Ventisquero Negro

Outdoor activities

Cerro Tronador is located in the southern part of the Andes mountain range, on the border between Argentina and Chile. It separates two national parks: Nahuel Huapi, in the provinces of Río Negro and Neuquén, Argentina; and the Vicente Pérez Rosales in the province of Llanquihue, Chile. The name of the hill is due to the noise that is produced by the frequent detachments of ice in the glaciers, similar to that of thunder. El Tronador has a total of seven glaciers which are currently in remission due to global warming. The tour departs from Bariloche, taking National Route 40 South, about 45 km, to cross the Pampa de Huenuleo and border Lake Gutiérrez, to cross the Pilmayen and Melgarejo streams. After passing through the "water divide", you will travel along the banks of Lake Mascardi until you reach the detour where the road to Tronador (gravel) emerges. During this tour, Lake Mascardi is bordered again along its west coast, until reaching the Isla Corazón viewpoint. Further on, you will pass in front of Cerro Los Emparedados and border the upper Manso River until you reach Pampa Linda, from where you have one of the best views of Cerro Tronador. Then you cross part of the Vuriloches valley and finally, passing through a shady forest, you reach the Ventisquero Negro. The tour ends a little further on at the foot of Cerro Tronador. The hill, with its 3,454 meters above sea level, is the highest point in the Nahuel Huapi National Park, and has three peaks (International, Argentine and Chilean).

Discover the imposing Cerro Tronador and the majestic Ventisquero Negro, a unique experience in Nahuel Huapi National Park. The trip departs from Bariloche along National Route 40 South, crossing landscapes such as Pampa de Huenuleo and bordering Lake Gutierrez. The road continues crossing streams such as Pilmayen and Melgarejo, until reaching the turnoff to the Tronador. Continuing along gravel roads, you will border Lake Mascardi and arrive at the Isla Corazón viewpoint. The route offers views of Cerro Los Emparedados and continues along the upper Manso River until you reach Pampa Linda, from where you have a privileged view of Cerro Tronador. The last stretch will take you through the Vuriloches Valley and a shady forest, ending at the impressive Ventisquero Negro, an emblematic glacier with its striking black ice formations. Cerro Tronador, at 3,454 meters above sea level, dominates the landscape with its three peaks (International, Argentine and Chilean), offering an unforgettable experience that captures the natural grandeur of Patagonia.

On this full-day excursion you’ll take in some of the most breathtaking features of the Nahuel Huapi National Park. Visit lakes, beaches, mountains, and waterfalls, and admire the highest mountain in the Patagonia. Mount Tronador, 3,478 meters high, forms a natural border between Chile and Argentina. From the viewpoint at its base you can see the incredible glacier that feeds the Manso River. See the Ventisquero Negro (Black Glacier) that consists of huge brownish-gray blocks formed by avalanches of ice and mud. Visit La Garganta del Diablo (The Devil’s Throat), a waterfall created by melted glacial ice, surrounded by high rock walls, and see the Saltillo de las Nalcas, a hidden waterfall in the middle of the forest. This mountain’s name, Tronador, comes from the thunderous sounds produced by the massive falling blocks of ice.

We will pick you up around 09:00 hrs. We remind you that the schedule is estimated, but we will make sure to contact you days before to provide you with the exact time and guarantee a smooth experience. We depart from Bariloche, driving along the picturesque Onelli Street and National Route 258, enjoying the panoramic views along the Gutierrez and Mascardi lakes. The imposing Cerro Tronador, known as Anon by the indigenous people, stands as the highest peak of the Nahuel Huapi National Park. Our trip takes us along well-marked gravel roads, crossing the bridge over the Manso River and bordering Lake Mascardi along its western shore. We will cross the Vuriloches Valley and a shady forest before arriving at Ventisquero Negro, a black glacier that rises from the immaculate summit of Cerro Tronador. Here, you will witness the source of the Manso River, which descends from the mountain to the Atlantic Ocean. The tour will reveal the three characteristic peaks of Tronador: Argentino (3410 m), Internacional (3554 m) and Chileno (3474 m), creating a breathtaking view that captures the essence of natural majesty. But the adventure does not end here; you also have the option to explore the remarkable Los Alerces Waterfall. Continuing along the main road, you will border Lake Los Moscos and the Manso River until you reach Lake Hess.

