Bariloche, Argentina to Puerto Varas, Chile
Today is a 10 hour trip from Bariloche to Puerto Varas using boats to cross three lakes and four busses for the land transit portions as the lakes are not contiguous.
We left the Design Suites hotel by having our luggage and us driven to the busy road below at about 8 am. We were told to be ready for pick-up at 7am because of the Ironman 70.3 race closing the road to traffic. It was reported that the road would be closed from 5:30 am to evening time after the race but apparently, the race began with the ocean swim portion and the road to Puerto Banuelo was still allowed to function for the tourists.
A very large bus arrived and our luggage was put onboard and tagged. We would not see the luggage again until we crossed into Chile when we needed to go through Customs. We received our boat tickets and along with about 40 other people, we were driven about 40 minutes to the port of departure. The boat departure was approximately 9 am and we had to pay a port departure tax of $58 pesos per person to board the catamaran.
Today is a 10 hour trip from Bariloche to Puerto Varas using boats to cross three lakes and four busses for the land transit portions as the lakes are not contiguous.
We left the Design Suites hotel by having our luggage and us driven to the busy road below at about 8 am. We were told to be ready for pick-up at 7am because of the Ironman 70.3 race closing the road to traffic. It was reported that the road would be closed from 5:30 am to evening time after the race but apparently, the race began with the ocean swim portion and the road to Puerto Banuelo was still allowed to function for the tourists.
A very large bus arrived and our luggage was put onboard and tagged. We would not see the luggage again until we crossed into Chile when we needed to go through Customs. We received our boat tickets and along with about 40 other people, we were driven about 40 minutes to the port of departure. The boat departure was approximately 9 am and we had to pay a port departure tax of $58 pesos per person to board the catamaran.
The catamaran was quite spacious and comfortable and not packed with people. Earline and I found a lounge area at the back of the boat with a table and large windows. The weather was drizzling so the view was a bit hampered but still beautiful. For the first lake, several seagulls followed the boat. This was because they know that people will throw food to them.
At the end of the first lake (Lago Nahuel Huapi), you come to Puerto Blest on a small finger of the lake. We then exit the large catamaran and board a bust that takes us a short distance to Lago Frias (the cold lake) that is fed by a glacial stream.
Lago Frias is quite short and on another boat, we are transported that short lake distance, to Puerto Frias, where we exit Argentina and have our passports stamped. We say good-by to our tour guide from the bus and are turned over to a Chilean tour guide who will stay with us to Puerto Varas.
We now board another bus that followed a winding, non-paved road that was used by the founder of Bariloche to bring his goods from Chile to Bariloche. The bus takes us to Peulla where our luggage is waiting in Customs. Your passport is entry stamped and Customs make a tourough search of your luggage and leaves it in disarray. hey will take from you any fruit or nuts or plants or even rough rocks that could harbor an unwanted organism. Earline had some vacuum packed trail mix and some open nut treats that were taken. For some reason I was allowed to retain crystallized ginger that helps prevent motion sickness. At this stop, you can also see a replica of the motorcycle used by Che Guevarra to ride across the Andes Mountains.
We now board another bus that followed a winding, non-paved road that was used by the founder of Bariloche to bring his goods from Chile to Bariloche. The bus takes us to Peulla where our luggage is waiting in Customs. Your passport is entry stamped and Customs make a tourough search of your luggage and leaves it in disarray. hey will take from you any fruit or nuts or plants or even rough rocks that could harbor an unwanted organism. Earline had some vacuum packed trail mix and some open nut treats that were taken. For some reason I was allowed to retain crystallized ginger that helps prevent motion sickness. At this stop, you can also see a replica of the motorcycle used by Che Guevarra to ride across the Andes Mountains.
After a couple hours of rest, we boarded the third boat to traverse Lagos Todos Los Santos to again board the final bus to take us to Puerto Varas. It was a bit confusing, because there were three bus stops to let passengers off, and we did not know which stop to get off to meet our driver to take us to our hotel. Fortunately, we did find Javier, our driver at the first stop and we successfully traversed the lakes from Bariloche to Puerto Varas Chile.