Chile prepares for skiing season

April 16, 2010

Fortunately, the main ski resorts, for which Chile is world renowned and receives thousands of visitors from all the continents every year, were not affected by the devastating earthquake which struck the central coast of Chile and surroundings last February 27.  Being considerably far from the epicenter, these enclaves did not suffer any damages, nor the roads which lead to them.  All hotels, resorts and their accesses are fully operational and already receiving numerous bookings for the upcoming season, from June to October, 2010.  As the beginning of the skiing season is just weeks away, the skiing venues are frantically preparing for one more period of intense action in order to provide their guests with great travel and sporting experiences.

Among the numerous places and alternatives offered in Chile, this time we will just focus on two of them:  Valle Nevado and Portillo.

The Valle Nevado Ski Resort is one of the closest to Santiago, the capital of Chile, a mere 35 mile ride from Santiago’s International Airport.  At over 9500 feet above sea level, in the heart of the magnificent Chilean Andes, Valle Nevado offers the largest skiable surface in South America, more than twenty three thousand acres of skiable terrain.  It counts with modern infrastructure, the most advanced and high-technology equipment and excellent services. This Resort was the venue to the Snowboard World Cup, 2009, reflecting its top quality conditions and services.  These include high-speed detachable chair lifts; helicopter skiing; South America’s only Super Half-Pipe and top skiing pros, instructors and guides, speaking several languages, to enhance the visitors enjoyment.

Skiing or Snowboarding at Valle Nevado provides the guests with scores of groomed slopes, heaps of fresh powder, lots of bumps and meadows of off-piste terrain, the perfect location to enjoy all the excitement of the snow sports in an atmosphere of comfort and quality services. Complete with Snow School, Shops and Repair outfits, Valle Nevado is one of the best options for your skiing vacation in Chile.

The Portillo Ski Area is the most famous, widely known and the oldest Ski Center in South America and Chile’s most emblematic ski and snowboarding Resort area.  Two hours from Santiago, on the road which connects Santiago with Mendoza, Argentina, Portillo remains unique, private and grand, a place that combines spectacular mountain beauty and the emotion of snow sports together with casual elegance, easy-going ambiance and excellent services.

The location is of superb quality for both amateurs and pros who love the fun and adventure-filled world of mountain and snow sports, as well as for relaxing vacations on magnificent mountain countryside.  Infrastructure is equally great, complete with world class Hotels, like the Portillo Hotel, offering all the amenities for the most demanding travelers. Easy transportation, superb gastronomy and family oriented facilities make the area a true paradise for all kinds of vacationers. Portillo has been the venue for international competitions and the training site for Olympic teams.  Skiers and Snowboarders love Portillo’s powder, steeps, chutes and groomed slopes all of which offer fantastic opportunities for off-piste action.  The Portillo Ski School is one of the finest in the world.

Nowadays, with more than 50 years of history as the leading Ski Resort in South America, Portillo maintains the quality of its snow grounds, the fabulous beauty of its surroundings and a permanent renovation of the facilities, services, activities and entertainment, all of which contribute to maintain its reputation as a world class skiing resort of high excellence. And, of course,  we will be delighted to arrange for you the skiing vacation of your preference in the grandeur of the South American Andes….