Bariloche or Las Leñas – Which is the best ski center?

When summer arrives in the United States, ski and snowboarders move to South America in search of good snow and a great skiing and snowboarding experience. Among all, Las Leñas and Cerro Catedral in San Carlos de Bariloche are the two names that are popular with snow sports enthusiasts. But to know which one is better, you must first know both points in detail.

Las Leñas is located in the western part of the Mendoza province and is famous for its good weather, powder snow, and excellent off-piste skiing opportunities. The ski season here starts from mid-June to mid-October. The Las Leñas ski center was inaugurated in 1983 together with a 300-seater hotel. It also includes a snowboard and ski school for people of different age groups, as well as a nursery. You will also find a small shopping center with ski related shops, bank, supermarket, souvenir shops and chocolate shops. You can get to Las Leñas by bus, car or plane.

On the other hand, Cerro Catedral is located about 19 kilometers from the city of San Carlos de Bariloche within the Nahuel Huapí National Park. This is one of the largest ski resorts in South America with more than 100 kilometers of ski slopes. It is perhaps the most popular among ski lovers for its perfect skiing along with excellent views of Lake Nahuel Huapi. With a large number of hostels and hotels located at the foot of the mountain, Bariloche became the most popular tourist destination in Argentina with lots of skiing, trekking, water sports and climbing.

Cerro Catedral offers many opportunities for all types of skiing such as freestyle, off-piste, and even snowboarding, for which there are many rails and potholes where snowboarders can show off their skills. Cathedral offers an advanced snowmaking system that produces real snowflakes that cover a ski area of ​​approximately 10 hectares.

Bariloche has an advantage over Las Leñas

If your goal is just skiing and snowboarding, Las Leñas is perfect for you. But Bariloche has the added advantage of other activities that tourists can do besides snowboarding and skiing. Also, if you are wanting to experience true Argentine culture, Bariloche is the place to look. Las Leñas can disappoint you if you want to get to know Argentine culture.

Once again, Las Leñas is a much smaller city compared to Bariloche and has high-priced accommodation facilities with only opportunities for skiing. But, being Cerro Catedral close to the city of Bariloche, it is equipped with all kinds of modern facilities, from medical facilities to currency exchange services and cheap accommodation.

If you are not snowboarding or skiing on the slopes of Cerro Catedral, you can take the urban bus to get to Bariloche, where you can enjoy many other activities. You can take excursions to the chocolate museum or walk through the Chio Circuit. Fly fishing, ATV tours, day trips to resorts like Cerro Bayo or towns like El Bolsón, or horseback riding – there’s a variety available here. But when the snow is at its best, you will probably spend more and more time on the slopes of Cerro Catedral.

If you want to enjoy the snow, Bariloche and Las Leñas are about the same in terms of fun-filled snow activities like snowboarding and skiing. But for a more complete vacation, Bariloche has no other competition.