Hiking Cerro Llao Llao in Bariloche – A Short Guide

Cerro Llao Llao is one of the most popular day hikes near Bariloche in the Argentine Lake District. Offering panoramic views from its summit, this trail can easily be done on the same day you drive around Circuito Chico, a scenic loop in the Nahuel Huapi National Park. In this guide, we’ll detail everything you need to know before hiking up Cerro Llao Llao, including shorter and longer trail options, how to get to the trailhead, when the best time to visit is and where to stay nearby.

If you’d like to see our experience hiking Cerro Llao Llao, 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 Cerro Llao Llao

Cerro Llao Llao (pronounced “Sha-ow Sha-ow”) is located to the northwest of San Carlos de Bariloche in Parque Municipal Llao Llao. The park is part of the much bigger Nahuel Huapi National Park. Cerro Llao Llao sits 1,025 m above sea level, making it the highest point in Llao Llao Park. It’s also one of the best attractions along the Circuito Chico, one of the most scenic drives in the Argentine Lake District.

How to Get to Cerro Llao Llao in Bariloche

Private Vehicle

Rental Car. We recommend renting a car to get to the Cerro Llao Llao trailhead, especially if you also plan on driving around the rest of Circuito Chico or do other road trips, such as the Route of the Seven Lakes.

Uber or Taxi. Getting either a taxi or Uber to the trailhead is also possible, as it’s only about 30-minutes from Bariloche. Check the numbers for official taxis in Bariloche here. Bear in mind that if you call an Uber or taxi, a one-way ride could easily cost you around $25,000 ARS or more, so it’s worth doing some quick math to work out if it would actually be cheaper than hiring a car.

Public Bus

You can also access the trailhead with Bus 20, which runs between Bariloche and Hotel Llao Llao.

Buses run all day, every 15 minutes on the weekdays and every 20 minutes on the weekends. They depart from the main bus terminal but you can also hop on in the centre of town from somewhere along Francisco Pascaiso Moreno street. The journey time is around 50 minutes and you should get off at Puerto Pañuelo bus stop, just before the bus turns into the Llao Llao Hotel. Check out the timetable on the Mi Bus website.

In order to use the bus you’ll need a travel card called SUBE. If you’re visiting the Argentine Lake District after spending a few days in Buenos Aires, then you may have already purchased one. However, you can also buy a new card at many kiosks in Bariloche. Just remember to load it with plenty of credit to cover your bus ride there and back.

Best Time to Do the Cerro Llao Llao Hike

Hiking up to Cerro Llao Llao 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 to do some snowshoeing.

No matter what time of the year you intend to do the hike in, we cannot emphasize enough that you check the weather forecast before you set off. The weather conditions can change here very quickly. For example, when we did the hike in December, the longer trail was still open when we set off, but they had closed it by the time we’d got the whole way round due to high wind warnings. It was also incredibly foggy, so we decided to come back another day to climb to the summit of Cerro Llao Llao. You can check for any alerts (bad weather, high winds, fire, etc.) on the Nahuel Huapi National Park’s website.

Where to Stay Near the Cerro Llao Llao Trail

San Carlos de Bariloche. Having a base in Bariloche is probably the most popular option when it comes to accommodation. The city has everything you need for long and short stays, including plenty of more affordable hotels and hostels, car rental offices and of course a ton of amenities. The trailhead is also easily accessible by different modes of transport such as bus, Uber or taxi.

Hotel Llao Llao. If you’re after a slightly more luxurious stay, consider splurging on a night at the iconic 5-star Llao Llao Hotel. It’s the most exclusive resort in Argentine Patagonia and is surrounded by the Cerro Lopez and Tronador mountain peaks. It’s also a popular landmark along Circuito Chico.

Cerro Llao Llao Hiking Route Options

There are essentially two options for reaching Cerro Llao Llao. You can do an out-and-back hike up to the viewpoint, or extend it to a longer loop which takes you to a few more points of interest. We actually ended up doing both due to the weather conditions.

The first time around we did the loop hike, but because of the high winds and low visibility we didn’t climb up to the viewpoint. Then a few days later when the weather conditions were better, having already done the loop, we just hiked up to the summit and back down.

