Park, in Patagonia, Argentina. The mountain is the biggest ski center in South America and in the Southern Hemisphere, with a skiable are ...
is a peak within the park and an important ski resort. Cerro Tronador, on the Chilean border, is the highest mountain in the park at . Bordering the park to the north is the
Lanín National Park Lanín National Park ( es, Parque Nacional Lanín) is a national park of Argentina, located in the Neuquén Province, with forests of diverse tree varieties, mainly Fagaceae and conifers such as the lenga and the '' Araucaria'', many species ...
. ;Geology Geological formations in the park and the reserve are generally tertiary rocks of volcanic origin coupled with
andesite Andesite () is a volcanic rock of intermediate composition. In a general sense, it is the intermediate type between silica-poor basalt and silica-rich rhyolite. It is fine-grained (aphanitic) to porphyritic in texture, and is composed predomi ...
s and porphyrys. The cliffs of the San Pedro Peninsula depict eroded glacial features and the lakes also show many glacial effects. ;Climate The park has a cold
temperate climate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...
. Winters are cold and rainy with frequent snowfalls. Mean temperatures range between during winter. Summers are dry with mean temperatures ranging between . Mean annual precipitation ranges from in Puerto Blest and decreases towards the east, averaging only in the easternmost parts.


Lake Nahuel Huapi

Lake Nahuel Huapi Nahuel Huapi Lake ( es, Lago Nahuel Huapí) is a lake in the lake region of northern Patagonia between the provinces of Río Negro and Neuquén, in Argentina. The tourist center of Bariloche is on the southern shore of the lake. The June 20 ...
is the largest and deepest clear water lake in the lake district of Argentina, with a depth of . Located at the foot of the Andes Mountains at an altitude of , it measures . The lake was explored by the Jesuit priest
Nicolás Mascardi Nicolás Mascardi (; Rome, 1625 – † Patagonia, 1673) was a Ligurian Jesuit priest and missionary in South America in the 17th century. He arrived to Chile in 1651. While active in Araucanía he gained notoriety for the exorcisms he practised ...
in 1670 who also built a chapel on the Huemul Peninsula of the lake. The lake extends across the border with Chile, and includes many fjords and the
Valdivian temperate rain forest The Valdivian temperate forests (NT0404) is an ecoregion on the west coast of southern South America, in Chile and Argentina. It is part of the Neotropical realm. The forests are named after the city of Valdivia. The Valdivian temperate rainfore ...
. The southern shore of the lake has many hotels and restaurant catering to the tourist industry. The Quetrihué Peninsula in the north of the lake has been set aside as a separate national park,
Los Arrayanes National Park Los Arrayanes National Park ( es, Parque Nacional Los Arrayanes) is a national park of Argentina with an area of . It covers the Quetrihué Peninsula on the shore of the Nahuel Huapi Lake in the province of Neuquén, from Villa la Angostura. Ev ...
. The lake has many islands. The Forest Research station is located on one of them,
Victoria Island Victoria Island ( ikt, Kitlineq, italic=yes) is a large island in the Arctic Archipelago that straddles the boundary between Nunavut and the Northwest Territories of Canada. It is the List of islands by area, eighth-largest island in the world, ...
, which is a natural reserve approachable by boats. Huemul Island hosted the
Huemul Project The Huemul Project ( es, Proyecto Huemul) was an early 1950s Argentine effort to develop a fusion power device known as the Thermotron. The concept was invented by Austrian scientist Ronald Richter, who claimed to have a design that would produce ...
, the Argentinean secret research project on
nuclear fusion Nuclear fusion is a reaction in which two or more atomic nuclei are combined to form one or more different atomic nuclei and subatomic particles ( neutrons or protons). The difference in mass between the reactants and products is manifest ...
in 1949–1952.