Leaving Bariloche we head south on Route 40 (which goes to El Bolsón), after passing Lake Gutierrez and Lake Mascardi we turn right onto the road to Tronador. This road leads to the Manso Medio River, where it forks. There, instead of crossing the bridge over the river, we continue along the road passing by Los Moscos and Hess lakes. Then we cross the bridge over the Roca River and arrive at a parking lot, from here the tour continues on foot and after a short walk we reach the Mirador de la Cascada los Alerces. This is a beautiful 20-meter high waterfall that the Manso River makes on its way shortly after leaving Lake Hess. This river of cold and crystalline waters has the particularity of flowing into the Pacific Ocean, in Chile. The waterfall can be appreciated from a wide viewpoint, surrounded by a dense forest of tall coihues and humid walls full of ferns and mosses. In this sector, the forest has the particularity of having some specimens of larches, hence the name of the waterfall. Then we continue the tour to Pampa Linda, a mandatory stop for lunch. After lunch we continue the tour to the end of the road and arrive at the foot of the highest mountain in the National Park, the Cerro Tronador, so named because of the sound produced by the breaking and detachment of the glaciers housed in its summits. From this point we can see the Manso River Glacier, commonly called "Ventisquero Negro", reaching the end of the tour. From here we return to Bariloche.

Embark on a full-day tour to Cerro Tronador and Ventisquero Negro. Admire the views of the glaciers and eternal snow on the mountain. Stop at Lake Mascardi, Playa Negra, and the rapids Mirador de la Isla Corazón. Depart from the center of the city and take route 40 to the south. Border Lake Gutierrez and see Cerro Ventana and Cerro Catedral. Continue to Lake Mascardi, a beautiful lake with a variety of colors depending on the sunlight. Arrive at the entrance of the Nahuel Huapi National Park and start a curvy ride on a mountain road. See the vegetation among coihues and cañas colihues. Make short stops on Lake Mascardi, visit Playa Negra, the rapids Mirador de la Isla Corazón, and Pampa Linda. Arrive at a glacier plain and have the first view of Mount Tronador. The name of this mountain comes from the Mapuche language and it is due to the frequent noise produced by the ice. Cerro Tronador serves as the border between Argentina and Chile and is the highest peak of the Patagonian region in this mountain range sector of the Nahuel Huapi National Park. Arrive at the base of the mountain and appreciate its eternal snow on the summit, the glacial ice called Ventisquero Negro, and the lagoon formed by the melting of the glaciers.

We leave the city center towards the south, taking route 40, passing along the east bank of Lakes Gutiérrez and Mascardi until joining provincial route 82 at Villa Mascardi. At this entrance we have a National Park Ranger office, where we must pay the entrance fee to the Nahuel Huapi National Park (protected area). On the tour we will see native forests, beaches, mountains and waterfalls. It is a winding and ascending road over the Manso River Valley. We will make stops to enjoy these views, until we reach Pampa Linda, a beautiful place where you will find accommodation and gastronomy services. Further ahead, you can see the Ventisquero Negro, one of the many glaciers of Cerro Tronador. Its name is due to the fact that the glacier, along its path, incorporates sediments that give it a characteristic dark color, differentiating it from other glaciers, which are normally white. There, the Manso River is born, a typical mountain watercourse, which zigzags down from the Tronador towards the Pacific, overcoming differences in height through the formation of rapids and waterfalls, chaining a variety of beautiful lakes in its path. Cerro Tronador is the highest volcano in the Nahuel Huapi National Park, it is located at 3,478 meters. high about n/m, natural limit between Argentina and Chile. This hill is named Tronador, due to the noises caused by falling blocks of ice.