Andes Ski Safari 18 days

Tour Description

For those who want to experience the best resort-based skiing in the Southern Hemisphere, this ski safari is for you.  In 18 days of world-class skiing and awe-inspiring scenery you’ll ski and board the top resorts in Chile—El Colorado, Valle Nevado, La Parva, Portillo, Termas de Chillán, and Villarica—and the outstanding Las Leñas, Chapelco, and Bariloche ski areas in Argentina. These nine resort destinations offer varied and challenging terrain, dependable snow conditions, excellent infrastructure, and extraordinary off-piste opportunities. Crossing from Chile to Argentina and back again to Chile, through two different Andean passes, you’ll have privileged views of the majesty and grandeur of the world’s second highest mountain range, with its awesome snow-capped peaks and volcanoes, sapphire-blue lakes, rushing rivers, and dense native forest. You’ll also discover the charm of Bariloche, spectacularly set on Lake Nahuel Huapi, the rustic beauty of San Martín de los Andes, and Pucón, capital of the scenic lake region. 

Highlights

• Guided Ski Tour
• Portillo Ski Resort
• Las Leñas Ski Resort
• Chapelco Ski Resort
• Bariloche - Cerro Catedral Ski Resort
• Villarica Ski Resort
• Termas de Chillan Ski Resort
• El Colorado Ski Resort
• La Parva Ski Resort
• Valle Nevado Ski Resort
• Santiago, Chile’s Cosmopolitan capital city
• Pucon & hot springs.

Day by day itinerary

Day 1: Santiago – El Colorado – Los Andes. A KL Expeditions guide will meet you at Santiago’s airport (please make sure that your flight arrives before 11:00 am) and transfer you to El Colorado Ski Resort with an optional stop at KL Ski Rental Shop for equipment supply. We drive up a spectacular mountain road with views down to Santiago and up into the high Andes, a trip of approximately an hour. Following a full day of skiing and boarding on the slopes of the El Colorado cone, we drive to Los Andes, a beautiful trip up the Aconcagua Valley and along the international road towards Argentina.  Overnight in Los Andes.
Max Altitude: 10,935 feet (3,333m) – Min Altitude: 7,972 feet (2,430m) – Vertical Drop: 2,962 feet (903m)
 
Day 2: Los Andes – Portillo – Mendoza. We drive to Portillo Ski Resort up a spectacular highway with dramatic mountain views.  Portillo is the oldest and most prestigious ski area in Chile with outstanding terrain and conditions.  In the afternoon we cross the border into Argentina. We will have impressive views of the majestic Aconcagua, at 22,842 feet (6,962m) the world’s highest mountain outside the Himalaya-Karakorum chains. Reaching Mendoza we settle into our hotel. 
Max Altitude: 10,935 feet (3,333m) – Min Alt: 8,234 feet (2,510m) – Vertical Drop : 2,664 feet (812m)

Day 3: Mendoza – Las Leñas. We’ll make a walking tour of Mendoza, an attractive provincial city, and drive to Las Leñas. On the way we stop at a vineyard for a tour and lunch. We stay overnight at the Hotel in Las Leñas.

Day 4: Las Leñas. Today we ski Argentina’s most important resort, and its highest.  Offering 230 hectares of skiable terrain, Las Leñas is famous for excellent snow quality and is considered a paradise for extreme off-piste skiing. We stay overnight at the Hotel in Las Leñas.
Max Altitude: 11,253 feet (3,430m) – Min Alt: 7,349 feet (2,240m) – Vertical Drop : 3,904 feet (1,190m)

Day 5: Las Leñas. We enjoy a second day of skiing at Las Leñas and at the end of the day make a short transfer to Malargue. We stay overnight in a hotel in Malargue.
Max Altitude: 3,430m – Min Alt: 2.240 m – Vertical Drop : 1.190 m

Day 6: Malargue - San Martin de los Andes. We drive to San Martin de los Andes. Hotel.

Day 7 & 8: San Martín de los Andes – Chapelco  We ski two days at this highly attractive and enjoyable ski resort, with its 340 acres (140 hectares) of skiable terrain, wide diversity of geography, spectacular landscape with views of the Lanín Volcano, Lácar Lake, and beautiful lenga forest. Overnight at our hotel.
Maximum Alt: 6,496 feet (1,980m) – Min Alt: 4,101 feet (1,250m) – Vertical Drop: 2,395 feet (730m)

Day 9 San Martin de los Andes - Bariloche. We make the beautiful drive to San Carlos de Bariloche, past bright-blue lakes circled by native forest, with the spectacular backdrop of high Andean peaks on the western skyline.  We settle into our hotel.

