Argentina. Esquel

The first strategic point when travelling by the Los Alerces National Park is Villa Futalaufquen, located 50 km away from Esquel and bounded on the west by the majestic Andes Mountain Range. It occupies a total area of 263,000 hectares that place it fourth in size among the national parks of Argentina. Its proximity to the mountain range allows the development of a dense Andean Patagonian forest and in the area of higher rainfall a Valdivian forest grows where the Alerce or Lahuan stands out. This millennial tree is slow growing and its specimens can live between 3000 and 4000 years of age and measure more than 70 meters high. We also visit the Museum of Interpretation, Rock Paintings - 2.5 km from Villa Futalaufquen -, Hotel Futalaufquen and Puerto Limonao. We continue to the north to see the Irigoyen waterfall and then we skirt the Futalaufquen lake; we can see the Arrayanes River that starts in the Verde Lake, cross a bridge and walk approximately 1 hour between the Patagonian forest and the Valdivian jungle. Here we will have time to have lunch (not included) before going back to Esquel, passing through Trevelin.