Riding my Motorbike to the Andes Mountains

Update 10 (January 2023)

Gaiman to Neuquen, Argentina

It was a bit of an effort getting back on the motorbike and leaving Gaiman.  The lazy side of me could have hung around a few more days and enjoyed the easy life and nice food.

Anyway, that was not to be and I decided to head back towards the mountains and then go north from there.  After some advice I decided to stay on the main route to the west, rather than the more remote back roads.

My original plan was to stay at Los Altares but it was dry and hot, and a little early to stop, so I kept going and ended up stopping at Esquel, after a long day.

View across to Los Altares area

Entering Los Altares area.

Mountains in Parque Nacional los Alerces

The Los Alerces National Park back along the Andes Mountain Range now.

Lake in Parque Nacional los Alerces

I was now back amongst the greenery of the Andes.  From Esquel I decided to head to El Bolsón, via the Los Alerces National Park.  Much of the northern part is unsealed road, so I thought it would be fairly quiet.

Seed pod in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Mountain glacier in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Lake in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Parque Nacional los Alerces Ruta 71
El Bolsón Cabañas Tunquelén
El Bolsón market
El Bolsón market
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón to Neuquen 2
El Bolsón to Neuquen
El Bolsón to Neuquen Embalse de Alicurá dam
El Bolsón to Neuquen Embalse de Alicurá dam
Neuquen city streets
View across to Los Altares area
Mountains in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Red and purple Fucsia in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Mountain glacier in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Lake in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Parque Nacional los Alerces Ruta 71
El Bolsón Cabañas Tunquelén
El Bolsón market
El Bolsón market
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón to Neuquen 2
El Bolsón to Neuquen
El Bolsón to Neuquen Embalse de Alicurá dam
El Bolsón to Neuquen Embalse de Alicurá dam
Neuquen city streets
View across to Los Altares area
Mountains in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Red and purple Fucsia in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Seed pod in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Parque Nacional los Alerces Ruta 71
El Bolsón Cabañas Tunquelén
El Bolsón market
El Bolsón market
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón to Neuquen 2
El Bolsón to Neuquen
El Bolsón to Neuquen Embalse de Alicurá dam
El Bolsón to Neuquen Embalse de Alicurá dam
Neuquen city streets
View across to Los Altares area
Mountains in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Lake in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Red and purple Fucsia in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Seed pod in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Mountain glacier in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Red and purple Fucsia in Parque Nacional los Alerces
El Bolsón Cabañas Tunquelén
El Bolsón market
El Bolsón market
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón to Neuquen 2
El Bolsón to Neuquen
El Bolsón to Neuquen Embalse de Alicurá dam
El Bolsón to Neuquen Embalse de Alicurá dam
Neuquen city streets
View across to Los Altares area
Mountains in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Seed pod in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Mountain glacier in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Lake in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Parque Nacional los Alerces Ruta 71

The park was very scenic, but oh the people.  Even along the dirt road the traffic was constant.  By the time I reached El Bolsón I’d ridden in enough of other people’s dust to realise I had to rethink my route.  It’s that case again of everyone being on Christmas holiday and this area seemed to be even more popular than I’d struck on the Argentine coastline.

I found a cute cabana to stay in, with a very nice lady who spoke English.  I explained my dilemma about all the people not being my scene.  Before I know it, her husband has taped an old map of Argentina to the wall of the cabin and we are discussing their suggestions on my next moves.

El Bolsón Cabañas Tunquelén

El Bolsón Cabañas Tunquelén

El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route

El Bolsón was a busy tourist town and according to my host it was struggling to adjust to so many tourists in recent times.  It was a younger group with a fair bit of pot smoking going on.

El Bolsón market
El Bolsón market
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón to Neuquen 2
El Bolsón to Neuquen
El Bolsón to Neuquen Embalse de Alicurá dam
El Bolsón to Neuquen Embalse de Alicurá dam
Neuquen city streets
View across to Los Altares area
Mountains in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Lake in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Red and purple Fucsia in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Seed pod in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Mountain glacier in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Parque Nacional los Alerces Ruta 71
El Bolsón Cabañas Tunquelén
El Bolsón market
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón to Neuquen 2
El Bolsón to Neuquen
El Bolsón to Neuquen Embalse de Alicurá dam
El Bolsón to Neuquen Embalse de Alicurá dam
Neuquen city streets
View across to Los Altares area
Mountains in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Lake in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Red and purple Fucsia in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Seed pod in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Mountain glacier in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Parque Nacional los Alerces Ruta 71
El Bolsón Cabañas Tunquelén
El Bolsón market

So I started my new planned route and veered back away from the mountains, more towards central Argentina.

El Bolsón to Neuquen 2

El Bolsón Cabañas Tunquelén

El Bolsón to Neuquen

El Bolsón Cabañas Tunquelén

Neuquen city streets
Neuquen park
View across to Los Altares area
Mountains in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Lake in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Red and purple Fucsia in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Seed pod in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Mountain glacier in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Parque Nacional los Alerces Ruta 71
El Bolsón Cabañas Tunquelén
El Bolsón market
El Bolsón market
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón to Neuquen 2
El Bolsón to Neuquen
El Bolsón to Neuquen Embalse de Alicurá dam
El Bolsón to Neuquen Embalse de Alicurá dam

I had a break for five days in Neuquen.  It is a nice town.

Neuquen park
View across to Los Altares area
Mountains in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Lake in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Red and purple Fucsia in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Seed pod in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Mountain glacier in Parque Nacional los Alerces
Parque Nacional los Alerces Ruta 71
El Bolsón Cabañas Tunquelén
El Bolsón market
El Bolsón market
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón planning my next route
El Bolsón to Neuquen 2
El Bolsón to Neuquen
El Bolsón to Neuquen Embalse de Alicurá dam
El Bolsón to Neuquen Embalse de Alicurá dam
Neuquen city streets

The avenue out the front was very popular with the locals to meet and enjoy the evening.

Comodoro Rivadavia to Gaiman, Argentina
Update 9 (early January 2023)

Uspallata and Cristo Redentor de los Andes
Update 11 (mid January 2023)