If you are planning a getaway to visit this magical village on the shores of the lake, here are the essential activities to do in Villa Traful in 1 day.
Villa Traful is a true paradise on the shores of the lake of the same name. Its proximity to Villa La Angostura, and even San Martin de los Andes and Bariloche, allows for a day trip to discover its charms.
Although its access from both Route 40 and Route 237 is by a gravel road, it can be reached by car or by renting a car, always driving slowly and with caution. Besides, the stretch of the route closest to Villa Traful, permanently borders the lake, turning it into a panoramic route.
The other option to visit Villa Traful in 1 day is to do it with an excursion. There is a day trip to Villa Traful from Villa La Angostura, although there are also options to combine a day trip to Villa Traful and Villa La Angostura from Bariloche.
🔎 If you want to know how to get to Villa Traful, when to go and where to sleep, check out our article on how to get to and things to do in Villa Traful.
Table of Contents
1) Submerged Forest, the excursion to do in villa traful in 1 day
If there is one thing you have to do in Villa Traful in one day, it is the excursion to the submerged forest. This forest has been formed by the movement of the tectonic plates, which generated that an area with lush vegetation on the mountainside has slowly sunk into the waters of Lake Traful.
This excursion is only available from November to April, so if you go at any other time you will unfortunately miss it.
It should be clarified that there is no option to do the submerged forest on your own, you must do it with one of the companies that organise them, since you must cross to the other shore of Lake Traful in a semi-rigid boat, and you must take into account the weather conditions to be able to do it (on windy days the excursions do not take place).
There are several types of excursions to the submerged forest of Villa Traful:
- One hour sailing in a semi-rigid boat plus Bahia Grande beach. The cheapest excursion of all, but for us it is not the most recommended. It is the cheapest excursion.
- Semi-rigid boat plus snorkelling in the submerged forest plus Bahia Grande beach. For us the most recommended if you have no diving experience, or even if you go with children. They provide you with snorkelling equipment and you can dive into the lake to see the submerged trees in the crystal clear water.
- Semi-rigid sailing plus diving in the submerged forest plus Bahia Grande beach. For those with previous experience, this is an excellent option. It is the most expensive excursion.
Important: take a coat because it is usually windy and cool in the middle of the lake. As the excursion ends at a pebble beach on Lake Traful, wear shoes that are not flip-flops and allow you to walk on the pebble floor.
2) Walk around the village of Villa Traful and eat trout
After the excursion to the submerged forest, it is worth taking a short walk through the village of Villa Traful. It probably won’t take you more than an hour.
Among the attractions in Villa Traful we recommend a visit to the Nuestra Señora De Villa Traful Chapel, with its beautiful wooden architecture, and a stroll along the shore of Lake Traful.
If you haven’t eaten yet, Villa Traful is an excellent destination to try trout. We recommend the Peumawe restaurant, for a meal overlooking the lake.
3) Trekking to the Coa Co and Blanco Waterfalls
Another activity to do in Villa Traful in 1 day is the hike to the Coa Co and Blanco waterfalls. You can walk from the centre of Villa Traful or go by car to the car parks at the entrance to the trail.
The hike is through the forest and of low physical difficulty (it is one kilometre in total), so it can be done with children. The waterfalls can be seen from a panoramic viewpoint, and you can even stop along the way to sit on benches and contemplate the landscape.
If you are looking to bathe in a waterfall, then the plan is to hike to the Co Lemu Waterfall. For this you have to stop the car at the side of the road, about 8 kilometres before arriving to Villa Traful from Villa La Angostura, at the height of the Arroyo Cataratas camping site.
It is a one kilometre drive to the Co Lemu waterfall through the forest, with the reward of being able to swim into the pool of water that the waterfall leaves behind.
4) Contemplate the views of Lake Traful from Del Viento viewpoint
To finish off the visit to Villa Traful in 1 day, on Route 65 towards Bariloche, you will find the Del Viento viewpoint on the side of the road.
To get to the viewpoint, you have to go up some wooden footbridges with caution. From the viewpoint you have the best views of Lake Traful, with its deep blue water and the forests that seem to hang from the mountain slopes.
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