A Guide to Driving Circuito Chico in Bariloche, Argentina

If you enjoy scenic drives with a variety of activities and attractions to do and see along the route, then you should consider driving the Circuito Chico near Bariloche. The road is located close to the city, which makes it one of the most popular things to do amongst visitors. We ended up driving this route twice during our stay because the weather conditions weren’t the best the first time around.

So, in this guide, we’ve collated all the necessary information you should know to help plan your day on the Circuito Chico. We’ll detail why driving the road is the best option but also list all the other ways you can visit this scenic corner of the Argentine Lake District. As always, you’ll also find a detailed list of all the scenic viewpoints and attractions you should add to your itinerary, as well as other tips on the best times to visit and places to stay.

If you’d like to see our experience driving Circuito Chico, make sure to watch our Bariloche video, which we shared on our YouTube channel Kitti and Jon. For more videos from the country, check out our Argentina playlist.

About Circuito Chico in Bariloche

Circuito Chico (or Ruta 77) is a roughly 25 km circular scenic road in the Nahuel Huapi National Park in the Argentine Lake District. The official start of the road is located only about 20 km (30-minutes’ drive) west of the city of San Carlos de Bariloche.

The route is filled with hiking trails, incredibly scenic viewpoints and other attractions, such as the Cerveza Patagonia brewery or Colonia Suiza, which makes visiting the Circuito Chico one of the most popular things to do in Bariloche.

Why Driving is a Great Way to See Circuito Chico

Circuito Chico is one of the best road trips in Argentina, and to really enjoy it, we suggest renting a car. Having our own vehicle gave us the freedom to set off early, so we could enjoy many of the attractions and hiking trails without the crowds. We could stop and spend as long or as little as we wished at certain locations without feeling rushed, like we would’ve on a tour. Having a car also meant that we could complete the route in one day, which may not have been the case if we opted to cycle it. (Although, cycling is probably the next best way to experience Circuito Chico).

Lastly, there’s also another beautiful road trip from Bariloche called the Route of the Seven Lakes that we cannot recommend enough. Therefore, we suggest hiring a car for a minimum of 2 days and driving both routes during your visit.

Tips for Driving Circuito Chico

Circuito Chico starts and finishes in the same location, which is at the roundabout of Avenida Exequiel Bustillo and Route 77. 

Which direction to drive Circuito Chico in? You can complete the loop both clockwise or counter clockwise. We decided to start driving anti-clockwise, so we could do some of the hikes first, then enjoy the rest of the drive and attractions in the afternoon.

Speed Limit. The speed limit is between 40 and 60 km/hr. There are quite a few speed cameras between Bariloche and the start of the loop. Make sure to drive carefully, because there are people walking or cycling along the road too.

Other Ways to Visit Circuito Chicho

Cycling. If you’re up for more of a physical challenge, then consider renting a bike and cycling around Circuito Chico. There are plenty of bike rentals at the start of the circuit and you can get the bus there from Bariloche. Of course, you can now rent electric bikes too, which would make cycling much easier. Bear in mind that there’s no designated cycle lane. For this reason, make sure to wear a helmet and consider wearing a hi-vis vest or something more colourful.

Public Transport. Buses offer services to certain points along the Circuito Chico from Bariloche. You can get Bus 20 to Hotel Llao Llao, or Buses 10 and 13 to Colonia Suiza. Check out the timetable on the Mi Bus website. To use the bus you’ll need a travel card called SUBE. You can buy one at many of the kiosks in Bariloche. Make sure to load it with plenty of credit to cover your bus rides.

Walking. If you’re taking the bus, then you’ll most likely have to do some walking and hiking to get around Circuito Chico. There are plenty of shorter and longer trails to various viewpoints and attractions along the route. Whenever you can, we recommend staying on the designated hiking trail and only walking along the road when absolutely necessary.

Organised Tour. A hassle-free way to visit Circuito Chico is with an organised tour. Departing from Bariloche, there are many half-day tours that would take you around the loop, stopping at many of the iconic viewpoints and attractions. In addition, many tours also include a visit to either Cerro Campanario, Cerro Catedral, or an optional boat trip to Isla Victoria and the Bosque de Arrayanes.

Practical Information About Circuito Chico

Entry Fee and Opening Times

The Circuito Chico Road is open every day, however certain attractions along the way may have opening times, such as the Cerveza Patagonia brewery. It’s also worth noting that some of the hiking trails can be closed during bad or extreme weather conditions.

