When I arrived in the city of Esquel I had nothing exactly planned, but I knew that the options for walks would not be long in coming. In my opinion, it always ends up being best to ask the locals for recommendations, because they know more than any internet forum. Luckily, the owners of the hostel where I worked this autumn were very knowledgeable about the city, so they recommended a visit to La Zeta Lagoon as my first trip. I had the option of taking a taxi, but as it was close by, I thought it would be more fun to walk there .
From where the flat where I lived with my roommates was located, it was about 6 km to the lagoon. This distance may sound like a lot, but it is fun if you go with someone else. That day I was able to organise with guests from the hostel to go together to the lagoon, so the journey to the lagoon was not so tiring. The path was very easy, all on the vehicle path, so it was impossible to get lost .
The La Zeta Lagoon area is a nature reserve with a few trails around it. Unless there is usually a special event, we were told that this area is always quiet and that was the case when we were there. The day we were there was beautiful: the weather was inviting to be outside so we spread out our day to do everything we wanted to do. This included a little rest on the shores of the lagoon, but also stretching our legs a bit more to complete some of the trails in the area .
The shore of the lagoon seemed to me a good place to rest and spend the afternoon. These waters did not look very deep, but it is said that some people still go there to cool off in the summer. You might think that in the south of Argentina it is always cold, but in places like Esquel, the summers are very hot and the winters are snowy. This autumn we had an in-between climate, with just the right temperature to be outside enjoying the day without suffering from either extreme .
The postcard of Esquel from the Laguna La Zeta is one of the most beautiful you can have of this place. I recommend visiting this place around sunset, when the sun starts to go down and form a mirror on the water. The combination of mountains and lagoon with some green around is beautiful, creating a unique landscape all day long. I quite enjoyed visiting this place, it was so peaceful and quiet that it didn't even seem to be that close to the city .
Of course, if we had taken a taxi the journey would only have taken about 20 minutes, but I think walking also had its magic. The part I like the most about volunteering in different hostels in my country is the social part, like that day when we had the opportunity to share an extra moment with the guests. Visiting Laguna La Zeta for the first time was great, and I liked it so much that I took the trouble to go a few more times to spend my free afternoons. A place as beautiful and peaceful as this deserves to be visited several times, and that's exactly what I did ❤️.
