Los Arrayanes National Park

The park was created in 1971 by carving out a section of the massive Nahuel Huapi National Park to focus attention and resources on preserving one of the few remaining Arrayanes forests. The park's star attractions are the thousands of Arrayanes trees (Luma apiculata). Most animals in the park are fairly small, even the deer are among the smallest of their family with many pudu lurking in the foliage, though larger deer, such as the huemul deer can be seen closer to Villa la Angostura. The peninsula is also home to foxes, You probably won't see the unusual monito de monte (Dromiciops gliroides) because they're active at night and rest during daylight hours. Despite the name, they aren't monkeys but rather are marsupials, related to opossum. More than 100 species of bird can be spotted in and around the park, the most majestic being the Andean condor, soaring on air currents and thermals. There are eagles too, along with woodpeckers and other feathered avians. It's generally cold and wet in the park with daily temperatures around 3°C in winter and 14 °C in summer. The "wet" season is winter, with frequent snowfall between July and September. The best time to visit is January through March when sunny but cool days make for perfect bike riding or hiking. The nearest airport with commercial flights is in San Carlos de Bariloche. The nearest town to the park is Villa la Angostura....