Crowned by the perfect snow-capped cone of the Lanín volcano and cloaked in ancient forests of monkey-puzzle trees, Lanín National Park is the beating heart of Argentine trout fishing. This is the country of the Chimehuín and the Malleo — rivers that made Patagonia famous among fly fishers — and of the twin towns of San Martín and Junín de los Andes. Here is the whole park: its great volcano and Mapuche heritage, its lakes and legendary rivers, how its fishing regulations work, and what else there is to see.
The volcano that names the park
Everything in this park stands in the shadow of Volcán Lanín, a near-perfect 3,776-metre cone on the Chilean border that is one of the most recognisable mountains in Argentina. Dormant, glaciated and visible for a hundred kilometres, it is sacred to the Mapuche people, whose communities have lived here for centuries and today co-manage parts of the park. The name itself is Mapudungun, and the mountain is woven through the region’s legends. Lanín National Park was created in 1937 to protect the volcano and the 4,120 km² of lakes, forests and mountains around it, along the spine of the Andes in northern Neuquén.
Araucaria forests and a chain of lakes
Lanín protects some of the most distinctive forest on earth. This is the northern edge of the araucaria or pehuén (monkey-puzzle tree) — an ancient, umbrella-shaped conifer, sacred to the Mapuche, whose piñones (nuts) have fed them for generations — mixed with the Valdivian temperate rainforest of coihue, raulí and lenga. Threaded through it lies a magnificent string of lakes: Huechulafquen, Paimún and Epulafquen at the foot of the volcano, plus Tromen, Curruhué, Lolog, Falkner and Lácar — the last cradling San Martín de los Andes on its shore. From these lakes flow the rivers that made the region legendary.
Fishing in Lanín National Park
If Argentina has a spiritual home of trout fishing, this is it. The rivers born in Lanín’s lakes are among the most storied fly waters on earth, and the town of Junín de los Andes proudly calls itself the country’s Capital Nacional de la Trucha — the National Trout Capital. The park holds wild brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout and landlocked salmon.
The Chimehuín
The most famous trout river in Argentina flows out of Lago Huechulafquen at Junín. Its legendary boca — the lake outlet — is hallowed ground, the place where the American angler Joe Brooks landed the fish that made him call it “the best fishing day of my life,” and it is historically renowned for very large brown trout. A big, wadeable freestone river, often compared to Montana’s Madison.
The Malleo
Dropping from Lago Tromen at the volcano’s foot, the Malleo is rated by many as one of the finest dry-fly rivers in the world — clear water, easy wading and prolific caddis and mayfly hatches through the whole season, bringing wild browns and rainbows steadily to the surface.
The Aluminé and the lakes
To the north, the Aluminé is a larger, changing freestone with strong wild trout and excellent float fishing, while the great volcano lakes — Huechulafquen, Paimún, Tromen, Lolog and Lácar — offer superb boca and shoreline fishing for big browns, rainbows and landlocked salmon. Most anglers base in San Martín and Junín de los Andes and fish several waters in a week.
How the park’s fishing rules work
Like all national parks, Lanín is administered by the Administración de Parques Nacionales (APN), and its premier waters are among the most strictly protected in Patagonia:
- Season: the rivers generally run 1 November to 30 April, with the lakes opening earlier, in late October. Exact dates are set each year.
- Catch-and-release: on the premier rivers — including the Chimehuín and Aluminé — release is 100% mandatory for all salmonids, fly or lure only (no bait, no chumming), on single barbless hooks.
- Brown trout must be released throughout the park.
- The boca rule: in rivers and streams and within 200 m of any river mouth or source, all fish must be released; you may not fish from a boat within 200 m of a boca, and it’s poor form to crowd or “rotate” the boca ahead of another angler.
- No felt-soled wading boots (to stop the alga didymo), and gear must be disinfected between waters.
Zone-by-zone exceptions are set each season, so confirm the current rules for the specific water. A single unified Patagonian licence (or the APN licence) covers the park — see our full guide to fishing licences in Argentina.
