Water sports
On the lake.
Ulises Icardi — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Elemaki — CC BY 3.0 · Arianza1 — CC BY-SA 4.0
El Nihuil is a broad artificial lake on the Atuel river in southern Mendoza province; its dam opened in 1947 for irrigation and power, and at some 9,600 hectares it is the largest reservoir in the province. It heads the Los Nihuiles chain of dams on the river, and the famous Cañón del Atuel drive ends here. Its wide blue water lies amid dry steppe and desert hills, and it has become a spot for water sports, fishing and summer outings. On its shore is the small resort village of El Nihuil, with campsites and restaurants, and the curved concrete dam wall gives views over the lake. Wandering is free; it is about 85 kilometres from San Rafael and usually paired with the drive through the Cañón del Atuel on a day trip.
On the lake.
In the desert.
Camps and food.
On the Atuel river, about 85 km from San Rafael, Mendoza
About 85 km, usually combined with the Cañón del Atuel drive.