Oneway Journey: From Bariloche, Argentina To Puerto Varas, Chile

Well organised, on time pick at hotel. Bus was reasonably comfortable, immigration procedures easy. varying qualities of boat transfers. Trip was unfortunately spoiled by bad weather , we did see anything resembling a mountain even though we were crossing the Andes.

It was a wonderful trip. The weather was perfect and the views were spectacular. The guide however advised us to drink the FRESH water from the waterfall. As I emptied my water bottle and started to fill it up with fresh water under the waterfall I noticed that it was not as glacial cold as I expected. AI: "That particular waterfall (usually at Vicente Pérez Rosales Pass or near one of the lakes) is a very common source of traveler’s diarrhea and Giardia in that exact crossing. Even though it looks pristine, it can have livestock or wildlife contamination higher up the mountain. Most people who drink from that waterfall are totally fine, but a surprising number are not — it’s literally one of the top “how I got sick in Patagonia” stories guides we hear every summer."

We arrived 2 hours late. The boats were rammed so full there was barely enough room to move. The men’s toilet at the first stop was overflowing onto the floor. Passengers’ bags were meant to be delivered to hotels; because the trip was so late, bags were just emptied onto the dock in a passenger free for all. The positives: the journey was pretty; we arrived eventually.

A fantastic trip, although a long day. Great way to cross to Chile and thoroughly recommend on a nice day. The weather was bright sunshine and clear skies which made the day even better. Key things to note: We were told to meet at Mitre 150 at 8am but it was nearly an hour later before we left. Check in in advance - need 4300 pesos port tax paid at Puerto Panuelo - there were massive queues there to pay it. Also advised need 20,000 pesos National Park entry - this was incorrect as is not paid by Andes crossing passengers Lunch at Puerto blest Hotel - take a picnic, it was the worst meal we had in a month in Argentina! The boat was chocker to Puerto Blest with day trippers and only just got 2 seats together. Onwards boats/ bus more relaxed Views got better and better Bus stopped at Chile border and Cerro Tronador for photos The border posts out of Argentina and into Chile were easy as only Cruce Andino passengers so no long lines. Chile border was strict with no fruit etc and suitcase search The last boat on Lago Todos Los Santos had awesome views of the volcanoes The Chilean guides were way better than the Argentine one - she spoke for ages in Spanish and a short sentence in English whilst the Chilean ones Spanish/English was even amounts. We did it as one day - does not look like a lot to do in the stopover points a part from short hike. We were very glad we did this trip and pleased we ignored the negative views. It was an outstanding day and one of the highlights.

A long day. The 3 lakes are beautiful and the surrounding scenery was awesome. The bus to boat to bus to boat.. got a bit tiring in the end. Overall, a fun way to travel from Bariloche to Puerto Varas.

The first part of the lake cruise is by far the most beautiful. Although it's nice to say "I crossed the Andes by boat", I would actually recommend just doing the day trip and return to Bariloche and fly to Chile. Todos Santos lake is a bit dull and the weather was poor there (and is often I've heard). The bus part of the trip is boring.

Cruce Andino was responsible for the Puerto Montt to Bariloche Andes Lake Crossing. We received word that the road the bus uses to transport was damaged between Peulla and Puerto Alegre during the recent flooding and that they would not be able to operate the tour a week before we left on our trip. We were not offered many options, and already subject to the itinerary and paid in advance. The result was what was promised as a 7 hour bus trip on a private bus with other people in our same situation. The bus ride turned into over a 10 hour trip, AND when we got to Via de Angostura, we were all transferred to a run down city bus for the final hour and a half of the trip in Argentina. For the lake sightseeing portion, we were offered two additional days of cruising the Chile and Argentina waters (one day each side). Due to scheduling, we could not do the last day in Bariloche. No compensation was offered since we could not fit the NEW schedule into our existing plans. Additionally, on the Chile side of the cruise, we were the ONLY cancelled river crossing party that did not have a LUNCH included in the NEW Peulla plans the day before the planned river crossing (there was a couple hour stop planned with lunch before returning to Puerto Varas). Needless to say, not what we expected for the premium river crossing price that was paid. A private transport should have been arranged for a maximum of 6 - 10 people completed in approx 4 hours. There were at least 40 people in our situation that day.

