Cerro Tronador (Refugio Otto Meiling)

This two-day Patagonia hike leads to Refugio Otto Meiling on the slopes of Cerro Tronador, one of the most prominent peaks in the Bariloche region. The route climbs through coihue and lenga forests before emerging onto a high rocky ridge that culminates at the refuge (1,905m). Positioned between the Castaño Overa and Alerce glaciers, the stay offers a unique opportunity to witness active glacial calving. The trail follows a well-defined path of forest floor and alpine rock, with a final sustained push to reach the rocky spine where the hut perches.

The Caminho do Ouro (Gold Trail) is a preserved section of the 18th-century stone road that connected the inland gold mines of Minas Gerais with the port of Paraty. The route features irregular 'pé de moleque' masonry (street child feet) laid by enslaved workers to prevent erosion on the steep coastal slopes. Today, hikers traverse a segment through the dense Atlantic Forest, where the historical stonework remains intact despite the aggressive root systems and high rainfall of the region. The trail provides a direct link between the deep jungle and the colonial architecture of Paraty.