Option 1. Cerro Llao Llao Loop Hike

• Distance: 10.6 km / 6.5 miles
• Elevation Gain: 469 m / 1,539 ft

For a slightly longer hike with more points of interest, we suggest completing a loop hike starting from the Sendero de los Arrayanes trailhead. The footpath takes you down to Playa Villa Tacul before heading up to Mirador Llao Llao, then back down to the Circuito Chico Road following the Sendero Villa Tacul trail.

Section 1. Sendero de los Arrayanes

The Arrayanes Trail is a 3 km long path that follows the shores of Lago Moreno. Along this stretch we could see a few arrayan trees before reaching Playa Moreno. Following the path, we got to Mirador Lago Moreno which offered us a beautiful view of the lake and surrounding mountains. They also had a little picnic table here, so it was a great spot for a quick snack.

From here, the path took us out to the Circuito Chico Road, which we had to follow for a few minutes before joining onto the next trail towards Playa Villa Tacul.

Section 2. Path to Villa Tacul and Mirador Llao Llao

From the road, we followed the path through the forest until we reached Villa Tacul. There were a few points of interest as we got closer to Villa Tacul. The first one is Mirador del Tacul, which offered a lovely view of Lago Nahuel Huapi, a tiny islet and the mountains in the distance. Soon we reached Villa Tacul, where you can walk down to the sandy beach if you want. The first time we did the loop hike, the wind was so strong that at that point we just wanted to leave the forest behind as quickly as possible.

After passing Villa Tacul the path got steeper. Soon we got to the turn-off for the Cerro Llao Llao summit path. The trail up to Cerro Llao Llao was short but steep, with plenty of switchbacks. Towards the end we came across some openings offering stunning views out to Nahuel Huapi Lake and the surrounding landscape. Here we could really appreciate why this area is called the Lake District of Argentina. Then the trail circled around slightly before reaching the official Llao Llao Viewpoint.

Section 3. Mirador Llao Llao and Sendero Villa Tacul

There were some big boulders at the Llao Llao Viewpoint where we could enjoy panoramic views of the area. It was slightly similar to the views we got from Cerro Campanario, although from here we felt much closer to the impressive mountains. We took a well deserved break here, enjoying the sunshine and the views, before heading back down. You’ll have to descend Cerro Llao Llao on the same path until you reach the fork, then carry on to the right back to the Circuito Chico Road. This section wasn’t the most interesting, although it was a much nicer woodland walk on a less windy day than the scary experience we had the first time around.

Option 2. Cerro Llao Llao Out-and-Back Hike

• Distance: 5.8 km / 3.6 miles
• Elevation Gain: 276 m / 905 ft

If you just want to get to the Llao Llao Viewpoint, then start the hike from the Sendero Villa Tacul trailhead. This path will take you through the forest and starts out relatively flat. The path gets a bit steeper before you reach the turn-off to Cerro Llao Llao summit on your left. Here the path will zig-zag up through the forest for the most part, before offering the first views of Lake Nahuel Huapi and the surrounding landscape.

Then it’ll carry on further up and around the mountain before reaching the official viewpoint. There are a few boulders here, where you can take in the incredible views of the Argentine Lake District. Once you’re ready to leave, just head back the same way you came up.

Additional Things to Do Around Cerro Llao Llao

Driving Circuito Chico. This 27-km long loop is one of the most scenic roads in the Nahuel Huapi National Park. Along the way there are plenty of attractions, such as the Cerveza Patagonia brewery and Colonia Suiza.

Cerro Campanario. Offering 360-degree panoramic views, Cerro Campanario should also be on your itinerary. You can either hike up this short, steep hill or take the chairlift up the summit. Visit Cerro Campanario before hiking Cerro Llao Llao, then carry on driving around Circuito Chico for a full day out.

Final Thoughts on Hiking Cerro Llao Llao

Cerro Llao Llao was our first proper hike in Patagonia and we definitely got a taste of the unpredictable weather conditions and the infamous Patagonian wind. Thankfully, we spent two weeks in Bariloche, which gave us the opportunity to return on a much calmer and sunnier day. That time we got the perfect panoramic views, which made us even more excited about seeing more of Patagonia.

Have you ever considered visiting the Argentinian Lake District in Patagonia? If not, would you consider adding it to your future itinerary, including a hike up to Cerro Llao Llao? Let us know in the comments below.