Overview
Our Mapuche tour has been planned
out specially to take you on an amazing trip through
the spectacular Argentinean Mountains, located
on the eastern side of The Andes. During this
trip, you’ll have the chance to discover
part of the Patagonia (only a few kilometers up
north), with its amazing natural environment,
crowded with Volcanoes and Araucaria trees. This
is precisely what makes our tour so interesting
and complete. If you’ve been wanting to
spend a few days in the Argentinean mountain area,
this is exactly what you’ve been looking
for! The tour includes a wide range of contrasting
locations, starting at Southamerica´s largest
ski Center and finishing the adventure in a small
mountain shelter, a bit more isolated, right in
the middle of nature. So you’ll be able
to enjoy all the different activities and facilities
this European style ski center has to offer, before
living a real highland adventure! Our small mountain
shelter has a unique traditional style and offers
all the comfort you could ask for. Only a few
steps away from the shelter, you’ll encounter
endless hiking opportunities and if you’re
up for more adventure, there’s always the
possibility of covering hundreds of hectares on
a snowmobile! Reaching the highest peaks is a
piece of cake with this amazing snow toy!
So, if you love broad horizons, exciting free
rides, beautiful excursions and the tranquility
of the highland life, this trip is perfect for
you. Come and visit us; we’ll be happy to
offer you an unforgettable and magical experience,
in the heart of the land of the ancient Mapuche
civilization!!!
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Terrain
Bariloche:
Bathed by the clear waters of Lake Nahuel Huapi,
and the national park of the same name Bariloche
is located on the West of the Province of Río
Negro, 1,640 km from Buenos Aires City.
Founded in 1902, San Carlos de Bariloche owes
its name to Carlos Wiederhold, who set the first
grocery in the area, and to the deformation of
the term Vuriloche ("different people from
behind or from the other side"), used to
name the natives from the valleys located to the
west of the Andes mountain range, before the arrival
of the mapuche people.
Since then, Bariloche has turned into the main
winter destination in Argentina, and has become
the largest ski station in America.
This small town offers everything you could possibly
wish for: shopping, sports, all sorts of equipment
and gear, luxury items, plus amazing culinary
specialities, like Bariloche’s world famous
chocolate and ice cream parlours. The nightlife
is always steaming hot. You’ll see cafes,
bars and restaurants around every corner. Anything
you crave, you’ll find: Italian, French,
Swiss, Mexican, Asian, fast-food and of course,
local specialties, including all sorts of locally
brewed beers. And if you still have the urge for
some more nightlife, you’ll have plenty
of clubs and alternative bars to choose from,
all of which close just before sunrise.
Cerro Catedral:
These peaks resemble the towers of a Gothic style
medieval temple. That is the reason for its name.
El Cerro Catedral (cathedral), located 19 kilometers
from the City of San Carlos de Bariloche, opens
its doors to the inhabitants of the world who
wish to experiment the adventure promised by winter
sports.
At 1030 meters over sea level, Catedral seems
to try to join the ground and the sky. A pioneer
among South American ski resorts, at present,
it is the most complete and it continues updating
its facilities in order to offer visitors the
most advanced infrastructure. From this season
on, the unification of its sectors will offer
600 hectares of skiable surface divided into 53
well-signaled runs of various difficulties, which
reach 2.000 meters over sea level.
All skiing disciplines, including off-piste, are
available. Those who practice freestyle and snowboarding
will also enjoy an area specially designed with
jumps and rails to show their abilities. Catedral
is also the stage for the most important international
competitions.
The updating program, applied to its 39 lifts,
will allow the total lift capacity of the mountain
to be increased by 70%. Likewise, access will
be controlled by a system of hands-free passes,
which works through radio frequency. Therefore,
it will not be necessary to show the pass in order
to get on the lifts, as it may be detected even
if it is inside a pocket or a backpack.
