Subsecretaría de Turismo de Neuquén

Villa La Angostura

In the south of Neuquén Province, within Los Lagos department, there is a mountain village situated on the northeast bank of Nahuel Huapi Lake, in the middle of the Patagonian Mountain Range. This peaceful and beautiful mountain village lies surrounded by majestic formations, and it is part of the entrance gate to Arrayanes National Park, a unique place in the world where there is a natural forest of this tree species.

The birth of a village

This town is a cosy mountain village, characteristic that is made evident on the constructions made with materials of the area (stone, wood, etc). Almost every building is covered in stone and logs, and has big windows, so that it blends perfectly with the landscape of the area.

It was officially founded on 15th May 1932, when the Correntoso radiotelegraphic station was inaugurated, and it was called like that (Angostura (narrowness)) because of the isthmus or narrowness of Quetrihué peninsula.

Presently it is the most important town in Los Lagos department, and it is the southernmost town in the province of Neuquén.

Villa la Angostura has 12,000 inhabitants and its main economic activity is the exploitation of tourist activities that develop throughout the year.

Snow

In winter you can enjoy a ski centre with particular characteristics: Bayo Hill offers you dry and compact snow on 20 miles of runs, different lifts, warm high mountain refuges, and all the services for skiers to enjoy a perfect stay.

Attractive and natural

The amazing landscapes invite you to walk, ride a horse or take car or lake excursions. You can take tours following trails in the forest, where you can come across streams, rivers and cascades like Inacayal, Río Bonito, Dorada and Santa Ana. If you sail Nahuel Huapi Lake coasting Quetrihué peninsula, you can get to Arrayanes forest. On the comeback you will enjoy magnificent views of the village, reaching the cliffs. Moreover, you can visit Belvedere scenic overlook, from which you can get a lovely view of the lakes.

This town is rich in natural resources, most of which can be observed in Arrayanes National Park, and Nahuel Huapi National Park (which protects a vast area that represents the mountainous region of North Patagonia).

Sport fishing in Nahuel Huapi Lake and in the brooks and rivers of the area can be practised in all its modalities. The species you can catch are brown, rainbow and fontinalis trout. It is also possible to practise kayaking, windsurfing and sailing.
Brava, Mansa and Bahía Manzano beaches are ideal places to enjoy your afternoons.

Another option is to tour the pioneer road through ancient constructions that constitute the historic route in Villa La Angostura: the old “boliche”, Santa María inn with its old cypress, Asunción church, Messidor with its medieval style, and the first hotel of the village, “Correntoso”.

Besides, you have the option to visit the neighbour cities of Valdivia and Temuco (to the north) and Osorno and Puerto Montt (to the south) in Chile, through Cardenal Samoré international crossing.

The ideal place

Enjoy relax, warmth and adventure, plus all the services for tourists, with a personalized attention in hotels, inns, cottages, cafés, and camping sites; or if you prefer so, you can taste the typical food: venison, wild boar and trout are some of the special dishes the chefs prepare in the village. There are also various entertainment places, like bars, golf courts, shopping malls and discos.

The village offers you the possibility to bond with nature, and to enjoy with family or friends this paradise place in Argentine Patagonia.

Economic Aspects

Villa La Angostura has had an economic boom based on the tourist activity. It is important to note that in 1990 the number of hotel beds on offer was 357, reaching the 3,185 beds in the present. That is to say that in the past few years there has been an outstanding increase on this number, some of the reasons being its strategic location within the lakes area, its attractions, its infrastructure like natural gas, and the fact that all its accesses are paved.

Seven Lakes Route

It is one of the most attractive routes in the country. It goes from San Martín de los Andes to Villa La Angostura (or vice versa) and, as its name indicates, you can visit seven lakes during the way: Machónico, Hermoso, Falkner, Escondido, Correntoso, Espejo Chico, and Villarino.

Argentina