City of Esquel, Argentina

It is located 2.050 kilometers from Buenos Aires in the Patagonia de los Lagos. It is the most developed city in the west sector of the Chubut province.

It is considered the head of tourist services since it counts with receptive agencies, coast traffic airport, restaurants, good level hotels and other types of lodgings like the cabins, placed in the mountain range, and the numerous camping sites.

Its attractions are combined and they vary between winter and summer seasons. Esquel has rigorous winters and warm summers. Sports like fishing, rafting, mountain climbing, skiing or trekking are common activities.

This city presents fertile valleys where the production of fine fruit and the elaboration of delicious sheep cheese take place.

How to get to Esquel

Esquel is located North-west from Chubut province, at 620 kilometers from the province capital, surrounded by mountains 2000 meters high, Esquel is at 560 m.a.s.l and is one of the most important cities of Chubut Mountain range you can get there by:

By Air

From Buenos Aires to Esquel, Trelew and/or Comodoro Rivadavia. There are regional flights from Comodoro Rivadavia to Esquel.
Esquel has actually three weekly flights by Aerolineas Argentinas, Monday, Wednesday and Fridays and three weekly LADE flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Some of the flights have previous scales and others are direct.
There’s also the possibility to flight till San Carlos de Bariloche with daily flights from Buenos Aires and cover the rest of the distance by land 300 kilometers, traveling trough Comarca Andina of 42 Parallel and after beautiful landscapes of Patagonia steppe arrive in less than four hours.
And besides there’s another choice to take a flight from Buenos Aires to Trelew and from there take a bus and travel 600 kilometers towards Esquel city.
By land
To arrive to Esquel by particular car there are two principal ways, Route 40, from the North and the south and the Route 25 from the east from Trelew city. Since this last there are a distance of 567 kilometers, by a road in good conditions and beautiful landscapes, especially in the Altares area, where you can observe impressive geological formations. Due this fact and safety reasons is recommendable to make the travel during the day.
Other route highly attractive for tourists is the one that goes trough Alerces Shire, the principal road 71 that goes by Cholila, Rivadavia Lake Village, and huge part of Alerces National Park, going around the most important lakes by a path that offers unbeatable views.
Besides it is possible to arrive to Esquel from the Chilean towns of Futaleufú, by road 259, or from Palena, crossing by Corcovado area, 90 kilometers at Esquel South.

Numerous bus companies arrive to the city from different points of Chile and Argentina, offering daily services in different categories.
Festivities and events

Cattle Exhibition and “Merino Australiano” National Fair
The First two weeks of March

Esquel Anniversary Festivities
February 25

National Ski Esquel Fair - La Hoya

The First two weeks of September

Places of interest

· Leleque Museum
· Molino de Trevelin Museum
· Molino Harinero de Dolavon (Mill)
· Sarmiento Regional Museum
· Estación Ferrocarriles La Trochita (Train Station)
· La Zeta Spa

Tourist Attractions

The Glaciers in San Rafael's Lagoon that are located in the proximities to the Chilean territory, represent beautiful places of the Patagonia; besides, it is possible to try the sea fruits or buy handmade souvenirs.

From the city of Esquel, by passing through the town of Tecka (on an asphalted route), you will arrive to the enormous narrow passes which conform the Great Canyon of the River Chubut (Valleys of the Altars, of the Martyrs, of the Feathers); and, from there, you can go until the imposing Reservoir of the Florentine Dike Ameghino.

Sarmiento's Valley with its Petrified Forest situated over the old marine basin.

The whole Central Patagonia is a true trip through time that transports you to the Jurassic era of the dinosaurs in a unique landscape covered by petroleum bombs and eternal horizons.

National Park Lago Puelo is located 20 kilometers from El Bolsón, in the northwest of Chubut. With approximately 23.700 hectares, the Lake Puelo is the main source of water. The rivers Epuyén, Azul and Turbio end in the lake whose waters present a high temperature like in the most part of the lakes of the south. The best season to visit the area is from November to April.

National Park Los Alerces is located 50 kilometers from Esquel. It is well communicated by nets of national and provincial roads. It possesses a variety of flora and fauna: gigantic larches and coniferous of more than 60 meters height and impressive 3000 years old.

Center of Winter Sports La Hoya is located 13 kilometers from Esquel. This place is very visited during winter. It offers hotels, lodges, equipment rental, cable seats, lanes, and ski schools.

It is interesting to take a roundtrip on the steam train La Trochita, built in the beginning of century. Today, it continues working with departures from Esquel or from the town of El Maitén. This is an old Patagonian express that connects the towns of Ing. Jacobacci and Esquel. It is recommendable to make the tract of 20 kilometers to the Nahuel Pan Station.

Trevelin, also called the “town of the mill”, is an establishment of a Welsh colony, it is situated only 20 kilometers from Esquel and 19 kilometers from the Futaleufú dam. Trevelin is a unique location thanks to its peace and tranquility. You can practice horseback riding, canoeing, fourtrax, mountain bike, rafting, nautical safari and trekking.

35 kilometers to the south, the Lake Rosario is situated. There, some important Mapuche reservations are placed.

Tourist recommendations

Please have in mind that the Patagonia area roads and specially in winter season received rain, snow, ice, low temperatures, frost, fog,  among others that affects the normal transit conditions, requiring a lot of attention from the drivers in order to avoid accidents.

Useful Information

Civil defense

Information about the state of the routes
Toll free: 0800-666-2447 or 103.