San Martín de los Andes

San Martín de los Andes is a village in the province|Neuquén|Argentina. It is located in the Lácar Department in the south-west of the province, at the foot of the Andes, beside the Lácar Lake, 45 km from the border with Chile and about convert|1545|km|mi|0|abbr=on|sp=us from Buenos Aires. It has a population of about 24,000 inhabitants in town and throughout its surrounding area (census-ar|2001).

Tourism

San Martín de los Andes, modeled like a European style alpine village, was founded on 4 February 1898. At present, either for the ski season or the summer it is a popular destination for tourism, and the seat of the administration headquarters of the Lanín National Park. Its landscape is one of the most spectacular of Patagonia.

* In the summer, adventure sports like kayaking, mountain biking, trekking, rafting, horse riding and others are popular. golf can be played about 10 months a year on the Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II designed Chapelco Golf Club. Design and construction is starting in El Desafio Mountain Resort on a Greg Norman Signature golf course set in the mountains.

* The beautiful Seven Lakes' pebbled road, takes you to Villa La Angostura, the Los Arrayanes National Park and the Nahuel Huapi lake.

* Chapelco is one of the most important ski centres in Argentina and South America for winter sports like skiing and snowboarding amongst others.

* Handcrafted artisan arts & crafts and local culinary delicacies like gourmet chocolates, pastries, organic jams and preserves. Patagonian cuisine and tea houses abound. Alpine-style hotels, lodgings and cabins available throughout.

* The city is serviced by the Chapelco Airport airport codes|CPC|SAZY, which is convert|22|km|mi|0|abbr=on|sp=us away (at coord|40|5|S|71|8|W).

* Hua-Hum international pass for travel to Panguipulli in Chile lies only convert|45|km|mi|0|abbr=on|sp=us from San Martín de los Andes. It is one of the few passes between Chile and Argentina that are open all year round.

References

*
* [http://www.smandes.gov.ar Municipality of San Martín de los Andes] - Official website.

External links

* [http://www.guiaverde.net/sanmartindelosandes/indexe.htm San Martin de los Andes]
* [http://www.inglaner.com/images/Mapas/satelital_san_martin_andes.jpgSatelital image of San Martín de los Andes and surroundings (2277x1476 pixels)]
* [http://www.elsitiodelturista.com/argentina/neuquen_sanmartindelosandes_us.html San Martín de los Andes - Lodging Finder]
* [http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/local/ARNN0061?letter=S Weather for San Martin de los Andes ]
* [http://www.smn.gov.ar/?mod=pron&id=4&provincia=Neuqu%E9n&ciudad=San%20Mart%EDn%20de%20los%20Andes Weather for San Martin de los Andes - Spanish]