Chilean Andes
The Chilean Andes are the best place in the world to ski during the northern summer, with a June to October season, high altitude snow and a string of resorts within a few hours of Santiago. Valle Nevado is the best all round base for a foreign trip, Portillo is the iconic week long package, and the southern volcanoes offer powder and tree skiing far from the crowds. Come for reliable high mountain snow when home is in summer, and budget for a long flight rather than expensive skiing.
By the Ski Resorts for Kings editorial team · Last reviewed June 2026
South America's headline ski region
The Chilean Andes rise steeply behind Santiago, putting some of the highest lift served terrain on earth within easy reach of a major capital city. The marquee resorts sit between roughly 2,400 and 3,700 m on bare, treeless slopes, so the snow is high, dry and reliable through the southern winter, and the views across the Andes are vast. Most of the skiing is open bowl and off piste rather than long groomed trails.
The region splits in two. The central resorts above Santiago, Valle Nevado, Portillo, La Parva and El Colorado, are the high, treeless mountains that draw foreign visitors, while the southern volcano resorts, Nevados de Chillan and Corralco, offer tree skiing, hot springs and far fewer crowds. Skiing here is good value once you arrive, with day passes well below Alpine prices, but the long flight from Europe or North America is the real cost to plan around.
Where to base yourself
The Chilean resorts vary widely, from a single famous hotel by a frozen lake to a modern high altitude base above the capital. Here is the honest read on the ones worth your trip. Full resort reviews for the region are being added.
| Resort | Altitude | Best for | The verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valle Nevado | 3,000 m | All round foreign trips | The most modern, highest base above Santiago, with big off piste and a link to the wider Tres Valles area, the best all round choice. |
| Portillo | 2,880 m | The classic ski week | An iconic, isolated yellow hotel by Laguna del Inca that sells all inclusive week long packages, intimate, social and steeped in racing history. |
| La Parva | 2,750 m | Off piste and quiet | A residential resort favored by Santiago locals, with excellent off piste, quiet midweek slopes and a low key, condo based feel. |
| El Colorado | 2,750 m | Day trips and beginners | The closest big area to Santiago and the easiest day trip, with gentle terrain that suits beginners and families on a budget. |
| Nevados de Chillan | 2,500 m | Tree skiing and hot springs | A southern volcano resort with the longest run in South America, tree skiing, natural thermal springs and far fewer crowds. |
| Corralco | 2,400 m | Powder and solitude | A remote volcano resort in araucaria forest with reliable powder, gentle prices and almost no crowds, the connoisseur's southern pick. |
Is the Chilean Andes right for you?
The Chilean Andes are the ideal pick for a northern hemisphere skier who cannot wait for winter, with a June to October season that fills the off season at home. Confident intermediates and off piste skiers get the most out of the high, open central resorts, while Portillo suits anyone who wants a sociable, all inclusive ski week with a fixed group. The southern volcanoes reward adventurous skiers chasing trees, powder and solitude.
It is less suited to nervous beginners who want long groomed runs and a lively village, since the central resorts are about bowls and altitude rather than charm, and high winds can close lifts. Families on a budget are better at El Colorado for day trips, and anyone wanting tree lined runs and thermal springs should head south. For the other side of the Andes, compare with neighboring Argentina.
Getting there, passes and costs
Santiago is the gateway, with a modern international airport and most central resorts one and a half to three hours away up steep mountain roads. Valle Nevado, La Parva and El Colorado share the same access road above the city, while Portillo sits on the highway toward Argentina at around 2h 45m. The southern volcanoes are a longer haul, several hours south of Santiago by road or a domestic flight. See our guide to ski resorts near Santiago for the full transfer picture.
Skiing itself is good value: day passes at the big resorts run around $60 to $90, well below marquee Alpine and Colorado prices, and the southern resorts are cheaper still. The real expense is the long flight, so most visitors fly in for a full week or more to justify it. A complete trip with flights, lodging and lift passes typically lands in the $4,000 to $8,000 per person band, less if you base in Santiago and day trip, and Portillo's all inclusive packages bundle the lot into one price.
Book the extras and save
Lift passes, airport transfers and lessons are where a trip quietly leaks money. Booking ahead almost always beats the resort window price.
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Which Chilean ski resort is best?
Valle Nevado is the best all round choice for a foreign trip, with the highest, most modern base above Santiago and access to big off piste terrain. Portillo is the iconic pick for a sociable all inclusive ski week, while La Parva suits off piste skiers and the southern volcanoes of Nevados de Chillan and Corralco reward those chasing trees, powder and quiet.
When is the ski season in the Chilean Andes?
The Chilean season runs roughly from mid June to early October, with July and August the reliable core for snow and September often bringing warmer, sunnier spring conditions. This makes Chile a prime destination for northern hemisphere skiers looking to ski during their summer.
How much does skiing in Chile cost?
The skiing is good value, with day passes at the big resorts around $60 to $90 and the southern resorts cheaper still, well below Alpine or Colorado prices. The main cost is the long flight, so a full trip with flights, lodging and passes typically lands in the $4,000 to $8,000 per person band, less if you base in Santiago and day trip.
How do you get to the Chilean ski resorts?
Fly into Santiago, then drive or transfer up to the resorts. Valle Nevado, La Parva and El Colorado sit one and a half to two hours above the city on the same access road, and Portillo is around 2h 45m on the highway toward Argentina. The southern volcanoes are several hours south by road or a domestic flight.
Is Chile good for beginners?
It can be, but it is not the obvious choice. The central resorts are high, treeless and wind exposed, with terrain geared toward intermediates and off piste skiers rather than long gentle groomers. Beginners and budget families are best at El Colorado for day trips from Santiago, or should consider a more beginner friendly destination.
What makes Portillo different?
Portillo is a single iconic hotel beside the frozen Laguna del Inca, with no surrounding village, that sells fixed week long all inclusive packages covering lodging, meals and lift passes. The result is an intimate, sociable ski week with the same guests all week, and a long history as a training base for the world's racing teams.
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