Nahuel Huapi Lake

Nahuel Huapi Lake, Argentina

Sunrise light gleaming on the cold waters of Nahuel Huapi Lake with a rowboat in the foreground.

A glacial lake in the Andean lake district of northern Patagonia, with cold clear water, forested shores and easy access from Bariloche.

The place

Nahuel Huapi Lake sits in the lake district of northern Patagonia, spanning the provinces of Río Negro and Neuquén in Argentina. At 768 metres above sea level it is a high, cold lake, with a surface of about 530 square kilometres and a deepest measured point of 464 metres. Its shape runs northwest to southeast and is broken up by seven arms, named Blest, Huemul, de la Tristeza, Campanario, Machete, del Rincón and Última Esperanza, along with peninsulas and islands. The best-known island, Isla Victoria, covers about 31 square kilometres. The whole lake lies inside Nahuel Huapi National Park, and it is one of the larger lakes in northern Patagonia. Bariloche, the region's main town, stands on the southern shore, while Villa La Angostura occupies the northwestern shores. Water leaves the lake through the Limay River, which starts here and feeds the wider Negro River system that reaches the South Atlantic. The average surface temperature is about 7 °C, so the water is exceptionally clear but very cold. Swimming is brief at most, and hypothermia is a real risk. Kayaks and small sailing boats are common on calmer days, and the forested mountains around the shores change colour and shadow through the day.

Its story

Nahuel Huapi Lake has a folklore that has travelled further than its modern reputation as a holiday lake. Older local stories tell of a large creature living in its deep water, and at the start of the twentieth century a rumour grew around a giant animal called Nahuelito. Sightings were reported well before the Loch Ness monster became famous and before Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World appeared in 1912. Local Mapuche tradition also describes a creature called el Cuero, named for its smooth skin, and the neighbouring Lago Lácar has its own accounts of a beast closer to a plesiosaur. In 1922, members of the Buenos Aires Zoo came to the lake to check these reports and found no evidence to support them. The lake's second story is a postwar rumour. A few publications, including an American tabloid-style magazine from around 1950 to 1970, a 2004 book and a 2011 book, have argued that Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun escaped to Argentina and lived near Bariloche for years. These claims centre on Casa Inalco at the northwest end of the lake, which the architect Alejandro Bustillo designed in early 1943. Its unusual plan, with bedrooms linked through bathrooms, is compared with Hitler's Berghof in Bavaria, though that comparison is a matter of interpretation rather than proof. The evidence for the escape account is thin, and the house is better known for its rumours than for any documented occupancy.

What to see

Culture

Nahuel Huapi Lake lies in a region where Mapuche heritage is part of local life, and the lake carries its own folklore, from the creature stories told along the shore to the everyday rhythms of Bariloche. Visitors meet mate most often: a bitter tea drunk from a shared gourd, passed around a group and topped up with hot water, sometimes sweetened or taken with a little sugar. Accepting a turn from a friend is a gesture of hospitality, and sharing it with strangers on a park bench is normal. Lunch in town is usually late, and a parrilla meal can run for hours, so do not expect quick service. Around the lake, the national park asks visitors to stay on marked paths and carry their rubbish out. Do not feed the wildlife, and ask before photographing people, especially families and craftspeople at markets.

What to wear

Nahuel Huapi Lake sits in a landscape where clothing has always been practical. Traditional dress in northern Patagonia centres on wool: Mapuche weavers have made ponchos and blankets from sheep's wool on upright looms, using geometric patterns in dark and natural tones. Rural Patagonian horsemen have traditionally worn the chiripá, a wrapped trouser, with leather boots and a wide-brimmed hat against sun and wind. Today, people in Bariloche dress for the weather more than for style. Fleece, down jackets, waterproof shells and sturdy walking boots are common in town and on the trails, and cafés fill with people in outdoor gear. Visitors should pack in layers, with a windproof and waterproof outer shell, a warm mid-layer and a sun hat, because sun and wind are strong at this altitude and the air off the water cools quickly. Walking shoes with good grip suit the rocky shoreline and forest paths far better than fashion footwear. Swimwear is worth packing only for a brief dip, since the water is very cold.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. December to March brings the warmest and longest days, although the lake itself stays cold at about 7 °C on average. October, November and April are quieter, with cooler air and fewer people on the water, but expect changeable weather.

How long. 2–3

Getting there. Bariloche airport (BRC) is the nearest airport to the lake's main town and has flights to several Argentine cities. From the airport, a taxi or transfer takes you into town and down to the lakeshore.

Budget. mid

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources