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Travel to Cerro Bayo with ski insurance from Essential Travel

Situated among forests and with a wonderful view of Lake Nahuel Huapi, Cerro Bayo is located near the town of Villa de Angostura in the Province of Neuquén. Cerro Bayo ski resort is popular with families because of its relatively small size in comparison to other Argentinean resorts and its friendly character and great natural beauty.

Just over five miles from Cerro Bayo, the Villa de Angostura is a small picturesque town situated by the lake at the base of Mount Bayo. The village caters for the accommodation needs of skiers with cabins, apartments, hotels and inns. Beside the slopes at Cerro Bayo, several services, including three restaurants, a day-care nursery, lockers, skiing and snowboarding lessons, a ski kindergarten, rental equipment and parking with security, are provided.

All levels of ability are welcome at the resort and beginners will be pleased with the gentle slopes, while advanced and expert skiers will enjoy the steep black runs and scenic, often untouched off-piste skiing. The 32 trails at Cerro Bayo give a total skiing area of nearly 500 acres, with access provided by 11 well-maintained chairlifts.

There is a variety of accommodation choices available at nearby Villa de Andostura, while comfortable lodges can be found closer to the town or you may opt for a luxury lakefront boutique hotel. Even though the town is small, there are many options for dining out; the cheese fondue at Rincon Suizo is a popular option. Children are catered for on the slopes with a nursery and ski kindergarten.

There are no other ski areas close to the resort; however, with the bigger resort of Cathedral Alta Patagonia at Bariloche just over 50 miles away, it is convenient to ski here before or after you have visited Cerro Bayo. Cerro Bayo and Antillanca, 55 miles away in Chile, sometimes offer skiing deals at both resorts on the same weekly chairlift ticket.

The best way to travel to Cerro Bayo is by air from Buenos Aries to Bariloche, then by car to Villa de Angostura. Access to the slopes from here is via a five-mile trip by shuttle bus. The ski season at Cerro Bayo runs from June to October.

Skiing in Cerro Bayo

The stunning beauty of the surrounding lakes and mountain forests gives Cerro Bayo a special atmosphere. Small and friendly, the resort is a favourite with families and those seeking a relaxing experience. The prepared pistes extend for more than 12 miles, with a good variety of terrain for all levels of ability.

Cerro Bayo resort’s 32 pistes cover nearly 500 acres and the pistes are split into 10 per cent suitable for beginners, 40 per cent for intermediate level skiers, 35 per cent for advanced and 15 per cent for expert skiers. Advanced and expert skiers can take advantage of the deep-snow skiing in the ravine and off-piste forested descents running from the top to the bottom of the mountain. The longest run is nearly four miles long and looks out over the beautiful Naheul Huapi Lake. Eleven chairlifts traverse the mountain (2 single, 5 double and 4 teleski), with a capacity of up to 5,700 people per hour.

When you are taking a break from the slopes, the town of Villa de Angostura provides some alternatives to skiing including fishing, hiking or mountain biking trails and horseback riding; while on the slopes and at the town are some restaurants and cafés. Also of note is the new snowboard park at Cerro Bayo. Snowboarders are also allowed to use the pistes at Cerro Bayo and there is a snowboard club that offers advice, lessons and equipment.

The resort of Cerro Bayo continues to improve and update its facilities and for a relatively small resort, it is considered to be well equipped. The superb scenery at this location is its main attraction. A family friendly atmosphere prevails in the town of Villa de Andostura, with a choice of hotels and cabins to suit all tastes and budgets available.

Cerro Bayo ski resort has a ski season that runs from June to October. Cheap chairlift passes can be found during the low season from June to July and from late August to October. The high season starts in early July and finishes in late July; at these times chairlift passes are nearly double what is charged in the low season. The easiest method of travel to the resort is to take a plane to Bariloche, then a coach or hire car to Villa de Angostura.

Transportation to Cerro Bayo

Located slightly off the beaten track, Cerro Bayo is just over 50 miles from the airport at Bariloche. As the area is part of the Lakes District of Argentina, the scenic journey is well worth the effort. It is possible to drive all the way from Buenos Aires, but it is much easier to fly to Bariloche before making the journey by car.

There is no easy route to Cerro Bayo resort from Buenos Aires by car. A simplified route would take you on the National Routes of RN 22, 237 and 231 (the Seven Lakes Route), before following the signs to Villa La Angostura, situated just over five miles from RN 231. No trains are available to the resort.

The 1,000-mile journey by plane from Buenos Aires to San Carlos de Bariloche International Airport, the closest airport to the resort, takes about 2 hours. Alternatively, flying direct to Bariloche from an international location is one of the easiest ways to get to the resort. From Bariloche you will need to take a taxi, bus or hire car to Villa La Angostura, 50 miles away.

Coach services to the area, operated by Chevallier, Valley, Star and TAC, are also available from Buenos Aires.

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