Furthermore, Catedral has a modern snowmaking
system, which creates real flakes that cover a
skiable surface of about 10 hectares. More lifts
are being incorporated this winter at Catedral
2005, so that everybody may enjoy a record season.
The new “Amancay” gondola, which can
seat 4 people and transport 2000 passengers per
hour, has been inaugurated. On the slopes there
are plenty restaurants and refuge with nice terrace,
where you can stop for a lunch or just taking
the sun with the nicest view ever!!!
Caviahue
When the mapuche people were
heading for the hot springs of the Copahue Volcano,
they used to stop their march at Caviahue, so
baptized because it means “site of gathering
and celebration”. 1,600 meters over sea
level, Caviahue is located in a narrow and steep
valley to the East of the Andes Mountain Range
and to the South of the Copahue Volcano, bathed
by the homonymous lake. Protected by the Copahue
Provincial Park, its streams, cascades and prehistoric
monkey-puzzle forests spread on the prairie, reaching
the base of the terraced mounts that are part
of the volcanic mass. Its amazing geography offers
a quiet landscape, with multiple proposals to
relax but also to enjoy the mountain to the utmost.
The region guarantees powder snow quality during
the winter season in order to practice cross-country
skiing, off-piste skiing and snowboarding. A special
attraction is to climb to the volcano to do free
skiing, descending among the monkey-puzzle forests.
And to complete the winter in Caviahue, there
are sleds pulled by dogs, snowmobiles, four quads,
and an ice-skating rink, which invite visitors
to forget about cold weather. In this mountain
village, nature has given shape to a pure landscape
that invites us to relax and stop the march in
order to admire the charming nooks of the Neuquén
mountain range
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Accomodations
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Bariloche
In order to offer you the best
stay possible in this wonderful natural area named
Patagonia, we have chosen the perfect lodging.
The hotel you´ll be staying in, is located
right in between the urban area and the mountains.
It lies on the shores of lake Gutierrez, only
15 minutes away from both the the ski tracks and
the small town of Bariloche. Every morning, private
transport will drive you to the ski center and
if you desire, we’ll be happy to arrange
transportation to the city at night, after you’re
done with the skiing. Our hotel opened its doors
only recently (2005) and it offers all the comfort
and facilities you might need. It exhales a friendly
atmosphere and excellent service, ideal for relaxing
in a magical place surrounded by a spectacular
view. We offer double or triple rooms; all equipped
with a private bathroom and single or double beds,
upon request. We also offer you a scrumptious
breakfast every morning (you’ll be needing
lots of energy!) and as you arrive back from a
long day up in the mountains, a delicious gourmet
dinner will be waiting for you. We can also organize
a special ¨asado¨ night, an Argentinean
speciality consisting of a giant BBQ with the
best national meat, considered one of the best
in the world. And of course, no asado is complete
without a superb bottle of Argentinean wine.
Caviahue
Our highland shelter in Caviahue
will surely take you back in time, without leaving
all the comfort and facilities you might need
(except for television, something we’re
actually thankful for, since we won’t be
missing it in a beautiful place like this!). Each
room has 6 to 8 single beds and daily breakfast
and dinner are included. Anyhow, if you desire,
we offer you extra meals at any time. In charge
of the place are Marcelo and Caniche, two of the
most friendly and cheerful people we could find
in Argentina. They are extraordinarily kind people,
always making sure everything is taken care of
and making you feel at home at all times. They’re
also in charge of the cooking, something they
do so well, you’re even forget your mother’s
best dishes by the end of your stay!!! We guarantee
that this highland lifestyle feels like nothing
else in the world!
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Itinerary:
Day 1
After arriving in Buenos Aires
or Santiago de Chile, you will be boarding a domestic
flight that will take you directly to the San
Carlos de Bariloche Airport. Our team will be
waiting for you in order to take you to your hotel.
