Esquel
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Located in Patagonia, province of Chubut, the small and picturesque town of Esquel is set in gorgeous green surroundings, mountain ranges, low valleys, and wetlands. Although Esquel is a wonderful and peaceful place to visit, its main tourism comes from its proximity to the Parque Nacional Los Alerces but nonetheless it makes for a great stopover or vacation destination no matter where you are traveling in Argentina.
One of the many towns located just off of Route 40, Esquel is in an area of Chubut that receives a sunny warm summers, and cold snowy, windy, and rainy winters. This area is particularly popular for its many outdoors activities, parks, and mountains, no matter what time of the year. The climate changes in the mountain areas, where in the winter temperatures drop to a very low level, and precautions should be take if hiking in the area. The cold winter days do not stop tourism in the area as the nearby La Hoya ski resort offers up excellent skiing conditions in this time. Summer is a high season in the area thanks to all the outdoor summer activities, as well as being a major stopover route for visitors that are traveling between Bariloche and Chile.
The city of Esquel features a few good museums, art centres, restaurants and hotels, and makes for a great and relaxing visit, but its major attractions all seem to be in the beautiful outdoors, and mostly just outside of the city.
Circuit Lake Futalaufquen
This gorgeous lake circuit that leads into the Parque Nacional Los Alerces is a mixture of lakes, forest, mountain trails, rivers, wildlife, camping spots, and outdoor adventures. Especially unique in this area is the Alerces trees, reaching 2-3 meters diameter with a height of almost 80 meters.
La Trochita
Esquel is the end of the line for this national train, a narrow steam engine called La Trochita, that makes an impressive entrance when arriving in Esquel coming from its original destination of El Maiten.
Lakes
Around the city are some beautiful lakes that are perfect for fishing, swimming, and other water sports. Keep in mind that you need a license to fish, which can be purchased at most local gas stations.
The Rio Corvocado
There are some tour agencies in the area that offer fantastic river rafting adventures during the summer season, all can be booked from the town with a few days in advanced preferred.
Skiing
La Hoya ski resort is an incredible ski hill in the area that attracts skiers from all over the country and also hosts a national ski event every year. You can either stay in Esquel, as the resort is less than an hour drive away, or stay in the accommodation located on the hill.
Argentina travel guide offers information regarding the different areas of this incredible country.