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The landscapes will make you feel
that you are living a dream.
The pictures then will show you
that it was true. |
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Golf |
Ruca Kuyen Golf & Resort
With a fascinating panoramic view of Mount Bayo, Ruca Kuyen Golf & Resort offers golf players an attractive 9-hole course, par 3. The field is sheltered by an ancient coppice and it stands out due to its undulating greens and fairways, sown with the best grass. Its design, in a whole, presents bunkers, lagoons, tees and greens with slopes ranging between 8 and 12 m, challenging the players.
Besides, after the game, the players can enjoy the Club House which offers a beautiful view of the last hole.
The Ruca Kuyen course, open all year round, is sponsored by the master Roberto de Vicenzo and it is has been officially approved by the Argentine Golf Association. |
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Tourism in the area |
The Town
Through the Nahuel Huapi Boulevard, at 1 mile from “El Cruce”, stands the church “Nuestra Señora de la Asunción”, a work by the architect Alejandro Bustillo. Ahead, you will find the entrance to “El Messidor”. Facing the Regional Historical Museum, there is the entrance to the Angostura Hotel. Following, through the gravel road to the right, you will find the house of the Croat photographer, Martín Tranik.
At some meters from this house, you will find the Angostura pier, over Mansa bay, from where trips to the Arrayanes Forest depart.
From the traffic circle, along the route, over the right, you will find the former building of the Post Office. Further on, to the lift, you get to Los Arrayanes National Park. At the end of Nahuel Huapi St., stands the pier “Bahía Brava”.
Another interesting point is the old building “La Flecha”, the first wholesale store which belonged to the Barbagelata family, dating back to 1940, open until the eighties.
As time went by, the commercial activity centered in the area of “El Cruce” and the ports’ area became a residential one.
Puerto Manzano
Along Arrayanes Av. (route 2319), at 4 miles from the Tourist Office, turning to the right, you get to this area through a road where cypress trees are plentiful, together with pine trees, poplars and apple trees.
Along the way to Puerto Manzano, you will see the access to Las Balsas Bay, Mount Bayo and Cumelén, all beautiful places and full of history.
Inside this area, you will see beautiful houses and tourist complexes. Facing the east coast of the Nahuel Huapi Lake, the beach “Muelle de Piedra” stands out.
This circuit, of 10 miles, may be traveled by bike (level of difficulty: II). Its duration ranges from half to one day.
Belvedere Viewpoint
Its great visual field will amaze you with a captivating view of lakes and mountains. In the foreground, you will get a view of the Correntoso Lake and River. On the background, you will see the mountain chain, bordering on Chile. The most important mountains are Macal, Dormilón, Tres Hermanas, Pantojo, Rincón, Titlis or Matus and Campana mounts.
Arrayanes Forest
The Arrayanes Forest is situated at the southeast of the Quetrihué Peninsula. There are different ways to get to forest: by boat, by bike or walking. The most recommended is going by boat and then returning by bike.
If you go walking, you will get in 3 or 4 hours. You will walk through an attractive and comfortable path among cohiues, Chilean firebushes, ñires, radales, and cypress trees. Besides, you will pass by streams and pools, where many birds inhabit, such as the South American Coot, the bigua, ducks and other species of birds that make up the spirit of this wonderful forest, with their typical songs.
This myrtle forest, together with Victoria Island, is unique in its kind due to the height of the trees and their age: 18 to 25 m high and almost three hundred years old.
Quetrihue Peninsula Viewpoints
From these viewpoints, you will enjoy a wonderful panoramic view of Nahuel Huapi Lake, with its channels Machete, Rincón and Última Esperanza; the Brava Bay, Fray Menéndez Island and the mountain range which borders with Chile.
“El Messidor” Residence
This little French castle was built in 1942 by the architect Alejandro Bustillo over an 89-acre land, on the coast of Nahuel Huapi Lake.
The building has two floors: in the superior floor you will find the rooms with a wonderful view to the lake, and in the inferior one, you will find a great dining room, the living room, another little lounge room and a circular library. In another area, there are the guest rooms, the kitchen, a pantry and offices.
From the great terrace, you will see the gardens, with a wide variety of native and exotic trees, apart from colorful flowers.
In 1964, the residence “El Messidor” was sold by its former owner, Sara Madero de Demaría Salas, and bought by the province of Neuquén with the condition that it would always be the official seat of the provincial government. From then on, presidents, diplomats and several authorities from al over the world stayed in this residence.
Villa La Angostura Chapel
From El Cruce, towards the port situated over the coast of the Lake Nahuel Huapi, you will travel through a road which extends along hotels and resorts, schools and other institutions.
The chapel, surrounded by gardens, is situated over one of the bends of this road. This chapel and the Llao Llao chapel in Bariloche were built along the same lines. It presents stained-glass windows with the Stations of the Cross.
Villa La Angostura Nacional Historical Museum
You will find aboriginal historical elements which show the costumes and culture of our ancestors of the area.
Some historical documents give evidence of the second stage of the “Campaña del Desierto” (military campaigns carried put in the Pampas), headed by General Villegas and his negotiations with the chief Inacayal, a member of the Mapuche Nation which extended from Neuquén to Santa Cruz. There are also documents which evidence the beginnings of the activities of the National Parks of this region and the creation of the first Committee responsible for public works of Villa La Angostura in 1945.
Correntoso Area
You access to this area by national route Nº 231 towards the “Siete Lagos” road. After traveling 3 miles, you should take the detour to the left that will take you to the campground area of Correntoso Lake.
Once in this area, you will enjoy the crystal-clear waters of the lake, ideal to go swimming, as these waters are warmer than Lake Nahuel Huapi’s waters. Besides, you can develop water sports such as kayak, rowing and boating.
