The Seven Lakes Road is the stretch of Route 40 between Villa La Angostura and San Martín de los Andes, and it is the reason many people come this far north from Bariloche. As a day trip it is long: about 185 kilometres each way, eleven hours door to door. This guide helps you choose the month, understand what winter does to the road, and decide between a round trip and stopping the night.
What the road is
The Seven Lakes section of Route 40 is about 110 kilometres long, and it is paved all the way. Driven straight through, it takes around two hours. The day is long because of the drive from Bariloche to its southern end and because you stop.
The seven lakes are Lácar, Machónico, Falkner, Villarino, Escondido, Correntoso and Espejo, and there are others just off the road. The route links two national parks, Nahuel Huapi in the south and Lanín in the north. Lago Hermoso marks the boundary between them. A third protected area, Los Arrayanes, is on the shore at Villa La Angostura.
At the northern end, San Martín de los Andes sits at the head of Lago Lácar. The northern park takes its name from Lanín volcano, which rises to 3,776 metres.
When to go
Late spring to early autumn is the simplest time. The road is clear, the days are long, and summer in this region is milder and drier than the rest of the year, with light until about ten at night. The campsite on Lago Falkner, for example, opens from November to April.
Winter is different. From June to August temperatures drop and it snows, and drivers on these routes are told to carry chains. The road is open all year, but snow, ice and rockfalls can close it, and when a stretch reopens after bad weather, physical chains can be made mandatory. Check the official road reports for your date. Laguna Fría, one of the smaller lakes by the road, usually freezes in winter.
We carry chains and check conditions the day before. You can cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up for a full refund.
Autumn is a fair compromise. The wind is calmer than in spring, though it rains more.
How the day fits together
Pick-up is at 07:00. The first stop is Villa La Angostura for coffee, then the lakes, roughly in order from south to north: Espejo and Correntoso, then Villarino and Falkner, then Escondido and Machónico before the road drops to Lago Lácar. Lunch and a walk by the lake are in San Martín de los Andes, at your own expense. The return starts at about 14:00, on the same road, and you are back at your hotel at about 18:00.
Coming back the same way is not wasted time. The light is different in the afternoon, and the driver stops wherever it is good. Tell your driver which lakes you liked on the way up, and you can spend longer at those on the way down.
Round trip or one way
The round trip from Bariloche is a lot of road for one day. If you have time, consider staying the night in San Martín de los Andes. We can leave you there and collect you another day; message us to arrange it.
A night there gives you the town and the lake in the evening and the morning, and turns the drive into two shorter, easier days. It also helps if you want to see the Arrayanes forest near Villa La Angostura. The walk in from the isthmus is 12 kilometres, and the park sets last-entry times, 14:00 for walkers in summer and 11:00 in winter, so it does not fit a day that is already spent on the road.
On your own or with a driver
The road is paved, and you can drive it yourself in a hire car. Do so if you are comfortable on mountain roads and know what to do in snow. In winter you need chains, and you need to check the official road reports before you set out.
A private driver takes the driving and the checking off your hands. It also means everyone can look at the lakes, which on this road is the point. If you are comparing it with the Circuito Grande, our other long day north, that loop only touches Correntoso and Espejo and includes a gravel section; the official tourism office in Bariloche advises avoiding that part in bad weather.
What to bring
- Layers and a rain jacket. It is a long day, and the weather here can turn.
- In summer, swimwear, if you want a swim in one of the lakes.
- Sunglasses and sun cream.
- Snacks and water for the stretches between Villa La Angostura and San Martín, where the stops are at lakes and viewpoints.
- In winter, warm boots and gloves.
Who it suits
It suits people who want to see the region at its widest and do not mind a long day in the car. It is the trip to choose if you have a second day in Bariloche after the town sights. Our Bariloche in a day tour covers those.
Think twice with very young children or anyone who gets carsick: it is eleven hours, most of it in the car. If that is too much, the Circuito Chico half day keeps you close to town.
Groups of more than 16 travel in two vehicles on one booking. Message us and we will price it.
Booking the day
For a side-by-side view of our trips, see our guide to day trips from Bariloche. To check the timings and book, go to the Seven Lakes Road private day trip page.
