The Seven Lakes Route can be driven in one day. Whether that day is relaxed or rushed depends on where you start and where you sleep. From Villa La Angostura to San Martín de los Andes it is a comfortable outing. As a round trip from Bariloche it is still possible, but it becomes a long day with more road than stops.
What the route is
It is a paved stretch of Ruta Nacional 40 in Neuquén province, between the lake towns of Villa La Angostura and San Martín de los Andes, running through Nahuel Huapi and Lanín national parks. Along the way are lakes Espejo, Correntoso, Escondido, Villarino, Falkner, Machónico and Lácar, with signposted viewpoints. From Bariloche you first drive round Lake Nahuel Huapi to reach Villa La Angostura.
Gravel side roads lead to Lake Traful and, more briefly, to Lake Hermoso. They are lovely and they take time. In a single day, choose one or neither.
Three ways to fit it into a day
- Round trip from Bariloche. Leave early, keep stops short, have lunch in San Martín and come back the same way or by the inland road through the steppe, via Junín de los Andes.
- Start from Villa La Angostura. The approach is already behind you, which leaves time for a walk down to a lake beach or a waterfall.
- One way, with your luggage. Leave Bariloche, take the route at your own pace and sleep in San Martín de los Andes. The scenic drive becomes your transfer between two destinations.
How to travel it
- Hire car. The most common choice. You stop where you like, and somebody drives all day.
- Tour. Sold in Bariloche and in San Martín as a full-day excursion with fixed stops.
- Scheduled bus. Services link the three towns but do not stop at viewpoints. Good for getting from one to another, not for seeing the lakes.
- Bicycle. A classic cycle-touring route, though not a one-day plan.
- Private driver. We arrange a vehicle and driver for the day, with the stops you choose, or a one-way transfer with your bags on board. It suits families, groups in a minivan, and anyone who would rather look at the scenery than the road. Availability is confirmed when you book.
Season by season
January brings heavy traffic and crowded viewpoints. In autumn the forests turn red and there are fewer people. In winter there may be snow and ice, and road conditions are checked before setting out. There are few services between the two towns, so carry water and something to eat.