Pampa Linda Lodge , Cr-hiddentrails.com

A Family-owned Inn Provides Mountain Adventure in Argentina

Just 48 miles from San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina, the Pampa Linda Lodge is a welcoming refuge in the shadow of magnificent Mount Tronador.

Pampa Linda Lodge in Nahuel Huapi National Park in Argentina is an outdoorsman’s dream for clean, comfortable lodging surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery in South America. The lodge sits by itself in the shadow of the majestic Mount Tronador, and offers itself as the perfect starting and ending point for a variety of hikes and horseback rides, with good food and relaxation waiting after a day’s worth of adventure.

Pampa Linda Lodge

nWith lots of wood and stone that is typical of lodges in the Andes Mountains – and large windows offering spectacular views of nearby Mount Tronador – the Pampa Linda Lodge can house up to 36 guests in rooms that have two or three beds, private bathrooms, and telephones. Downstairs on the main floor, guests can enjoy good meals, including Argentinian barbeque, in the restaurant or outside under a covered patio. One can also sit by the fireplace in the lounge, read in the library, or play board games or ping-pong to relax and unwind after dinner. From its cleanliness and friendly, welcoming atmosphere, visitors can see that those who own and work at the lodge care for it and the surrounding countryside deeply.

Mount Tronador

The 11,453-foot Mount Tronador sits along the border of Argentina and Chile, and its three peaks on the summit are aptly named Argentinian, International, and Chilean. Tronador is the Spanish word for “thunderer,” and the mountain received its name because of the loud thunderous sounds that echo down the valley to the lodge when pieces of the glacier break off and fall to the valley floor below. There are eight glaciers on Mount Tronador. When there is good weather, visitors at the lodge should make a point of waking up at dawn to see the sunrise reflect against the snow of the mountain.

Patagonia Hiking, Biking, and Horseback Riding Adventure

Hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking await the active traveler at the Pampa Linda Lodge. Some of the easier hikes include the relatively flat Nalcas Waterfall (1.25 miles), Black Glacier and Devil’s Throat Waterfall (5 miles), and the Manso River Source (.5 miles).

More moderate to difficult hikes include Otto Meiling Refuge (11.2 miles), which takes a trekker up to the snow level of the mountain and provides great views of the Castano Overa Glacier. Hikers should be on the lookout for the magnificent Andean condors, which often soar around the mountain. The Lake Ilon trail (7.5 miles) is an occasionally steep hike that requires you to wade across the Alerce River twice since there is no footbridge, but rewards those who make the trek in the summer with the chance to go swimming in the lake and sunbathe on yellow sand beaches, so hikers should remember to pack a swim suit.

The Pampa Linda Lodge’s corral holds several horses that take visitors up close to Mount Tronador and its glaciers. Half day excursions run year-round, though dependent on weather conditions. Full-day excursions run only in the summer. The Volcanic Mount and Lake Ilon horseback trips are full-day excursions, while the Black Glacier and Castano Overa Glacier are half-day trips.

The lodge also has mountain bikes available for guests. Lodge staff are happy to give suggestions on good biking trails and roads that offer great views.

A Must-See Stop in Northern Patagonia

Any trip to northern Patagonia and the Argentina Lake District should include a stop to Nahuel Huapi National Park and the Pampa Linda Lodge. The region is well-known for skiing, hiking, biking, horseback riding, and watersports, as well as wine and chocolate. Chocolate shops abound in nearby San Carlos de Bariloche. But regardless of the places one visits in the area, the Pampa Linda Lodge offers both adventure and relaxation in a place noted for its lack of crowds and surrounded by beautiful scenery.

Originally published with Suite 101. Republished with permission from the author.