Argentina’s Lake District occupies the northwestern corner of Patagonia near the Chilean border. Snowcapped peaks, crystalline lakes, waterfalls, ancient forests and colorful wildflower meadows form a landscape protected by a network of national parks and ecological reserves. The area is accessed through Bariloche, a resort town that has a European Alpine flavor, owing to its original Swiss and German settlers. Many have compared the area to Switzerland, but though there are similarities, the region very much has its own identity. Around Lake Nahuel Huapi, vast swaths of land remain completely pristine, with all development forbidden.

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