Travel information
Travelling to BarilocheBariloche is one of the main Argentinian touristic destinations. It is located at about 1700 km from Buenos Aires, at the foothills of the Andes in north-west Patagonia and on the southern shores of the Nahuel Huapi Lake. Bariloche is part of the so-called Nahuel Huapi National Park. The outstanding natural landscape surrounding Bariloche makes it a favourite spot for national and international tourists.
- By plane
To reach Bariloche from abroad you will have to fly first to Buenos Aires International Airport (Ministro Pistarini, also known as Ezeiza; EZE). There are direct flights to EZE from main European cities (Amsterdam, Barcelona, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Paris, Rome); some US cities (Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Miami, New York); and several Latin American cities.At EZE you can connect to a flight to Bariloche (BRC), but note that there are only 1-2 flights per day. Most of the flights connecting Buenos Aires and Bariloche depart from the Buenos Aires city airport (Aeroparque Jorge Newbery; AEP), where there are about 10 flights to/from Bariloche per day. The airport acronym BUE refers to both EZE and AEP.
To connect between the EZE and AEP airports in Buenos Aires, the most efficient and reliable service is provided by "Manuel Tienda León". This company has buses connecting the two airports (12-15 EUR one way) and private cars with chauffeur (called 'remise'; 45-50 EUR). There are other remise and taxi companies at the airport where you can hire private transportation. By no means should you take an unauthorised taxi outside of the airports.
In addition, take into account that if you change airports in Buenos Aires, you have to leave plenty of time between your flights (min. 4 hours recommended). The heavy traffic in Buenos Aires makes that the connection between airports usually takes at least one hour.
If your flight search engine does not allow you to book tickets from your departure airport to Bariloche, you can book flights to EZE and, independently, look for flights between Buenos Aires and Bariloche at the Argentine Airlines website.
- Reaching Bariloche by bus or car
It is possible to drive from Buenos Aires to Bariloche, and indeed there are frequent bus services between the two cities, but take into account that the distances are very long. The trip usually takes 22-24 hours via La Pampa, including a few stops. Note that most of the landscape in this trip is quite monotonic until you enter the Patagonic region (about four hours before reaching Bariloche), therefore this option is not recommended.Transportation to/from the conference venue
The conference venue is located in downtown Bariloche. To reach downtown Bariloche from the airport the best options are hiring your own car or taking a taxi or remise. The trip lasts about 20 min. Alternatively, there is a regular bus, but the service frequency is low (1 per hour) and the trip typically takes quite longer.
Restaurants and activities in downtown Bariloche
All attractions in downtown Bariloche are within walking distance. Bariloche is renowned for its local gastronomy (which is a fusion of local produce and cuisine with Swiss, German and Italian immigrant traditions), and particularly for its chocolate and pastry shops (we will prepare a list of must-try places for the conference). In spite of being a small town, Bariloche has quite a lively night life with discos and bars open until very late, as it is a main destination for final-year high school students. December is one of the quietest and nicest months to visit Bariloche, in between the touristic high seasons.
Outdoor activities in and around Bariloche
There are multiple tours and activities that you can do in and around Bariloche. See some information here.
Some Practical Information
Most foreign tourists do not require a visa to enter Argentina. Some foreign nationals (e.g. Canadians, Australians) do need to pay an entrance fee in advance of travelling. Please check the Argentinian Embassy website in your country to confirm if the visa exception applies to your case and if you need to pay an entrance fee.
The currency of Argentina is the Argentinian peso. You can withdraw cash from most ATMs with debit or credit cards (look for the "Maestro" logo on your card or ask your bank). Most restaurants and shops accept all major credit cards.
Most shops are open Monday to Saturday until late (about 9 pm), but some of them close for a few hours after lunch. The majority of restaurants are open for lunch and dinner, but note that dinner time is relatively late in Argentina (8-11 pm). A minority of restaurants and most bars are open all day.
If you have further enquiries, please contact us at galpatagonia@astro.rug.nl.
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Last updated on 22 Sep 2016, by Karina Caputi.