Kayaking the highlights of Nahuel Huapi from £636

Day 1:
Passengers are collected from their hotels and driven in a private vehicle to the expedition’s starting point at Bahía López, a bay located 30 kilometers west of Bariloche, where we’ll organize belongings into dry bags to pack into the kayak compartments.

Before leaving, guides will give a talk on safety, review paddling / kayaking techniques, and briefly describe the outing / itinerary and low-impact measures to bear in mind during the expedition.

After a few minutes of easy paddling, we’ll get to the sound of the lake known as Brazo Tristeza through a beautiful entry flanked by the Mounts López and Capilla.Gradually, a variety of features come into view, such as waterfalls, sheer walls of rock dropping into the lake and Patagonian birds, with the backdrop of snowcapped Mount Tronador and its glaciers. There is plenty of time to stop, relax and enjoy the surroundings. We will have lunch on one of the secluded beaches, and then paddle on to the campsite. During the afternoon, we can go for short walks to explore the area, take photos or relax on the sandy beaches with splendid views of the mountains and lakes in the midst of pristine natural surroundings.
L, S & D – Tent / Camp

Day 2:
After a homey breakfast and some free time, we’ll pack up our gear and tents and paddle on to the far end of Brazo Tristeza sound, where we’ll take an easy yet fascinating walk up the banks of River Frey to an impressive waterfall and granite toboggans.

The area is in the luxuriant Valdivian rainforest, which includes species such as one of the world’s southernmost conifers – “alerce” (Fitroya cupressoides), “pangue” (Gunnera tinctoria) with its gigantic leaves, and bamboo-like “caña colihue” (Chusquea culeou), as well as a variety of climbing plants, growing in an extremely rainy area of the Andes very near the Chilean frontier. Back in the kayaks, we’ll set out on the return trip along the opposite coast to continue sightseeing and discovering this wild part of Nahuel Huapi National Park. Kayaking ends at Bahía López in the afternoon, and we’ll drive to Mascardi lake.
B, L, S & D – Tent / Camp

Day 3:
We will start kayaking along the northeastern sound of the Mascardi Lake . Among the highlights of its lush shoreline are its oak trees and other smaller species. After paddling for a couple of hours we will get to a windless bay, a perfect location for setting camp and spending our first night. From there, we will start a fine trekking towards the Llum lagoon. Here, the afternoon is at your leisure to relax on the lakeshore or explore the area. B, L, S & D – Tent / camp
Day 4:
After a delicious homemade breakfast, we will dismantle the camp and continue kayaking towards the Tronador branch. Here, we will paddle around the heart-shaped Corazón Island as we notice that the water becomes deep greenish turquoise as a result of the sediments brought by the Manso river from the Mount Tronador glaciers. One of its beaches will be the ideal location to enjoy a picnic, surrounded by the marvellous views of the National Park. In the afternoon, we will continue paddling in the waters of this beautiful lake until we get to a superb bay with a breathtaking view of the Mount Tronador and its southeast slope. Here, we will set camp and spend the second night.
B, L, S & D – Tent / Camp

Day 5:
The next day we will dismantle the camp and start our last journey on our sea kayaks . We will visit the mouth of the Manso River and explore the southwest lakeshore. Among the highlights of this journey are the Bonete and Cresta de Gallo mounts. We will keep on paddling slowly towards the south until we get to our final destination. Here, our vehicle awaits us to take us back to Bariloche. A well-deserved shower will be our reward for having embarked on this sea kayaking adventure in the Argentine Patagonia.
B, L, S