Where to Ski in Chile: The Best Destinations for the Ski Season 2012

April 3, 2012 - PRLog -- There is no doubt about it. Chile is a privileged country that offers unique alternatives for ski lovers. With an over 3000 km long mountain range, there are plenty of opportunities where to ski in Chile, with various alternatives for all levels of skiers. That’s why GoChile gives you the most complete guide with the best destinations for the ski season 2012, for you to choose what bests suits your needs and expectations.

Before checking the destinations, we suggest you to visit our Chile ski guide http://www.gochile.cl/en/activities/ski-in-chile.html to find a brief summary on the different styles you can practice in Chile, and thus have them in mind when reading our recommendations.



Ski Centers in Chile
From the regions of Valparaíso to Magallanes, Chile boasts ski centers that position it as one of the best ski destinations in the world, a reputation that is confirmed by powerful arguments: quality trails, world class infrastructure, scenic beauty, complementary activities, good roads and accesses, and proximity to urban centers.

In Chile’s central area you can go skiing in: Portillo http://www.gochile.cl/en/activities/ski/portillo-ski-cent..., Farellones-El Colorado, La Parva http://www.gochile.cl/en/activities/ski/la-parva-ski-cent..., Valle Nevado, Lagunillas and Chapa Verde. The ski centers in the southern area are: Nevados de Chillán, Antuco, Las Araucarias, Pucón, and Antillanca, and further south, in the Austral area you will find the ski centers of Cerro El Fraile, and Cerro Mirador.

Let’s go step by step:

CENTRAL AREA
Portillo
Located 150 kms away from Santiago, Portillo is one of the most beautiful and prestigious ski centers in Chile, and the oldest in South America. Amongst its attributes you can find a cutting-edge snow making machine, Del Inca Lagoon, and a number of trails which are suitable for all skiers.

The center is equipped with platter, chair, and ‘va et vient’ lifts, which will take you to the center’s excellent trails. Apart from traditional skiing, you can also enjoy other varieties like heliski and snowboard. Furthermore, Del Inca Lagoon is an excellent place for ice skating.

If you are concerned about accommodation, the center has Portillo Hotel, with great quality services, including a heated pool, gym, sauna, restaurants, nursery, transfers, theater, gaming room, and ski school, amongst others.

Farellones/ El Colorado
Farellones and El Colorado form a tourist complex that integrates services and entertainment options that go beyond what most ski centers offer. It’s the closest center to Santiago, located only 40 kms away from the city.

Its 19 lifts cover 22 trails with different difficulty levels, but they can also take you to the summit of Colorado Hill to descend its steep slopes.
Both centers have a varied hotel offer, the main ones being Colorado Apart Hotel and Posada Farellones. The latter is one of the oldest ski hotels in Santiago, inaugurated in the 1940s. There are also restaurants, cafeterias, discotheques, transfers, a clinic, ski lessons and so forth.

La Parva
50 kms away from Santiago, La Parva is set right next door to El Colorado Ski Center. It has 14 platter and chair lifts distributed amongst 30 trails for skiers of all levels. Snowboarding and heliskiing are also available for those who like these ‘more extreme’ varieties.

In Villa La Parva you can find a variety of services like accommodation, restaurants, ski rental, ski school, bar, transfers, cafeteria, discotheque, clinic, and parking lot.

Valle Nevado
Located 60 kms away from Santiago, and also a close neighbor to the two centers above, Valle Nevado is the newest ski center in the central area (inaugurated 1988) and the largest in the country. Its infrastructure and diversity make it a competitive option even compared with the most modern centers in the world.
Valle Nevado has 9 lifts and also a ‘baby’ lift, distributed amongst its 27 trails, covering a skiable area of 31km2. There are also areas for sports like heliskiing and helisurf, motorbike and sledge trips, paragliding, and snowboarding.
It also has three hotels (five, four, and three stars), seven international cuisine restaurants, a shopping mall, an arts centre, bars, pub, discotheque, heated pool, transfers, gym, nursery, and a ski school offering private and group lessons.

Tip: The sum of the skiable areas in Farellones-el Colorado, La Parva, and Valle Nevado, make up the largest skiable area in South America, letting you go  from one center to the other, and enjoy 102 different trails for the price of just one ticket.

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