Feeling a bit groggy from travel, or the bottle of vino rojo, ok, maybe the last two cold QuilmesI drank, I woke to chatter in the hallway of our quaint inn. Three flights and 20 hours later, we are waking up in El Bolson, Argentina, a town surrounded by the Andes Mountains on the cusp of Patagonia.
James despises the bed and breakfast scene. It is the breakfast part he doesn’t like - the forced conversations of small talk when he isn’t quite awake yet. Due to this aversion, I am allowed to choose just one B&B (“two evenings max”) per vacation as a compromise and this was our first night’s stay on the trip. Here we are at the end of the world and I think I hear in accented English through the wall, “There’s another couple from Montana”. I decide not to tell James what I hear because I am sure it will ban me from choosing a B&B ever again. So I stir him awake and we get ready to start our vacation with a hardy Argentine breakfast spread.
We stumbled into the dinning room and I could sense James’ relief that we were the only diners. Gustavo, the friendly inn owner, greeted us with a pot of coffee. Much to my chagrin Gustavo confirmed my keen hearing and said, “We just served breakfast to a couple also from Montana”. Yes, it is a small world, but really, from Montana? We came all this way to “get away” but, sure enough, another couple from our hometown of 35,000, who also love to fly-fish and needed a break from the harsh Montana winter, came to Argentina for a fishing trip. Also like us, they were meeting their guide the next day and wanted a day to get a feel for the Argentine culture and landscape, outside their fishing adventure. A region’s customs and environment can be missed while in a camp or lodge the entire stay. El Bolson provides a great taste for what Argentina can offer. This region is very attractive to fly fisherman because of the pristine rivers and hungry trout but it is also attractive for the foodie, hiker, biker and/or camper. It offers gorgeous landscapes, not too different from the Rocky Mountains, but this time of year, without the 30 below chills and the chance to enjoy summer activities, in the winter. El Bolson is also a gateway to Patagonia which makes it a destination for all types of travelers.
About El Bolson
El Bolson is a 120 km drive from the lovely but touristy Bareloche. The drive covers an easy mountain pass providing great scenic shots of the Andes. El Bolson is tucked in the valley bordered by the mountains, surrounded by azure lakes and rivers, and is said to resemble a large bag (bolsonin Spanish). It is made up of a friendly population of about 18,000, mostly involved in agriculture, but is known for its scenery and warmth towards tourists. It has a reputation of being a hippy town by tour books and Argentines for in the 1960s hippy populations flocked to the area for its natural offerings and to live in peaceful community. As years have past, generations of these families still reside and others have moved to El Bolson to escape the tensions of the city life.
In addition to the natural appeal, El Bolson and the area offers true cuisine and a variety of delicacies. This is an ideal family segue to the landscape offering gentile mountain strolls, rides and lakeside picnics. It is also inviting to the adventurous for it is known as the best hang-gliding and rafting destination in Argentina. For those who like to keep their feet planted, some key attractions include the artisan market, quickly accessible hikes and a national park not more than 15 kilometers away.
The Artisan Market
We planned our travel so we could experience the local craft market held in the town center, Plaza Pagano. It is a good way to get to spend a couple hours browsing for hand made souvenirs and observing the town’s culture. Strolling the park and market, you can see the hippy culture so frequently described. Dread-locked, skinny young people trying to make ends meet selling their hand made jewelry or carved trinket. It reminded me a bit like a Grateful Dead or Phish concert parking lot, just missing the grilled cheese sales person.
The market runs on Tuesday, Thursdays, Saturday and a few optimistic vendors appear on Sunday. Artisans and vendors line the park selling their works varying from jewelry, wood working, and mate gourds. The park surrounds a bright green pond equipped with paddle boats ideal for family entertainment. In addition to local artworks, vendors are selling locally prepared jams, cheeses and microbrews. The valley’s climate is similar to the Pacific Northwest therefore making it ideal growing habitat for hops. As a result, home brewing has become a popular activity and has quite the audience for their flavorful and potent beers. A handful of food vendors provide empanadas, fruit smoothies or slices of handmade pizzas for a perfect lunch destination. After a snack of Argentine pizza washed down with a homemade brew, we sought out the artisan cheese monger for a nice hunk of locally raised cheese to take in our pack for our afternoon plans.
Local Hikes
The tourism office, gas station and inns have maps with easily accessible hikes and walks. Gustavo told us about some of the local paths and recommended the site called Cabeza del Indio (Head of the Indian). The trail location is about 8 km from town and is an easy drive up some dusty dirt roads. Some may enjoy walking it from town, renting a mountain bike, or you can even arrange horseback. Just be cautious of the heat and dust – especially when there is wind. The drive to the trail is longer than the trail itself. There is a small fee for the trail walk to this interesting site. About 10 minutes on a well worn path, you reach the destination. It is a metamorphic rock formation, carved by nature, giving the appearance of a man’s face with his mouth slightly open…whether it is an Indian, can be debated, a unique formation nonetheless. The walk to the Cabeza del Indio is more of a scenic landmark versus a hike. It does provide great views of the landscape including the Rio Azul and the Lago Puelo verifying that you are in Patagonia.
