How far is San Martín de los Andes from the lodge?

About thirty minutes by road, and it is also where the local airport (CPC) is located.

Can a non-hunting partner stay at the lodge?

Yes. Non-hunting companions are welcome at a reduced rate, and we arrange town excursions, fishing days and transfers around the hunting schedule.

What is there to do in town if the weather turns?

Chocolate shops, restaurants, galleries, wool and leather workshops and spa treatments — the town works perfectly well on a wet day.

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The Region · 5 min read

San Martín de los Andes: A Day Out, Not a Daily Drive

Hunters rarely travel alone, and the question that decides many bookings is what a partner does while the stag is being hunted. Most of the week is spent at the lodge — the fire, the walks, the terrace, the long lunches. Then, once or twice in the week, there is San Martín de los Andes thirty minutes away: an alpine lake town of chalets, chocolate shops and Andean forest that people fly to Patagonia for on its own merits.

Anglers fly fishing from a boat on a Patagonian lake below the snow-capped Volcán Lanín — Volcán Lanín over the water — a guided fishing day within reach of the lodge.

Main street of San Martín de los Andes with timber and stone Andean architecture and shoppers — The centre of San Martín de los Andes — timber, stone and chocolate shops, thirty minutes from the lodge gate.

Sailboats moored on Lago Lácar at sunset with autumn poplars and forested mountains behind — Lago Lácar at last light, with boat crossings to Quila Quina and Hua Hum.

Fly fisherman casting a long line on a clear Patagonian spring creek lined with green forest — The Chimehuín, Malleo and Caleufú — dry-fly water for the other half of the couple.

Aerial view of a group of kayakers paddling along a rocky forested shoreline on a deep blue Andean lake — Kayaks along the shore of Lago Lácar — a half-day out on the water, no driving required.

Thirty minutes away, when you want it

San Martín de los Andes sits at the eastern end of Lago Lácar, inside Lanín National Park, ringed by mountains and by the ñire and lenga forest that covers this whole corner of Patagonia. The drive from the ranch takes about half an hour on paved road — close enough for an easy day out, far enough that nobody wants to make the trip daily.

We plan it as one or two excursions across the week rather than a daily commute; the rest of the time the lodge and the estate are the point. It is also where the airport is, so guests who arrive a day early or stay on after the hunt usually spend that time in town.

The town itself

The centre is walkable in an afternoon: Andean-style timber and stone architecture, artisan chocolate makers, smoked trout and venison delicatessens, wool and leather workshops, cafés and small galleries. Nothing about it feels like a resort strip.

Chocolate and artisan food shops along Calle San Martín
Handmade leather, wool and silverwork
Lakefront restaurants and Patagonian lamb parrillas
Spa and massage treatments for a rest day

Out of town

Lago Lácar can be crossed by boat to Quila Quina and Hua Hum, both with beaches and short forest walks. The Seven Lakes Road runs south toward Villa La Angostura and Bariloche and is one of the best drives in Argentina — a full day, entirely worth it.

Volcán Lanín dominates the skyline to the north, and the park has marked walking trails at every level of effort, from an hour along the shore to a full day on a ridge.

Boat crossings on Lago Lácar to Quila Quina and Hua Hum
The Seven Lakes Road toward Villa La Angostura
Walking trails in Lanín National Park
Kayaking, mountain biking and horseback outfitters in town

Fly fishing, for the other half of the couple

The Chimehuín, Caleufú and Malleo rivers are within reach, and the region is one of the recognised trout destinations of the world — brown, rainbow and brook trout on dry fly. Guided days can be arranged for a non-hunting guest on the same schedule as the hunt, so both of you come back to the fire with something to talk about.

Wine and the season

Neuquén's Patagonian wine region lies east of the mountains, producing cool-climate Pinot Noir and Malbec, with tastings arranged as a day trip. During the March–April roar the forests are in autumn colour, which is when the region photographs best; May brings the first snow and the beginning of the ski season on Cerro Chapelco, twenty minutes from town.

Common questions

How far is San Martín de los Andes from the lodge?: About thirty minutes by road, and it is also where the local airport (CPC) is located.
Can a non-hunting partner stay at the lodge?: Yes. Non-hunting companions are welcome at a reduced rate, and we arrange town excursions, fishing days and transfers around the hunting schedule.
What is there to do in town if the weather turns?: Chocolate shops, restaurants, galleries, wool and leather workshops and spa treatments — the town works perfectly well on a wet day.

Planning a hunt in Patagonia?

Tell us the season you have in mind and we will tell you honestly what is open.

Schedule a Call