According to the Argentine Government and Nahuel Huapi National Park‘s website, there’s an entry fee to the national park. However, the only listed access area where you would need an entry fee is in Puerto Pañuelo, when taking the excursion to the Arrayanes Forest, Victoria Island and/or Puerto Blest. Otherwise you can drive along Circuito Chico for free. Please check the websites in case this changes in the future and plan accordingly.

Best Time to Drive Circuito Chico in Bariloche

Driving Circuito Chico is possible all year round, unless there are some extreme weather conditions. The most popular time of the year is between December and March, which is the summer season in Argentina. The weather conditions are usually pretty good, although expect some windy days. End of spring and autumn can also be nice, especially with the fall foliage. Those months would also be less crowded. Winter weather can be more unpredictable, but it could give you the chance for some winter wonderland conditions.

No matter what time of the year you intend to visit in, we cannot emphasize enough that you check the weather forecast before you set off. The weather conditions can change here very quickly. We suggest picking a less windy and clear day, otherwise hiking trails may be closed and visibility will be pretty low too. We actually drove Circuito Chico twice, as the first time the weather conditions got really bad and they ended up closing many of the hiking trails. You can check for any alerts (bad weather, high winds, fire, etc.) on the Nahuel Huapi National Park’s website.

How Long Do You Need to Drive Circuito Chico

You can drive along Circuito Chico and stop at many of the attractions in just one day. If you’re planning on doing most of the hiking trails and want to go at a somewhat leisurely pace, then we suggest setting off earlier in the morning. It’s still quite a lot to fit into just one day, especially if you want to do some hiking and also a boat trip to the Arrayan Forest. Most tours would only be half a day, so you’d have time to spend in Bariloche afterwards.

However, if you have the time, we suggest doing it over two days. This way you can take your time at each location, go on a boat trip, visit Colonia Suiza and do some of the hikes as well. You can spend a night at one of the accommodations along Circuito Chico, which would save you some driving time to and from Bariloche.

Attractions Along Circuito Chico

1. Cerro Campanario

Just before starting to drive along Circuito Chico it’s worth stopping at Cerro Campanario. This small summit offers 360-degree panoramic views of the entire area. You can either take the chairlift up to the summit, or do a short but steep hike if you want to save some money like we did.

Many organised tours from Bariloche would also stop here.

2. Parroquia San Eduardo

The first official attraction along Circuito Chico that we stopped at was the Parroquia San Eduardo. You can park somewhere behind the church after turning left onto the side road.

It’s a small but picturesque wooden chapel built in 1938. The church stands at the top of a hill overlooking Hotel Llao Llao, offering possibly one of the best views of the iconic hotel with the imposing mountains behind it.

3. Puerto Pañuelo – Boat Trip to Victoria Island and the Arrayanes Forest

Across from the church and the Llao Llao Hotel is Puerto Pañuelo. It’s the port from where you can take a boat excursion to Bosque de los Arrayanes & Isla Victoria, as well as to Puerto Blest.

Los Arrayanes National Park covers the entire Quetrihué Peninsula, which extends into the Nahuel Huapi Lake. It was created in 1971 to protect its forest of arrayan trees. Arrayan trees (also known as Luma apiculata, or Chilean myrtle) are native to this part of Chile and Argentina. They usually grow between 8 and 15 metres tall but can live for over 600 years. You can instantly recognise them by their cinnamon-coloured bark.

The boats to the forest and island depart at 12PM and 2PM and would return at 6:30PM. This means that you would need to set off early and drive around the circuit first, before returning to Puerto Pañuelo to spend the rest of your day on the excursion.

Top Tip. You can also visit the Arrayanes Forest from Villa La Angostura – located along the Route of the Seven Lakes (or Ruta 40) – which is much closer to the park.

4. Hotel Llao Llao

One of the most iconic attractions along the Circuito Chico is Hotel Llao Llao. It was designed and built by Architect Alejandro Bustillo in the Canadian home style in 1938. A fire destroyed the building completely in 1939, but it was reopened the following year. In 1978, it was closed for 15 years before opening its doors once again in 1993 under the name Llao Llao Hotel & Resort, Golf-Spa.

You can drive up to it, but can only park somewhere along the road unless you have a reservation. If you want to splurge, then we recommend booking a night at the 5-star hotel. However, even if you don’t stay there, it’s still possible to make reservations for tea or lunch, or treat yourself in their spa.

