El Calafate Travel Forum

Hi
travelling to Argentina in 2 and half weeks for 3 weeks
the plan is to go to Salta (fly return), then down to El Calafate (fly one way)
and then get to Bariloche for a week before getting a night bus or flying back to Buenos Aires.
The part we are having trouble with is getting from El Calafate to Bariloche the flights are coming for that stretch alone are around 400 euros. Is this possible to bus? has any one done it - roughly how much and how long does it take?
thanks

If you've got the time, rather than a week In Bariloche, cross the lakes into Chile, amazing,overnight bus to Santiago, cross the Andes back to Mendoza. Get a cama, very comfy and save a night's hotel.

do mean do that from el calafate? and skip bariloche altogether?

Sorry but I have been to both the Chilean lakes and the lakes around Bariloche and certainly do not understand the rational of the other post suggesting going so far out of your way when you want to end up in Buenos Aires. The lakes around Bariloche are every bit as fantastic and certainly much easier reaching Buenos Aires from there than going across to Chile then north to Santiago and then east across the Andes to reach Buenos Aires.

As for the bus you might have to backtack to Rio Gallegos and get the bus north from there. Check at the Terminal de Ómnibus in El Calafate. As for the time, it is about 2 hours from Calafate to R. Gallegos and to Bariloche would be close to a 24 hour trip (1667 km)The area around the lakes, Villa La Angostura, San Martín de los Andes are wonderful. Check this link for more details of the area http://www.welcomeargentina.com/loslagos/index_i.html

Suerte
SAM

recheck the flights. they are expensive but that seems quite high. http://www.aerolineas.com.ar
otherwise it is a very long bus trip to do direct as has been posted and yes you do have to go through rio gallegos. then i think andesmar does the trip in about 33 hours. you should also check flights from rio gallegos to bariloche. often they are less expensive than leaving from el calafate.
also if you can spend a bit more time on the trip then break it up and stop in el chalten and perito moreno and maybe el bolson. check out http://www.chaltentravel.com and go to the Ruta 40 link.