We were hoping to feel a bit more exerted to extend our appetites for the evening. We headed back to town and on the other side of the city center drove to the trail head of the Mirador Cerro Amigo. From the town center you can see this large white cross adorning the foothills. The road to the trailhead is on a steep dirt road - always fun with a small rental car and we smoked the clutch a few times. From the trailhead, it is about 1.5 kilometer walk. The path has many arteries leading to the destination which was a terrific view of the town and surrounding hills. This was also a short jaunt the lending us hours more for exploration.
Lago Puelo
About 15 minutes driving, you can access the National Park Lago Puelo. $6 Argentine pesos you can access this breath taking glacial lake that borders Chile. We took our fishing gear in case we felt inspired by the rivers that feed Lago Puelo. However the lake and Patagonia winds made casting debatable and we decided this was a perfect location to take a lake side walk and eat our packed cheese and bread.
The lake claims to be suitable for swimming and would be inviting if the wind wasn’t so fierce. We did not see anyone being so brave to test the waters. For the trekker, the park also offers a ferry that takes travelers on a 3 hour ride to the Chilean border for a few day walk to the town of t Puerto Mont. For the camper a quicker ride to the other side of the lake to a camp ground at El Turbio. If you camp, don’t forget stakes for your tent.
Drinking and Dinning
All the fresh air, made us thirsty. It was time for a beer. I am a fan of the local brews but I love drinking the beer of the nation. In Argentina, it is Quilmes. A full boded lager, easily purchased at all cafes and convenience stores. When ordering an aperitif, frequently a bowl of peanuts is served, providing enough calories to hold out until dinner, usually starting around 9:00. There are a handful of bars and cafes on Avenue San Martin, across from the Plaza. It is an ideal place to people watch and watch the sun set behind the hills.
I rarely order steaks while dinning out in the States since I could never find one that that beats my husband’s signature dish. However, Argentina is the beef country of South America and I wasn’t going to miss parilla, South American grill, the signature taste of the nation. As much as Argentina loves their beef, they also love their pizza. El Bolson offers a handful of dinning options, mostly falling into these options.
When driving to the Mirador Cerro Amigo we drove past the restaurant Pasiones Argentinas. We didn’t see this one mentioned in our guide books and research. We were attracted to its dark log, mountain house architecture and corner location. Once seated, we were more attracted to the choice wines and the starter plate of dried meats and cheeses. I typically like to follow all courses (or events) with a good brew and Passiones also serves the local microbrews. However the signature flavor of the grilled steak, was the taste of Argentina we were looking to savor. “I am sorry to tell you this, but you no longer prepare the best steak in the world”, I regretful told James while wiping chimichuri sauce off my chin.
James despises the bed and breakfast scene. It is the breakfast part he doesn’t like - the forced conversations of small talk when he isn’t quite awake yet. Due to this aversion, I am allowed to choose just one B&B (“two evenings max”) per vacation as a compromise and this was our first night’s stay on the trip. Here we are at the end of the world and I think I hear in accented English through the wall, “There’s another couple from Montana”. I decide not to tell James what I hear because I am sure it will ban me from choosing a B&B ever again. So I stir him awake and we get ready to start our vacation with a hardy Argentine breakfast spread.
We stumbled into the dinning room and I could sense James’ relief that we were the only diners. Gustavo, the friendly inn owner, greeted us with a pot of coffee. Much to my chagrin Gustavo confirmed my keen hearing and said, “We just served breakfast to a couple also from Montana”. Yes, it is a small world, but really, from Montana? We came all this way to “get away” but, sure enough, another couple from our hometown of 35,000, who also love to fly-fish and needed a break from the harsh Montana winter, came to Argentina for a fishing trip. Also like us, they were meeting their guide the next day and wanted a day to get a feel for the Argentine culture and landscape, outside their fishing adventure. A region’s customs and environment can be missed while in a camp or lodge the entire stay. El Bolson provides a great taste for what Argentina can offer. This region is very attractive to fly fisherman because of the pristine rivers and hungry trout but it is also attractive for the foodie, hiker, biker and/or camper. It offers gorgeous landscapes, not too different from the Rocky Mountains, but this time of year, without the 30 below chills and the chance to enjoy summer activities, in the winter. El Bolson is also a gateway to Patagonia which makes it a destination for all types of travelers.
About El Bolson
El Bolson is a 120 km drive from the lovely but touristy Bareloche. The drive covers an easy mountain pass providing great scenic shots of the Andes. El Bolson is tucked in the valley bordered by the mountains, surrounded by azure lakes and rivers, and is said to resemble a large bag (bolsonin Spanish). It is made up of a friendly population of about 18,000, mostly involved in agriculture, but is known for its scenery and warmth towards tourists. It has a reputation of being a hippy town by tour books and Argentines for in the 1960s hippy populations flocked to the area for its natural offerings and to live in peaceful community. As years have past, generations of these families still reside and others have moved to El Bolson to escape the tensions of the city life.
