Information
Landmark: Cerro OttoCity: Bariloche
Country: Argentina
Continent: South America
Cerro Otto, Bariloche, Argentina, South America
Overview
Cerro Otto, one of Bariloche’s most beloved peaks, treats visitors to sweeping views of lakes and snow-dusted ranges, plenty of outdoor adventures, and the summit’s renowned Rotating Restaurant where the scenery shifts with every turn.In Patagonia, it’s the kind of place you can’t skip-whether you’re chasing rugged trails or just want to sit by a turquoise lake and breathe in the mountain air.It’s located just 5 kilometers from San Carlos de Bariloche in Río Negro, Argentina, close enough to see the town’s rooftops against the mountains.The elevation sits at 1,405 meters-about 4,610 feet-high enough to feel the air turn crisp.Known for its sweeping mountain views, rugged hiking trails, crisp-snow skiing, and the unique Rotating Restaurant.The best time to go is summer, from December to March, when you can hike winding trails, ride your bike up sunlit slopes, and take in the sweeping views.From June to September, winter brings snow and crisp air-perfect for sledding down frosty hills or carving fresh tracks on the slopes.Top Things to See and Do - like walking the sunlit pier at sunset.The Cerro Otto Cable Car glides from the base station to the summit in about 12 minutes, lifting visitors high above the pines as the lake flashes blue below.You’ll get sweeping views of Bariloche, the deep blue waters of Lago Nahuel Huapi, and the jagged peaks of the Andes.Base Station offers a few surprises: small shops, a cozy café with the smell of fresh coffee, and an art gallery displaying replicas of Michelangelo’s sculptures.Number two.The Confitería Giratoria, Argentina’s only rotating restaurant, slowly circles the skyline, completing a full turn every 20 minutes as city lights glide past your window.Savor hearty Patagonian dishes as you take in sweeping views of blue lakes, dense green forests, and snow-dusted peaks.Menu highlights include rich hot chocolate and flaky homemade pastries, still warm from the oven.Dishes featuring tender Patagonian lamb and fresh-caught trout.Three marks the spot.From the top or the base of Cerro Otto, you can set out on several scenic trails.The Summit Trail is a quick, one-hour loop circling the peak, where the wind carries the scent of pine and the views stretch for miles.The Cerro Otto to Bariloche Trail winds downhill through shady pine forests before spilling you out into the heart of the city.The Refugio Berghof Trail winds up to the historic Otto Meiling mountain hut, once home to the legendary Patagonian mountaineer whose boots crunched across these same rocky paths.Number four.Winter Activities (June–September) - Sledding, or tobogganing, is a family favorite, with kids laughing as their sleds skim over the snow.Nordic Skiing & Snowshoeing → Follow crisp, well-marked trails perfect for gliding on skis or crunching through fresh snow on a hike.Snow tubing sends you racing down crisp, white slopes on a big inflatable tube, the cold air stinging your cheeks as you pick up speed.Five.Paragliding from Cerro Otto offers some of Patagonia’s best views-wind in your face, mountains unfolding in every direction.Launch from rugged, sunlit cliffs and soar over Bariloche, where blue lakes glint below and snow-dusted peaks stretch to the horizon.Number six.In summer, mountain biking trails wind through cool pine forests and open onto sweeping viewpoints.You can rent a bike in Bariloche, maybe one with a bright red frame waiting by the lake.Seven.From the Mirador del Cerro Otto, you can take in one of Patagonia’s finest 360‑degree panoramas, with snow‑capped peaks stretching in every direction.The view over Lago Nahuel Huapi is stunning, with rippling blue water framed by snowcapped peaks-a perfect place to raise your camera.Sunset Views → The sun slips behind the Andes, painting the peaks in gold, and it’s a sight that steals your breath.The mountain rises under a blanket of Patagonian forest, where condors wheel overhead and woodpeckers tap at the trunks alongside soaring eagles.Mammals include foxes with sharp ears, sleek deer, and quick, darting wild hares.Flora: In spring and summer, lenga and coihue trees stand tall beside hillsides dotted with bright wildflowers.How do you get to Cerro Otto?By cable car, the Teleférico Cerro Otto leaves from the base station about 5 km outside Bariloche, where the air smells faintly of pine.By car, you’ll follow a winding gravel road, dust rising behind you, all the way to the summit.If you’re hiking, you can start on one of several trails in Bariloche that wind up to the summit, passing pines that smell like fresh resin.Hop on a free shuttle from downtown Bariloche-they leave regularly and drop you right at the cable car station, just steps from the boarding area.Summer, from December to March, is perfect for hiking dusty trails, pedaling through sunlit valleys, and catching the wind on a paraglider.Winter, from June to September, is perfect for snow sports-think skiing, snowboarding, or the crunch of a sled racing downhill.From April to May, autumn paints the trees in vivid golds and deep reds.Cerro Otto ranks among Bariloche’s must-see spots, with outdoor adventures in every season and sweeping views that stretch to the snow-dusted peaks on the horizon.You might savor a warm meal as the restaurant slowly turns, trek beneath the shadow of tall Patagonian pines, or race a sled down crisp, snowy hills-either way, Cerro Otto leaves you with a memory you won’t forget in the heart of Patagonia.
