Nahuel Huapi National Park

Nahuel Huapi National Park  (Parque Nacional Huapi in Spanish) owes its existence to the celebrated Argentine scientist-explorer 'Perito' Francisco Moreno, who donated a small section of the future park to the government in 1903, declaring that its sublime beauty should be preserved in perpetuity for the public. In 1934 it was officially gazetted as Argentina's first national park. It now covers nearly 720,000 hectares in Neuquén and Río Negro provinces.

The azure many-fingered 100km-long Lake Nahuel Huapi is the largest body of water in the park, which also includes Lakes Traful, Falkner and half a dozen others – all carved out by ancient glaciers, many of which still drain into the park. The western edge of the park is formed by the spine of the Andes which makes up the border with Chile, overlooked by the 3478m peak of the extinct volcano Cerro Tronador and Cerro Catedral, a popular winter sports destination.

In the summer months the park is a wonderful place for trekking, kayaking and white-water rafting.

The jumble of mountains that dominate the southern part of the park, between Lake Nahuel Huapi and Lake Mascardi are a hiker's paradise, and are easily accessible from Bariloche. One of the best hikes is a three-night option from Cerro Catedral, traversing passes on trails leading around a succession of tiny blue lakes, and sleeping in a different mountain refugios each night. The trails are open from November to April, after which the Patagonian winter transforms Cerro Catedral into a ski resort (those who want some winter walking can hire snowshoes rather than skis).

In the west of the park, there is further hiking to be had at Pampa Linda in the shadow of Cerro Tronador. The glaciers of Ventisquero Negro and Castaño Overo are easily accessible by walkers. It's possible to trek to Cerro Tronador (a two day walk), but the peak itself is only accessible by climbers with a guide and ice wall experience.

The Argentine Lake District's dramatic landscapes were carved out of the mountains over millennia by glaciers, and the same meltwaters make this one of the best regions for gentle exploration by kayak or on a more adrenaline-pumping white water rafting excursion. The calm waters of pocket-sized Lake Perito Moreno, barely separated from the Lake Nahuel Huapi itself by the Llao Llao peninsula is a great place to take to the water if you're a first-time kayaker.

On the main lake, the finger-like Brazo Tristesa is also popular with kayakers. The turquoise crystal waters of the Manso River are fed by the glaciers of Cerro Tronador and are perfect for rafting adventure as it passes through rocky escarpments and alpine forest. The river is at its liveliest during the Patagonian summer, with rapids running all the way up to Class 4.