In the Nahuel Huapi National Park region, the life of the andean wood blends with the steppe and the result is a transition between the green and humid environment and the golden, rolling pasture land. The need to protect the varied wild life there, together with the evidence the land holds of its original inhabitants, converted it in 1934 into the first protected natural area in the country.
Tumultuous Events
An immense plain, covered with saline deposits and salt lakes where dinosaurs roamed, interrupted only by scattered giants: the Pehuen or Araucaria tree. That was what this region looked like millions of years ago. As the Andes mountain range rose up, gigantic volcanoes covered extensive superficies with lava.
Much later on, the glaciers-those immense masses of ice of up to 1.500 meters thick-descended from the mountain heights and with their ploughing action, excavated and deepened everything in their path. The arrival of warmer times provoked the melting of those glaciers, laying bare ample valleys and immense lakes. Accompanied by the persevering action of time, the wind and rain gradually wore away at the rock and mouldedthe landscape.
The northern region of the National Park offers the visitor a large range of attractions. Rivers and streams run between the curious forms of the Valle Encantado (Enchanted Valley). To the east, the vastness of the Steppe and to the west, the humidity of the Pacific favours the growth of the dense woods that frame the Seven Lakes chain.
The river Limay has its source in the eastern end of lake Nahuel Huapi and throughout its first 50 kilometers it can be seen in its natural state. 32 kilometers from Bariloche,in a hilly landscape,the river rounds a bend and then, suddenly, it is framed by a natural amphitheatre. This semicircular basin with steep slopes, was 'excavated' by the action of glaciers and, over the years, has continued to be eroded by the action of the river on its banks.
In the region of the Limay river one can appreciate the vastness of the Steppe, that environment where the west wind sweeps accross the Patagonia with force and tenacity, evapourating the humidity and creating an extremely arid climate. In surroundings of yellowish and greenish-ochre tones, the "Coirones", those golden clumps of tough grass, mix with rounded bushes such as the "Neneo", which grows close to the ground to protect itself from the wind and drought. Only trees such as the willow and the maiten grow on the humid ground on the river banks, or in the gorges most sheltered from the wind. Animals such as the tuco-tuco (Ctenomys Sociabilis) live in this environment; these are large rodents that live in burrows and emit a curious beating noise when communicating with their neighbours. It is still possible to observe the dominant male of a troop of guanacos (Patagonian Llama) positioned as lookout on a hilltop, from where he can discern the dangers while the other members of the troop are grazing.
Confluencia.
(Confluence),at 67 kilometers from Bariloche, is the meeting point of the
two most plentiful rivers that run through this region: the Limay and the
Traful. Nevertheless, one can no longer appreciate the impact of
the collision between these two colossuses, as the area was flooded with
water from the reservoir of the Alicura dam, and today has the aspect of
a big lake.
In this region, the hills are crowned by curious formations of volcanic origen, that look like castles and gothic cathedrals. Due to the high variability in the hardness of the rock, the effect of the erosive action of wind and rain has been uneven, causing the "carving" of the striking figures which give the area its name.
Some formations were christened and are now popularly known by names such as "The finger of God" ("El dedo de Dios) and "The gaurdian of the valley" ("El centinela del valle"). Woods and thickets occupy these transitional environments where the cypress tree of the mountain range dominates the landscape. The condor flies majestically overhead here, where it can find suitable places to nest and roost, and the dead animals to be found in the nearby Steppe provide abundant food.
Los The findings in some caves near lake Traful, show evidence of the presence of indigenous groups that inhabited this region over approximately 10.000 years ago. Their permanence there was determined by a basic need: the presence of courses or reservoirs of fresh water.
Owls alternated with man as occupants of these caves where stones 'carved' by the river have been found, as well as implements of stone and bone, remnants of fires and bones of hunted animals: mainly Guanaco (Patagonian Llama) that was used for food and for clothing. Remains of felines, armadillo, Patagonian hare, nandu (small ostrich), avutarda (Otis Tarda) and fresh water mussels were also found.
To the west, the golden undulation of the Steppe gives way to the evergreen woods: The coihue (South American Beech) is the giant that dominates the landscape, accompanied by thick clumps of colihue- cane, where the characteristic knocking sound of the woodpecker rings out. The "pudo", the worlds smallest deer, wanders hidden in the depths of the wood, and in the hollows of the trees, the "monito de monte" (Dromiciops Gliroides) spends the winter.
The humidity of the environment in this north western zone of the Park, once again offers us a mountainous landscape dotted with lakes and rivers where ducks, bandurrias (Buff-necked Ibis) and cauquenes (Upland Goose) are just a few examples of the varied wild fowl of the region. This is the environment of the Seven Lakes Corridor (Corredor de los Siete Lagos), the tourist circuit that links up a series of lakes, via route 234. The road gives access to the lakes Espejo, Espejo Chico, Correntoso, Villarino, Falkner and Hermoso; and on connecting up with the Lanin National Park network of circuits, it continues on via lakesEscondido, Machonico and Lacar.
