The best excursions in Esquel

If you are planning a trip to this wonderful city in Patagonia Argentina and you still don’t know what to do, don’t worry! You have reached the ideal place. With this top of the best excursions in Esquel you will be able to put together your travel itinerary with the certainty that you will like each activity, thanks to the details that we will offer you. You just have to choose based on your tastes, time and duration of the trip.

•         LA TROCHITA EXCURSION

His name speaks for itself. This excursion takes place aboard La Trochita. One of the few tourist trains that still operate in the world and, as if that were not enough, a Patagonian relic. The history of this mythical means of transport is full of adventures and endless events.

As of today, it covers a tourist route between Esquel and Nahuel Pan. In this last destination, a settlement of a Mapuche descendants community is located, so that travelers can have direct contact with this culture. They can also visit an interpretive museum located on site. Next to this, a craft house where you can see and buy a magical souvenir.

But that is not all. It turns out that the train route includes 18 km loaded with majestic landscapes. So do not forget to bring a good camera, it is impossible not to capture the best images of all that this experience implies through the Old Patagonian Express.

It should be noted that the activity lasts 3 hours leaving at 10:00am. The service includes professional guides who will introduce you to the history of the train, of course, without neglecting the technical data of this wonderful means of transport. Although the tickets for La Trochita excursion do not include transfers to and from the station, you can coordinate this service with our travel specialists. Whatsapp us! 

•         ICE TUNNELS

Frozen, but unmissable experience in this city. The Ice Tunnels are a unique and unforgettable destination in Esquel. It is the perfect combination between nature and adventure, requiring a full day, as the activity starts at 7:00am and ends at 1:30pm.

The excursion begins in Esquel, bound for Cerro La Torta. On board of 4X4 vehicles we cross a section of Los Alerces National Park, entering a ranch surrounded by the tracks of those old carts that loaded firewood from the forest.

The same forest that we will ascend, between lengas and mountain streams, until we reach the highest point to which vehicles have access. Now, the experience continues with a mountain trekking. We are going to skirt the Arroyo Irigoyen, which gives us a unique landscape. In fact, after 20 minutes of walking, we find the waterfall that gives life to this watercourse.

Just below that jump, are the mighty Ice Tunnels. It is an unprecedented place, of which you can learn more details in our special article. Click on the link at the beginning of this paragraph and discover the magic that this wonderful place contains. You will not want to miss this experience! Not for nothing it’s one of the best excursions in Esquel.

Of medium/high difficulty, this excursion is recommended for children from 11 years of age and adults in good physical condition. The trekking lasts 2 hours only, and the service includes guide and transfer from the accommodation. Each passenger must bring their food, there is nowhere to buy food on the spot.

•         CAMPO DE TULIPANES

This excursion is magnificent and, to understand the origin of its name, the recommendation is to do it during the month of October; month in which tulips bloom. Similarly, it is operational all year round with an alternative route that replaces the plantation with the Nant and Fall waterfalls. 

Tulip Field consists of a walk through the October 16 Valley, along which we delight the view with large extensions of farms and fields. The final destination of the activity is Trevelin, a Welsh colony that is located in a dreamy valley, framed by mountains from which are observed snow-capped peaks at any time.

To close with a flourish, we have the natural spectacle created by tulips. An unmatched landscape! But, as we mentioned, it is only appreciated fully in October or some other date where the weather favors the re-emergence of these flowers. The adventure closes with a visit to the Nant Fach Mill Museum.

The Tulip Field excursion includes a guide and transfer from the hotel or any other place where you are going to stay. In case of doubt or if you are ready to reserve, do not hesitate to contact our travel specialists. It is one of the best excursions in Esquel!

•         TORRECILLAS GLACIER, TREKKING AND NAVIGATION

Trekking lover? Then this excursion is great for you. It consists of a walk that begins in Puerto Chucao on the South East arm of Lake Menéndez, which we will arrive at after crossing the footbridge of the Arrayanes River.

After walking along the banks of the Menéndez river, we sail for about 40 minutes to Puerto Nuevo. Here, we descend to resume trekking along a path of particular beauty. It is a winter mountain where we are going to travel one of the most outstanding pristine landscapes of the National Park. It is an ascent of hih difficulty, demanding and with a duration of between 1:30 to 2:00 hrs approx.

