Esquel: La Trochita, Culture and Nature

Esquel offers several distinct highlights for a stay: the city’s history and railway, cultural attractions, and activities in the surrounding landscape. If you’re looking for a hotel in Esquel, your planned activities can help you plan your trip. Seasonal conditions should be taken into account for rafting and skiing.

Railway, City History, and Culture

The original section of the La Trochita route connects Ingeniero Jacobacci in the province of Río Negro, El Maitén, and Esquel in Chubut. Smaller stations and stops lie between these places. The railway connection places Esquel on a route that extends beyond the city.

At the Museo Histórico Municipal Esquel, the interactive exhibition “Aquí Esquel” presents the city’s past, present, and future. Images, objects, stories, and sounds invite visitors to experience aspects of its identity. The different media make the city itself the subject of the exhibition.

The Centro Cultural Melipal is located in Esquel’s former bus station and exhibits works by various artists from the region and the country. Casa Los Vascos offers a different perspective on the city’s history: the historic general store was founded in 1936 and has operated as a civil-law partnership since 1969. It is one of the few stores of its kind in the country and the only one of its kind in Patagonia.

Activities Around Esquel

The Sendero A La Zeta follows a road and is suitable for hiking, motorcycling, horseback riding, and mountain biking; the route starts in the city. The hills around Esquel also invite visitors to go trekking and mountain biking. Slopes, natural viewpoints, and peaks offer panoramic views of Esquel and its surroundings. Outdoor conditions may vary.

Laguna La Zeta is nearby, 4 km from Esquel. It has been designated a municipal nature reserve since 2013 and is managed in a way comparable to the “protected landscape” category. The so-called “Rincón de las Aves” has a birdwatching observatory, and the lagoon is also suitable for kayaking. This natural area combines birdwatching opportunities with an activity on the water.

Rafting trips on the Río Corcovado start in Esquel and are offered with guides and appropriate equipment. The Class II and III trips are possible without prior experience. As seasonal operations may vary, check in advance whether a trip is available on your planned travel dates.

The Centro de Actividades de Montaña La Hoya is 12 km from Esquel. It has 30 slopes for skiers of all ability levels. Operations and slope availability may vary by season, so take both into account when planning. The location and slopes provide a specific reference point if skiing is part of your travel plans.

In the broader destination of Departamento Futaleufú

Parque Nacional Los Alerces is also in the broader destination of Departamento Futaleufú. The national park was established in 1937 and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017. This distinguishes Esquel as a destination for its own excursions within the broader destination.

Parque Nacional Los Alerces can be reached from Esquel via Ruta Nacional 259 and Ruta Provincial 71 to Villa Futalaufquen. The southern area of the protected area can be reached from Esquel via Ruta Nacional 259, Trevelin, and the road to Complejo Hidroeléctrico Futaleufú; this road is 45 km long. These two access details refer to different areas of the park.

A moderate hiking trail runs through the park from Villa Futalaufquen to Puerto Limonao along the shore of Lago Futalaufquen. It is 4 km each way. This specific distance and difficulty level can help you assess the hike as part of your excursion plans.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Playa Unión, Trelew, Puerto Pirámides, Trevelín, Punta Delgada, Cholila, Comodoro Rivadavia.

Back to the broader travel overview: Chubut.