The Ruta de los Siete Lagos in Argentina is a stunning 110-kilometre scenic drive on the iconic Ruta 40. The drive winds through even more than the 7 namesake lakes and is bookended by two mountain villages - San Martin de los Andes to the north and Villa La Angostura to the south.

7 Lakes as a day trip from Bariloche. Keep in mind you will need to drive over an hour to reach Villa La Angostura to start the official 7 Lakes Route portion of the day. It will take the entire day, start very early and plan on having a late lunch in SMdlA before heading back.

🛣 How is the road? The drive is paved and easy. Don't fret about hair pin turns or vertigo inducing cliffs. That said, you should drive slowly and stay aware of the road. Fellow tourists pull over and dart across the road for photo ops and loose animals (horses, cattle, and sheep) linger in the road, often around curves, so do not speed.

How to see the 7 Lakes Route:

• Self Drive Day Trip | The best way is on your own with a car. Rent a car and drive the route as in a single day, round trip. Rental cars here can sell out in busy season. Don’t procrastinate.

• Self Drive Road Trip | Rent a car and do a multi-day drive of the area. Consider spending a couple days in Villa La Angostura and/or San Martin de los Andes. For something smaller, book a cabin in Villa Traful.

• Guided Tour | Don’t want to drive? Take this tour departing Bariloche or this one departing San Martin de los Andes.

• Read my guide | I've driven this route countless times over the years and have compiled all of my tips in my blog post and on this guide and map.