Day 8 - Argentina 2025: El Circuito Corto

Today I was the perfect tourist ... well, the perfect tourist on car. There is an 18 km circuit, El Circuito Corto, that is very popular with hikers and bicyclists and takes you to some pretty views and charming coves, as well to every possible tourist trap you can imagine. The highlight for me was the funicular that takes you to the top of Mount Otto, from which you command great views of the big lake and the tall mountains in the background. I did a bit of walking around the crest of the mountain, which is formed by tilted sedimentary rocks, and got some spectacular photos of the surrounding landscape.

Afterward I kept following the circuit and eventually got to La Colonia Suiza, a "historical" town established in 1899, where I expected to find all sorts of cute Swiss chalets and locals wearing Lederhosen. Nothing of the kind. I didn't see a single chalet but instead was assaulted by the sight of endless kitchy tourist shops and restaurants, each pretending to offer traditional Swiss wares and dishes. To top it all the "streets" were dirt tracks and the cars kicked endless clouds of dust.

The circuit weaves between peninsulas and small islands, so there are plenty of opportunities for walking down to the beach, or taking a stroll through the forest, and somehow I managed to entertain myself until the mid-afternoon. On the way back I picked up two young French women who were celebrating their wedding with a six month trip that had included 3 months driving around the United States, 3 weeks in Argentina, and 3 weeks in Chile before heading back to Nantes. 

I believe I have by now exhausted the sightseeing potential of the area, but I have another day left of my stay, which I will use to explore the area to the southwest (again to the border with Chile), and afterward I will change gears into exploration mode and head south to the heart of Patagonia!