El Bolsón

A hippie town in an Andean valley of northern Patagonia, with a handicraft market, a sculpture forest and blue-canyon hikes, and Lago Puelo National Park to the south.

El Bolsón lies in the southwest corner of Río Negro Province, Argentina, in an Andean valley about 120 km south of Bariloche. It sits near the Chilean border to the west, with the 2,284 m Cerro Piltriquitrón to the east. In the 1970s many hippies settled here, and the town still keeps its handmade, organic, slow-living spirit. In 1984 it declared itself a nuclear-free zone. The heart of the town is the regional handicraft market in Plaza Pagano, and the surrounding valleys are dotted with berry farms, craft breweries and teahouses.

Most activities revolve around hiking. To the east, climb up to the Bosque Tallado (Sculpture Forest). To the northwest, the Blue Valley leads to the Blue Canyon, and multi-day treks link high-mountain refuges such as Hielo Azul and Notas. West of town are an Indian Head lookout and a hidden waterfall. About 15 km to the south is Lago Puelo National Park in Chubut Province, where you can swim and take boats toward the Chilean border. Further south are the boutique fruit area of El Hoyo and Lake Epuyén.

The best season is December–March, when trails are snow-free and berries are ripe; a national fine fruit festival is held in January. April brings beautiful autumn colours. Winter is wet and snowy, and a small ski area operates.

Getting there: take a long-distance bus from Bariloche, about 2 hours, or drive via National Route 40. The nearest airports are Bariloche and Esquel. Plan 3–4 days: one for the market and town surroundings, one for the Sculpture Forest, one for the Blue Canyon and one for Lago Puelo. Most mountain refuges accept only cash, hikers should carry windproof and waterproof clothing, and accommodation is tight on summer weekends.

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