Hike or Horseback on Estancia La Paz
Take a stroll on foot or on horseback around this 20,000 acre ranch.  There are a few trails within the estancia to take a hike or visit on horseback.  You will enjoy the hike along the vertaderro, a channel that the Rio Grande has cut down to bedrock.  When the river is flowing in this channel you will see an amazing waterfall and also beautiful pools and rapid water.  When the river is not flowing in this section, there are amazing pools of crystal clear water which you can swim in and also polished rock to sit, relax and enjoy a nice day.  Other hikes and horseback can be arranged heading up the mountain side

Holistic Healing
Enjoy a day relaxing, meditating, walking, and getting massage with local expert Valerie Roberts valerie@patagoinariverguides.com. The day would take place in the national park or La Paz with one or more experienced guides to relax you beyond your imagination. The combination of massage and meditation makes this one of the most relaxing and enjoyable experiences you can have. 

Float Trip or Rafting Trip
Take a day and visit one of the many beautiful rivers in the area. It would be a shame to come all the way here and not see the Rivadavia River or Arrayanes River. They are amongst the most beautiful rivers in the world and a nice day just relaxing and watching the scenery would be a highlight of any trip. You will enjoy a spectacular picnic lunch under a Maiten tree on in the sun depending on how you feel. Maybe enjoy a streamside siesta and then head on down stream to enjoy more of the beauty of the river. This trip can be worked in conjunction with the angler’s day on the river.  You could also have a more exciting trip and enjoy a little white water on the Corcovado River. This river has mostly class III and smaller rapids and some impressive canyons for scenery. It is a nice sized river and the white water is not big enough to be dangerous, only big enough to get you wet a few times and cool you off.

Los Alerces National Park Visit
This National park has much to see and much to do including boat rides, hiking, fishing, camping, or just relaxing at one of the many lakes. The national park was established to protect on the last stands of Alerce (sequoia trees of South America) which live to over 2000 years in age. There are glaciers, large mountains, and many rivers and lakes to enjoy. The scenery is breathtaking in this unique ecosystem and will surely be a highlight of your trip. You can spend as many days as you like exploring the national park and its beauties.

A. Take a drive through the national park to see the entire Eastern side. Enjoy some scenic stops and a great picnic lunch at one of the many lakes or rivers. Take lots of film because you will surely want to take some photos. Enter the park from the Esquel side and exit through the Cholila Valley side. If you wish, see the estancia of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in this old western style valley. You will see Futalafquen Lake, Rio Arraynes, Lago Verde, Rio Mendez, Rio Rivadavia, Rio Carileufu, Glacier Torcillas and much much more.

B. See the grand stand of giant Alerces trees in the most remote area of the national park. You will enter the park from Trevelin and drive to Puerto Chucao (about 1 hour). From here you will make a short walk on a nature trail along the Menendez River until you reach the dock on Mendez Lake and the lake crossing boat. From here, you take the boat ride (approximately 45 minutes) to the far side of Lago Mendez, which is where the Alerce trees exist. From here you can hike amongst the giants for a couple of hours and then return in the afternoon. Enjoy a picnic lunch and drink some mate (traditional yerbal tea) with your guide.

C. Enjoy one of the many hiking trails or nature trails in the national park. The trails range from easy, with little elevation change, to moderate and difficult depending on your skills and desires. You can hike from 2 to 20 kilometers in one day and see waterfalls, glaciers, rivers, lakes, and much of the flora and fauna the park is protecting. Once again, a picnic lunch at one of the beautiful beaches of the lake will be provided.

Bird Watching
The Esquel area is alive with bird life and contains completely distinct species of birds to what we are used to seeing in the Northern Hemisphere. A day bird watching would take your to many beautiful places and would depend on what type of birds you wanted to see. For Example, you could visit Lago Rosario and the valley of the Nant Y Fall creek. Here is one of the most important wetlands in the area and where you could likely see all the waterfowl the Andes has to offer in one place. You would see many ducks, geese, stilts, and swans. You could also travel to Arroyo Pescado and see Chilean pink Flamingos, black necked swans, parrots, buffed necked ibis and many different species of ducks. With luck, you could also see a Nandu (wild ostrich) and condor. The national park also has many birds including the evasive Chucao with it’s impressive jungle call, brightly colored kingfishers, rare torrent ducks, and greater grebes.  A local ornithologist can guide you if you wish. You will be provided with a Patagonian bird book but would be advised to bring one in English from the US before you visit. Also, binoculars would help in your enjoyment.