You’ll have time to settle in, grab a quick
bite to eat and enjoy the comfort and tranquillity
of the hotel. After resting for a couple of hours
and adjusting to the new time, you’ll be
ready for your first Argentinean dinner. During
the evening, we’ll have time to hand you
out all the information you might need, in order
to guarantee you a perfect stay.
Day 2
Time to start exploring this
little piece of heaven on earth!!!! After a scrumptious
breakfast, we will hit the ski trails and start
our first ski/snowboard day. Depending on your
experience and demands, we will provide you with
one of our guides to help you discover the amazing
extension of this ski station. It’s up to
you to find your favourite playground among these
high peaks and beautiful woods! You’ll find
tracks for skiers/riders of any level of experience,
surrounded by these beautiful natural features.
Different restaurants and terraces surround the
ski area, so you’ll also have the chance
to just lie in the sun and enjoy a few UV rays.
Days 3, 4, 5 and 6
By now you know the place a bit
better.... anything is possible! If the weather
conditions allow it, you can explore really great
free rides quite close to the trails, pretty steep,
but also wide and easy to run, perfect for skiers/riders
of all level of experience. If you wish, you can
take ski or snowboard lessons in one of the ski
schools or maybe even try out a new sport. At
the end of the day, you’ll have time to
relax at one of the many plazas Cerro Catedral
has to offer or perhaps visit Bariloche to do
some shopping or enjoy all the fun places this
magical town has. After dinner at the hotel (which
is included, but in case you wish to choose a
different restaurant, you a free to do so), it
will be a pleasure to organize any ¨night
outing¨ you might desire.
Day 7
After a magical week at one the
best ski centers in the world, you’ll be
packed with memories hard to forget. Today our
private bus will take us to Cavinahue, where our
highland shelter is located. After a couple of
hours on the road, you’ll be able to settle
in to your room and enjoy an excellent dinner
made with love by our chef, Marcelo.
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Days 8 to 14
Right outside the shelter, you’ll
discover what life should always feel like!!!
It’ll be just you and your ski/snowboarding
gear or perhaps even the snowmobile. All the splendor
of nature will be waiting for you. After digesting
a scrumptious breakfast, packing your picnic for
later and preparing all your gear and security
equipment, we’ll be ready to face these
traceless mountains. Depending on the weather
conditions, during the first couple of kilometers
a pick up will take us to the top. After this,
we switch to a snowmobile, the best way to reach
the highest peaks. Now the summit is only a few
walking minutes away! Should we say more…..?
After we reach the top, you can imagine what is
waiting: the most spectacular free rides you could
ever dream of!
Every evening, we’ll be
returning to the shelter packed with amazing experiences
in our heads, ready to catch a bite and take a
shower before the night begins. Don’t forget
to save your appetite for dinner and of course,
for some Argentinean wine. And if you still have
some energy flowing inside of you, there’re
a few cool bars quite close to the shelter. Have
fun!
Day 15
After two weeks of intense adventure
and fun, surrounded by a warm and idyllic environment,
it’s time to catch our bus back to civilization.
Depending on your flight schedule, you can choose
between spending your last night in Bariloche
or staying at the shelter, before flying back
to the international airport from Neuquen. This
amazing Kosta5 tour ends here. Have a nice flight
back home!
Mapuche Tour / Argentina (15 days)
Dates: July-August-September
Number of people:
min. 4 peoples, max. 9 peoples
Prices : 2400 USD
Registration deadline: 5 months
before
This includes:
- Transportation aiport Bariloche to the lodge
- Transportation Lodge to ski area
- All the night & full meal at the “hosteria
Lago Gutierrez”
- 5-6 days skipass at Bariloche
- Transportation Bariloche – Caviahue
- All the nights & full meal at the “Refugio
de Caniche”
Not included:
- Airline ticket from your country of residence
- Other special activities or lessons
- Snowmobile rental / snowshoes rental / avalanche
security equipment
- Travel and personal accident insurance
The schedule can be subject to modification,
dependent of your flights and the weather forecast.
For more information: info@kosta5.ch
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