OneWay Journey: Puerto Varas, Chile to Bariloche, Argentina
Description
It is a scenic and tourist route that connects the cities of Puerto Varas in Chile and San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina through the Andes, a mountain range that runs through South America. This trip allows travelers to explore the lakes and mountains of Patagonia while crossing the border between Chile and Argentina. Highlights: 1- Navigation by boat: Travelers cross 3 lakes; 2 Argentinean lakes and 1 Chilean lake. Nahuel Huapi Lake, Frias Lake and Todos los Santos Lake. 2- Bus ride: Each lake is connected by 4 overland routes, scenic routes that pass through places of natural interest such as forests and waterfalls. The following points are connected by bus: Bariloche-Puerto Pañuelo, Puerto Blest-Puerto Alegre, Puerto Frías-Peulla and Petrohué-Puerto Varas. Throughout the trip you will enjoy panoramic views, rainforest and the chance to explore the wildlife, gastronomy and local culture on both sides of the border. Come and live the experience, we are waiting for you!
Tour Options
Itinerary
It is the touristic capital of southern Chile. This city holds an unmistakable German influence, with its maximum exponent in the traditional architecture of wooden houses built with larch tiles. It is located on the shores of Lake Llanquihue, the second largest lake in the country.
The Petrohué Waterfalls are a series of waterfalls and rapids located in the Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, in the Los Lagos region of Chile. They are one of the most popular natural attractions in the area and offer a visually stunning experience surrounded by lush nature.
The large hills with their evergreen forests surround the landscape for about two hours of sailing in beautiful emerald waters. From the deck of the catamaran, travelers can see some waterfalls and three snowy peaks: Mount Tronador and the volcanoes Osorno and Puntiagudo.
In Peulla is a place for lunch, during the trip, the price is not included (US$25 per person.) Villa Peulla, It is a small ecological village, which was recognized as the most sustainable location in Chile.
Lago Frias, the smallest of the three lakes on the route. Procedures for crossing the border Chile-Argentina are made at this point. Of glacial origin, bringing meltwater that gives it its green-turquoise tones.
This landscape is a magnificent mixture of native forests and Patagonian canals. At this point, the green waters of the Frías River join the blue waters of Lake Nahuel Huapi. Travellers may see a dense forest, the Valdivian Forest (few locations holding a cold forest worldwide).
The area around the lake is home to a variety of landscapes, sunsets, birds and wildlife, including condors, eagles, deer and more. Bring binoculars and a camera to capture the natural beauty.
It is a lakeside port for passengers, located in the middle of the route between Puerto Blest and the city of Bariloche. It is exactly 25 kilometers far from Bariloche. This port is part of the tourist infrastructure of Nahuel Huapi National Park.
The final destination is the beautiful city of the Andean Patagonia, San Carlos de Bariloche. This is a touristic City of Swiss architecture and exquisite cuisine. Land of barbeques, chocolates, museums and warm people, all framed in a scenery of beautiful nature. The surroundings of the city: the Short Circuit, The Seven Lakes, Pampa Linda and Monte Tronador. Visit the various museums of the area, which will undoubtedly offer stories for all tastes and interests. In winter, many visitors come to take advantage of the snowy season for snowboarding, skiing, polo and other snow activities. In the summer there are fishing, trekking, horseback riding, rafting and mountain climbing.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Passport name, number, expiry and country is required at time of booking for all participants
Reviews(39)
Good guides on the whole tour, telling about nature, history and how to cross the border. There is a shift between bus and boat all the time. Nature is fantastic (the sun shone, it helped).
Thank you for your review. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the organization of the journey and that our guides helped make the experience informative and enjoyable. It's also wonderful to know that you were able to experience the stunning landscapes under clear skies. We appreciate you choosing Cruce Andino and wish you many more memorable travels.
Memorable experience. Just finished eighteen days in Chile and Argentina, visiting Santiago, Chiloe, Bariloche, Estancia Arroyo Verde and Tres Rios, and Buenos Aires. The crossing was one of our most memorable experience. It is a long day, 12 hours, not fancy but very comfortable. The visual experience is amazing. Highly recommend it. Try and schedule when weather is good
We're truly honored to know that Cruce Andino was one of the most memorable experiences of your 18-day journey through Chile and Argentina. It's wonderful to hear that you found the trip comfortable and enjoyed the spectacular scenery along the way. Knowing that you would highly recommend the experience means a great deal to our team. Thank you for choosing to travel with us.
