Nahuel Huapi Traverse

Trekking the Nahuel Huapi Traverse is the perfect opportunity to take in the wonders of the Nahuel Huapi NP, with its astonishing range of environments. The jagged mountains are covered in extraordinary rock formations, pointed towers rising from the shadows of their peaks. Snowy summits soar above you, with the huge Mount Tronador often dominating the horizon.

Lower down, deep blue lakes sparkle in the sunlight, surrounded by greenery. Rainforests cover areas of the park to the west, whilst further east the terrain is dry, with little of the rainfall which lands so readily on the other side of the park. Gorgeous flowers and plants, and interesting greenery throughout all add to the experience of this walk.

Protection of the wildlife was a major reason for the creation of the National Park, the oldest in Argentina, and there are plenty of fascinating creatures to be seen. Puma, various different types of deer (including that claimed to be the world's smallest), otters, guanacos (a relative of the camel and of the llama) and maras (of the same family as the capybara, found elsewhere in South America, and of the guinea pig) live here, along with parakeets and the famous condors.

The area managed to remain free of European influence for longer than many others in the Americas. Due to Spanish presence in Chile, the Mapuche Indians moved here around the seventeenth century, and quickly absorbed the culture of the various tribes living peacefully around Nahuel Huapi. Despite an earlier, failed, attempt to civilise' the Indians even before this, Europeans did not manage to occupy the area fully until 1879 however, they then did their best to suppress native Indian culture.