Do you enjoy areas that aren’t hit heavily by tourist buses and foreigners? Would you like to get to know the real locals? Check out Esquel, Argentina. This cute town of thirty thousand is a gem for the traveler that enjoys places off the beaten path.
Esquel is located in northern Patagonia and is surrounded by huge, beautiful mountains. The mountain range is separate from the continent-long Andes but is no less spectacular. The mountains rise from the grassy foot lands of the town, acting as giant guardians of the small pueblo.
Esquel has many great accommodations. The traveler that doesn’t mind spending a bit more for comfort will enjoy the Cumbres Blancas Hosteria. The beautiful building was built with the local flare of working with log and stone. The Cumbre Suite has two bedrooms, a living room, enclosed reading area with views of the mountains, a plasma TV, stereo and jacuzzi. There is also a small spa, massage services and exercise equipment to use in the hotel, as well as a tasty restaurant.
For the traveler on a budget, try La Casa del Pueblo. Located in the center of town, this hostel offers a clean room for twenty five pesos (currently US$1 = 3 Argentine Pesos). There are three nice lounge areas and breakfast included. There are also private rooms and double rooms with a private bath available.
There are good restaurants in town to try. The restaurant Pasta de Magico, on the edge of town, is definitely worth a visit. The chefs create incredibly tasty pasta dishes while the owners entertain the guests with magic tricks. They also offer tables of mind puzzles to keep people busy.
The area surrounding Esquel is packed with activities to do.
In the summer enjoy fly fishing or hiking through the mountains of La Cruz, La Zeta and Nahuel Pan. Horse back riding, mountain biking, river rafting and tours through amazing estancias (ranches) are also available.
La Trochita is a working train that is famous in South America for its spectacular route through the Los Alerces mountains, linking Esquel with El Maiten. The train shows old growth forests with trees over 3000 years old and thousands of Lupen blooming in the spring. This locomotive is a special part of history because it runs on the old fashioned narrow track system of the early 1900’s. When stepping on to the train it is like stepping back in history.
Visit Esquel. It is worth the visit.