Bariloche

San Carlos de Bariloche San Carlos de Bariloche, usually known as Bariloche (), is a city in the province of Río Negro, Argentina, situated in the foothills of the Andes on the southern shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake. It is located within the Nahuel Huapi National Park. ...
is located on the southern shore of Lake Nahuel Huapi. The town was established in 1902. However, its importance as tourist hub grew after the 1930s when the national park surrounding it was established. It is well known as the "Honeymoon Capital of Argentina", apart from its fame for its chocolate manufacturing industry. Its stretch below the Andes mountains is bounded on the south by Lago Mascardi and on the north by the Villa Traful. North of the city the Seven Lakes road provides scenic vistas of landscapes. Glaciers and waterfalls, which are near to the Pampa Linda, are located to the west of Bariloche. It is also the base for mountaineering trips to Mount Tronador (also known as the Thunderer as ice falling produces such sounds) of extinct volcanic origin. The town is well-connected by air, rail and road transport; the airport is to the east of the town; and the train and bus stations are to the east. The Cerro Catedral mountain peak is the snow sports center, with many skiing runs, which is from Bariloche.


Plants and Animals

The park's ecology consists of Patagonian steppe at lower elevations and
Valdivian temperate forests The Valdivian temperate forests (NT0404) is an ecoregion on the west coast of southern South America, in Chile and Argentina. It is part of the Neotropical realm. The forests are named after the city of Valdivia. The Valdivian temperate rainforest ...
at higher elevations. It is notable for its rich wildlife due to its many
biotope A biotope is an area of uniform environmental conditions providing a living place for a specific assemblage of plants and animals. ''Biotope'' is almost synonymous with the term "habitat", which is more commonly used in English-speaking countrie ...
s, attributed to the varied altitude and
precipitation In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravitational pull from clouds. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, ice pellets, graupel and hail. ...
range. ;Plants Xerophytic Patagonian flora is dominant in the eastern half of the park while the western half is covered profusely with temperate rain forests. The dominant tree species in the park are the lengas,
coihue ''Nothofagus dombeyi'', Dombey's beech, coigue, coihue or coigüe (from Mapudungun ''koywe'') is a tree species native to southern Chile and the Andean parts of Argentine Patagonia. It is a fast-growing species that can live in a wide range of ...
, and the ñires. Tourist Information on the National Parks, Retrieved 21 February 2011 Other varieties of trees seen in the park are the Chilean cedar (''
Austrocedrus ''Austrocedrus'' is a genus of conifer belonging to the cypress family ( Cupressaceae). It has only one species, ''Austrocedrus chilensis'', native to the Valdivian temperate rain forests and the adjacent drier steppe-forests of central-southern ...
chilensis''), Winter's bark (''
Drimys winteri ''Drimys winteri'', the winter's bark or canelo, is a slender tree in the family Winteraceae, growing up to tall. It is native to the Magellanic and Valdivian temperate rain forests of Chile and Argentina, where it is a dominant tree in the coas ...
''), '' Myrceugenella apiculata,'' '' Lomatia ferruginea'', ''
Lomatia hirsuta Lomatia hirsuta, known as radal, is a tree native to Argentina, Chile, and Peru. In Chile it grows from Coquimbo to Chiloe (36 to 42°S). It grows on a variety of soils and humidity. It grows on poor soils near ravines. Description ''Lomatia ...
'', ''
Alstroemeria aurantica ''Alstroemeria'' (), commonly called the Peruvian lily or lily of the Incas, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Alstroemeriaceae. They are all native to South America, although some have become naturalized in the United States, Mexi ...
,'' '' Fuchsia megellanica'', bamboo '' Chusquea culcou'', ''
Mitraria cocinea ''Mitraria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae Gesneriaceae, the gesneriad family, is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 152 genera and ca. 3,540 species in the tropics and subtropics of the Old World ...
'' and ''
Embothrium coccineum ''Embothrium coccineum'', Chilean firetree or Chilean firebush, commonly known in Chile and Argentina as ''notro'', ''ciruelillo'' and ''fósforo'' is a small evergreen tree in the flowering plant family Proteaceae. It grows in the temperate for ...
''. The alerce or Patagonian
cypress Cypress is a common name for various coniferous trees or shrubs of northern temperate regions that belong to the family Cupressaceae. The word ''cypress'' is derived from Old French ''cipres'', which was imported from Latin ''cypressus'', the ...
is a slow-growing
conifer Conifers are a group of conifer cone, cone-bearing Spermatophyte, seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the phylum, division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single ...
which is also present. Other flora include arrayanes,
coihue ''Nothofagus dombeyi'', Dombey's beech, coigue, coihue or coigüe (from Mapudungun ''koywe'') is a tree species native to southern Chile and the Andean parts of Argentine Patagonia. It is a fast-growing species that can live in a wide range of ...
s,
fern A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes except t ...
s, the caña colihue reeds,
amancay Amancay or Amankay is a common name of Quechua origin. Yurak amankay (Quechua for white lily) was occasionally used as a title, with the addition of several more, when referring to the most respected noble ladies of the Inca Empire. The origina ...
