Southern lakes crossing

Take the scenic route between Argentina and Chile by floating along the waterways of the northern Patagonian lake district.

Our favourite way to cross between Argentina and Chile is via this idyllic passage through the lakes, very much a highlight in its own right.

Bavarian Bariloche, with its pointed steeples, ski resorts and chocolate shops, marks one end of the lake crossing, while on the Chilean side you’ll arrive at the town of Puerto Varas with its backdrop of snow-capped volcanoes. In between, a wonderland of aquamarine lakes penetrates the Andean mountain chain that forms a natural border between the two countries.

You’ll cross this region by boat and road over the course of a mesmerising day’s journey. Passing crystalline cascades and primeval temperate rainforest, you travel across lakes reminiscent of Scandinavian fjords as ever-changing mountain landscapes peer over the horizon.