Photos

The National Park Nahuel Huapi (in Araucano language, Nahuel mean tiger and Huapi, island) extend itself over 1.875.000 acres from which 825.000 acres are a National reserve. It covers the southwest regions of the Neuquén province and the Northwest regions of the Rio Negro province and stretch from the Patagonian steppes to the high Andes. The park possess a huge quantity of rivers and lakes due to the abundant rainfalls and to the snow and glacier melting. The Nahuel Huapi Park is the oldest Argentine National Park. It was created in 1934. Originating as a reserve with a private donation of 15 square miles of land from the explorer Francisco Perito Moreno in 1903. He had received this land from the Argentine government in recognition of his exploration of Patagonia and his role in the borderline dispute with Chile. Later, he decided that land should be preserved and given back to the Argentine people.
During the last Stone Age period, the native Tehuelche from the south, the Puelche from the east and the Pehuenche from the north lived in peace around the lake Nahuel Huapi until the 17th century with the arrival in the area of the Araucanos (or Mapuche). They were fleeing the Spanish invasion of Chile. The Mapuche culture finally took over the other tribes? cultures. Some cave painting were found around the lake. Many of them were negative painting of hand; to create them, the natives would fill their mouth with paint and spray it on the rock using their own hands as stencils.

On the picture, lies the lake Nahuel Huapi as seen from San Carlos de Barriloche and this was the view I had from my hotel room. It is the biggest lake from the National park. It cover 150 000 acres and has a depth of 464 meters.