In addition to the natural appeal, El Bolson and the area offers true cuisine and a variety of delicacies. This is an ideal family segue to the landscape offering gentile mountain strolls, rides and lakeside picnics. It is also inviting to the adventurous for it is known as the best hang-gliding and rafting destination in Argentina. For those who like to keep their feet planted, some key attractions include the artisan market, quickly accessible hikes and a national park not more than 15 kilometers away.
The Artisan Market
We planned our travel so we could experience the local craft market held in the town center, Plaza Pagano. It is a good way to get to spend a couple hours browsing for hand made souvenirs and observing the town’s culture. Strolling the park and market, you can see the hippy culture so frequently described. Dread-locked, skinny young people trying to make ends meet selling their hand made jewelry or carved trinket. It reminded me a bit like a Grateful Dead or Phish concert parking lot, just missing the grilled cheese sales person.
The market runs on Tuesday, Thursdays, Saturday and a few optimistic vendors appear on Sunday. Artisans and vendors line the park selling their works varying from jewelry, wood working, and mate gourds. The park surrounds a bright green pond equipped with paddle boats ideal for family entertainment. In addition to local artworks, vendors are selling locally prepared jams, cheeses and microbrews. The valley’s climate is similar to the Pacific Northwest therefore making it ideal growing habitat for hops. As a result, home brewing has become a popular activity and has quite the audience for their flavorful and potent beers. A handful of food vendors provide empanadas, fruit smoothies or slices of handmade pizzas for a perfect lunch destination. After a snack of Argentine pizza washed down with a homemade brew, we sought out the artisan cheese monger for a nice hunk of locally raised cheese to take in our pack for our afternoon plans.
Local Hikes
The tourism office, gas station and inns have maps with easily accessible hikes and walks. Gustavo told us about some of the local paths and recommended the site called Cabeza del Indio (Head of the Indian). The trail location is about 8 km from town and is an easy drive up some dusty dirt roads. Some may enjoy walking it from town, renting a mountain bike, or you can even arrange horseback. Just be cautious of the heat and dust – especially when there is wind. The drive to the trail is longer than the trail itself. There is a small fee for the trail walk to this interesting site. About 10 minutes on a well worn path, you reach the destination. It is a metamorphic rock formation, carved by nature, giving the appearance of a man’s face with his mouth slightly open…whether it is an Indian, can be debated, a unique formation nonetheless. The walk to the Cabeza del Indio is more of a scenic landmark versus a hike. It does provide great views of the landscape including the Rio Azul and the Lago Puelo verifying that you are in Patagonia.
We were hoping to feel a bit more exerted to extend our appetites for the evening. We headed back to town and on the other side of the city center drove to the trail head of the Mirador Cerro Amigo. From the town center you can see this large white cross adorning the foothills. The road to the trailhead is on a steep dirt road - always fun with a small rental car and we smoked the clutch a few times. From the trailhead, it is about 1.5 kilometer walk. The path has many arteries leading to the destination which was a terrific view of the town and surrounding hills. This was also a short jaunt the lending us hours more for exploration.
Lago Puelo
About 15 minutes driving, you can access the National Park Lago Puelo. $6 Argentine pesos you can access this breath taking glacial lake that borders Chile. We took our fishing gear in case we felt inspired by the rivers that feed Lago Puelo. However the lake and Patagonia winds made casting debatable and we decided this was a perfect location to take a lake side walk and eat our packed cheese and bread.
The lake claims to be suitable for swimming and would be inviting if the wind wasn’t so fierce. We did not see anyone being so brave to test the waters. For the trekker, the park also offers a ferry that takes travelers on a 3 hour ride to the Chilean border for a few day walk to the town of t Puerto Mont. For the camper a quicker ride to the other side of the lake to a camp ground at El Turbio. If you camp, don’t forget stakes for your tent.
Drinking and Dinning
All the fresh air, made us thirsty. It was time for a beer. I am a fan of the local brews but I love drinking the beer of the nation. In Argentina, it is Quilmes. A full boded lager, easily purchased at all cafes and convenience stores. When ordering an aperitif, frequently a bowl of peanuts is served, providing enough calories to hold out until dinner, usually starting around 9:00. There are a handful of bars and cafes on Avenue San Martin, across from the Plaza. It is an ideal place to people watch and watch the sun set behind the hills.
I rarely order steaks while dinning out in the States since I could never find one that that beats my husband’s signature dish. However, Argentina is the beef country of South America and I wasn’t going to miss parilla, South American grill, the signature taste of the nation. As much as Argentina loves their beef, they also love their pizza. El Bolson offers a handful of dinning options, mostly falling into these options.
When driving to the Mirador Cerro Amigo we drove past the restaurant Pasiones Argentinas. We didn’t see this one mentioned in our guide books and research. We were attracted to its dark log, mountain house architecture and corner location. Once seated, we were more attracted to the choice wines and the starter plate of dried meats and cheeses. I typically like to follow all courses (or events) with a good brew and Passiones also serves the local microbrews. However the signature flavor of the grilled steak, was the taste of Argentina we were looking to savor. “I am sorry to tell you this, but you no longer prepare the best steak in the world”, I regretful told James while wiping chimichuri sauce off my chin.
