Chile - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 388

SKIING NEAR SANTIAGO
It's easy to arrange day-trips from Santiago to experience some world-class powder snow. The
ski season lasts from mid-June to early October. All resorts rent ski equipment and clothing,
and day passes cost CH$20,000-33,000. High in the Andes Mountains, 36km east of Santiago,
three large ski resorts are clustered in the Tres Valles area: El Colorado, La Parva and Valle
Nevado; all three can be accessed from Farellones, a village at the foot of Cerro Colorado
(3333m). A fourth resort, Portillo, is set on the banks of the stunning Laguna del Inca on the
Argentine border, a two-hour drive from Santiago.

and Cerro La Falsa Parva here offer thirty runs for skiers
of all abilities, with some excellent long advanced runs,
as well as extensive backcountry skiing and heli-skiing.
Portillo W skiportillo.com. Chile's most exclusive
resort boasts 23 runs between altitudes of 2590m and
3322m that cater to intermediates and experts alike,
along with ample backcountry terrain and heli-skiing
opportunities.
Valle Nevado W vallenevado.com. With the best
skiing conditions in Tres Valles and geared towards
foreign visitors, this luxury resort has a good mixture
of advanced and intermediate runs, as well as a snow-
board park and half-pipe along with extraordinary
terrain for heli-skiing.

OPERATORS
Ski Total Av Apoquindo 4900, local 40-46 T 2
22460156, W skitotal.cl. Operates daily departures to
all four resorts, and is a good choice for renting equip-
ment and clothing.
Ski Van T 2 22192672, W skivan.cl. Daily departures
to El Colorado, Valle Nevado and La Parva, from
General Bustamente 10, just off Plaza Italia.

RESORTS
El Colorado W elcolorado.cl. The resort boasts 19
chairlifts and 21 runs, most of intermediate level,
between elevations of 2430m and 3333m.
La Parva W laparva.cl. The Cerro Franciscano (3608m)

4

Hospitals Clínica Las Condes, Lo Fontecilla 441 T 2
22104000; Clínica Universidad Católica, Marcoleta 367,
downtown T 2 26334122, Clínica Alemana, Av Vitacura
5951, Vitacura T 2 22101111.
Internet There are plenty of internet cafés, and most
youth hostels also offer free internet use. Try Netcenter,
at Merced 615 ( W cafenetcenter.cl), or CyberOnline, Jose
M. de la Barra 414, which offers freshly ground coffee
while you surf.
Language schools Bridge Linguatec Language Center,
at Los Leones 439, Providencia ( T 2 22334356 or T +1
303 495 5963 in the US, W bridgechile.com), offers
intensive immersion Spanish courses, group tutorials and
private lessons. Instituto Chileno-Suizo de Idioma, at
José Victorino Lastarria 93, 2nd floor ( T 2 26385414,
W chilenosuizo.tie.cl), combines Spanish language courses
of varying intensity with homestays, city tours and an
introduction to Chilean culture.
Laundry Tr y Lavandería Autoservicio, Monjitas 507, or
Lavanderia Lolos, Moneda 2296, Barrio Brasil.
Pharmacies There are plenty of Farmacias Ahumada
and Cruz Verde pharmacies all over Santiago; Farmacia
Ahumada at Av Portugal 125 is open 24hr.
Post o ces Correo Central, Plaza de Armas 559 (Mon-Fri
8am-7pm, Sat 9am-2pm). Other branches are at Moneda
1170, near Morandé; Local 503, Exposición 51 Paseo Estación;
and Av 11 de Septiembre 2092.
Telephone centres There are numerous centros de
llamados run either by Entel, whose largest branch is at

Morandé, between Huérfanos and Compañía, or by
Te l e fónica CTC Chile, located inside metro stations, such
as Universidad de Chile and Moneda, and on the streets.

Valparaíso and
Viña del Mar
Draped in a crescent shape around the
Bahía de Valparaíso, the UNESCO World
Heritage-listed city of Valparaíso is just
120km from Santiago. “Valpo” - as it's
affectionately known - is Chile's principal
port and naval base, and also perhaps the
country's liveliest and most vibrant city.
he nightlife and excellent seafood
attract much of Santiago to its bars and
restaurants at the weekend, as does the
nearby beach resort of Viña del Mar .
Viña's attractions are wide, white beaches
surrounded by expensive high-rise
apartments, casinos and pricey, touristy
restaurants. It has none of the character
that distinguishes Valparaíso - the good
news is that since they're so close together,
it's easy enough to stay in Valparaíso and
visit Viña's beaches for the day.