One of the best walks in the area. I recommend staying 2 or 3 nights in Puerto Varas. It is a beautiful village, temporary rentals are accessible, excellent food and the environment better. The catamarans are very comfortable and the guides well prepared.
Gracias Leo , nos alegra saber que considera a Cruce Andino como una de las mejores experiencias que ofrece la zona. Es muy grato saber que disfrutó de la comodidad de nuestros catamaranes y del profesionalismo de nuestros guías. También agradecemos su recomendación de dedicar unos días a Puerto Varas para nuestros pasajeros, un destino que complementa perfectamente la travesía. Gracias por haber viajado con nosotros.
It is an excellent excursion, very well organized, taking care of all the details, the wonderful landscapes and the first navigation, the very efficient and friendly guides.
Muchas gracias por tu comentario. Nos alegra saber que disfrutaste la experiencia y que valoraste la organización, el cuidado en los detalles y los paisajes que ofrece el Cruce Andino. Gracias por recomendarnos y por vivir esta travesía única entre Chile y Argentina. Equipo Cruce Andino
Uf you can not say it was an robbery., it was cery close. The Journey lasted 12 hours. Ove hours and a Half to get to the first Catamaran, one hour and a half to get to customs, then three hours to wait for another bost ( and another Group, saying falsely that our boat was damaged). In summary Only 4 hours iof lakes at an astronomical cost
Hi Mauricio, thanks for your comment The Cruce Andino journey normally lasts around 12 hours, whether you travel from Puerto Varas to Bariloche or the other way around. It includes navigation on three lakes, four land transfers, and the time required for customs. If your experience took longer than usual or you felt there were unusual delays, I’d really like to look into it. Please email me at kzambrano@cruceandino.com with your travel date and full name, so I can check what happened that day and assist you further. Best regards, Karina
It was a wonderful trip. We went from Bariloche to Puerto Varas on November 13, 2025. The weather was perfect and the views were spectacular. The guide however advised us to drink the fresh water from the waterfall. As I emptied my water and started to fill it up I noticed that it was not as glacial cold as I expected. That particular waterfall (usually at Vicente Pérez Rosales Pass or near one of the lakes) is a very common source of traveler’s diarrhea and Giardia in that exact crossing. Even though it looks pristine, it can have livestock or wildlife contamination higher up the mountain. Most people who drink from that waterfall are totally fine, but a surprising number are not — it’s literally one of the top “how I got sick in Patagonia” stories guides hear every summer.
Dear Merhi and Scotter, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re happy to know the journey itself was memorable and that you enjoyed the scenery along the route. We’re very sorry to hear that you became unwell afterwards. Around those dates, several travelers in the area experienced a short-lived stomach virus that was circulating in both regions, and this seems to match the timing you describe. Thankfully, it passed quickly and no further cases were reported. We truly appreciate your comment. Best, Karina Zambrano
Unfortunately, on the day of our crossing, it rained all day with a low cloud cover. The weather ruined the entire trip. We did not see anything! No volcanos. No mountains. No beautiful emerald lakes. We strongly recommend that you not take this trip when rain is predicted. We booked directly with Cruce Andino. They have a strict cancellation policy and will not issue a full refund if you cancel 16 days or less before the trip. That makes it extremely difficult to cancel an advance reservation. Perhaps you should consider NOT making an advance reservation until you are certain of a good weather forecast for your planned day of travel. I provided feedback to Cruce Andino, admitting that they had no control over the weather, however, at a cost of almost $600 USD for the two of us, I felt like it was a waste of money. Cruce Andino did not respond nor offer any compensation. Otherwise, the logistics of the tour were without incident, apart from the unexpected fees incurred during the crossing for such things as National Park Entrance and border crossing fees.
The company told us to walk from hotel to their office and had we known that the office was 1 km away from the hotel and each of us had to drag two suitcases at 60 years of age? Sorry but for us is unacceptable we could have gotten a heart attack
Currently on this trip and it’s ok. Lots of hanging around, which is fine, but communication isn’t strong point. Amazing weather and scenery but the organisation isn’t great. The itinerary said we were due to depart for the final sailing to Bariloche at 17.00, it’s now 18.00 and no boat. Not impressed as feel like a captive tourist waiting around for three hours doing nothing.
Beautiful trip, didn't feel that long. Good buses, boats and friendly staff. Definitely would recommend it.
