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Which seven lakes actually count, why the tour runs ten and a half hours, and where along the way it is worth spending your camera battery. Bariloche's longest excursion, explained before you book it.
The Seven Lakes Route is a stretch of Ruta 40 between Villa La Angostura and San Martín de los Andes. It is around 110 kilometres of paved road, but the tour leaving Bariloche covers 352 in total, because it has to get there and come back. That explains the timing: out around 8am, back near 6:30pm.
Which seven they are
Correntoso, Espejo, Escondido, Villarino, Falkner, Hermoso and Machónico. Nahuel Huapi also shows up along the way but does not count, which confuses plenty of people trying to tick off the list through the window.
They are not seven equal stops. Espejo and Correntoso have lookouts with parking and are worth getting out for. Villarino and Falkner appear almost back to back, with a stony beach between them. Escondido lives up to its name: it goes by fast, half hidden by forest, and anyone looking at their phone misses it.
What happens at each end
The coach leaves Bariloche on Ruta 237, skirts the northern shore of Nahuel Huapi and stops in Villa La Angostura for coffee. It is a short break, 30 to 40 minutes, enough to stretch your legs and see the main street.
In San Martín de los Andes the stop is longer, usually an hour and a half to two hours, with lunch at your own cost. The town sits at the tip of Lake Lácar, smaller and tidier than Bariloche, built in wood and stone, with a lakefront made for walking slowly. If you want more out of it, eat quickly: the lakefront is what makes the town worth the drive, not the restaurant street.
Ten and a half hours on a coach: who this suits
It suits people who enjoy the road and the scenery. It does not suit very small children or anyone prone to travel sickness, because the lakes section winds from start to finish.
One thing that helps: pick your side of the coach. Heading out, the right-hand side gets more water. Coming back, it flips. If you are there for the photos, sort it with the guide as you board, not after you sit down.
Summer versus the rest of the year
The tour runs all year but changes character. In summer the lakes turn the blue you see in photos and the stops are comfortable. In autumn, April into May, the lenga beech turns red and it is unarguably the prettiest time on this stretch, with shorter days as the trade-off. In winter parts of the road can ice over and the schedule tightens.
If you only have a few days in Bariloche, look at the town's main attractions before committing a full day to this route, and Villa La Angostura and Cerro Bayo if you would rather just see the near end.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Seven Lakes tour from Bariloche?
Around ten and a half hours, leaving about 8am and returning close to 6:30pm. It covers 352 kilometres in total, because the route itself is roughly 110 km between Villa La Angostura and San Martín de los Andes and the rest is getting there and back.
Which are the seven lakes?
Correntoso, Espejo, Escondido, Villarino, Falkner, Hermoso and Machónico. Nahuel Huapi appears along the way but is not one of the seven, which tends to confuse anyone counting through the window.
Is it worth it with small children?
It depends on their age. It is ten and a half hours, with the lakes section winding the whole way, which is hard on very young children and on anyone prone to motion sickness. With teenagers it usually works well.
When is the best time for the Seven Lakes Route?
Summer gives you the lakes in that photo-blue and comfortable stops. Autumn, April into May, is the most beautiful because the lenga turns red, with shorter days as the downside. In winter parts of the road can ice over.
