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Southern lakes crossing

Lake Crossing Chilean Lake District

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.

Argentina
Argentine lake district

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Real Latin american experts

  • Carrie
    Carrie Gallagher - Travel Expert

    A former JLA tour leader, Carrie brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours department.

  • Juliet
    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

  • Ben
    Ben Line - Travel Expert

    Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Head of Sales.

  • Heloise
    Heloise Buxton - Travel Expert

    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert

    Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.

  • Millie
    Millie Davies - Travel Expert

    Having caught the travel bug as a child, Millie has travelled all over Latin America before making her home in Buenos Aires for 3 years.

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