Patagonian wilderness, prehistoric forests, a volcano on the horizon, and some of the most extraordinary skiing in South America. Neuquén is Argentina at its most wild and most beautiful.
Neuquén is one of Argentina’s great Patagonian provinces — vast, wild, and full of landscapes that make you feel very small in the best possible way. Stretching from the high Andes in the west to the arid steppes of the east, it is a province of dramatic geological contrasts: ancient volcanos, deep lake valleys, prehistoric forests, and a paleontological heritage that has produced some of the largest dinosaur fossils ever discovered on earth.
At the heart of the Beagle Tours experience in Neuquén is Caviahue — a mountain town unlike any other in Argentina. Sitting at 1,647 meters above sea level in a narrow Andean valley west of the Andes and south of the Copahue Volcano, Caviahue is surrounded by a forest of araucaria pines — prehistoric conifers that have existed essentially unchanged for 200 million years. These extraordinary trees, with their distinctive umbrella canopies and prehistoric scale, give Caviahue a landscape that has no equivalent anywhere else in South America.
In winter, Caviahue transforms into one of Argentina’s finest and most exclusive ski destinations. More than ten snowmobiles provide private access to pristine backcountry snow across the mountain. Virgin powder runs, off-piste terrain, downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, dog-sledding, snowmobile excursions, and an ice skating rink make it a complete mountain experience. And unlike the more heavily trafficked resorts of Bariloche or Las Leñas, Caviahue retains an intimacy and a wildness that is increasingly rare.
In summer, the same landscape offers hiking through araucaria forest, fishing in mountain streams, horseback riding across open Andean country, and the extraordinary experience of soaking in the natural thermal waters fed by the Copahue Volcano — one of the most unusual natural phenomena in Patagonia.
Beagle Tours manages the entire Neuquén experience from start to finish — including private flights directly into Loncopue’s private airport, just one hour from El Maitén Lodge.
Patagonia — Argentine Andes
Neuquén
Caviahue
1,647 meters above sea level
June to September
November to March
Mountain / Cold Winters / Mild Summers
Spanish
Argentine Peso
ART (UTC -3)
Loncopue (1 hour from El Maitén Lodge)
Presidente Perón Airport, Neuquén (NQN)
El Maitén Lodge is where you stay in Neuquén — and it is unlike any other property in our portfolio. A small collection of mountain cottages set among the araucaria pines with a magnificent view of the surrounding hills, El Maitén accommodates a maximum of ten guests. That intimacy is not incidental — it is the entire point. With only ten guests on the mountain at any one time, the experience is genuinely private. The snow is yours. The trails are yours. The silence of a Patagonian winter morning, broken only by the wind in the ancient pines, is yours.
The lodge is warm, well-appointed, and run with the personal attention that only a small property can provide. Everything from meals to equipment to daily scheduling is organized around your group’s preferences and pace. There is no front desk, no lobby, no crowd at the ski lift. There is only the mountain, the forest, the volcano, and the snow.
Caviahue’s ski terrain is as good as anything in Argentina — and far more exclusive than the better-known resorts. The mountain offers downhill runs through araucaria forest, open powder fields, and off-piste terrain that rewards the adventurous skier. More than ten snowmobiles provide private access to backcountry runs that no lift system can reach, opening up a mountain experience that is genuinely available to only a handful of guests at any one time. For snowboarders, the same terrain offers an equally extraordinary canvas. The snow season runs from June through September, with July and August typically delivering the best powder conditions.
The araucaria pine — the national tree of Chile and a species that has survived essentially unchanged since the age of the dinosaurs — defines the visual character of Caviahue in a way that no other ski resort in the world can match. These ancient trees, some of them over a thousand years old, rise from the snow in extraordinary forms — their umbrella canopies catching the light and their scale dwarfing everything around them. Skiing through an araucaria forest in fresh powder is an experience that belongs in a different category entirely from conventional skiing. It is, in the truest sense, unforgettable.
The Copahue Volcano rises above Caviahue to the west, still actively venting steam and sulfur from its crater. Its volcanic activity feeds a system of natural thermal springs in the area that have been used for their therapeutic properties for generations. Soaking in thermal waters with the snow all around you and a volcano visible on the horizon is one of those experiences that is genuinely available only here — a combination of natural forces and geographical luck that Patagonia delivers in a way that nowhere else quite can. The thermal baths are available year-round, making Neuquén a destination for every season.
When the snow melts, a different Neuquén emerges — and it is equally compelling. The araucaria forests that were white and silent in winter become green and alive in summer, filled with birdsong and the sound of mountain streams running full with snowmelt. Hiking trails wind through the ancient forest and up into the open Andean country above the tree line. Horses are available for rides across the mountain meadows. The rivers and streams of the area offer excellent trout fishing for fly fishers willing to explore. And the thermal baths of Copahue remain one of the most extraordinary natural experiences in Patagonia in any season.
One of the defining advantages of the Neuquén experience with Beagle Tours is the ability to fly directly to Loncopue’s private airport — just one hour from El Maitén Lodge — via Beagle Flights. Rather than flying commercially into Neuquén city and then facing a long road transfer into the mountains, guests arrive by private aircraft directly into the heart of the region. It is a different way to begin a mountain trip — and it sets the tone for everything that follows.
Your home in Neuquén is El Maitén Lodge — a small, intimate collection of mountain cottages set among the araucaria pines with views of the surrounding hills. With a maximum of ten guests, the lodge offers a level of privacy and personal attention that no hotel can replicate. Meals, equipment, and daily scheduling are all organized around your group.
Every day in Neuquén is built around your group’s preferences and pace. Whether you want a full day of powder skiing, a guided snowmobile expedition into the backcountry, a morning in the thermal baths, or a summer hike through the araucaria forest, your guide customizes the schedule to make the most of every hour on the mountain.
All ground transfers between the airport and El Maitén Lodge are handled by our team. Private vehicles, no shared transfers, no waiting. The mountain roads of Neuquén are spectacular and occasionally challenging — we handle the driving so you arrive ready for the experience ahead.
Beagle Flights operates private aircraft directly into Loncopue’s private airport — just one hour from El Maitén Lodge. This is the most efficient and the most memorable way to arrive in Neuquén. Commercial flights into Neuquén city are also available and our team coordinates both options depending on your preference and schedule.
Skiing at Caviahue
Snowboarding at Caviahue
Powder Day at Caviahue
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Tell us when you want to go, how long you have, and what kind of experience matters most to you. We will take care of everything else from there.