The magic of the mountain range on three walks based in San Martín de los Andes

The 100 -kilometer walk of the Seven Lakes route from Villa La Angostura outline at the end of its last curve a saturated picture of colors and nuances impossible to compare with the previous sequence.

That last descent on Route 40 flows into the straight trace of the Costanera of San Martín de los Andes. But among the crospices of the vegetation that covers the slope of the mountain arises a rippio on the ripiuman extra gift offered by the promoted mountain circuit of Neuquén, crowned by the shocking view in front of the Arrayán Mirador.

From that prominent position, The city forms a harmonious whole with the Lácar Lake dyed of ocher and reddish tones by the sun of sunset, the Andean peaks and the forest covered with long shadows.

The inspiring landscape summons poets, painters and sensitive tourists, who for a long time are demonstrated before being captivated by the pioneer history that revives since 1936 a hundred meters higher.

In those times still marked by the interest that aroused the discovery of these places, the English adventurer Renée Dickinsonan aspiring actress and model of 26 years, decided to travel to the country to visit her brother Barney, hired as a butler in a stay in the area.

While exploring the area, this woman of a restless was shocked at the dream place suggested by the Lácar lake and the mountains and did not hesitate to install her privileged plain her privileged plain Trunk cabin and a tea house.

The British pioneer enjoyed a little time from her natural paradise (she died in 1943), but she came to share her visitors her hospital spirit, which she clarified with Walk to the panoramic point, hot chocolatejams, bread and homemade cakes and the most refined Blend of arrayan tea.

The spirit of the founder revives today in the oldest tea house in Patagonia -Declarada “Historical, architectural and cultural heritage” in 1995-, through those same essential pieces and the renowned “Afternoon Tea” of three steps.

The attachment of local culture to native flavors The consecration of chefs specialized in eximits deer loin versions, chopped of regional cold cuts and smoked cheese, lamb, salmon, apple strudel and even recipes preserved by generations by the Mapuche ethnicity, is impulsed.

A good part of those delicacies forms the Merken restaurant letter and the author’s cuisine options offered in the Coirones and Astas halls of the Loi Suites hotel.

The strong imprint of the native peoples glules again – although more distant from the signals of the modern world – after a 700 meter trekking until the Cascade del Arroyo Grandea territory of the Curruhuinca community based since pre -Hispanic times in the surroundings of Quila Quina.

A boat excursion No more than media lead to that beach repaired from the wind, where tourists rush for cooling off in the meek waters of the Lácar Lake, in the manner of a summer ritual that everyone seems to comply with Rajataba.

It is the close contact with the energy source that stimulates a walk of an hour and a half through the native forest of Robles Pellín, with scales at the Centenaria School No. 33 (a poster welcomes in the Mapudungun Mapuche tongue), the La Puntilla Volcanic Arena beach and the mouth of the Grande Arroyo.

The viborea path to pierce the vegetable tangle and narrows between the red spots that announce the flowering of the Rose mosques plants and the stone batteries of the Apachetas (offerings to the Pachamama) raised by the settlers on the shore.

Around, the intimidating granite wall with vertical veins of the fan hill and the conical summits of the colored spikes and trumpul stone seem about to embrace everything that remains at their feet.

Towards the northwest of the Andean cord, a thick gray fog seems stubborn in clouding the perfection of the landscape and hiding the contours of other giants of the mountain range.

Thus, as irreverent as persistent, the ravages of the forest fire that since the end of January lurk the Magdalena Valley, in the Lake Tromen area, an indomitable flagella that already razed 14 thousand hectares.

Anyway, the most disturbing stain that whips Eden these days It does not affect at all the possibility of touring the Lanín National Park in its approach on Route 61which takes off from Route 40 to the height of Junín de los Andes, the oldest city in the country’s southern confine, founded in 1833 about 40 kilometers from San Martín.

The first step of the Junín trip is enlightening to understand the unwavering sense of belonging of the inhabitants of this region to the surroundings of Lagos, Mountains and forests protected in the National Park. For example, Gladys Loncón explains it with his ancestral wisdom, while his Pehuén Piñón alfajoresbetween the walls decorated with Mapuche loom fabrics of the artisanal promenade.

The notorious fusion of original and European cultures so characteristic in this town is reflected in the austere forms of the Nuestra Señora de las Nieves Church, the discreet urbanization of the Costanera of the Chimehuin River and the stations of the Christi via Christi sculpted by the artist Alejandro Santana on the Cerro de la Cruz.

Very close to there, where the mountain path points in the direction of the blurred silhouettes of the mountains inn on the border with Chile, the walk takes up its path through an immense rugged picture. The Serruchos of the Ripio route test the resistance of the vehicle and its driver, until it is accommodated on the side of the 30 -kilometer edge long from the edge Huechulaufquen Lakethe colorful prelude to a stretch of ups, declines and curves in cornices darkened by the Coihue forest glasses.

The view, already properly gloated in each Lake viewpoint, receives a new stimulus, perhaps the most forceful and definitive, in the most absolute calm that reigns beyond Puerto Canoa: On the one hand – on the discreet roof of the María Auxiliadora chapel – the dominant figure of the Lanín volcano, face to face with the contour of Lake Paimún, decorated of reeds, orange flowers of mutisia and calafates, the glorious final that the itinerary reserves the itinerary.

• From the City of Buenos Aires to San Martín de los Andes, they are 1,575 kilometers per Riccheri, highway to Cañuelas, Route 205 to Bolívar, Route 65 to Guaminí, Routes 33 and 60 to La Pampa, Routes 18, 35 and 152 to Casa de Piedra, Route 6 to General Roca, Route 22 to Zapala and Route 40.

• Airlines directly flies from Aeroparque to San Martín de los Andes (2 hours to 2 hours 20 ‘): round trip with taxes, from $ 197.135.

• Executive bed car via Bariloche from Retiro to San Martín de los Andes (23 and a half hours to 25 hours), between $ 112,000 and % 134,000.

• Hotel Loi Suites Chapelco, 15 km from San Martín de los Andes along the way to Junín de los Andes on Route 40: parking, breakfast, wi-fi, electric turkey, infusions, gym, heated and outer covered pools, games for boys and ping pong (reseras@loisuites.com.ar / www.loisuites.com.ar).

• Full day excursion in Combi to Junín de los Andes, Lagos Huechulaufquen and Paimún and Lanín volcano, $ 79,000 (02972-425-876 / www.elclaroturismo.com.ar).

• “Afternoon Tea” of three steps for two people in the House of Arrayan tea, $ 60,000; for 4, $ 100,000; hot chocolate, $ 9,000; Palant bread with homemade sweets and cream cheese, $ 16,000.

• Boat transfer to Quila Quina, $ 45,000; With guided excursion, $ 60,000.

• Entrance to the Lanín National Park, $ 7,000; Retirees and pensioners, free.

• 700 -meter walk to the Cascade del Arroyo Grande, in Quila Quina, $ 2,000.

• Picada of regional cold cuts and smoked cheeses with homemade bread for two people at the Merken restaurant, $ 38,000; Deer loin with potatoes and cream spinach, $ 26,000; Lace -up hit with potato puree, $ 25,500; raw ham sandwich, burrata cheese, tomato and arugula, $ 20,000; two trout or deer empanadas, $ 10,500; Apple strudel with cream, $ 9,000.

• Alfajor de Piñón Kochú Ilwen in the artisan market of Junín de los Andes, $ 3,000 and $ 2,000 boy.

• 0800-3451975 / 02972- 427-315, internal 307 and 308
• informes.turismo@smandes.gov.ar
• www.sanmartindelosandes.gov.ar