Victoria Island & Arrayan Forest Cruise
About this activity
Highlights
- Scenic boat ride on Nahuel Huapi Lake
- Explore Victoria Island's lush landscapes
- Guided walk through Arrayan Forest's unique flora
- Learn about local wildlife and ecosystems
- Capture stunning panoramic lake views
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Round-trip boat transportation to Victoria Island
- Guided nature walk through Arrayan Forest
- Bilingual English and Spanish-speaking guide
- Meals and beverages
Itinerary
We start the tour by picking up passengers at the selected hotels.
After pickup from your hotel in Bariloche by your guide, enjoy a comfortable catamaran ride from Puerto Pañuelo, located at the base of the renowned Llao Llao Hotel. The hotel, known for its distinctive Patagonian and architecture, offers stunning views of the Nahuel Huapi Lake and the Andes mountains.
Set sail for an hour-long ride on beautiful Nahuel Huapi Lake – located within Nahuel Huapi National Park – and admire the scenic views from every angle as you enjoy a lunch break aboard the boat (available for purchase or bring your own).
First, head to Victoria Island, the largest island on Nahuel Huapi Lake, and disembark at Puerto Anchorena. Enjoy a guided walk along several trails through the lush coniferous forest; your guide will show you a variety of trees – both native and introduced – including sequoias, birches, firs, aromos and pines. If you visit during summer months, dip into the lake at Toro Beach if you’d like, or take the chair lift up Cerro Bella Vista (Bella Vista Hill), situated 2,950 feet (900 meters) above sea level and flanked by enormous coihue and cypress trees. Enjoy panoramic views of Victoria Island and magnificent Nahuel Huapi Lake, followed by a break at an island snack bar (own expense).
Next, disembark at Quetrihué Peninsula for a guided walk through the arrayán forest in Los Arrayanes National Park – a unique forest growing on the southern tip of the peninsula. A narrow isthmus to the mainland, in which the picturesque town of Villa Angostura resides, joins 2,470 acres (1,000 hectares) that comprise the Quetrihué Peninsula – the only place in the world where the arrayáns grow into full-sized trees.
Stroll along 2,000 feet (600 meters) of walkway and admire the singular beauty of the hundred-year-old arrayán trees, whose cinnamon-colored bark is cold to the touch and peels off in flakes, giving the trunk its unique appearance. Depending on the season, keep an eye out for their white flowers and pleasant-tasting purple fruit, popular in Argentina and Chile. Your guide will point out a small cabin built in the middle of the forest, where you might also glimpse the pudú (a miniature species of South American deer) that inhabit the area. The world’s smallest deer, they are said to have inspired the famous Walt Disney character Bambi.
After a full day exploring, you'll be transported back to Bariloche.
Meeting point
Start Location
Unknown location
Important information
Know before you book
- Tour operates in both English and Spanish; specify your preferred language when booking.
- Children under 6 require a booster seat; please inform in advance.
- Tour duration is approximately 6 hours; plan accordingly.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes suitable for forest trails.
- Bring a light jacket or sweater, as temperatures can vary.
- Pack a camera to capture the stunning scenery.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Traveler reviews
Get away from this tour, rip off and don't keep what's announced!
Viator cooperates with Tanglo Guardia Agency (locally). The company that runs this excursion is called Turisur. Booked tour in the morning, 9 hours with English speaking guide. In the afternoon before the tour you will receive a message that the booked tour with Get Your Guide will be done in the morning without an English guide for technical reasons and whether you want to change your booking to the afternoon with an English-speaking guide. My question whether it is the same service as the booked excursion was answered in the affirmative. We received a tour for 6 hours and guide spoke almost only Spanish. The explanations of the guide on board the ship were 10 minutes Spanish and 1 minute concise execution in English (we now arrive and depart again... ) No further information e.g. origin history etc. or even where the toilets are... only for Spanish speaking people. The guide (she) deliberately sent us on two tours (alone) and did not tell us that she was taking a tour. When we met you (on our tours) with a group of Spanish-speaking people, she even wanted to send us on. She pointed me to signs that I could read, that the information would be in English and explained everything further in Spanish, although the signs also said everything in Spanish. There is not much to see on the two islands. You can really save that. The ship itself and the view is quite nice... that's all. I've done some tours in Argentina and was happy with everyone, but this tour is overpriced, doesn't stop what's on offer: Described chairlift did not exist at all and English speaking guide also not really. All in all, this is an outrage. Viator should take this out of the program or only offer it in Spanish!
Would not recommend this trip!
This was an interesting trip. What we saw was beautiful but the tour was awful and we would not recommend it. This trip was advertised as being 6 hours on a catamaran with an English speaking guide. The reality was we were on a boat that was built in 1938 and looked like the African Queen. The 1 guide who spoke English barely spoke English. The trip actually lasted from pick up to drop off took 10 hours! We missed the evening tour and dinner scheduled with the rest of our group!
Impressive vegetation
The ride was nice. Victoria Island is a must see. These trees are impressive in their size.
See cruise experience
Hello, I am planning a 6 night Caribbean cruise and have 2 options, Montego Bay with Grand Cayman or Amber Cove and Grand Turk. I do not know any of them and we are a family with 2 young people and 1 teenager, who recommend me???
Recommended and essential if you go to Bariloche. If you're lucky enough to be boarding the Modesta Victoria it's cool
Lake Nahuel Huapi is charming, with spectacular scenery. The boat Modesta Victoria is from 1939 and is beautiful and very well maintained. I made this crossing five times. The staff is very friendly and attentive. You always want to come back.