Circuito Chico - Llao Llao

We had time this morning to get up because the bike rental opened at 10 and we wouldn't need the whole day anyways. So we took our sweet time to prepare a good breakfast 🍳 Then we made another Western Union transaction because Monday and Tuesday are holidays (Carneval) and we're not sure how much we're going to need for hotels and tours until Wednesday. There was a super long line which would've taken definitely 2 hours so we checked out another location just 3 blocks away... And there was no one!! 🤩 The only downside was that they only had 500 Argentinian pesos notes (1.28€) which means double the stacks 🙈 But we're not complaining, we can be glad to get that exchange rate 🤷‍♂️ It's just annoying that we're not able to use the credit card.
From there we took a public bus to Cerro Campanario, a recommendation by the receptionist of our hostel. He said it's either a half hour walk up or taking the cable chairs. When we arrived we quickly checked the price but there was also already quite a long queue. The walk was pretty nice with about 200 metres uphill and was rewarded with beautiful views all around: Over the lake Nahuel Huapi, back to Bariloche and the mountain ranges giving the backdrop 🤩
We got back down and it took us overall just an hour. From there it was just a short walk to the bike shop where we got our bikes within 15 minutes and were on our way.

We had been warned that the terrain is a little hilly and the first 8km there was basically not a lot to see. But it wasn't that exhausting and we soon reached a cute little chapel on a hill. Nearby is the harbor from where the ferry goes to an island in the center of the lake, Victoria and also to the town we had visited yesterday, Villa La Angostura. The area of the harbor is very pretty with viewpoints, picnic tables and beautiful views over the lake. A perfect spot for a little snack break 🥟🍪
Continuing further along the circuit we stopped at viewpoints, a nice little lake within the forest and a beach with a single hotel. From there it was a long uphill stretch that started to get exhausting but right afterwards was a reward waiting for us, the Patagonian brewery 🍺 They had their beer varieties and also some pub food. So we got a Hoppy Lager, a Red Ale, a lamb and a vegetable empanada. The whole area is amazing with spectacular views, little corners to sit, relax and enjoy your beer. It was a nice break from the cycling and beer is always a good idea to rehydrate.
The last stretch offered another panoramic viewpoint but soon after there wasn't anymore to see and we completed the ~28km cycling trip! It was tougher than expected, also because it was pretty well advertised but there were no bicycle paths. The views make up for it but if someone had to choose, I would recommend taking a tour or the public bus. When taking the bus back into town we both fell asleep immediately 😁😴

After a shower and a little relaxation I made my way to the city center to in the queue once again for El Boliche de Alberto for our last night here in Bariloche. It was the third location we visited but the same concept as the first one, so a meat based menu. And we've learned from the last time and ordered just a salad to the steak and mashed potatoes. And also no dessert 😁 In the evening we started packing our luggage for the next leg of our journey.Read more