Travelling to Bariloche in Patagonia was a bucket list item for us during our Argentina slow travel adventure in June of 2026. Without a doubt, the absolute highlight for us was renting a car and embarking on a road trip around Circuito Chico. Travelling during the fall/winter season can be a bit of a gamble weather-wise. We truly lucked out and experienced the best views and had a day to remember. This Circuito Chico route planner will hopefully help you plan your trip and make the most of your time in Bariloche! We began our trip in San Carlos de Bariloche, making it a convenient place to rent a car for our day out.
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Circuito Chico in Bariloche Route
Circuito Chico is a stunning 60km scenic loop that offers incredible views of Lake Nahuel Huapi. Its close proximity to the town of San Carlos de Bariloche makes it an easy day trip, and you should absolutely consider this experience a MUST while visiting the area! The Circuito Chico was the highlight of our weekend in Bariloche, and I highly recommend you designate a day (or half-day) to explore this majestic loop. We opted to rent a car; however, public transit is available and widely used (even in the fall/winter), or you can join a tour!
Join a Tour to Explore Circuito Chico
Renting a Car in Bariloche for Circuito Chico (Our Hertz Review)
We wanted the ultimate flexibility and the convenience of having our own car, so we opted to rent a car for our day trip around Circuito Chico. There was a Hertz location quite close to our accommodation, so it was an easy decision to book with them for the day. Our experience with Hertz was great. The rental process was straightforward, the car was clean, and the staff were really nice!
Our car rental price was around 98.000 ARS for 1 day. We picked up the car and returned it on the same day as well. Parking in San Carlos de Bariloche is typically paid, so we wanted to just return the car and avoid additional parking fees upon returning to the city.
Circuito Chico Route Planner: The Ultimate Day Trip Itinerary
First Stop: Riding the Cerro Campanario Chairlift
We checked the weather and had clear skies in the morning, so this was an easy decision to stop at Cerro Campanario first. It was about a 25-minute drive from San Carlos de Bariloche, and the roads weren’t busy at all. We left Hertz car rental around 9:30 am, and when we arrived at Cerro Campanario around 10:00 am, there was barely any line for the chair lift tickets.
Cerro Campanario: How to Get There
You can get to Cerro Campanario by 4 main methods from San Carlos de Bariloche:
- Ride a Bicycle (1h 15 min)
- Rent a Car (25 min)
- Take the Bus #20 (40min – 1 hour)
- Join a Tour
Cerro Campanario Chairlift Price
We paid 22.000 ARS for our chair lift tickets. You can also choose to hike up the mountain, which, based on reviews, could take anywhere from approximately 15 to 45 minutes. With the cooler weather and making the most of our day (rain was called for later in the afternoon), we opted to take the chair lift. Since there was hardly a line, we were up at the top in no time!
The views were absolutely stunning and truly were the favourite part of our day. It was quite windy at the top, and as we visited in June, we had cool temperatures. The cafe wasn’t very busy either, and we had no problem finding a window seat at the top. It was great to warm up, enjoy some coffees and a mediluna, while taking in the incredible panoramic views around us.
We spend the better part of an hour at the top, checking out all of the sites to explore. There was only a small line to get back on the chair lift too. Without question, if you are doing the Circuito Chico, then Cerro Campanario is not to be missed!
Second Stop: Punton Panorámico Viewpoint
Our second favourite viewpoint was the Punton Panorámico Viewpoint. This was our strategic second stop as we were trying to beat the rain in the afternoon. We loved this viewpoint and found it easy to spend almost 30 minutes here taking in the view!
There is a larger parking area near this viewpoint, and you’ll also find a few tables with souvenirs and trinkets from local sellers. We brought our drone with us, and by checking the flight permissions, we were able to get a few pictures. Luckily, it wasn’t too windy at this time, and we were able to capture a few shots. The viewpoint also wasn’t very busy, so it made flying a breeze.
Third & Fourth Stops: Puente Arroyo La Angostura & Mirador Bahía Lopez
What I loved most about having the car with us was that we were able to easily pull over and take a few pictures at different viewpoints. Puente Arroyo La Angostura and Mirador Bahía Lopez viewpoints were both really nice! We were able to spend a few minutes at each location to take in the surroundings.
Only a couple of other people were at each of these viewpoints! It’s likely because you’d need to have rented a car or bicycle in order to reach them.
Fifth Stop: Llao Llao Hotel & Resort
Llao Llao Hotel & Resort is included in just about every tour, so we decided to head over there to view this beautiful hotel as well. It has paid parking after 15 minutes, which we actually didn’t realize ahead of time. We had initially thought about going there for tea due to the high recommendations in reviews. However, the day we went, we were informed that there was a minimum spend for the restaurant. As we were going to simply have two cups of tea, we decided not to go inside. We weren’t allowed to go inside just for photos, understandably, so we ended up leaving and driving around the surrounding areas instead
Sixth Stop: Lunch at Cervecería Patagonia (Patagonia Brewery)
The infamous Patagonia Brewery (Cervecería Patagonia) is located along the Circuito Chico. We knew that we wanted to stop by for a light lunch and some 0% drinks. It’s worth noting that Argentina has a zero tolerance for drinking and driving, and it’s against the law to consume any amount of alcohol and get behind the wheel. Patagonia Brewery offers a 0% IPA, which we noticed several people also had in the brewpub.
Its atmosphere inside is so relaxing and quaint, and the views are absolutely incredible. Since we were visiting in the late autumn, it was quite cold, and the rain started up as well. We mostly stayed inside for our time here. I can imagine in the warmer months it being a relaxing place to take in the Patagonia views.
Our Experience Driving the Circuito Chico Route: An Honest Review
Without a doubt, our highlight in Bariloche is spending a day driving the Circuito Chico. Taking the chair lift to Cerro Campanario was truly an exceptional experience! We knew that we had limited time in this area (just here for the weekend), and we wanted to spend one day exploring the viewpoints. We spent the other day taking in San Carlos de Bariloche city.
The viewpoints are so worth your time! We loved the flexibility of being on our own schedule by renting a car. We even calculated the cost of joining a tour for 2 people, and it was actually cheaper to rent the car for one day! You will need to bring your passport and international driving license to be able to rent the car as a foreigner. We only booked the night before and had no issues finding a car rental. This could be, however, because it was late in the fall season.
We were originally a bit worried about not having enough winter clothing in Bariloche. We found, however, that layering up and having thermals was a great way to keep warm! It does get windy in the city and along Circuito Chico during the month of June. I would highly recommend winter clothing to ensure you stay warm during this month! We did have a light rainy afternoon. We timed our exploration of Circuito Chico based on the weather and truly enjoyed the clear skies and sunshine in the morning while visiting Cerro Campanario.
Final Thoughts on Our Circuito Chico Road Trip
I’m so glad that we made the trip to Bariloche to take in the Patagonia views! Even in the late autumn season, Circuito Chico should not be missed! Heading to the Patagonia region was a bucket list experience for us. Even without a lot of winter gear, we were still able to enjoy our day out.
We did notice the roads did get quite busy in Bariloche even in the off-season, which was quite surprising. I would imagine it being really busy in the summer months (December – March) and the traffic being quite heavy. If you are not pressed for time, taking the bus could be a good option. We saw a number of people waiting at the bus stops along the route, even in the late autumn season!
I highly recommend this day trip as we loved capturing the beauty of this area. I hope that this Circuito Chico Route Planner makes it easier to plan your trip!