In the beach, covered with sand of volcanic origin, you can play beach volley, football 5 and horse rides by the coast.
The campground is fully equipped to receive tourists; it counts with drinking water, bathrooms and fast-food stores open during the day.
Skirting the coast, you will find the Correntoso River, the shortest river of the world, which holds treasures and mysteries for the lovers of fly-fishing and a beauty unique in its kind. This river joins Correntoso and Nahuel Huapi Lakes.
Road of the Seven Lakes
At 7 miles from Villa La Angostura, the Road of the Seven Lakes joins Villa La Angostura with San Martín de los Andes. This winding gravel road crosses deep cohiue woods and mountains. You will pass by Espejo Lake and by the north headwaters of Correntoso Lake, where the old Ruca Malen hotel is situated. After the bridge, to the left, there is a road that leads to Espejo Chico Lake. Then you will find the picturesque rural inn “7 Lagos”, which belongs to the Quintupuray family. Reaching to El Portezuelo, a junction with provincial route Nº 65 leads to Villa Traful.
Going on through this road, among woods, to the left you will come across Escondido Lake and further on Villarino and Falkner lakes.
The remaining lakes of this circuit are Hermoso, Machónico and Lácar Lakes.
Correntoso Lake
You get here through national route Nº 231. It extends from north to south and it borders with the mountain range. Its waters are green, clear and its coasts, irregular. There is a wide variety of fish, especially the rainbow trout. It is possible to practice fly-fishing and other water activities. When traveling by the route of the seven lakes, you will come across Ruca Malen, a beautiful spot over Correntoso Lake.
Correntoso River
You get here from Villa La Angostura by national route Nº 231. Its beautiful waters are crystal-clear. The course of the river, the shortest of the world, is dotted by basalt rocks and it counts with a plentiful variety of fish, made up by rainbow, brown and brook trouts. This place brings together fly-fishing experts all over the world.
Inacayal Waterfall
The entrance to the path that leads to the waterfall is situated at 1,000 masl. This is evident due to the presence of the “caña colihue” (Chusquea culeou), a gramineae perennial bush. After blooming and releasing its seeds, the plant dies and this serves as food for the wide variety of animal species that populates the area.
As you go along, you will find comfortable observation places, for 10 people at once, from where you will get a wonderful view of Nahuel Huapi Lake, the mountain range with its most notorious peaks and part of the urban area of Villa La Angostura. Further on, you will see the waterfall itself, more than 50 m high. Las Piedritas Stream is the watercourse which gives its origin and it is formed by meltwater, crystal-clear and cold, running fast due to the unevenness of the ground.
You can visit this area the entire year, but it is not advisable to do it in winter, because the snow obstructs the path.
Rio Bonito Waterfall
This waterfall is 35 m high and it flows over a fault of the ground, made up by basalt rocks. The water falls into an 8-meter wide basin, with beautiful emerald waters. |
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Skiing in Mount Bayo |
Mount Bayo hosts its ski center in a beautiful natural landscape. Surrounded by woods and with a beautiful view to Nahuel Huapi Lake, it is situated very near Villa La Angostura and it offers almost 494 acres for the practice of alpine skiing.
At the same time, it is a great ski resort for beginners as well as for experts; it counts with 28 ski runs and 12 ski lifts. |
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Fishing |
The almost inexistent population density has an impact on the cleanness of lakes, rivers and brooks, contributing notoriously to the development in quantity and quality of trouts, together with the existence of places with a unique natural beauty.
The waters of Correntoso Lake are non-polluted, crystal-clear. |
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Horse Riding |
The horses advance deep among the hills to enjoy the calmness of the Steppe or the Mountain range. The horses used are trained to go through all types of grounds.
The trips are guided by local experts. During the trips, you will see hares, red foxes, deers and various species of birds: ducks, black-chested buzzard-eagles, condors, etc.
For this kind of activity you can opt between trips of half or full day.
Places to do this trip:
River Manso Valley or River Joyel Valley
Mount Campanario
Lake Moreno
San Martín Shelter
Otto Meiling Shelter and Mount Tronador
Steppe
Crossing to Chile and El León Pass |
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Mountain Bike |
Mountain bikes offer a wide variety of options to ride round the region and discover nature in its purest state. There are roads, paths and trails with different levels of difficulty.
Mountain biking has turned into one of the options tourists choose most when visiting Villa La Angostura. Individually or in organized groups, there are many options, for all tastes and ages. |
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Trekking |
The area of the lakes is an ideal region for the practice of trekking, as it counts with endless mountain paths and an important infrastructure. The best season to practice this sport is from mid-November to mid-April.
The paths have different levels of difficulty and you do not need to count with previous experience to enjoy this activity. |
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Rafting |
There are several rivers in the area with different grades of difficulty to practice this sport, such as the Meliquina River or the Hua Hum River.
You will be provided with all the necessary clothing. |
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Boating and Kayak |
Almost all rivers and lakes of the region are suitable for boating and kayak. Spring and winter are the best seasons to practice these sports because the stream of water is more abundant, although the temperature is very low. In summer and fall the shortage of water is noticeable in some sections.
Limay River is a very good option for beginners in kayak and open boats. |
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Horse Rides |
| This is another activity to practice in this area, during the day or in a 2-day trip. |
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4x4 Safaris |
You may enjoy this experience in planned outings through several itineraries. You will have the chance to discover wonderful landscapes and spots. The outings may be combined with horse rides, circuits in mountain bikes, fishing and picture taking. |
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Diving |
The most famous channels of the Nahuel Huapi are the best places to practice this sport. Traful Lake, situated near Villa La Angostura, is a unique place to discover the Submerged Forest in its depths.
It is recommended to practice diving during January and February. |
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