The first section takes place within the Valdivian forest. Then, it is the turn of the Laguna del Antiguo, which source we are going to travel to. To give you an idea of ​​how fascinating it can be, this lake is located at the foot of Las Torrecillas Glacier. Hence, the name of this excursion.

This trekking and sailing adventure takes place in a total of approximately 5 to 6 hours. Includes lake transportation and guides that will give you a magnificent explanation about the flora, fauna, history and glaciology of the entire Patagonian region, much of which you can appreciate live and direct.

Indeed, throughout the excursion there is sighting of larches, tineos, lengas, coihues, cypresses and other characteristic species of the Valdivian jungle, as well as the basins where the snow began to accumulate and the glacier formed. We are talking about the last Ice Age, which arose more than 24 thousand years ago. Impressive! Therefore, it could not be missing in this top of the best excursions in Esquel.

•         LOS ALERCES NATIONAL PARK

Land adventure to Lago Verde, one of the majestic attractions of Los Alerces National Park, a protected area that is full of lagoons, rivers, streams and bodies of water that you can also visit during the tour. This excursion alternates virgin forests with lakes, glaciers, waterfalls, rapids and mountain ranges.

In short, it is a great option to get to know most of the park. In fact, it includes walks through very beautiful hidden places. We access Los Alerces from Esquel, through the central portal (taking National Route 259 until joining Provincial Route 71). Along the way, other places of interest are visited.

Some of them are: Villa Intendencia, Rupestres Paintings, Irigoyen Waterfall.  We also visit the beach in Punta Matos, walk to Puerto Chucao passing through the Arrayanes River Footbridge, Green Lake, Menéndez River, Puerto Chucao and Torrecillas Glacier viewpoint . Gem of activity!

This excursion Includes guides and transfer to and from the hotel in Esquel. Do not hesitate to consult, based on your place of accommodation. It is impossible to stay in this destination and not visit this place that is part of the best excursions in Esquel. 

•         GALESA ROUTE

This activity begins in a similar way to the Tulip Field, since it includes a tour of the October 16 Valley where you will be able to appreciate the large fields and extensions of farms. In the same way, until reaching Trevelin, a Welsh Colony that is located in a valley surrounded by mountains that give us a show at any time of the year of the snow-capped peaks.

It is a full day. We start in the morning with a visit to the Futaleufú Hydroelectric Complex, which represents an imposing work of engineering. In this place the Amutui Quimey Reservoir is located, which, in the Mapuche language, means “Lost Beauty”, alluding to the thousands of hectares of forests that were submerged in the waters of the lake. Later, we go to the balance tower and the machinery and piping sectors.

By noon, we return to the town of El Molino where free time is granted for lunch. Keep in mind that food is not included in the excursion service, so you must be prepared with your food.

After this, in the afternoon, we visit the Nature Reserve “Cascada Nant & Fall”. It is a protected area nestled in the Andean Patagonian Forest where, if that weren’t enough, you will find four impressive waterfalls that you can discover through an interpretive path of 1600 meters, with panoramic balconies that give us dreamy views.

Then, we go to El Molino Museo Nant Fach to delight ourselves with the interesting and captivating history of the place. You will see an exhibition of agricultural machinery, along with testimonies of the colonization and Welshculture of the region.

Finally, we visit the main monuments and buildings of the city ​​of Trevelin. The closing of the excursion takes place in a Welsh tea house, where you will have the option of tasting one of their traditional delicacies.

•         PIEDRA PARADA EXCURSION

This is a Protected Natural Area composed of a huge and imposing rock formation, hence its name. To give you a more precise reference, this natural monument has an approximate height of 270 meters.

Beyond how impressive it is to look at, this silica rock comes from volcanic activity that was recorded in this area more than 35 million years ago. This means that, during the excursion, you will be able to know the different effects that the eruption of the volcanic caldera had.

  It is a walk towards the interior of the Buitrera Canyon. They are 6 kilometers surrounded by very colorful rock cliffs among which we also find a beautiful flora and fauna. There is also an eaves that was occupied more than 5,000 years ago by Aborigines. Not surprisingly, this place has paleontological, anthropological and archaeological value.

The service includes guide and transfers to and from the place of accommodation. The experience lasts approximately 8 hours, so you will have to dedicate a full day of your travel itinerary. 

As you can see, this top with the best excursions in Esquel contains all kinds of charm and entertainment. If you want to do more than one, you just have to contact our travel specialists, they will help you put together your itinerary with the best combination of attractions, saving you time and money.