5. Sendero de los Arrayanes Forest Hike

The next point of interest along Circuito Chico was the Arrayanes Forest Trail. It’s a 3 km long path that follows the shores of Lago Moreno. Along this stretch there were a few arrayan trees, so if you skip the boat trip you can still see some of these trees here. It’s only a very small section though compared to the much larger forest on the peninsula.

Then the trail took us down to Playa Moreno. From the shore here, it’s possible to see Llao Llao Hotel in the distance. Following the trail, the next viewpoint was Mirador Lago Moreno, which offered us a beautiful view of the lake and surrounding mountains. On a less windy day, you can enjoy some fantastic reflections of the mountain peaks in the water. There was also a picnic table here, offering a perfect spot for a quick snack.

Here you have a decision to make. You can either just walk back the way you came to the trailhead or carry on towards the Circuito Chico Road up ahead. If you do that, then the trail on the opposite side of the road would take you around to Cerro Llao Llao, one of the best viewpoints along Circuito Chico.

6. Cerro Llao Llao Hike

If you decided to carry on towards Cerro Llao Llao, then just follow the path to Villa Tacul until you reach the turn-off to the Llao Llao viewpoint. It’ll be a steep hike up to the top, with plenty of switchbacks. Just before the summit, the path will open up, offering stunning views out to Nahuel Huapi Lake and the surrounding landscape. Then the path will circle around the hill slightly before reaching the official Llao Llao Viewpoint. From the top, just follow the switchbacks back down to the fork. Here, follow the path to the right, which will take you back to the Circuito Chico Road just across from the Arrayanes Forest trailhead.

Alternatively, you can just do an out-and-back hike up to Cerro Llao Llao, starting from the Sendero Villa Tacul trailhead.

9. Mirador Bahia Lopez and Puente Arroyo La Angostura

Further up the road, there’s another viewpoint (Mirador Bahia Lopez) that’s worth a quick stop. It wasn’t the most beautiful one we stopped at, but it’s easily accessible from the road with minimal effort.

A few minutes further up the road from that viewpoint, we drove across the Arroyo La Angostura bridge. You can pull over here if you want to snap a photo of the bridge and the view.

10. Cerveza Patagonia Brewery

Another popular place to visit along Circuito Chico is the Cerveza Patagonia Brewery. They are open from 12PM, so we suggest making this one of your last stops of the day.

We could visit the grounds for free, although you can also pre-book the restaurant or a tour too. In the beer garden, you can get a drink or just enjoy the viewpoint if you’re the designated driver. It’s a nice place to hang out for a while, especially on a sunny day.

11. Punto Panorámico

If we had to name the most beautiful viewpoint along Circuito Chico, then the award would definitely go to Punto Panoramico. This viewpoint is located at the side of the road and, as the name already suggests (“Panoramic Point”), it offers panoramic views of Lago Moreno and the Llao Llao Hotel in the distance.

Pretty much everyone – including tour groups – will stop here, so it can get quite busy. This was also one of the reasons why we enjoyed having our own vehicle, so we could spend as long as we wanted to here. They had food stands and vendors selling a few souvenirs here too.

12. Colonia Suiza

Lastly, another popular place to visit around Circuito Chico is Colonia Suiza (“Swiss Colony” in English). You can reach the village either before or after stopping at Punto Panoramico. Although, if you want to drive on a tarmac road for the most part, we suggest visiting after the Panoramic Viewpoint.

This small village was founded at the end of the 19th century by Swiss people who emigrated to Chile and Argentina around this time. Families who arrived from the Valais canton of Switzerland found this area to be very similar to their home. They built typical Swiss-style chalets and brought their traditions with them. People from Germany also settled here, which is why this area has a blend of Swiss and German traditional architecture and cuisine, such as beer and chocolate.

It can get quite busy, especially later in the day, and it almost felt like a small theme park when we were there. They had plenty of foody places and artisan markets to browse through, so it kept us occupied for a while.

Final Thoughts on Driving Circuito Chico in Bariloche

As we mentioned at the start, we ended up driving Circuito Chico twice during our stay in Bariloche. The weather conditions couldn’t have been more different on each of our drives, so we were grateful that we could return and actually enjoy everything the circuit had to offer. Hiking Cerro Llao Llao was definitely one of our highlights, as well as the Punto Panoramico viewpoint, despite it being probably the most visited spot along the route.

Have you ever visited Bariloche and the Lake District of Argentina? If not, would you want to add the Circuito Chico to your future itinerary? Let us know in the comments below.