| With skiing in the northern hemisphere winding down, | | | | off-piste terrain and famous hot springs. Termas de |
| it's time to look deep into the southern hemisphere | | | | Chillan ski resort has a good choice of |
| to feed your passion! In the case, I'm talking South | | | | accommodation at the base, with six slope-side |
| America and the countries of Chile and Argentina. | | | | condos as well as a three-star and five-star hotel. |
| Here, the ski season runs from mid June to late | | | | Termas de Chillan spa offers beautiful mineral pools |
| September and Within the Andes Mountains are | | | | where you can relax. Argentina: In Argentina, there |
| some of the best ski resorts in the world. The | | | | are outstanding ski resorts specially designed for |
| easiest ones to get to are located just two hours | | | | winter sports lovers with international quality ski runs |
| outside of Santiago, Chile. Santiago-Benitez | | | | and state–of–the–art lifts and |
| International Airport is the main air hub for the region | | | | infrastructure. They are located along the unique |
| and has good transfer services via shuttle bus to | | | | Andes mountain range at the western and southern |
| nearby resorts. Chile: In Chile, the more modern ski | | | | regions of the country. Las Lenas and Cerro Catedral |
| resorts are located in the Central Region, easily | | | | are the country's most popular ski destinations. Las |
| accessed from Santiago. Valle Nevado, Portillo, and | | | | Lenas, located in the heart of the Andes and a short |
| Termas de Chillan are internationally known ski | | | | distance from the airport of Malaguean, is one of the |
| destinations. The Valle Nevado complex straddles the | | | | finest ski resorts in South America. It is the vastest |
| imposing peak El Plomo, and includes the 5-star Hotel | | | | and highest ski area in Argentina, offering some of |
| Valle Nevado, the 4-star Hotel Puerto del Sol, and the | | | | the most spectacular mountains in the world. Cerro |
| 3-star Hotel Tres Puntas. Portillo is the most famous | | | | Catedral is internationally recognized for its quality |
| and oldest ski area in South America. It is more of a | | | | establishments and services. Las Lenas is located in |
| "boutique" ski resort, with limited hotel capacity, no | | | | the middle of the Andes mountain range, in the |
| lift lines and uncrowded slopes. Termas de Chillan, | | | | province of Mendoza, and 2,240 meters above sea |
| another popular destination 6 to 7 hours south of | | | | level. It is surrounded by the mounts Torrecillas, El |
| Santiago, is Chile's most complete Ski and Spa center. | | | | Collar, Ponce, Las Lenas, Entre Rios, Martin and Los |
| Portillo is unique because there is no town and only | | | | Fosiles. Las Lenas is the most modern winter sport |
| one hotel: the grand Hotel Portillo, which has 123 | | | | resort in Argentina and offers 228 hectares of |
| rooms. In this regard, the Portillo skiing and resort | | | | beautiful natural environment. The immense |
| experience is unlike that of any other commercial ski | | | | mountains covered with the region's best snow |
| resort. Portillo operates as a weeklong, Saturday to | | | | provide the perfect background for its famous ski |
| Saturday, all-inclusive resort, with packages that | | | | runs suitable for beginners, intermediate, and |
| include: lodging; lift tickets; four meals a day | | | | advanced skiers. Access to the Valley is direct, which |
| (breakfast, lunch, high tea and dinner); use of pool | | | | ensures faster transfers and great enjoyment. It can |
| and fitness center; and other hotel facilities such as a | | | | be reached by plane, flights to San Rafael with |
| cinema, game room, and more. Guests are given an | | | | transfer included and charter flights to Malargue; by |
| eighth day of skiing if they return their room before | | | | car, it is only 1,212 Km away from Buenos Aires; and |
| 10am on check-out day. Valle Nevado is another | | | | by sleeping car from the city of Buenos Aires and |
| resort close to Santiago, Chile. At just over 35 miles | | | | other major cities of the country. Las Lenas has |
| from Santiago and an altitude of 9,925 feet, Valle | | | | several accommodation facilities such as an exclusive |
| Nevado sits in the midst of the most spectacular | | | | five-star hotel offering total comfort and amazing |
| landscape of the Andes Mountains. The resort was | | | | views of the Andes mountain range, hotels, |
| created with the inspiration of french ski resorts and | | | | apart-hotels, apartments and dormy-houses, |
| features modern buildings, hotels and lift equipment, | | | | restaurants, an international casino, and a disco, all of |
| like the Andes Express ski lift, the most advanced of | | | | which make Valle de Las Lenas a remarkable resort. |
| southern hemisphere. It's also part of Chile's | | | | Cerro Catedral is located in the Nahuel Huapi National |
| ‘Three Valleys' ski region, putting you close to | | | | Park, surrounded by a unique landscape of lakes and |
| other ski resorts like La Parva and El Colorado. El | | | | mountains, and only a 19 Km paved route away from |
| Colorado, linked to Valle Nevado by special pass, is | | | | San Carlos de Bariloche (Rio Negro), a city with |
| ideal for families and youth since unlike many other | | | | lodging and food infrastructure at the most |
| ski resorts, El Colorado offers a large number of runs | | | | demanding international tourism level. Bariloche sleeps |
| devoted to beginners. La Parva is suspended on the | | | | about 18,000 people. Lodging arrangements range |
| mountainside of the Andes high above the city of | | | | from the more economic levels to a dozen four and |
| Santiago. This small mountain town has modern | | | | five star hotels; some of these services can be |
| buildings, over 1,000 houses and condominiums, and | | | | found at the mountain base. Cerro Catedral receives |
| can accommodate 7,000 people at any one time | | | | thousands of visitors throughout the year who come |
| during the ski season. Termas de Chillan, located 310 | | | | to the mountain slope to take in the breathtaking |
| miles south of Santiago on the slopes of Chillan | | | | landscapes and go hiking and mountan biking in the |
| volcano in the southern Andes Mountains, is the | | | | summer. In the winter months, Cerro Catedral |
| biggest single resort in South America, by skiable | | | | becomes South America's most highly developed |
| terrain. The most convenient means of transportation | | | | winter sports center, given its 70km of ski slopes, |
| for getting to and from Termas de Chillan is to fly to | | | | 200 skiiable hectares and ski lifts, among which the |
| Concepcion and take a shuttle bus or hire a car to | | | | six-seat chairlift with a polycarbonate super bubble is |
| the resort. Termas de Chillan has it all: immaculate | | | | worth mentioning. Other international resorts include |
| tree-lined slopes, a huge vertical, South America's | | | | Chapelco and Cerro Castor. |
| longest run, a snowboard park, plenty of quality | | | | |