Entry fees and access
An access fee (derecho de acceso) is charged at the park’s main entry points — including the Portada Huechulafquen in the central zone (the gateway to the volcano lakes), and the Tromen and Lácar sectors. Fees in force from June 2026 (a reference — they rise with inflation, so confirm current values and the exchange rate):
| Visitor | Fee (ARS) | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|
| Non-resident (foreign) | $35,000 | ~$23 |
| Argentine resident (age 6+) | $15,000 | ~$10 |
| Student | $12,000 | ~$8 |
| Provincial resident | $8,000 | ~$5 |
There’s a 50% discount on a second day used within 72 hours, and the usual exemptions (young children, retirees, people with disabilities). The park access fee is separate from your fishing licence.
When to fish Lanín
The lakes open in late October and the rivers from November. Spring brings hatches and clearing water, high summer brings the famous dry-fly and terrestrial fishing (hoppers and the Patagonian cicada), and autumn (March–April) brings the big browns onto streamers. See our guide to the best time to fly fish Argentina.
Getting there and where to base
The park is reached from San Martín de los Andes, the polished resort town on Lago Lácar, and Junín de los Andes, the angler’s town on the Chimehuín 40 minutes north. Both are served by Chapelco airport (CPC), with connections through Buenos Aires; many anglers also arrive via Bariloche, about three hours south. See our San Martín & Junín fishing guide, and the neighbouring Nahuel Huapi National Park to the south.
Beyond the fishing
Lanín is a magnificent destination in its own right. Highlights include climbing or trekking the Lanín volcano (a guided ascent for the fit, or day hikes on its flanks); walking the araucaria forests around Tromen and Rucu Leufú; visiting Mapuche communities and learning their culture; the hot springs of Lahuen Co; the beaches and viewpoints of Lago Huechulafquen beneath the volcano; and the celebrated Seven Lakes Road linking San Martín to Villa La Angostura and Bariloche through some of Patagonia’s finest scenery.
Frequently asked questions about Lanín National Park
Where is Lanín National Park?
In the north-west of Neuquén province, in Northern Patagonia, along the Chilean border. It stretches north from Nahuel Huapi National Park and is reached from the towns of San Martín de los Andes and Junín de los Andes.
Can you climb the Lanín volcano?
Yes — the 3,776 m Volcán Lanín is a popular guided ascent for fit, prepared climbers, usually over two days with a mountain hut on the route; permits and registration with the park are required. Many visitors instead hike its lower flanks and the araucaria forests around it.
Is Lanín National Park good for fly fishing?
It’s arguably the birthplace of Argentine trout fishing. The Chimehuín, Malleo and Aluminé — three of the country’s most famous rivers — rise from its lakes, and Junín de los Andes is known as Argentina’s National Trout Capital. Expect wild brown, rainbow and brook trout and landlocked salmon.
What are the best rivers to fish in the park?
The Chimehuín (storied big-brown freestone, with its legendary boca), the Malleo (one of the world’s great dry-fly rivers) and the Aluminé (wild float water), plus superb boca and lake fishing on Huechulafquen, Paimún, Tromen and Lácar.
Is there an entrance fee to Lanín National Park?
Yes — an access fee is charged at the main entry points (such as the Portada Huechulafquen). On the 2026 reference tariff a foreign visitor paid about AR$35,000 (~US$23); children, retirees and people with disabilities are exempt. It’s separate from your fishing licence and changes with inflation.
What are the araucaria (monkey-puzzle) trees?
The araucaria, or pehuén, is an ancient, umbrella-shaped conifer native to these Andes and sacred to the Mapuche, whose piñón nuts are a traditional food. Lanín protects some of Argentina’s finest araucaria forests.
When is the best time to fish Lanín?
The rivers run November to April, with January–February for dry-fly and terrestrial fishing and March–April for big browns on streamers; the lakes open earlier, in late October.
Plan your Lanín fishing trip
From the boca of the Chimehuín to a dry-fly evening on the Malleo, beneath the great volcano, Lanín is bucket-list water for any fly fisher. Tell us your dates, budget and experience, and we’ll match you with the guides and lodges who know these rivers best.