Across the Chubut border, the gateway to Parque Nacional Los Alerces and the end of the line for the “Old Patagonian Express,” Esquel is a deceptively tranquil town of wide avenues divided by densely planted medians. At the same time, it’s a city divided by a plebiscite that rejected a nearby gold mine that would have used toxic cyanide to leach the valuable mineral. What’s more, it’s a place where Mapuche militancy is palpable, in graffiti that says “neither Argentine nor Chilean, but Mapuche.”

Esquel (pop. 28,117) is 167 kilometers south of El Bolsón via RN 258, RN 40, and RN 259, all of them smoothly paved. Alternatively, many visitors take the gravel highway RP 71, south of the town of Epuyén, to go directly to Parque Nacional Los Alerces. Esquel is also 608 kilometers west of Trelew via several paved highways across the Patagonian steppe, and 581 kilometers northwest of Comodoro Rivadavia via equally good roads.

Getting There

Esquel has limited air services, better bus connections, and rail fantasies.

Aerolíneas Argentinas (Avenida Fontana 406, tel. 0297/453614) and LADE (Alvear 1085, tel. 02945/452124) provide air service to Esquel several times a week.

The Terminal de Ómnibus (Avenida Alvear 1871, tel. 02945/451566, terminalesq [at] ciudad [dot] com [dot] ar) is a contemporary facility four blocks northeast of downtown. It has good local and regional services, but long-distance connections are better in Bariloche. Transportes Jacobsen/Vía Bariloche (tel. 02945/453528) connects Esquel with El Maitén at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

Jacobsen also serves nearby Trevelin (frequently) and La Balsa/Futaleufú (weekdays at 8 a.m. in summer, but only Mon., Wed., and Fri. at other seasons).

In summer, Transportes Esquel (tel. 02945/453529) goes to Parque Nacional Los Alerces and Lago Puelo at 8 a.m. (connecting with lake excursions) and 2 p.m. daily. Fares are US$2.50 to La Villa, US$3.50 to Bahía Rosales, US$4 to Lago Verde, US$5 to Lago Rivadavia, US$6 to Cholila, and US$8 to Puelo, where there are easy connections to El Bolsón. Passengers with tickets to Puelo can stop and camp anywhere en route, and continue on any succeeding bus. Winter schedules may differ.