Challhua-co valley is a Natural Reserve because it is the only place in the world where an endemic species of amphibian commonly called “Challhua-co frog” lives.
After a 40-minute drive we get to the refugio, a rustic mountain lodge where the guide will brief you on the hike and tell you about the history of the place.
After this welcome, we set on a hike to Laguna Verde and encounter, as we go, the various inhabitants of the forest. We make some stops along the way, for instance, at Mallín de los Patos, a marsh that is full of ducks and cauquenes (ashy-headed geese) in spring.
It takes over an hour to get to the lagoon. Once there, we spend some time enjoying such a peaceful setting.
Then, we walk back to the refugio for lunch. They’ll be waiting for you to with pumpkin cream soup as a starter, casserole of lamb as the main course and lemon mousse with red fruit sauce for dessert.
After lunch, the guide will invite you for a short walk to Mirador del Valle, a nearby lookout point. You may join in or stay at the refugio drinking coffee and enjoying the warmth and the calm of the mountain hut.
Eventually, around 4 p.m., we drive you back into town.
