Looking for a guide to visiting the Ruta de los Siete Lagos in Argentina? Here, I share my tips for the 7 Lakes Route, including how you can drive, tour and even bike this stunning route!
There are many spectacular things to do in Argentina, but the trips that I remember most from my time living in Argentina are the ones that involve road trips.
And in northern Patagonia, you’ll find one of the best road trips in Argentina: the Ruta de los Siete Lagos.
This stunning 110-kilometre scenic route (in English, it’s the Road of the Seven Lakes) winds through – you guessed it – seven lakes, each a shade of teal or turquoise that have to be seen to be believed.
If you’re planning to visit Argentina, this is an area you should definitely put on your Argentina itinerary. The great thing is that there are multiple ways to traverse La Ruta de los 7 Lagos and I’m going to show you how to do each one.
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Ruta de los Siete Lagos at a glance
Ruta de los Siete Lagos is one of the most scenic drives in Argentine Patagonia, linking Villa La Angostura and San Martín de los Andes along a spectacular stretch of Ruta 40 through the Lake District.
Here’s what you need to know before you go:
- Where is it? In northern Patagonia, between Villa La Angostura and San Martín de los Andes in Neuquén province
- How long is it? Around 110km between Villa La Angostura and San Martín de los Andes
- How long do you need? Allow a full day to drive it with photo stops, or 2 days if you want to swim, hike or take it slowly
- Can you do it from Bariloche? Yes – you can do it as a long day trip from Bariloche, but it’s a great idea to take two days to drive the route and overnight in Villa La Angostura or San Martín de los Andes
- What’s the best way to do it? By car is easiest, but you can also cycle it or visit on a guided tour from Bariloche
- Do you need a 4WD? No – in normal conditions, a standard car is fine
- What are the seven lakes? The route passes a string of beautiful Patagonian lakes including Espejo, Correntoso, Villarino, Falkner, Escondido, Machónico and Lácar (there are actually more than 7 lakes!)
- Best time to go: Late spring to early autumn (roughly November to April) for the best weather and easiest driving conditions
- Worth knowing: Fill up with petrol before you set out (and fill up when you see service stations) and bring snacks, water and layers
What is the Ruta de los Siete Lagos?
The Ruta de los Siete Lagos connects the two towns of Villa la Angostura (near Bariloche, a popular town year-round) and San Martin de los Andes. You can either take the route from north to south (from San Martin de los Andes to Villa la Angostura) or south to north. Most people will usually tack on Bariloche, the largest town in the region.
The Camino de los Siete Lagos is partially on Argentina’s famous Ruta Nacional 40, a highway that traverses the length of the country (it’s a dream of mine to drive the whole thing one day!). The 7 Lagos Route is a two-way, paved highway which is in good condition. Some of the lakes can only be reached by dirt roads that shoot off the main highway, but we found these to be in pretty good condition, with compacted roads – just watch the potholes.
The 7 lakes
The name of the route is a misnomer. There are actually more than seven lakes to see along the route.
I did plenty of research to try to figure out which are the “official” seven lakes, but every source listed different lakes! Instead, here are the lakes that you’ll see along the way, listed from north to south:
- Lago Lácar
- Lago Machónico
- Lago Meliquina
- Lago Pudú Pudú
- Lago Hermoso
- Lago Villarino
- Lago Falkner
- Lago Escondido
- Lago Traful
- Lago Correntoso
- Lago Espejo Chico
- Lago Espejo Grande
- Lago Nahuel Huapi
Regardless of which are the official lakes and which aren’t, they’re all gorgeous and you’ll enjoy this trip along the Seven Lakes Road!
Ruta de los Siete Lagos map
When to visit the Ruta de los 7 Lagos
The best time to visit the Ruta de los Siete Lagos is in summer, spring or autumn (remember, that’s southern hemisphere summer and spring, so from September to April). I’d aim for late spring or early Autumn if you can, to avoid the peak travel time but still have nice weather.
In summer, you’ll find the warmest weather, which means sunny days and the chance of taking a dip in one or two of the most beautiful lakes in Argentina. Camping sites are open, as are the stores along the route that sell food and supplies.
We visited in spring and had mostly good weather, although there was one day where a light shower turned into a full day of fairly heavy downpour. The lake water was also definitely too cold to even dip a toe in! Some campsites may not yet be open. It’s worth it during this season – the colourful flowers are so beautiful!
In autumn, the leaves will start changing colour, which will make the views even more stunning.
If you’re set on visiting in winter, you’ll need to be prepared for snow and extremely cold weather. Some restaurants and shops close down throughout these months as tourism drops.
