From downtown Bariloche:

Bus: In summer season there is a minibus transfer to Pampa Linda. Get off at “Los Césares”, the trailhead is right across the road.

By car: 61 km total. Take route 40 towards El Bolsón, soon after Villa Mascardi at 36 km. there is a right turn off onto a gravel road. Another couple of hundred meters and you are at the Park Rangers Office “Mascardi”, where is the paid entrance fee to the National Park. From here there are 25 km. to Los Césares.

The road between Los Rápidos and Pampa Linda has timetables of restricted one direction:

• One way up: from 10:30 to 14 hs. from Los Rápidos.
• One way down: from 16 to 18 hs. from Pampa Linda.
• Two way road: from 19:30 to 9 hs.
• From 14 to 19:30 hs you cannot head towards Pampa Linda.

Close to Los Césares:

Camping area “The 3 Poplars” – No services

Tronador Hotel – Open from Nov to April
www.hoteltronador.com

Machete area – No services

This trail is of high difficulty, and for safety reasons it is indicated only for people with a lot of experience in trekking and who have all the necessary equipment to make the journey that involves an overnight stay, without services. Although the trail is indicated to Llum lagoon, the only authorized camping area is “Machete” 12 km. away.

First you border along the Manso river up to the hanging bridge, follow the trail with the Huella Andina markings as there are lots of trails in the area.

Depending on the time of the year the Claro river may be very high to wade across. The Casalata creek may also be high though, normally you can wade or cross using the rocks. As soon as you cross there is a detour, right towards Llum Lagoon, left goes up towards San Martin Hut.

The trail continues contouring around the lake up to the only authorized camping area called “Machete”.

The trail here gets pretty steep with many switchbacks up to the Isla Corazón (Piuke) lookout up on the ridge.

Great views of Tronador peak and Llum lagoon on the other side.

From here down to the northern tip of the lake the trail becomes more visible and more travelled.

From Los Césares to the North end of Mascardi lake the only camping place are: “The 3 poplars” (close to Los Césares), Machete (close to the Isla Corazón lookout) and the Relmu Lafquen campground, owned by the LofWiritray Mapuche community. Camping and fires are not allowed at Llum lagoon nor at Playa Leones.