Blest Port & Cantaros Waterfall Tour from Bariloche

Sail into the Valdivian jungle and stand at a 1,500-year-old larch

This eight-hour boat tour departs from Puerto Pañuelo in Bariloche and navigates through the Lake District to Cantaros Waterfall, Puerto Blest and Lake Frías, with a guide speaking English, Spanish and Portuguese. Roundtrip hotel transfers from downtown Bariloche are included, along with on-board navigation. The tour suits all fitness levels and works for anyone who wants to see the region's waterfalls and glacial lakes without driving themselves.

The experience

Eight hours on the water takes you from Puerto Pañuelo through stops most visitors miss. The boat first reaches Centinela islet, where Perito Francisco Pascasio Moreno (the founder of Argentina's national parks system) is buried. From there you sail into the Valdivian jungle and climb toward Lake Cantaros, the source of Cantaros Waterfall, where a larch tree stands over 1,500 years old. The waterfall itself drops with real force, and the walk up through the vegetation is where the day shifts from boat ride to something closer to exploration.

Five minutes past Puerto Blest, the water changes color. Lake Frías runs an unusual green because glacial melt from Cerro Tronador (the mountain that marks the border between Argentina and Chile) feeds directly into it. You see the shores from the boat and get a sense of how the landscape shifts as you move deeper into the Lake District. The guide narrates in English, Spanish or Portuguese, so the commentary reaches you in whichever language works best.

Pickup and drop-off happen at your hotel in downtown Bariloche, up to Bustillo Avenue kilometer 13. The boat handles the navigation. You just show up at the meeting point and spend the day on the water and the trails the stops open up.

What’s included

• Roundtrip hotel transfers from downtown Bariloche.
• boat navigation through all four stops.
• guide commentary in English, Spanish or Portuguese.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Gray Line Argentina

Is this one for you?The guide speaks your language (English, Spanish or Portuguese), so you follow the full story of each stop without translation delays. Book this if you want the waterfalls and glacial lakes without renting a car or piecing together multiple transfers.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What is Cantaros Waterfall like when you reach it?

Cantaros Waterfall drops with force from Lake Cantaros, which sits at the top of the falls. To get there you walk up through the Valdivian jungle and pass a larch tree that is over 1,500 years old, so the waterfall itself is the payoff at the end of a short trek through old-growth forest.

Does the tour include lunch or entry fees to the national park?

The tour includes the boat, guide and hotel transfers, but lunch and the national park entrance fee are separate. You'll want to arrange or bring food for the eight hours on the water.

Where does the boat depart from and how do I get there?

The boat leaves from Puerto Pañuelo. Hotel pickup is included for hotels in downtown Bariloche up to Bustillo Avenue kilometer 13, and the tour returns you to the same hotel at the end of the day.

What is Lake Frías and why is the water such an unusual color?

Lake Frías sits near Puerto Blest and gets its distinctive green color from glacial melt flowing in from Cerro Tronador, the mountain that forms the natural border between Argentina and Chile. You see the shores and the water from the boat.