El Colorado - The Farellones
Located just an hour eat of the capital
by paved road. This is one of the country's earliest ski resorts equipped
with modem snow makers able of producing up to 4,800 m3 of artificial snow
a day. At 2,800 meters above sea level, the resort's slopes lie at an
altitude of between 3,300 and 2,500 meters. It is an ideal place for those
beginning their adventures in the snow. Eighteen ski-lifts feed different
grades of slopes. It has ski schools for adults and children, a ski-creche
with Its own lift, 3 hotels, an Apart-Hotel, a condominium, restaurants,
cafeteria, bar and a discotheque at weekends.
An hour up the road from Santiago, La Parva lies at 2,700 meters above sea level and has a range of slopes of different gradients, lengths and degrees of difficulty. Its mountain architecture holds lodges, condominiums, a hostel, 4 restaurants (2 In the center, and 2 on the slopes), a minimarket, adult and children's ski school, a shop, and entertaining nightlife. Fourteen ski-lifts lead to slopes for beginners, intermediate and advanced skiers. You can also heli-ski and snow-board.
Valle Nevado
Sixty kilometers east of Santiago,
fourteen kilometers above Farellones, at 2,700 meters above sea level,
Valle Nevado is the biggest and most modern resort in the country. It has
9 ski-lifts, while its slopes all face south ensuring excellent skiing
conditions throughout the season. The ski runs are between 3,670 and 2,860
meters above sea level. The resort has its own snow making machine,
excellent hotels with spacious rooms, apartments, heated pool, sauna,
Jacuzzi, gymnasium, discotheque, creche, bank, restaurants, programmed
shows and other activities, ski school for adults, and a creche and ski
school with a ski lift just for children. There's also heli-skiing,
heli-surfing, hang-gliding and snowmobiles for the adventurous. Advanced
ski instruction is also available, as well as an extensive calendar of
national and international competition, a snowboard program and a new
Snowpark.
The interconnected Tres Valles de Los Andes, Valle Nevado, La Parva and El
Colorado form the largest skiing area in the southern hemisphere.
Portillo
Portillo, at 2,885 meters above sea level
and 145 km northeast of Santiago, is one of the most famous ski resorts in
the southern hemisphere. Its modern facilities offer everything the
demanding of sportsmen could wish for - including a snow making machine.
It was host to the 1966 world skiing championships, and new records for
the downhill kilometer have been posted four times on its slopes. The
Hotel Portillo, on the shore of the marvelous Laguna del Inca, has a
restaurant, bar, cafeteria, live music, discotheque, heated pool,
gymnasium, massage and sauna, and rental of the latest equipment. The use
of the 12 ski-lifts is included as part of the Hotel tariff. Portillo has
a Tots and Kid's Camp both with specialized ski instructors.