The spectacular landscape of the mountain range from Esquel’s natural paths

To seduce their guests and suggest return again and again, Esquel He usually shows the best references of his Andean landscape: Los Alerces National Park and the La Hoya ski center. That itinerary drawn by zigzagentes roads that climb towards a somedy horizon of forests, lakes and snowy peaks keep a secret piece no more than 3 kilometers west of the center of the town, a postcard as colorful and suggestive as the most recognized walks.

The long line of Fontana Avenue marks the course to address a hill covered with vegetation, where the circular contour of the Laguna La Zeta.

Hikerstourists of On horseback driven by Baqueano Esteban Bravo and hard Mountain Bike Cyclists They climb the slope along with vehicles and motorhomes, in a kind of compact row of pilgrims in the prosecutor of the promised Eden.

A thick pine Reserva Natural Urbana. At each loop augowe the groups of walkers who shoot the viewpoint with a balloon inn on the shore appear in the direction of the Rincon de las Bird Observatory, the banks of reeds, willowes and maitenes -covered by a multitude of carpenters, zorzales and birds raptors-, a nest of eagles mora of the Mates, according to the chosen path.

The passion for trekking advances in a firm pace through the Path network drawn by the Ministry of Tourism of Esquel, with the purpose of dazzling visitors with this colorful fusion of the Andean forest and the Patagonian steppe exhibited at the foot of the mountain cords Rivadavia and Esquel and Cerro La Hoya.

The “I toured Esquel in Sneakers” program contemplates seven trekking paths between 1.50 and 8.40 kilometers in the surroundings of La Zeta lagoon, in addition to three tours of the urban area and others eight journeys to retrace In the National Park.

A temperate late summer afternoon, the mountain wind is reduced to a barely fresh breeze that gently pushes towards the center of the lake a A windsurphist lonely and a couple of kayaks of strident colors. From the beach, the melody of a Pappo blues seems to emerge on the way to musicalize the cadence of each movement of the navigators.

The hoarse voice of the venerated guitarist resonates in The hostelthe warm bastion of the walkers who replenish energies by force of roasted, hamburgers and panchos. At the tables arranged on a deck, the story of a couple who has just completed the panoramic point circuit to see native birds and trees alternates with the most demanding experience – the three -streams option, of more than 8 kilometers that begins next to the road to the Hoya – that faced a valed Fuegian adventurer on foot and by bicycle.

For this man accustomed to facing great challenges that nature presents in the southern confine path that crosses the mountain forest perched on the edges of the lagoon.

That narrow sand road is gathered in the 9 -kilometer stretch through the steppe that separates the high river zeta Percy, a Rural commune marked by the history of the roads of the late nineteenth centurythat extracted firewood to load it in their wooden carriages and sold it in Esquel.

He hikinghe campinghe Rural tourism and the trout fishing In the Percy River they are the best reasons to visit this village that remembers the Welsh pioneer Percy Warton. In recent years, by the hand of the impact achieved in the area by the Fiesta del Carneo, the neighbors of Alto Río Percy decided to show all their letters to the outsiders.

The veil for the care of the place of belonging was decoured and now the Homemade production farms (Recognized for their sweets, cherries, cherries, strawberries, eggs, ñaco, capon ham, roasted flour, fried cakes, empanadas, fresh bread and vegetables), the Crafts strongly linked to the Mapuche culture, the disturbing view of the Risco stone the needle -A geological anomaly that stands out from the mountain, crowned by a lonely cypress at the top, to which they carry three trekking paths- and a huemules reserve.

The end of the trip through the less busy portion of Esquel, nuanced by the trills of the birds and the rumor of the crystalline water of the Percy River, reaches ecstasy with the intense taste of a exuberant Guiso Carrerothat is enjoyed under the watchful eye of Cauquenes, Teros and Patos, a harmless cut of guests who, far from bothering, seems willing to cut the diners.

• From the city of Buenos Aires to Esquel are 1,866 kilometers on Riccheri and Ezeiza-Cañuelas highways, Route 3 to Bahía Blanca, routes 22 and 237 to Bariloche and Route 40. Option, Route 3 to Trelew, Route 25 to Tecka and Routes 40 and 259.

• Aerolineas Argentinas (from $ 95,800 round trip with taxes) and Flybondi (from $ 73,000) fly without scale from Aeroparque (2 hs.).

• Semi -raesmar bus or star condor from Retiro to Trelew (20 hours. 30 ‘), $ 113,000 Ida; Bed car, $ 135,000. From Trelew to Esquel (9 am.), Micro Semicama Mar and Valle: $ 31,420.

• Alvear Suites departments: The night for 4 people with cable TV, Wi-Fi, complete kitchen, dishes, refrigerator, electric turkey and washing machine, US $ 145 to US $ 236, according to the time of the year (02945-15408825 / www.alvearsuites.com).

• El Montañés guided ride, in the La Zeta Urban Natural Reserve, $ 25,000 per hour (02945-1564458).

• Kayak rental in La Zeta lagoon, $ 8,000 half an hour and $ 15,000 one hour.

• Entrance to stone the needle, in high River Percy, $ 2,000.

• Excursion on the historical train La Trochita de Esquel to Nahuelpán (3 hs. Round trip), $ 45,500; retirees and university students, $ 33,500; from 6 to 12 years, $ 32,500. Among the Los Alerces National Park, $ 7,000; Students, $ 5,000.

• Entrance to Los Alerces National Park, $ 7,000; Students, $ 5,000.

• (02945) 45-1927/3145/5652 / 0800-3331083 / (02945) 15529616

• infoturismo@esquel.gov.ar