How to visit the Ruta de los Siete Lagos
There are three ways you can traverse the Ruta de los Siete Lagos:
- By car
- By guided tour
- By bike
Before we get into more details about the three ways I recommend visiting the 7 Lakes Route, let’s talk about how you actually get there.
How to get to the Ruta de 7 Lagos
Depending where you’re starting or what else you plan to do while you’re in the region, fly into either Bariloche (officially San Carlos de Bariloche) or San Martin de los Andes. You can also fly into one town and out the other. (See the next section for suggestions on the route.)
Bariloche is the larger of the two towns, and there are plenty of things to do there to keep you busy before and after your meander along the Ruta de los Siete Lagos. There are daily flights to Bariloche from Buenos Aires, as well as regular and seasonal connections to other major cities in Argentina.
Buses from Buenos Aires to Bariloche take around 20+ hours. You can then take a bus to Villa la Angostura, which takes 1 hour, or rent a car while you’re here.
Aerolíneas Argentinas flies daily to San Martin de los Andes. San Martin is a smaller version of Bariloche and is a wonderful place to wander around and spend a day or two. It’s a 20+ hour bus ride from Buenos Aires to San Martin de los Andes.
✈️ SEARCH FOR FLIGHTS FROM BUENOS AIRES TO BARILOCHE OR SAN MARTIN DE LOS ANDES ✈️
→ READ NEXT: Want more handy Argentina travel tips? Check out my full guide to planning a trip to Argentina.
Driving the Ruta de los Siete Lagos
The quickest and easiest way to see the Ruta de los Siete Lagos is by car. Renting your own car means you can be flexible and stop at the lakes that YOU want to stop at.
The lakes are (mostly) well signed so you won’t miss them along the way.
It’s very easy to rent a car (check out my full guide to renting a car in Argentina), and you can hire a car in Bariloche, San Martin de los Andes and Villa la Angostura. BUT stock can be limited, so book well in advance, particularly if you plan to visit in the summer months.
🚘 CHECK RENTAL CAR AVAILABILITY AND PRICING ONLINE 🚘
You won’t need a 4WD – a small car is fine, even for the dirt road sections that branch off the main highway. If you’re visiting in the peak summer season, book your car rental well in advance (same goes for hotels).
Depending on where you are staying, you can drive the route north to south or vice versa. We did the route from south to north because we had based ourselves in the larger town of Bariloche.
As mentioned, there are a few options for driving the Ruta de los Siete Lagos:
Do a day trip. Base yourself in Bariloche and drive the route in a day. It’ll take about 10 hours to do the round trip if you drive it it slowly, so start early in the morning. This will give you plenty of time to stop at miradors (viewpoints) and get off the main highway to see some of the other lakes. Factor in about two hours for the return drive. It’s a big day, so plan to share the driving with someone else.
Take it slowly over two days. Spend two days driving the route from Bariloche. On day 1, stop at a few lakes on the way, and then visit the rest of the viewpoints on your return trip on day 2. Stay overnight in San Martín de los Andes, or there are also hosterias and camping sites along the way. This is what I’d recommend doing, so you’re not rushing and so you can spend some time in both towns.
Drive the route one way. You can fly into Bariloche, spend a few days in Bariloche and the surrounding area, then drive the Ruta de los Siete Lagos to San Martín de los Andes and fly out of there (or vice versa). There’s just one downside to this: rental car companies will charge a couple of hundred dollars if you drop the car off at a different location.
Taking a guided tour of the Ruta de los Siete Lagos
If you don’t want to rent a car, then your next best option to see the Ruta de los 7 Lagos is on a guided tour.
These tours take all the stress out of driving and planning the trip – leave it in someone else’s hands and just enjoy the views.
There are a couple of Ruta de los Siete Lagos tour options:
- This 10-hour bus tour (4.6 stars from guests) stops at all the main lakes along the route. On a comfy coach, you’ll have the chance to visit both Villa La Angostura and San Martín de los Andes, with a 3-hour break in the latter for lunch (meals not included in ticket price).
- This full-day tour (4.4 stars from guests) includes hotel pick-up and drop-off (lunch not included). It stops in both Villa La Angostura and San Martín de los Andes and is a great way to leave the driving to someone else so you can concentrate on the vies.
- This full-day 7 Lakes tour (4.4 stars from guests) includes a few hours to explore San Martin de los Andes (meals not included in the ticket price). There’s time for some short and easy hikes.
All three tours depart from and return to Bariloche.