Awesome. Put this on your bucket list. Incredible scenery that you cannot see any other way. Some bus travel on gravel roads is a bit uncomfortable, but it's worth it for the amazing views.

We were supposed to go on a lake crossing tour this month but cancelled our trip due to covid concerns and traveling with young children back in August. We tried countless times to reach this company regarding a refund and we NEVER heard back. We are deeply disappointed. We would have booked with them again when we reschedule our trip, but there is zero customer service with this company. They still owe us over $700 back!

Traveling west, we used 4 buses and 3 boats to cross the Andes Mountain Range -- going from Bariloche, Argentina to Puerto Varas, Chile. You will travel through parts of Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi Argentina and Parque Nacional Vicente Perez Rosales Chile. We lucked out and the weather was perfect. Awesome scenery along the way -- blue green lakes, evergreen forests and white snow capped mountains. Saw the area's 3 most famous volcanos -- Tronador, Osorno and Puntiagudo. The views were breath-taking and reminded me of the Canadian Rockies or Swiss Alps. Stopped for a nice lunch at Hotel Natura in Peulla. Have to go through immigration/customs in both countries, which can be time consuming but went smoothly. The actual border is marked by a wooden arch. It was a long, but very enjoyable day.

I very much enjoyed the day doing this activity as it allowed for some much needed downtime after some gruelly hikes and other strenuous activities the days before. We had perfect weather so I was able to enjoy the fresh air and beautiful views on all the boats. We did see long lines and chaos at the start in Bariloche and the customs houses, but we were with a National Geographic group which always allowed us the capability to board the boats first and be in front of the lines for the bus transfers and customs. If traveling alone, I could see where it would be easy to get lost in the crowds and frustrated. The last boat was delayed, which was a blessing as it allowed us plenty of time for lunch. You definitely have to practice patience and just enjoy the experience and not expect to get somewhere in a hurry. It is a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience that shouldn't be missed if you have the time and opportunity to do it. Although, I don't see any reason to need to do it twice if you have good weather the first time.

The trip was generally very pleasant - the boats were not overly crowded -an interesting way to cross from HOWEVER ticket clearly said hotel drop off - we were left lugging suitcases a considerable distance across town and up a steep hill - the guide was completely dis-interested when we pointed this out and basically said get on with it even when we showed him the ticket. Disgraceful!!!!!

Absolutely NOT worth the price-- you are constantly in ques-- constantly on off transport-- customs takes forever leaving you barely enough time for lunch -- the guides and all people associated are very kind and try hard ( the chileans and argentinians are just wonderful people) but this trip costs 3x what it should-- i lf i had to do it again i would take the very long bus ride over this trip

We truly enjoyed traveling from the Argentine to the Chilean Lake Districts with Cruce Andino! After reading a couple of the reviews, we were wondering about the trip, but other than a slightly late start for the first bus which made up the lost time, we did not experience any difficulties. The trip was beautiful with a leisurely pace. Our luggage was completely taken care of for us. The ferries were full but pleasant, and there was an onboard guide at all times to answer questions and explain the scenery and surroundings. The views were breathtaking - a series of glacial lakes, snow-capped mountains and volcanoes.

We recently took this tour. The weather was perfect and so were the views of lakes and snow covered volcanoes.. We also had a guide on the Chilean side, Christian Ruiz who was fantastic, and professional. yes the trip is somewhat long , but we are both seniors, took this 30 years ago with bad weather and this trip was truly worth it. The organization was very good except departure from Bariloche downtown which was a bit chaotic but not terrible.

I wouldn’t go out of your way to do this trip. It doesn’t appear to be very well organized. Lots of starts and stops. Bring a lunch because the lunch stop doesn’t happen till 2:30-3pm. Possibly later, depending on how long it takes you at customs. If you don’t mind the slow pace of the trip, it’s not terrible.

