Agostino Rocca Hut - Lake Frías and Puerto Blest

TRAIL MAP

Moderate Difficulty

November - April
High (May - October)

Distance

12 km.

Elevation gain

680 m.

Duration

5- 6 hs. to Lake Frías.

How to get there

HOW TO GET THERE

From downtown Bariloche:

Bus: Line 20, descend at Puerto Pañuelo, Llao Llao.

SUBE card needed to pay bus fare. Check timetable.

Turisur, a travel agent, offers the transfer to the Port.

Navigation from Puerto Pañuelo to Puerto Blest, then a short bus ride (3 km.) with the same company Turisur to Puerto Alegre, where another boat will cross the Frias Lake to Puerto Frias.

Catamaran departure timetable:

  • Puerto Pañuelo – Puerto Blest:
    10 hs. all year round. Be at the port at 9 hs.
  • Puerto Blest – Puerto Pañuelo:
    November 1st through end March: 18.30 hs.
    April 1st to end October: 16.30 hs.

The entrance fee to the National Park and the boarding fee must be paid at the port prior to boarding.

 

Puerto Frías to Puerto Blest an then another catamaran to Bariloche:

November 1st to end March: 16:30 hs.
Be at Frías port at 16 hs.

SERVICES

Refugio Agostino Rocca – Abierto de noviembre a mayo
www.refugiorocca.com

Turisur
www.turisur.com.ar

Navegación Lago Nahuel Huapi y Lago Frías.
Es la única empresa de Bariloche concesionaria de la navegación con servicio regular y turístico entre Puerto Pañuelo (LLao LLao) y Puerto Blest. La misma empresa brinda el servicio de navegación en el Lago Frías entre Puerto Alegre y Puerto Frías, sumado al traslado en bus entre Puerto Blest y Puerto Alegre. Este servicio en todos los casos se abona extra a la navegación a Puerto Blest. En caso de utilizar un solo tramo de navegación, este se tiene que abonar en su totalidad (ida y vuelta).

Para este trayecto de navegación también se pueden contratar servicios privados de navegación. En tal caso es importante verificar que las embarcaciones y las empresas estén debidamente habilitadas por la Administración de Parques Nacionales para brindar el servicio.

Hotel Puerto Blest
www.hotelpuertoblest.com.ar

Temporada baja. Desde Semana Santa hasta el 14 de diciembre. En este período puede haber días en que el Hotel permanezca cerrado. El resto del año se considera temporada alta. En caso de reservar el hotel el costo del viaje en catamarán se encuentra incluido en la tarifa, ya sea que se utilicen los dos tramos (ida y vuelta) o sólo uno de ellos.

DESCRIPTION

The trail starts right next to the hut, it is very well marked all the way. The trail descends through a Lenga forest and close to getting to the valley floor there is a big rock outcrop with great views of the hanging Frias glacier. From here it is a rocky trail down to the valley. You cross a small creek (bridge) and continue through the Valdivian forest staying always on the right side of the Frias river. After roughly 9 km. there is a hanging bridge to cross the Frias river.

The ticket for the boat ride can be purchased in Bariloche before starting out with a fixed date or reserve up at the Agostino Rocca Hut. This option is best so as to have some flexibility on dates, either way make sure you have a reservation for the boat.

You will navigate Lake Frías from Puerto Frías to Puerto Alegre, then a short bus ride to Puerto Blest and finally the last leg from Puerto Blest to Puerto Pañuelo. (all included in one ticket).

This trail can also be done in the opposite direction, starting at Puerto Blest and finishing in Pampa Linda staying the night at Agostino Rocca Hut. On either direction you can also include a night stay at the Hotel Puerto Blest to enjoy its surrounding trails.

To improve the trekking experience, it is recommended to contact a Mountain Guide authorized by the AAGM (Argentine Association of Mountain Guides)

WARNING
  • Camping is not allowed at Lake Frias nor at Puerto Blest.
  • The trail has markings (01/12, 02/12, 03/12) which indicate the distance you have covered, this will help calculate the time needed to get to the pier in time for the boat.
  • Have always in mind the boat departure timetable.

PHOTO GALLERY

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