La Trochita Train
Enjoy a half day ride on the “Old Patagonian Express”, the oldest operating train in the world. This narrow gauge railroad used to link Esquel to the towns in the north of Chubut and Rio Negro Providences to ship local products like wool. Today the train still operates in a short round trip circuit from Esquel to Nahuel Pan, an Indian village East of Esquel. This daily trip takes about 3 hours with a short stop in Nahuel Pan so that you can view the artesianal products that they produce. After the train ride enjoy a great lunch in Esqeul or a picnic lunch in the country. It would also be a good day to continue on the see Museum Leleque. The museum is located 50 minutes North of Esquel on a million acre estancia owned my Italian designer Bennaton. It is a fantastic museum on native history in the area and also has some displays of early settlers too. It takes around one hour to see and appreciate everything.

Welsh Heritage Day
Visit Trevelin (Welsh for Mill Town), the most important Welsh settlement in the Western Andes. Chubut Providence has the largest concentration of Welsh people outside of Wales in the world. They began to immigrate to Patagonia around 1860 and eventually spread from the coast to the western Andes Mountain valleys. Trevelin is know for its farming production but most importantly grain. There is a quality museum on welsh history in the area and several Welsh tea houses where you can enjoy typical Welsh tea, cakes, and pastries prepared fresh for your enjoyment. After some time in town, move on to see the antique welsh mill Nant Fach which still produces flour by water power and gives tours. After a short tour of the mill, you will head back toward Esquel and stop to see the Nant Y Falls, a series of waterfalls in the area. It is a good place to have a picnic lunch or to drink some mate (traditional yerbal tea).

Piedra Parada
About 130 Km. from Esquel lies on of the most important Indian archaeological sites in the country. The large rock which gives this area its name, sticks out of the ground some 300+ feet straight up. The Chubut river flows through strange and beautiful geological formations in the middle of the Patagonian steppe. The local Tehuelche Indians used this area to find volcanic rocks for arrow heads and other tools and weapons. You will enjoy some time walking around the area looking for chips and other artifacts left behind or lost by the natives. You can also enjoy a hike to Buitreras Canyon where one of Earth’s faults is exposed on the surface and has opened to create an impressive canyon. It takes a few hours to walk to see the gorge. Enjoy a nice lunch in the shade and, with some luck, you will have some treasures to bring back to Esquel.

El Bolson Fair Day
Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday of the summer, there is an exceptional artesianal fair in El Bolson. El Bolson is located about an hour and a half north of Esquel and in the middle of an impressive mountain valley. This day is all about enjoying the regional products that Chubut has to offer. You can stop along the way in Leleque Meuseum to see the history of the Tehuelche Indians and early settlers. After viewing the museum you can stop in the small towns of El Hoyo and Epuyen on the way to El bolson. This area is know to have the best fine fruits in Patagonia due to the perfect microclimate and is also know for great cheeses, breads, and vegetables. Upon your arrival in El Bolson, you will enjoy a nice relaxing lunch at a nice restruant and then walk the town square and see the local craftsmen (more than 500) and what they have to offer. Some great wood carvings, leather products, jewelry, liquors, knives, fruits, and vegetables can be found here. If desired you can lengthen the day and enjoy a few hours in Lago Puelo town and National Park only 15 minutes from El Bolson.

Futalaufu Chile
Drive 1 hour from Esquel to get your passport stamped and enjoy some Chilean culture. Check out the shops for traditional Chilean wool products and then take a horseback ride to a mountain lodge and enjoy a lunch overlooking the Futaleufu River. Take a siesta or just enjoy the mountain air and some good wine. Later in the afternoon, head back down the mountain and back to Argentina. If you are not in the mood for a horseback ride, you could take a drive down the Futalaufu Valley to Lago Yelcho and see many waterfalls and beautiful vistas along the way. You are in a rainforest the entire time and a unique climate change in only 30 miles driving from Esquel.

Bariloche Overnight Trip
Driving three and a half hours north will get you to the city of Bariloche which is situated on Lago Nahuel Huapi. It is a beautiful tourist city and has many shops and restaurants for you to enjoy. Everything from fine leathers to the most delicious chocolates in the world can be found here. You could choose to stay in the city or at the resort of Llao Llao and get pampered a bit. Around Bariloche you can enjoy boat rides and the national park which surrounds the city. You can hike, bike, or just sit in the sun and enjoy the peacefulness and beauty of Patagonia. Another option is to take a drive to Villa La Angostora or Villa Traful and enjoy these small towns in the mountains. It is a fun trip with many things to do and would be a great choice when the Anglers go for an overnight trip to remote areas or you want some time to yourself.