Not much of what was promised happened. Departure time according to the confirmation was 8am, but was actually 10am. The promised hotel pick up did not happen, we took a car to the port. The promised hotel drop-off, was downtown Puerto Varas. Both in Puerto Panuelo (the first port) and in Puerto Petrohue (the last port) we were on our own pulling the suitcases through deep, loose gravel. In Puerto Frias we spent about one hour waiting for forms to fill out for the Chile immigration, which was more than one hour away by bus. Puerto Frias is very, very small. Those forms could have been filled out on the boat or the bus to shorten the trip. The guides on the Chilean side were quite arrogant. The bus drivers were very good for the long, windy drive on gravel roads. The vistas during the boat rides were beautiful. We were blessed with gorgeous weather. This turned out to be a very long day, and a trip that seemed not to be well organized.

Combining three boat rides and three bus rides, Cruce Andino delivers a safe, clean and revealing journey from Bariloche to Puerto Varas. Boat rides offer rest rooms, audio guided updates of the waterways and land crossings, and simple food cafes. Several stops on the final bus portion given unique travel glimpses of the Argentina and Chile borders as well as mountain and river vistas.

I booked the crossing through Tourisur (Argentinian tour company). I think it is the most picturesque way to cross from Argentina to Chile! The crossing is very well organized. We were picked up in Bariloche with a small delay. The Argentinian tour guide spoke good English and explained all the details of the trip to us. We travelled on a beautiful sunny day and the views were absolutely spectacular! Each of 3 Lakes are different and picturesque in there own way. Even the border crossing was well organized and did not take much time. We had a nice lunch in Peulla. It is a picturesque small place and we were glad we kept going. Did not seem like there were too many things around (there are probably nice hiking trails around). On the last part of the journey the views of the volcanoes from the lake were beyond any expectations! The only not so perfect part was when they brought us to Puerto Varas. We were dropped off outside the center of town (they said because of the protests going on), instead of TurisTour office. They never let us know ahead of time about this change, so we did not make any arrangements and had to walk to our hotel with the suitcases. Despite of this glitch, it was a very memorable day!

The trip was long but almost all of the stages were very pleasant. We were on 3 water vessels and 3 bus rides crossing the lakes and mountains while admiring amazing sites of Argentina and Chile. We had lunch at Hotel Natura Patagonia at Villa Peulla, ask for Daniel as your waiter Upon leaving Bariloche we did not appreciate being packed like sardines. We left later than scheduled as we were waiting for more! passengers. Also the catamaran is in desperate need of interior work, it looked old and dirty.

During my 30 years working for an international airline I traveled a lot. My goal was to be on the road for at least 90 days a year, The company was delighted in this and often made it cheaper for me to go 1st class than stay at home and eat in. So when I tell you that this tours is beyond a 10, you know that I have seen a few other places and have a deep background. I went in November/December and that gave us the warm nearly summer view of the area. Picture if you can Alpine lakes, but with less than Alaska population. I could not even believe one half of the scenery and still have wonder if we really did see what I know we did. When I returned to Bariloche we had to take the road route as there were no spaces on the boat tour. The bus back was OK, but not much more than that. The Micheal guides have a 'worth a trip' shout out for something extra special. This should be a top ten on your personal bucket list,

