El Bolson

Lago Puelo, about 45 minutes outside of El Bolson

Overview

Sometimes while traveling, particularly long term, you just need a break.  A chance to chill, relax, eat some good food, drink some good beer, all the while in stunning surroundings.  While El Bolson offers plenty of outdoor activities for those who don’t want a break, it’s also a killer spot to visit when you’re just in need of some good R&R.

This little hippie town offers a very relaxed vibe in a picturesque setting, and the highlight is no doubt the three times a week farmer’s market held in the center of town.  Handicrafts, fruit, jam, beer, and tons of great food are on offer, so if you enjoy markets, they don’t get much better than this.

Getting There/Arriving

Bus- The town is tiny, so a bus is the only way to get here.  It’s only about 2 hours from Bariloche (cost about $8US) and 4-5 from Esquel.  Book ahead in high season as buses fill up, sometimes getting overbooked.

Getting Around

Foot- When possible, we like to walk.  El Bolson is a good little walking town, depending on where you’re staying.  We actually stayed at a place a few miles outside of town, so we did take a taxi to where we stayed.

Bike- Renting a bike is also a great idea for getting around El Bolson.  Traffic is light, and you can get around and see a lot more on two wheels.  We rented bikes from our hostel and road into town several times, including going to the market (twice).

Bus- There are local buses that run and are pretty easy to figure out.  We took a local bus to Lago Puelo with little difficulty.

El Pueblito, our accommodation while in El Bolson

Where to Stay

If coming in high season (December-February), make sure you book ahead.  There are hostels and guesthouses spread throughout El Bolson and in the surrounding areas.  Travelers have plenty of different options when coming to El Bolson.

Where we Stayed- Because of all our activity over the previous month, we were looking to chill and relax in El Bolson.  So we ended up at El Pueblito, which is about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) outside of town.  A nice little wooden cabin with a good amount of land greeted us upon arrival, and we were stoked to be staying here.  Dorms ($15US/person), private rooms with bath ($45US/room) and without bath ($35US/room)  are available, and a large common area/kitchen was a major highlight.  The open floor plan was great, and there were two kitchens, one for the staff to cook (Breakfast was included at El Pueblito and they offered a different, unique, well cooked dinner every single night) and one for people staying there.  The breakfast included the BEST homemade jam I have ever eaten.  Seriously, 23 months later, I can still envision and taste this jam, it was that good.  A bar was housed on the grounds separate from the main building, which kept it nice, quiet, and peaceful throughout the day and evening.  They brewed their own beer, which was outstanding (and strong, bonus!).  As long as you don’t mind having to take a cab, a bus, ride a bike, or hoof it the few miles into town, this is a great place to stay to get away from things for a while.

Food and Drink

So, so good

Because we stayed so far outside of town, we didn’t eat out at a restaurant one single time during our stay in El Bolson.  We did eat dinner at El Pueblito (our hostel) one night (food was excellent, but the portions were rather small for the price), but we cooked the other nights we were here.

Farmer’s Market- More on the market in the Things to Do section below, but if you’re heading to the three times a week market, go hungry.  There is a food court type section of the market that serves all types of delicious food, including pizza, sandwiches, stews, and our personal favorite, waffles topped with fresh berries and whipped cream.  Oh yeah!

Things to Do

In the previous month, we had done a lot of outdoorsy stuff all throughout Patagonia, including hiking the W in Torres Del Paine National Park, trekking around El Chalten for five straight days, plus all the sightseeing at Perito Moreno Glacier and the Punta Tombo penguin colony.  By the time we got to the Bariloche and El Bolson region of Argentina, we were thoroughly exhausted.  So honestly, we didn’t do a whole hell of a lot.

Farmer’s Market- Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday the center of town turns into a fair-like setting, with tons of booths and stands set up.  Part market, part Grateful Dead parking lot, this place is incredible if you’re like us and enjoy any kind of market setting.  Handicrafts, fresh fruit and berries (best berries ever, seriously), microbrews, and an outstanding food court-type area makes this a must visit when in El Bolson.  We went twice, and if we were in El Bolson for the third market day, we would have again.

Interesting and ominous cemetery along our hike

Cascada Escondida- Ask around to find the trailhead through the woods (as opposed to walking along dusty roads) to this waterfall located about 6 miles (10km) outside of town.  You pass through a cool, little cemetery to get to this nice, quiet little area that is a great way to spend an afternoon.  Great place for a picnic (the waterfall, not the cemetery).

Lago Puelo- A beautiful lake and surrounding area about 45 minutes out of town, Lago Puelo makes a great day trip.  Local buses leave every 2 hours, and this is a great place to pack a lunch, maybe a bottle of wine, a blanket, and have a picnic.  If here during summer, beware of the bees.  We hiked to a few of the more remote beaches, and we got swarmed by bees.

Parque Nacional Los Alerces- Disclaimer:  We did not visit this park.  In between El Bolson and Esquel, Parque Nacional Los Alerces is a secluded, virtually untouched park with multiple lakes, fishing, hiking, and camping opportunities.