Argentinian Lakes Gravel Biking

Day 1: Bike and equipment check; Villa La Angostura 

Arrival in Villa La Angostura, setting the bikes and equipment, and revision of the general plan of the trip. Welcome dinner.

The picture postcard setting of this small village amongst beautiful lakes and forested hills makes it very popular with Argentinian tourists in the summer. There are a wide range of hotels and exclusive resorts in the area.

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Simple 'no frills' hotel

Day 2: Ride Villa La Angostura to Villa Traful; Hotel

We begin the ride right from the hotel, through the back streets of Villa La Angostura to the area of the River and Lake Correntoso. After travelling along the Siete Lagos Route for about 30km we'll join an unpaved road that leads us all the way to our destination. This ascends to around 900m at Portezuelo, 25km from the shoreline of Lake Traful which we follow to our accommodation at Villa Traful. The entire day will be spent in the mountain forests.

Length of ride: 60km

Climb: 1140m

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Simple 'no frills' hotel

Day 3: Ride Villa Traful to the Cordoba Pass to Lake Filo Hua Hum; Camp

We leave Villa Traful early on a winding dirt road that continuously switches between up and downhill riding, though no slopes exceed 100m. We'll then navigate the shoreline of Lake Traful for about 25km until reaching the confluence of the rivers Traful and Limay.

At this point, we'll join an unpaved road known as Paso del Cordoba. This has a slight slope for the first 10km, after which it increases until the first pass. Once over the top there is a downhill then another uphill section to reach the actual place called the Cordoba Pass.

From here we'll have an incredible view of the multi-coloured rock formations, before embarking on a 12km downhill stint to the Caleufu River. This is an ideal place for a stop and a snack or lunch, depending on when we arrive.

Our destination, the campsite at Lake Filo Hua Hum, is another 10km away.

Length of ride: 72km

Climb: 1460m

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Camping (with services)

Day 4: Ride Lake Filo Hua Hum to Lake Nuevo and back; Camp

After such a long day yesterday, we'll have a more relaxed day today. The ride starts from our campsite at Lake Filo Hua Hum, and the route heads through a private farm towards Lake Nuevo which can only be accessed on foot or by bike.

This mountain trail follows the course of the valley with only very gentle ups and downs. Reaching the isolated Lake Nuevo is well worth the effort as, if the weather is good, we'll be able to swim. We'll also push on a bit further to the shore of Lake Falkner.

Once we return back to the campsite at Lake Filo Hua Hum, we'll relax and enjoy some beers by the lake, before starting the fire for tonight’s dinner.

Length of ride: 31km

Climb: 336m

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Camping (with services)

Day 5: Ride Lake Filo Hua Hum to San Martín de los Andes; Hotel

From the campsite at Lake Filo Hua Hum we'll take a wide gravel road for 15km to the shoreline of Lake Meliquina. The first half will be exposed to the sun, after which we'll ride through the shady forest towards the paved road that takes us all the way into our final destination on the trip, San Martín de los Andes.

This quaint alpine town, nestled on the shore of Lake Lácar, is one of Patagonia's best kept secrets. It's surrounded by fantastic opportunities for hiking, kayaking, biking and skiing. In the town itself there are numerous hotels and some great restaurants – consider staying here for a couple of days at the end of your trip.

Length of ride: 54km

Climb: 700m

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Simple 'no frills' hotel