Our tour guides picked us up at 7:30am to head east to downtown for a 8:30 bus from Bariloche to Port Panuelos (handkerchiefs) by the Llao Llao hotel. Seemed a little odd that we would back track to the west. Suspicion confirmed when the tour bus stopped at our hotel( Design Suites) to pick up 20 travelers (We could have slept for at least an hour more!!!). We drove another 30 minutes to pick up the Gran Victoria boat that left the marina at 10:15 (could have slept even more! – oh well). Once we boarded, Geronimo introduced himself as the guide for the Argentine portion of the trip. He said it would take one hour to arrive to the next port, Puerto Blest. As we left the harbor, we could look back and see the Llao Llao hotel and Church up on the hill. Turning briefly westward into Lago Nahuel Huapi, we had a flock of seagulls flying in formation behind us, deftly swooping by to retrieve food thrown in the air by the passengers. Entering the Brazo (Arm) Blest, we started to bid farewell to the luxury hoes along the lake and started to approach the steep cliffs leading up to the Andean foothills to the west. There was one waterfall on the northern side of the fjord that walk deep with glacier and snowmelt from above. It was exactly an hour until we arrived at Puerto Blest and their Hotel. Half the boat appeared to stay in here while our Andean Crossing enjoyed a coffee and some breakfast cakes. We waited about 30 minutes before being loaded on a small tour bus (there were two), to take us on a ten minute /3 km southward down a rocky/muddy road to Lago Frias and our smaller boat trip down the lake from Puerto Allegre (Happy). This trip went through Valdivia rain forest, featuring solid bamboo-like canes. Our luggage was brought to the boat in advance of our bus ride and we loaded quite quickly for a 15 minute boat ride south on Lago Frias (Cold) which was fed by the Rio Frias, coming from Cerro (Volcan) Tronador (Thunder). The lake was a creamy green because of the silt deposited form the glaciers around Tronador. On the eastern side of the lake, there was a disabled working boat that added to the loneliness of the place. Lonely except for Condors cruising above. We arrived at 12:15pm at Puerto Frias, which would be our Argentine immigration post before taking a bus ride into Chile. While we were waiting, we saw the Che Guerrera exhibit about his motorcycle diary trip with his motorcycle (this is where he crossed into Chile). At 12:30pm, we lined up to go through Argentine customs and loaded ourselves onto a large tour bus for our 4km trip though a rainforest passage into Chile, then another 25 kms. to the Chilean Immigration/Customs checkpoint, just outside of Peulla. We get new guide, Jenny, a Chilean. The bus ride over the winding gravel road was made peaceful by the towering pines and the outbreak of beautiful wildflowers like orange and yellow astromelias (lily of the Incas). Crossing a small bride over the Rio Peulla, we saw the beautiful valley that carried glacier/snow melt form Volcan Tronador. Soon we approached Chilean customs house, which was efficient and well manned so our delay was not bad considering the large group we had. After we loaded back our bags unto the bus, we walked a short distance to the Peulla Hotel. Beautiful grounds but we walked over to the bar by the lakeside port to grab a burger and beer instead of the more formal buffet line at the hotel. After lunch we ventured down through the “village" to the lake and were being “attacked” by pesky deer/horse flies. We found a little relief by the more windy shore and the waiting area but were quite relived to board our boat and get out of the heat and attack. Leaving Port Peulla, there were several quaint small fishing boats nestled in the small harbor with Indian Paint Brush plants in the foreground the Andes in the background. On the emerald waters, Jenny the guide explained that this lake was called Lagos Todo los Santos for the Europeans discovered it on All Saints Day (November 1st) by Jesuit Missionaries. The lake was about 1,000 feet deep which was the magical depth for the sunlight to turn the silt-churned eater into a soft emerald hue. Half way across the lake we started to get a closer view of both Volcan Puntiagudo and Osorno (Chile’s version of Mt. Fuji) . After about two hours of a very relaxing lake crossing, we arrived in the port of Petrohue. After disembarking and our bags getting loaded onto our last bus (4 buses, three boats), we headed westward along the lava flow from Volcan Osorno and the Rio Petrohue, trying to arrive at Chile’s first National Park, Parque Nacional Vicente Perez Rosales , before it closed .We arrived at 6:45, 15 minutes before it closed. Just enough time to take my travel companions to visit the cascading waters over the hardened basalt ridges, with Volcan Osorno looming in the background. We continued along Chiles largest lake, Lago Llanquihue, heading west to our final destination in the lakeside town of Puerto Varas.

This trip was excellent, weather was fantastic and really enjoyed the scenery. A couple of things could be improved however. Feeding seagulls off the upper deck seems crazy to me, whatever about the seagulls eating the crackers it the ones that get dropped in the lakes that are going to mess with the eco system of the lake and these are seagulls well known for being major scavengers. I was the only English Speaker on my guided tour of the Chilean National park. The guide gave the commentary in Spanish over the microphone to everyone and then had me sit behind him and would turn back every time to give me the commentary. I really had to strain to hear him over the sound of the engine and it was a little awkward. It made me feel a little singled out too.

