Francisca
Marketing · Vivencias Travel
A nightly tourist tax, national park entry, a port fee and the cable cars. Four real charges that appear once you are there, how much they add up to, and when they can be avoided.
A Bariloche budget is usually built from three numbers: flights, accommodation and excursions. Four charges are missing that nobody includes and that turn up there, one by one, in pesos and often in cash.
None of them is hidden or irregular. The issue is simply that they are not in the package, and anyone who does not know is caught out.
1. The tourist tax, per night and per person
Bariloche charges a tourist tax per night of accommodation, which the hotel adds to the bill. The amount depends on the category of the property and was revised upwards in 2026.
Two things worth knowing:
- It is per person and per night. For a family of four staying seven nights, that is 28 charges, not one.
- There is an off-season discount. Between April and June it drops by half. One more argument for travelling in the shoulder season.
2. National park entry
Almost every classic Bariloche excursion enters Nahuel Huapi National Park: Cerro Tronador, Puerto Blest, Isla Victoria, much of the Circuito Chico. Entry is not included in the excursions and is paid at the park gate.
The rate is tiered: foreign visitors pay more than Argentine residents, who in turn pay more than residents of the province. In mid-2026 the general foreign-visitor rate for the area's parks was around 35,000 pesos, but the administration updates it, so confirm the current figure before closing your budget.
Pensioners, children up to 5, people with disabilities and accredited educational visits are exempt, among other cases.
3. The port fee on boat trips
Lake excursions such as Isla Victoria and the Arrayanes forest and Puerto Blest charge a boarding fee at the port, per passenger, on top of park entry. It is usually paid on the spot, in cash and in Argentine pesos.
4. The cable cars and chairlifts
This is the one that causes the most confusion. The excursion to Cerro Catedral or Cerro Campanario takes you to the base; going up is extra. The same applies on the Circuito Chico, where the Campanario stop is an optional viewpoint with its own ticket.
Is it worth it? In most cases yes, because the view in the photographs is precisely from up there. But it is a decision, not an automatic, and it is better known in advance than decided in the queue.
And two more things that are not taxes but still come out of your pocket
- Cash. Several of these charges are in pesos and in cash. Living with that is simpler than it sounds if you arrive knowing, but be careful with accommodation: paying for the night in cash usually costs you the hotel VAT refund, explained in VAT refunds in Chile and Argentina.
- Meals away from the hotel. Almost no full-day excursion includes lunch unless it says so.
How to budget for it without getting lost
Add to the budget, per person: the tourist tax multiplied by the number of nights, park entry for every day that enters Nahuel Huapi, the boarding fee for each boat trip you take, and any cable cars you plan to ride. It is not an enormous figure, but over a week it stops being negligible, and it is exactly the kind of thing that spoils the last day of a trip.
For the rest of the calculation, how much a winter trip to Bariloche costs covers flights, accommodation, equipment and food, and the main attractions in Bariloche helps decide which of these excursions make it into your trip.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Bariloche tourist tax and how much is it?
It is a tourist levy charged per night and per person staying, added to the bill by the hotel itself. The amount depends on the property's category and was revised in 2026. Between April and June it drops by half, which favours anyone travelling in the shoulder season.
Is national park entry included in Bariloche excursions?
No. Trips such as Cerro Tronador, Puerto Blest and Isla Victoria enter Nahuel Huapi National Park, and entry is paid separately at the gate. The rate differs between foreign visitors, Argentine residents and residents of the province, and the administration updates it periodically.
Are the cable cars included in the Cerro Catedral excursion?
No. The excursion reaches the base of the mountain; the cable car or chairlift up is charged separately, and the same applies to Cerro Campanario on the Circuito Chico stop. In most cases it is worth it, because the view in the photographs is from the top, but it is a decision rather than an automatic.
Do you need cash in Bariloche?
For these charges, yes: park entry and the boat-trip port fee are usually paid on the spot, in Argentine pesos and in cash. The rest of the trip works normally with a card.