Biking the Ruta de los Siete Lagos
Got a few more days and an adventurous spirit? Then bike the Camino de 7 Lagos!
Doing the Ruta 7 Lagos on a bike is how my husband and I did the trip the first time and it was one of the most spectacular adventures we’ve ever done. The 7 lagos bike tour took us 3 days, biking between 4-6 hours each day.
Want to tackle the Ruta de los Siete Lagos on two wheels like we did? There are several bike rental companies in Bariloche, but after much research we chose Cordillera Bikes and I couldn’t recommend them highly enough. Get in touch with Danny and tell him I sent you!
Patagonia Bike Trips are another biking company that can also rent you bikes (including e-bikes), panniers and tents, or help you with self-guided routes.
What to expect
Danny, the owner of Cordillera Bikes, was available to chat with us in the weeks in the lead up to our trip and organised everything for us. He provided the bikes, panniers, tools and spare parts, and a map for us to follow. He pointed out some secret spots for us to stop at along the way. Danny also called ahead to arrange our accommodation in advance, and it was nice to know that we had somewhere confirmed for the two nights.
Our first night was in a family-run hosteria. They cooked our food, with a warming submarino (hot chocolate) when we arrived and a delicious and huge milanesa for dinner.
For our second night, we stayed in a cute cabin with a small kitchen. We packed food for this night (pasta), and also packed snacks for the journey.
For water, we collected it at the accommodation each night, as well as from streams along the way (take water purification tablets).
The Ruta de los 7 Lagos biking route Danny recommends normally starts in Parque Nacional Los Arrayanes, in Villa la Angostura. You can catch a ferry from Bariloche, but unfortunately for us we couldn’t get tickets for the morning ferry. The afternoon ferry would have gotten in too late, meaning we’d end up riding in the dark, which I wasn’t entirely comfortable doing.
Instead, Danny’s team drove us from Bariloche to Villa la Angostura early in the morning. The team also picked us up from San Martín de los Andes and drove us back to Bariloche.
The start of the road (out of Villa la Angostura) includes a section that is a major trucking route to Chile, but the traffic thins out after a while.
Danny can also arrange tours with a guide if you’d prefer.
Alternatively, you could bring your own bikes and equipment and do this trip entirely yourself. There are campsites along the way, many with well-stocked general stores and bathroom facilities.
Do you need to be fit to bike the Ruta de 7 Lagos?
This was probably one of the first questions I asked Danny! After biking the route myself, I would say that you definitely need a moderate to high level of fitness. I struggled on some of the steeper hills and even the gradual inclines got to me.
Prepare in advance if you plan to bike the 7 Lakes Route.
I’m also not a very experienced bike rider but managed to get through the three days fairly easily and without any falls off the bike!
What to pack for biking the Ruta de los Siete Lagos
Don’t pack too much! Your paniers are pretty small and you need room for the spare parts and tools that Cordillera Bikes provides. Here’s what I recommend you take:
- Helmet (provided by Cordillera Bikes)
- Cleats if you know how to use them (I don’t and don’t feel comfortable with them on so I didn’t use them, but my husband did)
- 1-2 changes of clothes (we wore the same thing each day and washed it each evening)
- Sweater for night time
- Rain jacket if the weather looks like it will bring rain (it did for us all day on our second day!)
- Padded bicycle shorts to protect your tush – a must pack!! | Buy padded bicycle shorts on Amazon
- Gloves for the cold mornings (we bought some in Villa la Angostura because I’d forgotten them!) | Buy gloves on Amazon
- Sunscreen, hat and sunglasses
- Water purification tablets – the water we collected from streams along the way looked clean but better to be safe than sorry!
- Snacks and food if you’re staying at campsites or self-contained accommodation – and a bottle of wine to celebrate your achievements each night!
Where to stay for the Ruta de los Siete Lagos
If you’re planning to drive the Ruta de los Siete Lagos, the main decision isn’t so much which hotel to book as where to base yourself. Most travellers stay in Bariloche, Villa La Angostura or San Martín de los Andes.
If you’re already spending a few days in Bariloche, it’s easy enough to do the route as a day trip from there. But if the Ruta de los Siete Lagos is one of the main reasons you’re visiting this part of Patagonia, I think Villa La Angostura or San Martín de los Andes are better places to stay. You’ll spend less time in the car and be able to enjoy the drive at a slower pace.
Bariloche
Bariloche is the most convenient base if you’re already visiting the area or want the widest choice of hotels, restaurants and flights. It works well if you’re planning to drive the Ruta de los Siete Lagos as a day trip, although it does make for a longer day on the road.
