Esquel

One of the most authentic towns in the Lake District, Esquel is a pleasant, breezy place that still feels like a pioneer outpost, set where the steppe meets the mountains. It's a typical Patagonian country town, with many buildings dating from the early 1900s, and battered pick-ups filling the streets in the late morning bustle when local farmers come into town. There are few tourist sights, but it's all the more appealing for that. It is the starting point for the narrow gauge railway, 'La Trochita' (www.latrochita.org.ar), made famous by Paul Theroux as the Old Patagonian Express, which chugs off into the steppe from a charming old-fashioned station just north of town. It's the best base for visiting the Parque Nacional Los Alerces, and for skiing at La Hoya in winter. The tranquil village of Trevelin, where the Welsh heritage is more in evidence, is just 25 km away. For more information, see www.esquelonline.com (in Spanish).

Ins and outs

Getting there and around

Esquel has its own airport 20 km east of town, reached by bus or taxi, and a smart modern bus terminal. Av Alvear 1871, six blocks from the main commercial centre around Avenida Fontana. Buses arrive here from Comodoro Rivadavia on the Atlantic coast and Bariloche, with connections from those places to all other destinations in Patagonia and to the north. The terminal has toilets, kiosko, locutorio, and left luggage. Buses also run daily into Los Alerces National Park.

Sights

There aren't any sights, as such, and the whole point of visiting Esquel is to get to Los Alerces, or Trevelin, but it's a pleasant place to walk around. Estación Viejo Expreso Patagonico, www.latrochita.org.ar. The train leaves from a pretty little old station six blocks north of the town centre at the corner of Brown and Roggero. While it's obviously a tourist experience, this is a thoroughly enjoyable trip, and as the steam train rumbles across the lovely valleys and mountains of the precordilleraon tracks just 75 cm wide, you'll find yourself wanting to know how it works. There's Spanish and English commentary along the way, the quaint carriages each have little wood stoves, and there's a small tea room on board. But it's worth waiting for the home-made cakes (and handicrafts) for sale at the wild and remote Mapuche hamlet of Nahuel Pan, where the train stops, and where you'll hear an interesting explanation of how the engine works.

There's good skiing on high quality powder snow over a long season at the low-key family resort ofLa Hoya, 15 km north. It is popular with Argentines, since it's one of cheapest and friendliest. There are 22 km of pistes, many of them suitable for kids or beginners, with good challenging pistes too, and 7 ski lifts. For information see www.interpatagonia.com/lahoya (in English).

There are also some challenging walks and mountain bike trails in the surrounding mountains. See the map Sendas y Bosques(walks and forests) for El Bolsón, Lago Puelo and Los Alerces, which has the trails clearly marked. It's an easy climb along a clear path to Laguna La Zeta, 5 km from the centre of town, with good views and a lake with bird life. From there, head further north up the Río Percey or towards Cañadón Huemul. The path is signposted from the end of Avenida La Fontana. Another good hike, Cerro La Cruz, for spectacular views, five hours return; walk from the centre of town signposted from the end of the street 25 de Mayo. There are longer hikes to Cerro Veinte Uno, (five to eight hours return) and the pointy cone of Cerro Nahual Pan (eight hours return).