Where is Villa la Angostura?

Villa la Angostura is in the Lakes District of Patagonia in Argentina. The town is situated on the northwest shore of Lake Nahuel Huapi, about 70km/43 miles north of San Carlos de Bariloche, and 108km/67 miles south of San Martin de los Andes. The drive between Villa la Angostura and San Martin is known as the Ruta de los Siete Lagos (the 7 Lakes Road – see below) and is now Ruta 40.

Villa la Angostura is 42km by road from the Chile border via the Cardenal Antonio Samore Pass that links the town with Osorno in Chile. Just on the Chile side of the border lies the infamous Volcan Puyehue that erupted in 2011 (or the Cordon Caulle fissure to be more accurate) and covered Villa la Angostura in tonnes of ash.

Flying into Bariloche Airport

Bariloche (BRC) is the gateway airport for Villa la Angostura. You can use a flight search engine to find the best rates for flights to Bariloche.

Driving to Villa la Angostura

From the airport many travellers choose to rent a car and drive to Villa la Angostura. The drive between Bariloche and la Angostura is very easy and it's very scenic. Renting a car in Bariloche provides the convenience of easy transport once in Villa la Angostura because the town is rather spread out and most of the lodging is not located downtown near the restaurants, bars and shops. Also getting to Cerro Bayo is easiest with a car, unless of course you're on a guided multi-resort tour. See the Bariloche travel page for tips on car rental from Bariloche town or airport.

Buses to Villa la Angostura

Buses are a very cheap alternative to get from the Bariloche airport to Villa la Angostura. Get the bus from the airport terminal to the Bariloche bus terminal (about 8 services per day) and then another bus to Villa la Angostura with Via Bariloche or Albus (there are about 6 services per day).

The Villa la Angostura bus terminal is in the centre of town near the tourist information centre on the corner of Av Arrayanes and Av Siete Lagos.

It’s also possible to get a remise from the Bariloche airport (unmetered taxi). The 83km trip (about 50 minutes) isn’t as expensive as you’d think, or many hotels can organise a transfer for you.

Getting Between Villa la Angostura and Cerro Bayo

Driving to Cerro Bayo

The drive between town and the Cerro Bayo ski resort is only 9km (5.6 miles). The turn off to Cerro Bayo is on the Bariloche side of Villa la Angostura, 3km from the centre of town (El Cruce). The access road is only 6km (3.7 miles) long and not particularly steep because the ski resort is just 260 metres (853ft) higher than the town. Whilst the road is not paved and is somewhat corrugated, it’s an easy drive and snow chains would only rarely be required (even for 2WDs). Some big brand Bariloche car rental companies may be able to provide snow chains with the car, but chains are not available to rent in Villa la Angostura.

Taxis

An easy way to get between Villa la Angostura and Cerro Bayo is to get a taxi or remise. 

Shuttles/Tours

If you’re on a guided multi-day ski or snowboard tour, your transport between Villa la Angostura and Cerro Bayo is included. Otherwise some of the hotels provide their own shuttle service between the resort and hotel. 

Los 7 Lagos - 7 Lakes Route

Ruta de los Siete Lagos (aka Camino de los Siete Lagos or Route of the Seven Lakes), runs between the towns of Villa la Angostura and San Martin de los Andes, and is part of Ruta 40. The Seven Lakes road is an incredibly scenic route that travels through the Lanin and Nahuel Huapi National Parks and past lakes (seven main ones), forests, snow-capped mountains, and streams.

The trip is 108km (67 miles) in length and you can also take a few deviations off the main route. The drive may take as little as 1.5 hours and can take much longer depending on the number of stops required to ogle the views or take photographs! Road and weather conditions will also vary the trip time.

If you don’t have a car there are lots of tour operators in Villa la Angostura and San Martin that conduct tours of Los 7 Lagos. Alternatively there are plenty of remise drivers that will take you on a tour.

Alternate Route between Villa la Angostura and San Martin de los Andes

If the seven lakes road is closed, the alternative way to get from Villa la Angostura to San Martin de los Andes is to head towards Bariloche and then north to Junin de los Andes, which is a little northeast of San Martin. The trip is 303km in length and it takes about 3.5 hours.

This alternate route is spectacular but in a very different way to that of the Siete Lagos Camino. It is generally more arid and the road passes alongside flood plains, rivers, brightly coloured deciduous trees, and volcanic plugs. You may even spot some vicuna or flamingos!

Orientation to Villa la Angostura

The town’s centre is known as El Cruce (the crossroads) where Paso International Cardenal Samore turns into the main street (Av Arrayanes) and then intersects with Av Siete Lagos. El Cruce is the commercial centre and has many shops and restaurants.

La Villa is the port area 3km south of town near the isthmus of the Quetrihué Peninsula, from which the town name is derived. Either side of the isthmus are Bahia Brava and Bahia Mansa, the little ports from which the cruise boats depart to see the Arrayanes forest.

Villa Correntoso (aka Caprara) is an area 3.5km north of town, near where the Nahuel Huapi and Correntoso lakes join via the Correntoso River. The two bridges that cross the river are commonly featured in photographs of this incredibly picturesque area.

On the Bariloche side of town is the turn-off to Cerro Bayo (3km from the town centre) and the neighbourhood of Las Balsas. A further 4km along is the turn off to Puerto Manzano and Bahia Manzano, a particularly upmarket area with lots of beautiful hotels and hosterias that overlook the lake and the inlet.

There are a whole series of other small neighbourhoods (barrios) within Villa la Angostura. 

Other Ski Resorts Nearby

In addition to being home to Cerro Bayo, Villa la Angostura is also close to a couple of other Lakes District ski resorts.

Cerro Catedral is located near Bariloche and 102km (63 miles) from Villa la Angostura. Cerro Catedral is a very popular ski resort and for good reason. It has huge terrain and well developed infrastructure.

Cerro Chapelco is also close to Villa la Angostura, and is located near the town of San Martin de los Andes. Cerro Chapelco is also very popular. It provides much more groomed terrain than Cerro Bayo, but advanced to expert riders will generally find the Cerro Bayo in-bounds terrain more challenging. It takes about 1:45 hours to get to Cerro Chapelco.

It’s also possible to visit Antillanca in Chile as a day trip – it’s 164km to the west. The Paso Cardenal Samoré ex Puyehue is generally open all year round unless a nasty storm has just come through. Note that many car rental places won’t allow the border crossing into Chile. Antillanca has very basic lifts but it offers very good off-piste skiing and boarding.