This fly fishing paradise fills up with anglers during the fishing season (November to April). During the rest of the year, however, Junin de los Andes (which everyone simply calls Junin) slows down to a small-town pace. The main plaza in Junin is tranquil, street signs have trout on them, the people are friendly, and town seems deserted during siesta time every afternoon. Here’s how to enjoy Junin de los Andes including a nearby national park and one of the quirkiest attractions in Argentina plus where to sleep, and where to eat.

Trout on the street signs in Junin de los Andes, Argentina.
What to do in Junin de los Andes
There are many world-famous trout streams around Junín including the Alumine River, the Malleo River, and the Quilquihue River.

Tuqui, a local fishing guide, shows us how it’s done.
Even if you’re not into fly fishing, there are plenty of things to do and see in and around Junin de los Andes.

The active Lanin Volcano gives its name to Lanin National Park.

Welcome to the lovely riverside walkway and park in Junin de los Andes, Argentina.
The quirkiest thing to do in Junin is a visit to Via Christi Parque Escultorico where you’ll find 23 sculptural installations artistically depicting the life of Christ. On a forested hillside above town, Argentinean architect and artist Alejandro Santana arranged cast concrete sculptures inspired by the crucifixion, death, and re-birth of Christ and promoting non-denominational and culture-inclusive messages about being a better human.

Christ giving blessings to Saint Francis of Assisi, Mother Teresa, Gandhi, and Martín Luther King among other notable figures.

Jesus with faiths from around the world including Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, and members of the local indigenous Mapuche culture.
While working on that project, Santana read an inscription from the first priest of the parish predicting that Junín would become a “beacon of faith”. With those words in mind, he began imagining an illuminated Christ figure on top of the hill directly across town from the church. That illuminated figure is now the 23rd station of the Via Christi Parque Escultorio. It’s reached via a half-mile (1 km) series of ramps or a quarter-mile (0.5 km) walk up a steep direct staircase.

The high point (literally) of a visit to the Via Christi Parque Escultorito is this 200-foot-long partly-buried metal and glass sculpture of Christ.
Junin de los Andes is also a short drive from the town of San Martin de los Andes which offers other things to do and see including a museum/gallery that celebrates Patagonian inspiration and lake tours.
Where to sleep in Junin de los Andes
Junin has a lot of small lodges and guesthouses aimed at the fishing crowd. We stayed at Land Park Lodge & Spa which offers rooms and cabins. Rates include continental breakfast with good coffee, and the whole place was spotless and surrounded by gardens and greenery.
A good bargain option in Junin is the riverside Hosteria Chimehuin which offers a range of rooms in a range of price points (rooms with shared bathrooms are the cheapest and everything is spic and span). The place is old (they claim to be “the most historic hosteria in Neuquen”), but things are well-kept and clean. There’s an ample parking area, Wi-Fi, and a good breakfast with a large array of warm baked goods and good coffee. The hosteria is close to the town’s central area and has a large and grassy interior garden with chairs and tables and an ample parking area. *check out the photos of fishermen with their giant catches covering decades lining he was of the restaurant.

Spring Creek Lodge bungalows with a view.

Tipiliuke Lodge offers hospitality, style, food, and service that’s worth the splurge.
Where to eat in Junin de los Andes
Ask anyone in Junin and they’ll tell you to eat at Restaurant Ruca Hueney. This large place is located right on the main plaza and has a generally pleasing fishing lodge look and feel (note the antler chandeliers). It’s owned by Lebanese immigrants which explains why the extensive menu includes middle eastern favorites (hummus, etc.) as well as Argentinean classics, and lots of dishes made with local deer. Try the tender and moist milanesa de ciervo, a pounded, breaded, and flash-fried deer cutlet. The wine list includes bottles from Patagonian wineries and the service is good.
How to get to Junín de los Andes
From Buenos Aires, domestic flights service a Chapelco Airport 12 miles (20 km) from Junin de los Andes. Or fly from Buenos Aires to Bariloche and rent a car there.
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