This morning I took the bus with Andesmar from Osorno to Bariloche. The trip was supposed to take 5h 30min so that I would arrive in the town at 4pm giving me two hours to sort out my things and buy supplies for my trek. Instead it took us over 7h to get there. When I finally arrived in the town center the supermarkets and tourist offices had already closed up. A pleasant surprise was the hostel I booked in advance. It's a cosy building near the center and has a great view to Lago Nahuel Huapi.
According to posts on the internet and the staff of the hostel, you are supposed to register with the authorities when trekking the National Park Nahuel Huapi. This can be done easily online but unfortunately for me the registration form is currently blocked because of bad weather. The site says that all trails in the park are closed. I sent a mail to the park office but haven't heard back yet. Now Im unsure if I should just go without registering or wait untilI hear back from them. I really dont want to stay in Bariloche for new year. The small city is quite nice and has a lot of good restaurants and shops that sell everything from tea, artisana over sports wear but is a bit too touristy for my taste. The main street is packed with bars, night clubs and young people roaming around so I'm sure new year will be loud and vulgare.
I'll check with an officce tomorrow morning and see if I can do my intended trek. If that doesn't work out, I cann still get all my supplies and head out to Colonia Suiza for quiet camping.
The Town of Bariloche
When arriving at the bus terminal I first stood around with all the other tourists, unsure of how best to travell the 3km to the town center. Most people took taxis so there was a huge queue. There is a local bus station at the terminal where buses run to the town center. To use the bus you need a bus card. They won't accept cash payments. You can buy it in the kiosk at the bus terminal where you can also exchange US dollars for pesos (no ATM at the terminal). A card with value will cost you $ 120 with three trips valued. Once these are used up you will have to recharge the card. The same card will be necessary if you want to use the local buses to travel around in the region so it makes sense to purchase one and not settle for a taxi.
The town istself is easy to navigate and you'll find everything you need, includeing movistar stores for purchasing a local sim card. Most hostels and Hotels are quite expensive but you can find a few that have reasonable prices. I am staying at the hostel Inn and so far have nothing to complain about it. The rooms are clean and there is plenty of hot water. The common room has a lot of space and the terrace gives you a nice view. The kitchen is quite big but when the hostel is booked out you will have to "fight" for a place to cook with the other guests or plan a meal together with others. So far I give it 4 of 5 stars but I will have to give a final review after I stayed a night here.
