Urubici

Urubici sits on the Santa Catarina highlands at around nine hundred metres, in the part of Brazil that gets cold: frost is normal through winter, snow falls occasionally, and Morro da Igreja nearby recorded the lowest temperature ever measured in the country. The rock formation at the top of Morro da Igreja is the Pedra Furada, a basalt outcrop with a hole weathered clean through it, standing over a drop into the canyon system below - it is inside a protected area with restricted hours and often closed by cloud. Around it are canyon rims, waterfalls including Veu de Noiva, araucaria forest and apple orchards, and the road up from the coast climbs the Serra do Rio do Rastro, a set of switchbacks that is a destination in itself.

History

The name most likely comes from the Tupi urubysy, a row of vultures, and rock engravings thousands of years old show people here long before the settlers. Farmers and loggers arrived between 1903 and 1911, and from 1924 Italian, German and Latvian immigrants drawn by the fertile Canoas valley built up farming and cattle raising; Urubici became a district of São Joaquim by a law of 15 July 1922 and an independent municipality on 6 December 1956, formally installed on 3 February 1957 (Wikipedia, Urubici).

What's there

• Pedra Furada - a basalt outcrop pierced clean through, above the canyon.
• Brazil's coldest records - frost most winter mornings and occasional snow.
• Araucaria highlands - the southern pine forest and orchard country.
• Serra do Rio do Rastro - the switchback climb up from the coast.

When to go

June to August for frost and clear cold air; October to March for walking. Two days.

What to expect

Morro da Igreja has restricted opening hours and is inside a military-controlled radar area, and cloud closes the view frequently. Many viewpoints are on private land and charge separately. Winter nights are cold and heating is not always adequate. Roads ice occasionally.

Nearby

Sao Joaquim is south; Lages is north-west on the highland plateau.

Key facts