es and arvejillas. The llao llao fungus has irregular growth patterns on the trees and is a symbol of the area; it is also the name of the
Llao Llao Hotel The Llao Llao Hotel is located in the tourist resort of San Carlos de Bariloche within the Río Negro, Argentina. This famous hotel is situated in the foothills of the Andes on a hill between the Moreno Lake and Nahuel Huapi lakes. Information ...
, a famous resort. The Valdivian rain forests is well forested with fine arrayan trees with crumbling bark. In the high rain fall zones close to the Chilean border there is profusion of 450-year-old coihue trees (small leaved evergreen beeches). alerce South American Spanish name) of 1500 year vintage are seen spread throughout the park. Bamboo cane grows in abundance. ;Animals Animals include river otters (''Lontra provocax''), southern Andean huemuls ''(
Hippocamelus bisulcus The south Andean deer (''Hippocamelus bisulcus''), also known as the southern guemal, south Andean huemul, southern huemul, or Chilean ''huemul'' or '' güemul'' ( , ), is an endangered species of deer native to the mountains of Argentina and Chi ...
''), pudus (small deer), foxes,
cougars The cougar (''Puma concolor'') is a large cat native to the Americas. Its range spans from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes in South America and is the most widespread of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. I ...
,
guanaco The guanaco (; ''Lama guanicoe'') is a camelid native to South America, closely related to the llama. Guanacos are one of two wild South American camelids, the other being the vicuña, which lives at higher elevations. Etymology The guanaco g ...
s and maras. Huillin (''Lontra provocax''), an endangered native otter, has been reported in the park. Birds reported include
Magellanic woodpecker The Magellanic woodpecker (''Campephilus magellanicus'') is a very large woodpecker found in southern Chile and southwestern Argentina; it is resident within its range. This species is the southernmost example of the genus '' Campephilus'', which ...
s, green austral parakeets,
geese A goose (plural, : geese) is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family (biology), family Anatidae. This group comprises the genera ''Anser (bird), Anser'' (the grey geese and white geese) and ''Branta'' (the black geese). Some o ...
,
ducks Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form t ...
,
swan Swans are birds of the family (biology), family Anatidae within the genus ''Cygnus''. The swans' closest relatives include the goose, geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form t ...
s,
blue-eyed cormorant The imperial shag or imperial cormorant (''Leucocarbo atriceps'') is a black and white cormorant native to southern South America, primarily in rocky coastal regions, but locally also at large inland lakes. Some taxonomic authorities, including ...
s,
Andean condor The Andean condor (''Vultur gryphus'') is a giant South American Cathartid vulture and is the only member of the genus ''Vultur''. Found in the Andes mountains and adjacent Pacific coasts of western South America, the Andean condor is the larg ...
s (''Vultur gryphus'') and
green-backed firecrown The green-backed firecrown (''Sephanoides sephaniodes'') is a hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Argentina, mainland Chile, and the Juan Fernández Islands.HBW and BirdLife International (2020) ...
s (''Saphonoides sephaniodes''). Amphibian fauna reported are ''
Hylorina sylvatica ''Hylorina sylvatica'' (also known as the Emerald forest frog, or in Spanish, sapo arboreo) is a species of frog in the family Batrachylidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Hylorina''. It is found in Argentina and Chile. This species is ende ...
'' and '' Bufo spinolosus''. Five genera and 32 species of Simuliidae (
black fly A black fly or blackfly (sometimes called a buffalo gnat, turkey gnat, or white socks) is any member of the family Simuliidae of the Culicomorpha infraorder. It is related to the Ceratopogonidae, Chironomidae, and Thaumaleidae. Over 2,200 speci ...
) have been recorded. These genera are ''Cnesia'', ''Cnesiamima'', ''Gigantodax'', ''Paraustrasimulium'', and ''Simulium'' (''Pternaspatha''), a subgenus of ''Simulium'' with 19 species; these account for 57% of the Simuliidae fauna found in Argentina.
Nahuelito Nahuelito is a cryptid lake monster purported to live in Nahuel Huapi Lake, Patagonia, Argentina. Like Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster, the Argentine creature is named after the lake it supposedly resides in and has been described as a giant serpe ...
is a lake monster named after the Nahuel Huapi Lake as its sighting in the lake is reported widely. Whether it is a fact or fiction, its sighting has been reported by local people and tourists with widely varying descriptions mentioning a “giant water snake with humps and fish-like fins to a swan with a snake's head, the overturned hull of a boat, and the stump of a tree”. Its length is also reported in the range of . Reported widely since the 1920s, predating
Nessie NESSIE (New European Schemes for Signatures, Integrity and Encryption) was a European research project funded from 2000 to 2003 to identify secure cryptographic primitives. The project was comparable to the NIST AES process and the Japanese Gov ...
and the book titled
The Lost World (Arthur Conan Doyle) ''The Lost World'' is a science fiction novel by British writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, published by Hodder & Stoughton in 1912, concerning an expedition to a plateau in the Amazon basin of South America where prehistoric animals still survive. ...
, Nahuelito is described as “an Argentinean media star.”