We had excellent weather for our long but extremely enjoyable crossing between Bariloche and Puerto Varas, Chile. It is a combination of bus and boat. The boat cruises on the different lakes were a highlight of the trip. I would say the Chilean side is more enjoyable as the boats are less crowded than the Argentinean side. There is guided commentary on both sides of the Andes. Since it was two countries, we had two different guides. On the Argentine side, Diego was well organized and affable. On the Chilean side, Benjamin was fantastic. Engaging, knowledgeable and very entertaining in both Spanish and English, Ben made what could have been a long dry bus ride an enjoyable learning experience. Nice stop for lunch as well in Peulla.

Setting out from Bariloche we were taken to the boat and set sail under bright sunshine and across crystal clear water with spectacular views of the Andes. Seagulls followed and many were able to feed them mid flight. Part of the trip became overcast but did not spoil the thrill of sailing and seeing these mountains. No visas were required for Chile or Argentina and customs was quick and efficient. We bought some snacks so we were able to enjoy a wonderful fruit strudel at the hotel in Puella. A short stop at the Petrohue Falls was interesting and easy access. We were dropped off in the center of Puerto Varas around 8 pm.

This is an amazing experience. Truth be told - be prepared for a 12 hour day of traveling and bring snacks and beverages as services are limited along the way. We had perfect weather the entire way from Bariloche to Puerto Blest, Puerto Allegre, across the Chilean Border to Peulla, onto Petrohue and a bus to Puerto Varas. The scenery is gorgeous and you are truly in the middle of nowhere - office, what office?

<p>A beautiful day despite pouring rain. Luckily with the bus and boat accommodations you can still enjoy the scenery. I had done this trip over 30 years ago and it is still as wonderful as I remembered.</p>

My wife and I spent a week in Patagonia in February, and this trip across the Andes was an unforgettable experience. The lakes were brilliant colors, the thick forests were otherworldly, the guides were friendly, and the customs officials were charmingly authoritarian (I kid, customs was strict, but fast and efficient). If you are travelling between these two cities I highly recommend this crossing. I will warn that the hotel in Puella gets very hectic at lunch time. Many people in our group were getting antsy, but for the amount of people coming through the wait staff handled it extremely well. Before you sit down to lunch just remind yourself that they do this every single day, they will get you in and out in time to catch your boat. My wife and I are even considering coming back to spend a night in the hotel in Puerto Blest.

The trip is wonderful and the view is impressive; however, on the return from Peulla to Petrohue, they changed us to a small boat with minimal amenities, and the clothes in our suitcases arrived wet because water was leaking into the boat. When complaining to the agency, they respond that there is no partial refund since they do not guarantee that the trip will be made by catamaran, even though it says so on the website. Unfortunately, this last leg and the subsequent treatment really tarnish the good experience.

They changed the schedule of the boat back. With which it was impossible to reach the second ship. And that means attracting lying in the middle of the jungle because there's nothing. The schedule change was made a few hours earlier. We had to live on land at a high cost

An amazing experience, we did the lake crossing. The panorama postcards on the trip are speechless. Feeling of greatness God for his wonders, which gives us the opportunity to see.

Crossing can be done in two directions: From Argentina to Chile or from Chile to Argentina. Upon arrival you decide how your trip continues or you can return, free of charge, if you are an Argentine or Chilean resident, when you choose. The crossing lasts approximately 12 hours so if you wish to return by this same means it must be done in at least two days, overnight in a hotel of the arrival head of the Crossing. However, we recommend, if time is available, to do so in more days. We traveling in the direction of Argentina - Chile stayed one day at the fantastic Hotel Narura in Peulla, Chile two, nights in Puerto Varas, Chile and back one day at the charming Hotel Puerto Blest in Puerto Blest, Argentina. Accommodation and meal costs are fully in line with what is offered at both hotels. The crossing is excellently coordinated by two tourism agencies: TURISUR, from Bariloche, Argentina and TURISTOUR from Puerto Varas Chile. It combines four land and three lake routes along Nahuel Huapi, Frias and De Todos Los Santos lakes, all different in colors and landscapes. The catamarans are all very good, the guides, extremely friendly, provide all the necessary information in Spanish and English so that no one is left in doubt. It is important to carry a good device to take quality images.

