San Martin de los Andes: Road of Seven Lakes Full Day

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.59 (34 reviews) 68% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/10

Duration9h–10h

GroupUp to 12

LanguagesES

PickupAt your hotel

What happens when you drive past six lakes in one morning?

You travel by minivan through six lakes and an ancient forest in the Andes foothills, stopping at a Mapuche community snack stand and the viewpoint that overlooks Chile, then spend a few hours in Villa La Angostura before returning to San Martin de los Andes. Hotel pickup, a professional guide, and small-group format mean you don't navigate or time it yourself — you just show up at your hotel in the morning.

9h–10h

Step-by-step itinerary

Drive Road of the Seven Lakes

Depart San Martin de los Andes hotel
Drive along Lago Lácar rim
Explore ancient oak and cypress forest
Stop at Correntoso Lake for snacks
Visit Small Mirror Lake and Bodega Ruca Malen
View scenery from Espejo Grande viewpoint
Arrive at Villa La Angostura village
Enjoy free time and lunch in village
Return to San Martin de los Andes hotel

The Experience

You start at your hotel in San Martin de los Andes before dawn settles, climbing into a minivan with maybe ten other people, and your guide points the nose toward Lago Lácar. The road hugs the shoreline for about 4 kilometers, and you're already seeing why people come here — the water sits still, the Andes rise behind it, and the forest starts closing in. Your guide talks about the landscape as it passes, not in that breathless tour-operator way, but more like someone who knows the place and wants you to notice what's actually there. The minivan keeps moving, and the road of the seven lakes unfolds in front of you.

Around mid-morning, you stop at Correntoso Lake where a Mapuche community sells snacks — fried cakes, homemade cheese, ham — and you can stand on the shore for twenty minutes if you want, or just grab something and get back in. Then it's into the ancient oak and cypress forest, past Small Mirror Lake and the Espejo Grande viewpoint where, on a clear day, you can see all the way into Chile. The drive takes time, but it doesn't feel like sitting still; there are bridges, an old inn, rivers that move fast, and the guide stops when something's worth stopping for. After about 10 kilometers of that, you reach Villa La Angostura, a small town with restaurants and a shopping center, and you have a couple of hours to eat lunch (you pay for it yourself) and walk around before the minivan heads back to San Martin de los Andes.

The whole thing is a full day — you leave your hotel in the morning and return in the evening — and the group stays under twelve people, which means the minivan doesn't feel crowded and the guide can actually hear you if you ask a question. If you're thinking about renting a car and driving this yourself, the pickup and drop-off alone save you the hassle of navigating unfamiliar roads, and having someone who knows the Mapuche history and the forest changes the drive from scenery into something you actually understand. Just bring a jacket; the weather in the foothills shifts fast, and in July and August some sections can close if snow comes through.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in San Martin de los Andes, transport by minivan through the Road of Seven Lakes, a professional guide who shares history and context about the landscape and Mapuche culture, and stops at Correntoso Lake (where you can buy snacks from the local community), Small Mirror Lake, and the Espejo Grande viewpoint. Lunch in Villa La Angostura is on your own expense, as are any snacks or purchases along the way.

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Tangol

Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want to see the lakes and forest without renting a car or navigating unfamiliar roads — the pickup, guide, and fixed schedule handle the logistics so you focus on the scenery.