Articles of Interest

El Bolson – Patagonia´s Hippie Headquarters

Two hours south of Bariloche in the neighbouring state of Rio Negro sits the popular Patagonic destination of El Bolson. A quaint little town of 15,000 inhabitants surrounded year-round by snow-capped peaks, El Bolson rests in a valley that enjoys a relatively mild micro-climate, meaning the town is generally warmer than Bariloche and doesn’t receive much snow.                                                          

Things have changed considerably since Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid hung out here at the turn on the 20th century. Don’t be surprised if the second you arrive you hear the sounds of a drum circle, see naked children playing in the grass and get overtaken by the smell of incense (or some other equally distinctive aroma). Since the 1960´s El Bolson has been famed as Patagonia’s hippie headquarters.

The town prides itself on its non-nuclear status which was established in 1984. The claim is somewhat benign considering the size of El Bolson but it is a distinction from Bariloche which has its own atomic energy center. Even though the town is guaranteed free from nuclear contamination, residents are currently fighting the establishment of an environmentally-destructive gold mine by a North American company.

There’s not a ton of things to do in El Bolson itself– there’s not even a movie theatre – but its outdoor artesian fair in the central plaza is one of the most renowned in the country, if not South America. The art fair which takes place all day Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, is a great place to pick up original handmade jewelery, woodcrafts, wool clothing, jams, dried wild flower arrangements, artesian beer and liqueurs. Food connoisseurs will enjoy wonderful berries, goat and lamb cheese, fresh trout and astounding calorie-packed ice cream. In the summertime the city also hosts live folk music performances in the same central plaza.

Around El Bolson there’s an abundance of hiking and fishing in its many surrounding rivers and lakes. The nearby town Lago Pueblo and the adjacent national park of the same name with its little beach and many water activities are also worth a visit.