In common with the Chilean side and the whole of Patagonia, the best time to visit the Argentine Lake District is October to April. With the seasons reversed in the southern hemisphere, this equates to spring through summer and into autumn.

Expect things to be busy in January and February, with South Americans on their summer holidays. As always we steer you clear of the crowds and into the hidden gems and best places to stay, so that's not so much of a factor if you're travelling with us.

Bariloche is the best-known base in the Argentine Lake District, but it's pretty much a city now rather than the sort of quaint town you might imagine. So for us, we base you in a combination of two places, perhaps with the chance to visit Bariloche on the way between them if you want to.

The first place we really like is Villa la Angostura, the southern end of the Seven Lakes Road (see below). Aside from the idyllic setting surrounded by lakes, rivers and forests, one of the reasons we love Villa la Angostura is because of how compact, relaxed and walkable it feels. For context, the town has a population of around 25,000 people, whereas the more famous and busier Bariloche is home to some 200,000. It therefore feels quieter, more intimate and less developed, and is as such a generally nicer place to spend your downtime. The flower-lined streets have an Alpine feel, full of relaxed cafes, boutique shops and craft beer houses.

The second spot is a glorious eco-lodge which sits amid 500 acres of private land within the Nahuel Huapi National Park, just 40 minutes from Bariloche. It has two kilometres of lakeshore and a variety of hiking trails linking pristine forests, gorges and waterfalls, with beautiful views over the Gutiérrez and Mascardi lakes.

Days tend to follow a similar pattern, with a guided activity in the morning (hiking, kayaking, horse riding or rafting) followed by a long, lingering al fresco lunch. In the afternoon you might like to go for a walk on one of the many self-guided trails. The rest of your day can be given over to watching the birds go by and nosing around the lodge’s allotments, where they grow the seasonal produce you have been enjoying at meal times. Or if you simply want to sit back with a good book and Patagonia spread out before you, you’re in the right place to do that.

Visit them both without having to drive on this wonderful two-week trip: Argentine Patagonia: Lakes, Wine & Welsh Culture

Ruta de los Siete Lagos - the famous Seven Lakes road - winds through the beautiful Patagonian countryside between Villa la Angostura and San Martín de los Andes, just over 100km apart. Doing very much what it says on the tin, the route is a great way to get an overview of the landscapes here without getting your boots muddy.

If you arrive to Villa la Angostura via a transfer from San Martín, you will follow the entirety of the route with your private guide, with time to pull over and stop at the best viewpoints.

If you are coming across the border from Puerto Varas, it’s possible to do your own version of a ‘Six Lakes’ road, adding the Llanquihue, Rupanco and Puyehue in Chile to the last three of the Argentine lakes – Espejo, Correntoso and Nahuel Huapi.

Otherwise, you may wish to simply dedicate a day to a relaxed drive to San Martín for lunch by the water, returning to Villa la Angostura by late afternoon. All in all you would drive around 220km.

Once you're booked in, we provide a detailed travel guide with a route plotted out for you to follow.

Continuing south of Bariloche down the Ruta 40, we absolutely love the area around Esquel.

To the east you have the great Argentine steppe. Here you can spend a day with your private guide on a bit of a safari discovery, watching great herds of guanacos roam, birds of prey swooping, foxes and armadillos scurrying and flamingos gathering in saline lagoons, sometimes in their hundreds or thousands.

From the dry expanses of the steppe plateau, to the northwest you have some of the wettest (and therefore lushest) forest on earth. Los Alerces National Park is a precious expanse of ancient rainforest and vast lakes, hidden in which is a hanging glacier which spills off the mountaintop. A short but memorable hike leads to a remote viewpoint just below the ice.

Further west, pushing up to the Chilean border, is one of our favourite wineries in South America. Days are spent wandering the vines, strolling through the orchard gardens, walking along the rushing river or learning to cook with your hosts. It is utterly idyllic, blissfully peaceful and a real surprise to find a wine valley this far south.

Keep going and you can cross into Chile to enjoy some of the world's best river rapids, with rafting for all abilities, and to stay in one of the most special eco lodges in Patagonia.

Read all about it and take the journey yourself on our Argentine Patagonia: Lakes, Wine & Welsh Culture trip.

The Argentine Lake District is a great place to try lots of different activities and experiences. Here are a few of our favourites in the surrounding areas:

• Hiking to viewpoints over lakes and mountains
• Kayaking in calm lakes
• Horse riding through woodland and along the lakeside
• Rafting down Grade III-IV rapids (no experience needed)
• Gentle walking alongside gorgeous rivers
• More adventurous (but fairly easy) hike to a hanging glacier
• 4x4 guided wildlife discovery with a walk through a canyon
• Cooking classes with your cabin's chef
• Guided day based around food and Welsh culture
• Ambling around vineyards whilst sipping the latest vintage (it's a hard life)
• Watching sunset as you dine on local, slow food with your hosts

Sound good? You can do it all and more on this trip: Argentine Patagonia: Lakes, Wine & Welsh Culture