Introduction:

Villa La Angostura is located in the province of Neuquén, in Argentinian Patagonia, over the northwestern edge of Lake Nahuel Huapi. The village is 1634 kilometres away from Buenos Aires and 42 kilometres away from the frontier with Chile.

Villa La Angostura has one of the most beautiful mountain landscapes in Argentina. The city is inside the Nahuel Huapi National Park, a paradise within Patagonia. It’s a beautiful destination surrounded by mountains, lakes and forests – This landscape is merged with a peculiar architectural style that reminds of cottages, and it achieves to seduce everyone who visits the city.

The forests, surrounded by rivers, cascades and mountains, change their colours and renew its beauty all over the seasons. This unique environment offers different attractives and activities to get in touch with nature at any time of the year.

Villa La Angostura is also the access door to Arrayanes National Park, the only place in the world where you can find a natural forest of myrtles, peculiar trees.

The village is a mix of river beaches, forests, mountains, pure air, nature, peace and security – A destination to explore.

What to visit:

Bayo Hill: One of the main attractives at Villa La Angostura. Bayo Hill is great for those who love snow sports such as ski and snowboard, and it’s also one of the ski centers with best views in the world. It’s only 15 minutes away from the city center.

The ski center is 1.782 metres high and 1.050 metres above sea level. It has 200 hectares of ski slopes, surrounded by forests and with fabulous views of Lake Nahuel Huapi.

At Platform Station, which is 1.500 metres high, you’ll get an espectacular panoramic view of the surrounding lakes and hills, such as Lake Nahuel Huapi, Tronador Mount and Quetrihué Peninsula. You can get there doing trekking or using the main chairlift.

You can visit Bayo Hill at any time of the year. It counts with variety of gastronomic proposals, ski schools and equipment rental.

Manzano Bay: The access path to Manzano Bay is 7 kilometres away from Arrayanes Avenue, going towards Bariloche.

Manzano Bay is a residential area located over the edge of Lake Nahuel Huapi, where you can appreciate the typical mountain architectural style.

Manzano Bay Resort is located on the east coast, where you can find little sand beaches that invite you to appreciate the landscape and to get into the cold water of Lake Nahuel Huapi.

This village’s location is perfect for fishermen, nautical sports and mountain bike, among others. Manzano Bay counts with inns, apart hotels, cottages and resorts; however, if you don’t want to sleep here, at least you should visit the bay to take a walk into the forests and visit the beaches.

Arrayanes National Park: Located within Nahuel Huapi National Park, the Arrayanes National Park was declared a protected area in 1971 because of its unique natural characteristics.

The park is 12 kilometres away from Villa La Angostura, and you can either get there by water or by land. The Futaleufú Ferry departs every day from Port La Angostura, located in Mansa Bay, towards Port Arrayanes. In case you want to get to the park by land, there’s a 12 kilometres path that will get you from Port La Angostura to the well-known Arrayanes Forest; besides, there’s also a path that starts at Villa La Angostura and finishes at the park – You can walk or ride a bike, visit the forest once you get there, and then return to Villa La Angostura aboard the Futaleufú Ferry.

At Arrayanes National Park you can find one of the last myrtle forests in the world. A wooden path with a low level of difficulty goes across this paradise. One of the main attractives is the beautiful wooden house – At this place you can have tea, eat a snack or buy crafts and souvenirs. When you get to the end of the path there’s a Visitor Center, where you will be able to talk with the park rangers.

Route of the 7 Lakes: The emblematic National Route 40 goes across one of the most beautiful paths between Villa La Angostura and San Martín de los Andes, passing the lakes Correntoso, Traful, Espejo, Falkner, Villarino, Hermoso y Machónico. You can either take this tour in just one day or take more time and make trekking between the lakes.

Adventure Tourism: There are many options for those who like adventure activities – Kayaking in Lake Nahuel Huapi, trekking towards Belvedere Viewpoint and Inacayal Cascade, or practicing canopy into the forest, among others.

Full Day Tours: Because of their proximity, you can take full day tours to Bariloche, San Martín de los Andes and Villa Traful, among other destinations that you should not miss.

Wea ther and when to travel:

You can visit Villa La Angostura at any time of the year – It depends on the kind of landscapes you want to see and the activities to want to do.

The village has a wet weather, with frequent snowfalls in winter, and also frequent rains in the beginning of spring and the ending of autumn. The first snowfalls take place during May and June – The heavy snowfalls take place during July and August. Villa La Angostura has a local microclimate because of the proximity with hills and lakes.

In winter (June to September) the minimal temperatures can reach even -15°C. This is the perfect season to enjoy snow, visit the ski center and appreciate the snowy landscapes while you drink hot chocolate.

In summer (November to April) the temperatures are nice but there’s a wide temperature range – During the day temperatures might reach 30°C, but nights are cold and temperatures are near 10°C. Summer is the optimal season to explore nature doing activities like trekking, kayak, fishing and others.

How to get there:

By plane: Bariloche Airport is the nearest – It is 83 kilometres away from Villa La Angostura. Once you get there, you can take a taxi or a previously hired transfer.

By bus.

By car.

Where to sleep:

There’s place for everyone at Villa La Angostura – You can find many accommodation modalities and options for all budgets: apart hotels, hotels, cottages, inns and others. Besides, you can either choose to sleep at the center of the city or at a distant place like Manzano Bay.

Gastronomy and nightlife:

Villa La Angostura isn’t just beautiful views and unique opportunities to be in touch with nature – You can also taste regional food. We recommend 5 typical dishes:

The vegetarian one – “Humita a la masa”: It is a kind of corn pie, cooked in a clay oven, one of the favourite dishes in winter because of its calories.

The traditional one – “Guiso de lentejas” (Lentil Stew): The typical lentil stew with pork sausage, bacon and meat. The number one dish during winter.

The regional one – “Cazuela de ciervo” (Deer Saucepan): Different and unique, the deer saucepan is cooked in a clay oven. This is the ideal dish for those who want to know Villa La Angostura through its gastronomy.

The clasical one – “Cordero al asador” (Grilled Lamb): A classic in Patagonian gastronomy. You can’t miss this dish.

The delicious one – “Trucha salmonada” (Trout): A big trout fillet cooked in a clay oven with mushrooms and potatoes. Delicate and delicious all at once.  

Regarding to nightlife, after a whole day of activities, the center of the city awaits. It is a typical village center, where you can taste regional gastronomy or go to a bar – Most of them offer happy hour and, during summer, musical shows. At Villa La Angostura you can either find upmarket shops or a crafts fair, where various articles made with leather, silver and wool are sold – You can also buy typical gastronomic products and clothes.

How to move:

Public transport: There’s only one bus line and its frequency is poor, so we don’t recommend this kind of transportation.

Taxi: There are many taxi agencies.

Car: You can rent a car. Highways are good.

Personal review:

Villa La Angostura is a beautiful village, a great place to get some rest. You should take your time to travel all around it, because it has many wonderful places to visit. Usually, the first time you visit Villa La Angostura you stay for only a few days, but you won’t regret adding a few days more in order to visit all of the village.