Driving the seven lakes was the first mini road trip of my travels so far. Although most people (us included) start in Bariloche, the route technically begins in Villa La Angostura and passes seven lakes on its way to San Martin de los Andes. I teamed up with three others and we rented a small red car for the day. It’s a wonderfully scenic drive and I got to appreciate it even more because I wasn’t driving!
We rented the car in Bariloche and started from there at 9am ish. It cost us $2100ARG (£40 approx) for the car and $1000ARG (£20 approx) to fill up the fuel tank at the end. I thought it was pretty reasonable, especially once split four ways.
We did the drive in a day but you can also stretch it over a few days and stay at either one or both of the two towns. The route is around 190km one way so be prepared for a long day if you’re doing it in one go!
The Drive
We drove south out of Bariloche staying on Ruta 40 to Villa La Angostura. We drove alongside Lake Nahuel Huapi for most of the first leg which kinda counts as the first lake depending on how you’re counting.
The seven lakes route really starts from Villa La Angostura. Just out of Villa La Angostura you can stop at Mirador Inalco for views over the huge Nahuel Huapi lake.
Next up is Lake Espejo which on a really still day lives up to its name like a mirror. It wasn’t completely still when we were there but there were still some reflections. There are two points to stop off at: a small beach and a higher panoramic viewpoint. The views from higher up were impressive!
Then it was on to Lake Correntoso which again had two miradors to stop at.
After Lake Correntoso we continued driving to Lake Escondido. It’s partially hidden by trees so to get a better view we followed a path down to the shore.
We then stopped for lunch at a great picnic stop. It turned out to be Lake Falkner which I didn’t realise at the time.
Shortly after Lake Falkner there is a stop to see the Vulliñanco waterfall. Personally I wouldn’t stop at it, it’s pretty small and quite far in the distance. I much preferred the lakes!
Before stopping off at Lake Máchonico, the next official lake on the route, we did a slight detour down an unpaved side road to Lake Hermoso. It lives up to its name for sure – it’s beautiful! In fact, Lake Hermoso was probably one of my favourites because it was bit off the beaten track. The car park was pretty empty and it seemed to be mainly locals who were there. I could so see myself spending a day chilling on the shore.
Lake Máchonico was the penultimate lake of the route and the viewpoint was another good one. The water was such a deep blue!
We arrived to the last lake, Lake Lácar, driving into San Martin de los Andes. There are several viewpoints to pause at and we passed many people walking up to from town to see the lake from above. Driving down to San Martin de los Andes with Lake Lácar on our left really gave me Southern France and Greece island vibes. It was gorgeous and so so warm!! The alpaca jumper had to come off!
We went to Jauja’s for ice cream and I got my classic banana split and Andean chocolate flavours. After a short wander around the centre, it was back to the car for the drive back. I really liked San Martin and am glad I’m heading back there for a day or two for some walking (and hopefully relaxing!).
The return journey
We’d been recommended a slightly different route for the return journey by some girls who’d previously done it. For the first hour we followed the same road. We passed Lake Escondido and continued until there was a turn off.
The turn off takes you off Ruta 40 and onto Ruta 65 which passes Lake Traful and Villa Traful. It’s a 60km stretch of unpaved road that can be bumpy at times. We knew it would be slower going; however it was much slower than expected. It took us around 2.5hrs to drive it.
Despite the slowness, I really recommend it! You get to see another gorgeous lake and the landscape becomes more dry, dusty and desert like as you continue.
We also had the road blocked twice by cows and sheep which was quite funny. They moved quickly which was good as we were trying to catch the sunset on the rocks in the valley. We just missed the optimal time (as the drive took longer than thought!) but we still saw the final rays of sun disappear behind the rocks.
We finally turned onto Ruta 237 and drove the last leg back under the stars arriving to Bariloche at around 9.30pm. Despite sitting down for most of it, it was a long and tiring day but so so good!
I’m really happy we took Ruta 65 back as it was great to see a change in scenery; driving past lake after lake does get a bit repetitive after a while! Manon, who drove for the day, did an outstanding job! If you ever read this Manon – you’re an absolute star!
Final thoughts
Driving the seven lakes route is a fantastic way to see the surrounding area and scenery. Renting a car is without a doubt the way to do it. You can stop where you want, when you want and even go off the main route.
I was very happy and pleased to find others who also wanted to do it. It’s more fun sharing the experience and way more cost effective. If you’re interested in renting a car, it’s definitely worth asking at your hostel, you’ll probably find others also keen!
Having done the seven lakes route I’m actually heading back to Villa La Angostura and San Martin de los Andes for a day or two each to do some walking.
P.S. I hope my lake pictures match up! It does get hard distinguishing between them as there are so many!