Recreation

The park offers many avenues for recreation. Particular places of interest in this context are the Tronador, Puerto Blest, Victoria Island and the road to the 7 Lakes. Other options for recreation are available at the Cerro Catedral, Lopez and Punta Negra. Most of the recreation facility revolves around trekking of high mountain and steep hills apart from rafting, skiing in Cerro Catedral, kayaking in Pura Vida, mountain biking, rock-climbing, kite surfing, canopy, paragliding, golf at Llao Llao, trekking on a number of routes, ferry services from Puerto Rias. Some of the well-developed routes for mountaineering are: The climb to the Thunderer volcano, which has several trails that reach up to the large glaciers; trails to the Tronador (an extinct volcano); the trails that link the San Martin shelter and Manfredo Segre (Black Lagoon); treks to San Martín and Manfredo Segre (Laguna Negra); to Lopez and to the viewpoint of the Stone of Habsburg, the walk of Paso de las Nubes Puerto Frías linking to Pampa Linda; to the valley and the ridge of Mount Rucaco Black Gap; and to Frey and San Martín (Jakob lagoon), which passes by the edge of Cerro Catedral. The trekking routes have accommodation facilities at several locations and the treks depend on fitness and the distance varies from a minimum of to a maximum of involving 1-2-3 and more than 4 days of trekking. The treks are graded under four categories depending on the terrain and the difficulty of climbing rugged hills of heights varying from .


References


External links

*
Nahuel Huapi National Park official page
{{authority control National parks of Argentina Protected areas of Río Negro Province Protected areas of Neuquén Province Protected areas established in 1934 Biosphere reserves of Argentina Valdivian temperate rainforest