An introduction to skiing in Chile, as well as some key information on the country's ski resorts.
Photo: Chile’s ski resorts offer some of the best winter sports action in the entire southern hemisphere (via – iStock).
Skiers in the northern hemisphere are spoilt for choice during the winter months. They can go skiing in the Dolomites, skiing in Kitzbuhel, skiing in Scotland, skiing in Japan, skiing in Canada, and skiing in the good old fashioned US of A (other destinations are available). But what about during the hot summer months? What are skiers north of the equator supposed to do when the snow is all but melted, and the hills are filled with hikers and mountain bikers? Answer: go skiing in Chile, of course.
People in the know will tell you that Chile, the extremely long and narrow country that runs down the west side of South America, is one of the world’s ultimate destinations for skiing and adventure. The best time to ski chile, or go snowboarding there – if that’s your bag, is between mid July and early September. For people who live to slide down snowy mountains, the Chilean Andes are where it’s at.
Ski Resorts In Chile
Portillo
Screenshot: Ski Portillo (via YouTube).
Located just two hours from Santiago, Chile’s capital, Portillo is well-suited to advanced skiers with 55% of the 35 pistes here suitable for advanced skiers and above. While it’s a ski area aimed primarily at people looking for epic steeps and accessible backcountry, this resort does also offer wide-open slopes for beginners and intermediates.
Portillo is a ski-in/ski-out resort, perched over the breathtaking Lake Inca. Capable of accommodating no more than 450 people at any one time, visitors to Portillo will be pleased to discover that crowded chairlifts and slopes are basically a non-issue. For more information, check out the Ski Portillo website.
Valle Nevado
Photo: Valle Nevado is, arguably, Chile’s best developed ski resort (via iStock).
Situated just 90 minutes from Santiago, Valle Nevado is part of the Tres Vallees (which also includes El Colorado and La Parva). It is, arguably, Chile’s best developed resort. There are all the facilities you would expect from a modern ski resort, and a wide variety of runs. The off-piste terrain is second-to-none, and the heli-skiing is the finest in all of South America.
Valle Nevado is home to 17 lifts, 12 of which are buttons, and 44 ski runs. 10% of the runs are suitable for beginners, 36% for intermediate skiers, 33% for advanced skiers, and 21% for experts. Because the resort is better built-up than some of the others in Chile, it does tend to draw bigger crowds and is therefore one of the country’s busier ski spots. Further information can be found at the Valle Nevado website.
La Parva
Photo: At La Parva, you’ll be mixing with Santiago’s elite as well as some of the world’s finest skiers (image – via Wikipedia).
La Parva is the smallest of the Three Valleys (Tres Vallees) resorts. But what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in other areas. La Parva, for example, has incredible access to some of South America’s best backcountry. Unlike some of the ski resorts in Chile, La Parva also offers its visitors the chance to go night skiing. This resort is one of the best worst-kept secrets amongst elite snow sport athletes, with many of the world’s best professional plank-sliders and board-riders paying a visit to it every year. Santiago’s wealthiest residents have made it the destination of choice for the country’s VIPs.
Due to being just a 45 minute transfer time from Santiago, La Parva is an excellent place to visit for a solitary day’s skiing (although, you’re obviously welcome to stay longer). This ski area is perfect for intermediates, although confident off-piste skiers should make it their mission to experience the legendary La Chimenea; a claustrophobic couloir with an incredibly steep entrance.
Nevados de Chillan
Nevados de Chillan is a ski resort in Chile that sits at the base of an active volcano.
If you like your South American ski resorts to have underfloor heating, Nevados De Chillan is a ski resort that sits at the base of an active volcano (Volcano Chillan). Powder hounds should love what Nevados De Chillan has to offer, with an average annual snowfall of more than 10 metres. Accommodation-wise the resort is home to some great ski-in/ski out hotels: including the Gran Hotel Termas de Chillan, and Hotel Alto Nevados.
The backcountry stuff here is insanely good, with incredible off-piste options for those who want to tour remote volcanoes and epic off-the-grid terrain. If you’re an expert skier who’s middle name is ‘Adventure’, you’ll love the seemingly endless selection of challenging lines laid out for you to take on. If you want to stay on piste, there’s 32 ski runs for you to tackle. Rookies should note that the beginners’ ski area is small and often extremely crowded.
Ski Arpa
Photo: Adam Clark// Michael Neuman (via – Ski Arpa website).
Arpa sits in the shadow of Aconcagua, which is the tallest mountain in the Americas (South America and North America, combined). Lifts? Forget about them. Accommodation? You’ll be lucky. Pistes? Nope, not here. Just a shabby lodge, some snowcat vehicles to get you high, and acres upon acres upon acres of awesome freeriding terrain. Adventurous skiers, step right this way. To find out more, head to the Ski Arpa website.
Chile is a long and thin country that runs down the western side of the South American continent.
Scott Dunn specialise in organising first-class trips to practically any destination on Earth. Whether it’s accommodation you’re after, a once-in-a-lifetime itinerary, or just some advice on how to organise your ski trip to Chile; this lot will sort you out.
The flight time from London to Santiago, with one stop, is just over 16 hours. A great way of finding the cheapest flights to Chile, or any other city in the world for that matter, is through the Skyscanner website.
For more information on travelling to Chile, travelling round Chile, or just general things you should see and do while in Chile; check out the Chile Tourism website.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
Newsletter Terms & Conditions
Please enter your email so we can keep you updated with news, features and the latest offers. If you are not interested you can unsubscribe at any time. We will never sell your data and you'll only get messages from us and our partners whose products and services we think you'll enjoy.