Excellent excursion, recommended for those who tour Patagonia, its landscapes and natural beauty are admirable.

It is an excellent excursion, very well put together, the landscapes and the first navigation, the guides very willing and friendly.

The excursion is highly recommended, for the landscapes and I highlight the organization and service of the guides at all times.

Very good route, fantastic and very distracting. Contact with nature, change of landscape from time to time. Very pleasant...

The Andean Crossing is a spectacular experience: crossing from Bariloche to Puerto Varas crossing three lakes: Lake Nahuel Huapi and Lake Frias in Argentina and Lake All Saints in Chile, climbing a mountain from Puerto Frias to reach Peulla, traveling scenic routes, all amid paradise landscapes, including on the return visit to the Petrihué Jumps with the Osorno Volcano watching with its white mantle. The two companies that organize Turisur in Argentina and Turistur in Chile have control to the smallest detail to make the trip flawless. I made the crossing with 1 night in Puerto Blest on the way, 2 nights in Puerto Varas and 1 night in Peulla on the way back. I advise, and it is what I will do if I repeat the trip, to double the stays for a better use of the places, with the possibility of walking paths and appreciate the wonderful environment. I advise 2 nights in Puerto Blest if you leave Argentina, 4 nights in Puerto Varas and 2 in Peulla.

Muito bem organizado, meios de transporte bons e cómodos. Tudo aconteceu como previsto, sem complicações.

No lo pude realizar porque la pagina no especifica como realmente es el paseo. Debes reservar hotel en chile xq por lo menos volves al otro dia. Me gustaria que se hicieran cargo de la devolucion del importe. Debido tb, a que ya soy cliente de uds en viajes anteriores.

Baggage is dropped off in Bariloche. The bus stops at 3-4 stops to charge hotel guests on the way and then we were ushered past the waiting line in Puerto Pañuelo. On the way you are supervised by a tour guide with interesting information about the region. Everything was very well organized with us. The Waiting time at customs corresponds to the usual working pace of local customs. Did the tour for the second time!

Essa travessia dos Andes por lagos Argentinos e Chilenos é deslumbrante. O tour foi bem profissional e muito bem organizado.

We crossed from PV to Bari in Jan 2020. It has its charms, but it's very tiring. In and out of 4 buses and 3 boats. The guides on the ground go like filling cloth. In Peulla, although the restaurant is good (free buffet options and a la carte ), there is nothing to do and stop for 2:30 hrs. I would not repeat the experience. I would do boat trips in PV and Bari, quieter and more accountable.

Very suggested for those of us who love nature. The colors of the lakes derived from glacial sediments and the texture it obtains is unmatched.

Hotel pick-up took a long time, but then the tour went ahead as planned, and fortunately with magnificent weather, allowing for extraordinarily beautiful views. I recommend it.

Spectacular!! Worth it!! I find it a little expensive, though. We could enjoy it because we had a fantastic day.

The landscape of the tour is beautiful despite them. A journey with a completely unjustified slowness that makes it too extensive and without extras in a Service that for the price should give them. Bad even in the hotel by hotel distribution of its passengers, both in Bariloche and Puerto varas (we were left 5 and 8 blocks respectively). Unfortunately if you want to appreciate that landscape you have to fall into this tourist monopoly.

Nice comfortable boat ride through Transtur. Half the way of the Andean Cross (very tiring the Cross).

excellent way to cross the Andes from San Carlos de Bariloche to Puerto varas to Chile, taking in the beautiful Andean lakes the crossing lasts a day and combines ferries with bus, highly recommended for all audiences.

Espectacular, Desde que nos recogieron en el hotel. Los transbordos entre el catamaran y los buses, el Personal, el trayecto, el guía, todo en general muy bien. Súper recomendable. Lamentablemente fue un día de lluvia y nubosidad pero con encanto.