From Neuquen to Araucania: 20 days, 7 cities, 1 mountain chain.

Some useful files:
Neuquén map    |    Borderline crossings 2014

It’s the first time Diego and I have 3 whole weeks to exploit them in vacations. We mentally wandered by lots of places until finally we ended up choosing this trip. We planned part of it at home, and the rest of it we’ll put it together on the fly.

Like we did other times before, when we get so close to the Andes mountain chain we like to peep our across it and visit Chile and let it surprises us with what it has in that latitude. This time was probably the best crossing of all.

In these 20 días we went by 3 cities of Neuquén -Argentina- and 4 cities of the region of Araucanía -Chile-. I lost track of the amount of buses we took. The photos ended up rounding 2300.

You can travel day by day clicklin in each and every one of them; or go straight to each city, clicking the name.

Also you can skip the story and just go to the final recap: take the shortcut.

Day 1: Arriving at Junín de los Andes.
Day 2: Walking in Junín.
Day 3: Spending a day in San Martín de Los Andes.

Day 4: Really early travel to Pucón, Chile.
Day 5: Relax day in Huife Hot Springs.
Day 6: We meet the neighbourly Villarrica and Lican Ray.
Day 7: Walking and walking through the Huerquehue National Park.

Day 8: Getting closer to the coast – Valdivia here we go.
Day 9: Two sides of the bridge – Valdivia & Isla Teja.

Day 10: Coast in sight! We arrive at Niebla.
Day 11: Niebla gets rid of the clouds.

Day 12: Northern destinations – Temuco!
Day 13: Living Temuco.
Day 14: Look! it’s the Pacific ocean again!

Day 15: Through the mountain chain, and the routes of Neuquén.
Day 16: (Re)meeting Villa Pehuenia.
Day 17: Lookouts of Pehuenes and lakes.
Day 18: Windy farewell from Pehuenia.

Day 19: Bus Station of San Martín, long time no see.
Day 20: We start saying goodbye.
Day 21: Half day in Neuquén, half day in Buenos Aires.