- Design Suites Bariloche – Spacious rooms with views of the lake and mountains. I’ve stayed at other hotels in the Design Suites group in Argentina and have always found the rooms generous and the service excellent. | Check prices and availability
- Llao Llao Hotel & Resort – One of Patagonia’s most iconic luxury hotels, set on the Llao Llao peninsula about 30 minutes from central Bariloche. It’s a beautiful splurge stay if you’re pairing the Seven Lakes Route with a slower, more indulgent Patagonia trip. | Check prices and availability
- Huinid Hotel Pioneros – A more affordable option in Bariloche with comfortable rooms and a very good breakfast. | Check prices and availability
Villa La Angostura
Sitting at the southern end of the route, Villa La Angostura is the best base if you want to get an early start and enjoy the drive without feeling rushed.
- El Faro Boutique Hotel & Spa – A beautiful option overlooking Lago Nahuel Huapi, with panoramic lake views that make it a lovely place to begin your journey along the Ruta de los Siete Lagos. | Check prices and availability
- La Escondida Casa de Huéspedes & Spa – Set on the shores of Lago Nahuel Huapi, this peaceful hotel has spacious rooms, a heated pool, sauna and plenty of spots to relax after a day on the road. | Check prices and availability
San Martín de los Andes
San Martín de los Andes is a good option if you’re driving the route one-way or continuing north through Patagonia. It’s the natural endpoint of the drive and makes a nice overnight stop if you don’t want to return the same day.
- Hotel Antiguos is a solid mid-range option in San Martín de los Andes, with a convenient location close to the town centre and a more traditional hotel feel. | Check room rates and availability
- Antares Patagonia Suites & Eventos is a great choice for those seeking a modern lodge with plenty of activities to keep you busy. The hotel has a pool, spa and games room, and can help arrange excursions to nearby attractions. | Check room rates and availability
Visiting the Ruta de los Siete Lagos: Final thoughts
The Ruta de los Siete Lagos is one of the most beautiful drives in Argentine Patagonia, linking Villa La Angostura and San Martín de los Andes through a landscape of lakes, forest and mountain views. While it’s possible to do it as a long day trip from Bariloche, I think it’s even better if you can slow down a little – stop at the miradores, linger by the lakes and turn it into part of a broader northern Patagonia road trip.
If you’re visiting Bariloche, Villa La Angostura or San Martín de los Andes, I’d absolutely add the Ruta de los Siete Lagos to your itinerary. Whether you drive it, cycle it or join a guided tour, it’s one of those classic Patagonia experiences that really lives up to the hype.
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ARGENTINA TRIP ESSENTIALS
- Book your flight to Argentina online with Skyscanner. I like how this site allows you to find the cheapest days.
- One thing I always purchase is travel insurance! Travel Insurance Master allows you to compare across multiple policy providers, while SafetyWing is great for long-term travellers and digital nomads.
- Wise is my choice for sending and receiving money and spending money overseas (you can get a digital and physical card).
- Find a great hotel in Argentina. Check prices on Booking.com and Expedia online.
- Check out the huge range of day tours throughout Argentina on GetYourGuide or Viator. I love a good food tour in particular!
- Saving money? Check out the range of free walking tours across Argentina with GuruWalk (don’t forget to tip!).
- How to get around? I use DiscoverCars for car hire, or Motorhome Republic and Jucy for campervan/RV rental. For buses, trains and ferries, I use 12GO, Busbud and Omio.
- Grab an e-sim to stay connected while on the road.
- A copy of the Lonely Planet guide to Argentina will be handy. Also pick up a Spanish language phrasebook to help you navigate your visit.
- Keep those bottles of wine you’ll be buying safe in these wine bags.
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Hello Rebecca! Fellow Aussie here I would love to cycle but do you know if electric bike would be an option? Might make it a bit easier for the folks.
Thanks 🙂
Hi Paige, check out these guys: https://www.patagoniabiketrips.com/en/equipamiento/
I haven’t used them myself but will check them out next time I’m in Bariloche. Let me know if you do the trip by bike! I’d love to hear about your experience.
HI Rebecca – Is the biking route the same as the driving route? If so, does it feel safe enough?
Thanks,
Steve
Hi Steve, it’s more or less the same route. The first day of the trip the road is shared with trucks for the first section, which does feel a bit hairy, but I am no expert biker and I felt fine! Just stick to the side of the road and wear high-viz if you can (we didn’t but it would have been a good idea!).