Cerro Uritorco

Mystery rating

Cerro Uritorco is a 1,950 metre hill above Capilla del Monte in Argentina. Since the 1980s it has been the centre of Argentina's UFO stories, and thousands of people climb it every year hoping to see something in the sky. The town has built its identity around it.

Why it's famous

Cerro Uritorco holds South America's most documented case of a physical trace tied to a UFO report. On January 9, 1986, two residents said they watched a glowing object descend the mountain's eastern flank. The next morning, investigators found a scorched, flattened oval mark roughly 122 by 64 meters, with vegetation burned to the root. No agreed explanation ever emerged, and theories ranged from hoax to plasma phenomenon to helicopter downwash. Rather than downplay the story, Capilla del Monte built its tourism economy around it. The town now hosts the annual Festival Nacional del Alienígena, runs guided night-watching tours on the mountain's lower slopes, and keeps a small UFO museum with decades of sighting reports. Local guides describe sightings as frequent but modest: slow-moving lights along the ridgeline or stationary glows that brighten and fade, rather than dramatic close encounters.

History

Capilla del Monte grew into a popular highland resort town in the early 1900s. Cerro Uritorco has ancient connections to the Comechingón people, who lived here before the Spanish arrived. Later, it became a focal point for esoteric beliefs, tied to the legend of Erks, a supposed hidden city beneath the earth. The incident on January 9, 1986, when a large, scorched, oval mark appeared on the hillside, transformed the town into Argentina's main destination for UFO enthusiasts.

The full story

Capilla del Monte is a charming spa town nestled in the Sierras Chicas mountain range, about a three-hour drive north of Córdoba. This community has truly built its identity around the towering mountain that dominates its skyline: Cerro Uritorco. At 1,979 meters, Cerro Uritorco is the highest peak in these mountains. It's a smooth, rounded mass of pink granite that beautifully catches the last rays of sunlight, long after the valley below has slipped into twilight. If you're up for an adventure, you can hike to the summit. The trail from the base usually takes about four hours to go up and three to come down. From the top, you'll be rewarded with breathtaking, uninterrupted views all the way to the Punilla Valley. Come back after dark, and you'll find yourself among a crowd of people who have been gazing at these skies for the past forty years. The modern story of UFOs here began on January 9, 1986. That night, two local residents reported seeing a large, glowing object descend onto the mountain's eastern side. What made this particular event so unusual was what investigators found the next morning: a scorched, flattened, oval-shaped mark in the ground. It measured about 122 meters long and 64 meters wide. All the plants inside this area were burned down to their roots, and even the soil itself seemed changed. Samples were collected, heated debates started, and they haven't really stopped since. Experts and curious onlookers suggested everything from a clever hoax to a strange meteorological event involving plasma, or even a fake created with a helicopter. No single explanation was ever agreed upon. However, the mark's size and details were so well-documented that this case is still mentioned in South American UFO literature as the region's most significant physical evidence. What happened next in Capilla del Monte was just as fascinating as the initial event. Instead of trying to distance itself from the story, the town embraced it completely. Today, Capilla del Monte hosts an annual UFO festival called the Festival Nacional del Alienígena every January. Local guides offer organized night-watching tours on the lower slopes of the mountain. You can visit a small museum filled with sighting reports, and there's a whole network of hostels ready to welcome visitors who plan to be out exploring at two in the morning. A steady stream of Argentine and Chilean tourists visit, treating the mountain as both an amazing hiking spot and a place of spiritual importance. The reported sightings themselves tend to be consistent and frequent, rather than dramatic. People often see slow-moving lights traveling along the ridgeline, or stationary points that glow brighter then fade. Sometimes, they report seeing lights moving in formations. Those who are skeptical point to the town's high altitude, the dry air, and the frequent air traffic between Córdoba and Argentina's northern provinces. But local residents quickly respond that they've lived with that same air traffic their entire lives and know the difference between a plane and something else. Whether you believe in UFOs or not, Uritorco is a truly wonderful place to be at night. It's high up, dry, dark, and wonderfully quiet. Plus, there's a welcoming town right at its base that will feed you well afterward and eagerly ask what you saw. It's rare to find a famous UFO hotspot that's also such a pleasant place to spend a weekend, but this one certainly is.

Legends & sightings

Local mystical traditions suggest that a hidden city called Erks exists beneath the mountain. This city is believed to be a meeting point for non-human intelligences. The peak is also connected to the ancient Comechingón legend of the giant Uritorco, from whom the mountain gets its name.

Can you visit?

Yes. The hill is a managed site with a paid entrance, opening hours and a control point at the bottom. There is a daily limit on climbers and a last entry time, because the walk is long. You can also visit Capilla del Monte and the surrounding valley without climbing.

How to get there

1. Fly into Córdoba (COR), the nearest major airport. 2. From Córdoba, long distance buses run north to Capilla del Monte, or you can drive. 3. The trail entrance is a short walk or taxi ride from the town centre. Buses in Argentina are comfortable and widely used, so a car is not essential.

Before you go

Start the climb early. Registration closes in the morning and the round trip takes most of a day. Carry plenty of water, sun protection and food. There is little shade. Wear proper walking shoes. The path is steep and rocky. Check the weather. The hill can be closed in bad conditions or high fire risk. Some Spanish helps, as English is not widely spoken here.

What to expect

The climb is a real hike, several hours up and down, with wide views over the Punilla valley from the top. Capilla del Monte itself is full of UFO themed shops, murals and small museums, and there is a festival atmosphere in the high season. Many people come for the sky at night as much as the hill in the day.

Frequently asked

Plan your trip

Book the practical parts of the journey. We may earn a commission from these partner links, at no extra cost to you.