Explore Patagonia Overview
The Explore Patagonia Tour ventures 9 days deep into the heart of Argentina’s Patagonian Andes, skiing and snowboarding the slopes of Cerro Catedral, Cerro Bayo, La Hoya and Argentina’s newest cat-skiing operation Baguales Mountain Reserve. The tour is customizable for your group, but here's a taste of what's possible.
The tour begins and ends in the lakeside city of San Carlos de Bariloche, a world- class adventure based community with a plethora of superb restaurants, nightspots, craft breweries, and chocolatiers. Cerro Catedral, Argentina’s largest ski and snowboard resort, features thousands of acres of inbounds and hike to off-piste terrain, breathtaking lake and mountain vistas, spectacular granite spires, and a good dose of true Alps culture in the Andes.
A day trip along the shores of Lago Nahuel Haupi and Argentina’s first national park brings us to Villa la Angostura and Cerro Bayo, a small ski ‘boutique’ center with amazing backcountry access, magical forests and few crowds. Our adventure continues with a day at
Baguales Mountain Reserve, a privately owned 14,000-hectare (yes that is 34,500 acres) snowy playground. The reserve is three times larger than the traditional ski centers and boasts a vertical drop of up to 3,000 feet (900 meters) The name Baguales is an Argentine word for a wild cow or horse that roams the hills and grasslands of Patagonia.
Next up is a road trip down the Ruta 40 for a stop in El Bolson enjoying its artisan market, signature brewery, and breathtaking mountain scenery. Continuing south we travel through Patagonian steppes and gaucho country to Esquel our gateway for 3 days of skiing and snowboarding at La Hoya, a true Argentine gem, offering a true mom & pop feel, endless backcountry opportunities and stunning views into Parque Nacional Alerces.
We spend our evenings sharing matte, malbecs, and mouth watering Argentine beef before returning to Bariloche for one more big night out and a final day on the slopes at Cerro Catedral if your schedule permits.
Ability & Trip Focus
This trip is suited to skiers and snowboarders from strong intermediate and above. The focus of the trip is lift access on-piste, lift access off-piste, lift accessed backcountry touring.
Resorts Visited (3 + cat skiing)
Cerro Catedral,
Cerro Bayo,
La Hoya and
Baguales Mountain Reserve (cat skiing)
The massive Cerro Catedral |
Cerro Bayo powder fest |
La Hoya superb slackcountry |