Enjoy a week of prime skiing and outdoor sports at the famous Portillo Ski Resort outside Santiago, followed by day tours and tastings at some of central Chile’s best vineyards for the perfect balance of luxury and adventure.
After landing at Santiago airport and clearing customs, you’ll be met by a Cascada representative and driven to your hotel in a private hotel transfer. After checking in, you’ll have time to relax before being picked up for a City Walking Tour.
The tour begins with us driving downtown to famous landmarks including the central fish market and Plaza de Armas, Santiago’s main square and kilometer zero (the point from which all distances in the country are measured). We visit the ‘Alameda’, the city center’s main street, via busy pedestrian walkway Paseo Ahumada, famous for its crowds, shops, and diversity of people. After visiting Chile's presidential palace La Moneda, a symbol of Chile’s political past and its famously turbulent history, we climb Cerro Santa Lucía, where Santiago was founded in 1541 by Pedro Valdivia. We finish our tour by relaxing in a coffee shop and visiting the bohemian Lastarria neighborhood, lined with cafés, restaurants, small theaters, bookstores, and boutique shops.
We get up early to start our skiing adventure. The transfer will pick us up at about 11 am and we’ll start driving towards the Andes Cordillera. Once we leave behind the city streets we’ll follow a beautiful winding road up to the ski center. Along the way, you’ll be amazed by the breathtaking views of the Andes’ white peaks hugging crystal clear blue skies. There are immense snow-topped mountains as far as our eyes can see!
With good road conditions, we’ll arrive at Portillo Ski Center at around 14 pm. Here’s where things get exciting: We’ll organize our ski equipment, receive an introduction to the ski center and check the map showing the slopes. Now, we’re ready to start our 3-day skiing adventure!
Ski lessons can be arranged if you’re feeling a little rusty or are skiing for the first time.
During those 3 days, all meals are included and you’ll have unlimited access to all the facilities that this beautiful ski resort has to offer - think sauna, jacuzzi, gym, yoga, pool, and of course, skiing facilities!.
You will be picked up from Portillo Ski Resort in the morning to begin the journey into the beautiful Errazuriz Winery at the Aconcagua Valley. Here, we’ll taste the winery’s renowned wines and have lunch. After the visit, you’ll continue on to Valparaiso.
In this enigmatic port-side city, we’ll take straight to the hills and climb Cerro Florida to admire the views and visit Pablo Neruda’s house La Sebastiana. After wandering through his zany home we continue on to Cerro Concepción and Cerro Alegre, where the views provide never-ending points of interest, from the ocean horizon to the fantastically steep winding streets, lined with small and colorful houses. We make our way back down the hill using one of Valparaíso’s iconic elevators. At the bottom, it’s just a short walk to the main square, Sotomayor.
After, we continue on to Matetic Winery where we’ll have lunch and enjoy a wine tour and tasting. At Matetic Winery, the wine-making process will be revealed to you as your guides describe the creation, bottling, and storage of their wine. You’ll be shown Matetic’s wine cellars - with a view of their organic vineyards - and at the end of the tour, we’ll taste two wines from the winery’s premium line. Now, happy and contented after our tasting and tour, we’ll make our way back to Santiago
You will be picked up from your hotel and transfer to Santiago Airport.
Tuesdays on request. (Mid Low seasons)
*Let us know if you would like to extend your stay at the Portillo Ski Center or travel on a different date. This can easily be arranged by our sales team!.
The trip should start on a Tuesday at Santiago Airport and end on day 7 at the same place. We recommend that you arrive on a morning flight and depart on an afternoon or evening flight.
We use comfortable minivans that normally seat 2 to 10 people.
Central Chile has a mild Mediterranean climate, winters (June to September) are more humid, with cold mornings and typical maximum daily temperatures of 13 degrees Celsius (55 degrees Fahrenheit), and minimums of a few degrees above freezing.
You need to bring your personal belongings and appropriate ski wear and gear. Ski wear and gear can also be rented as necessary.
Excursions in Santiago and Valparaiso will only be altered in case of heavy rain.
With regards to Portillo, please bear in mind that the road to the resort (an international road connecting Santiago to Mendoza, Argentina) is maintained by the ONEMI, a governmental organization responsible for road-clearing following a snowstorm or other event. Portillo Ski Resort is not responsible for the road’s conditions. When road closure prevents guests from arriving or departing, travelers must be aware that:
Passengers who cannot make their way to Portillo due to road closure will be responsible for alternative accommodation and other costs in Santiago or elsewhere. Paid nights which aren’t spent at Portillo Ski Resort will be credited to their account.
Guests may choose to transfer this credit to their extra services account (ski classes, bar tabs, etc), use it towards a future reservation during the same year’s season or manage refunds directly with their travel agency or tour operator.
Passengers already at Portillo who cannot make their way down due to road closure must stay another night at the hotel. The first night’s accommodation will be charged at the normal rate. From the second night onwards, a 50% discount on the normal rate will apply.
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Updated October 4th, 2022
Dear Traveler,
We are very happy to announce that there are currently no travel restrictions in Chile.
Together with the above mentioned, it is mandatory to comply with the following requirements:
In case you have any questions, we will be happy to help you!
Best,
The Team at Cascada Expediciones & EcoCamp Patagonia