Day 10: Bariloche -- Cerro Catedral. Home to Argentina’s most developed ski infrastructure, we’ll enjoy Cerro Cathedral’s 1,482 acres (600 hectares) of skiable terrain, an impressive 103 km of runs. We recommend “De la Garganta”, “Del Bosque” and “Amancay” which will take you through beautiful native forest. For those who want more challenging terrain we suggest “De Las Nubes” (“From the Clouds”) and “Carlitos”. We stay overnight at our hotel.
Maximum Alt: 7,217 feet (2,000m) – Min Alt: 3,379 (1,030m) – Vertical Drop: 3,182 (970m)

Day 11: Cerro Catedral – Pucón. Today we ski Cerro Catedral until 2:00 pm and then drive to Pucón, a journey of  221 miles (355 km) which will take us approximately six hours. Along the route the scenery is spectacular and continually changing. We pass the sapphire-blue waters of the Nahuel Huapi and Seven Lakes Chain, cross the Argentinean pampa with it’s dry forest, climb to the summit of the Mamuil Malal Pass at 3,937 feet (1,200m), descend through dense forest of araucaria and coigue, traverse  rolling farmland and finally reach Pucón, on the shores of Lake Villarica. We stay overnight at the Hotel Malalhue.

Day 12 & 13: Pucón – Villarica Volcano. A 20-minute drive from Pucón we reach the Villarica Ski Resort located on a beautiful smoking, cone-shaped volcano. The ski area has 9 lifts and 20 groomed runs plus offers varied off-piste alternatives. The view down the mountain to five bright-blue lakes ringed with native forest, the summits of a handful of other volcanoes in the middle distance, is of spectacular beauty.   Overnight at the Hotel Malalhue.
Maximum Altitude: 9,186 feet (2,800m) – Min Alt: 3,937 feet (1,200m) – Vertical Drop: 5,249 feet (1,600m)

Day 14: Pucón – Termas de Chillán. From Pucón we drive north to the Termas de Chillán resort area, a distance of approximately 285 miles (459 km), where we’ll stay in the Valle de las Trancas. Overnight at the MI Lodge.

Day 15 & 16: Termas de Chillán. For two entire days you’ll enjoy world-class skiing and outstanding views at this justifiably famous resort. Located on the slopes of two volcanoes, Chillán offers more than 24,000 acres (10,000 hectares) of wonderfully diverse skiable terrain. The Tres Marias run is the longest in South America, an astonishing 8 miles (13km) in length and descends through beautiful native forest.  Chillán is also well known for its superb off-piste skiing. Overnight at the MI Lodge.
Max Altitude: 7,217 feet (2,200m) – Min Alt: 5,577 feet (1,700m) – Vertical Drop: 1,640 feet (500m)

Day 17: Chillan – Santiago. We return to Santiago, a drive of 252 miles (407 km), which will take approximately four hours. Overnight at the Hotel Kennedy.

Day 18: Santiago – Valle Nevado. We drive up an impressive winding mountain road with views down to Santiago and up into the high Andes, a trip of approximately an hour and a half. Valle Nevado offers close to 2,000 acres (800 hectares) of varied, lift-accessed ski terrain, top-notch off-piste opportunities, excellent infrastructure, and feather-dry snow. We return to Santiago and the Andes Ski Safari comes to an end.
Max Altitude: 12,040 feet (3,670m) – Min Alt: 9,383 feet (2,860m) – Vertical Drop: 2,657 feet (810m)

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Ski Tour Details

Service Included

• Professional Mountain Guide.
• Ratio 1:7 (1 Guide for every 7 Skiers).
• All local organization and supervision by KL Expeditions Staff.
• Private transfers the entire tour including airport pick-up.
• One night in a hotel in Los Andes based on double occupancy with half board.
• One night in a hotel in Mendoza based on double occupancy with half board.
• Two nights in a hotel in Las Leñas based on double occupancy with half boardLeñas.
• One night in a hotel in Malargue based on double occupancy with half board.
• Three nights in a hotel in San Martin based on double occupancy with half board.
• Two nights in a hotel in Bariloche based on double occupancy with half board.
• Two nights in a hotel in Pucón based on double occupancy with half board.
• Three nights in Valle Las Trancas (Termas de Chillán) based on double occupancy with half board.
• One night in a hotel in Santiago based on double occupancy with breakfast.
• 13 ski picnics and lunch on the 5 transfer days.
• Safety Pack : ARVA, probe and shovel.
• Lift passes for all ski resorts visited.
• Entrance to Pucón´s hot springs.
• First aid kit.

Service not included

• Clothing and ski accessories (gloves, goggles, ski clothing etc...).
• Dinners in Santiago (on the last two days).
• Any drinks (soda, beer or wine) in the cities and during transfer days.
• Any costs involved in an early or late departure.
• Cancellation, accident and rescue insurance.
• Cash for extra expenses.
• Gratuities.
• Any other service not listed above.

Important

• All itineraries are subject to change due to variation in the weather, group dynamic & the guide’s criteria.
• KL Expeditions is NOT responsible for weather and road conditions, lifts operations.
• Full Ski/Snowboard equipment set (ski, boots, poles or snowboard and boots) available in KL Ski Rental shop with a 10% discount.
• KL Expeditions reserves the rights to upgrade the tour by using higher hotel standard, etc… without any extra cost.
• Any departure can be re-scheduled with a minimum of 6 persons.