Cerro Otto

Cerro Otto is a hill just barely on the outskirts of the town of Bariloche which has turned what was formerly just a lookout point into a tourist center. It has several activities and attractions in addition to the cable car ride up, the sweeping vistas and the 360 degree rotating restaurant on top.

The summit is at 1400 meters, and you can either opt to walk or bike a steep 8 km up, or do as most do, and go up in one of the hanging red gondolas up the the top. Once on top, the views, either outside or while inside enjoying a warm drink (it’s nearly always chilly up here, and there’s always a breeze blowing) are expansive, and include lake Nahuel Huapi (and Isla Victoria) as well as a few of the other nearby peaks, such as Cerro Catedral, Cerro Tronador and Cerro Campanario. The restaurant turns slowly, completing a rotation in 20 minutes.

Activities at the top include sledding on groomed trails in the winter, or a kind of tubing in the spring, summer and fall, after which you can return to the top by funicular, instead of having to walk. There are also some guided walks, including wintertime ones that include the use of snowshoes. But the main attraction remains the view from up above over the lake, the city and the landscape.

Practical Info:

Cerro Otto is just 5km outside of town, and there is bus service, or you can take a taxi, or a complete tour. Walkers and cyclists who wish to skip the gondolas should follow the trail that does not go to refugio Berghof to arrive at the top. At all times of year, a brisk wind can blow, and when the wind is very strong, the gondolas may suspend service.