Winter in Chile: Andean Pistes & Patagonian Pumas

This trip begins and ends at Santiago de Chile (SCL).

This trip runs in July and August.

The ski season in Chile runs from the end of June through to late September so the peak season is from mid-July into late August when the snow conditions are at their best and most reliable.

Down in Torres del Paine, days are shortest in July with sunrise at 10am and sunset some time after 5pm. It's actually a great excuse to enjoy a lie in and to be home early to curl up with a book and glass of wine in front of the fire as you watch the evening light over the mountains of Patagonia!

Conditions up in Valle Nevado are cold - it's at 3,000m so you will have plenty of gear to wrap you up and keep you warm down in Torres del Paine which is at sea level so much more benign, although its more southerly latitude balances that off somewhat.

You can expect clear and cold days with temperatures a few degrees above freezing but with less wind than is normal in summer. Precipitation levels are roughly the same year round, obviously falling as snow more typically in July & August.

The upper activity level on this trip is really set by the skiing. We have given detailed information about the infrastructure of each resort in the day by day section and with links to the resort sites & their piste maps.

Typically we would expect people who travel to Chile for skiing to be experienced and therefore more likely to avail themselves of the on and off piste terrain. For a lower intermediate skier there is plenty to enjoy up in the mountains on piste so usually the Chilean resorts attract a good cross section of skill levels - for skiing and boarding.

You should note that the skiable terrain is not on the same scale as a typical Alpine resort - they are much smaller with less developed infrastructure generally. The Andean resorts tend to more than make up for it in personality though - and the quality of powder snow for which they are famed. At it's best, this is a place you can really play in the fluffy snow!

Down in Patagonia, the activity levels are lower - not least because access to the great outdoors is limited by the winter weather. You will spend a lot of time outdoors but not doing high adrenaline activities. There is lots of time out and about and some walking but the degree of activity is flexible in function of weather and energy levels.

The truth is that you set your own activity level on this trip - you can do more or less, it's up to you!

Unlike most tour operators, we have complete freedom to work with whichever hotels we wish to in Chile. The joys of being independent! We spend a great deal of time getting to know the best options and returning to make sure they still meet our exacting standards. They're not just places for you to nod off each night. They need to be memorable and enjoyable places to spend time. A great view or particularly good food always goes down well.

Our preferred hotel in the ski resort is the one with the largest social areas and the outdoor pool with bar, so it's nice and lively without being quite as boisterous as the 3* Tres Puntas!

The hotels we choose to work with in and around Torres del Paine are very comfortable with welcoming hosts, a great location and often lots of local charm. We tend not to go in for the flashy 5* chain hotels as they rarely deliver the experience we want for you. We prefer a bit of heart and soul, not luxury for the sake of it, but nice 3-4* standard.

Your base on this trip is a very special place indeed - a 12-room working sheep ranch which doubles as a premium hotel.

We're happy to share full details of the places we suggest for your trip, so please get in touch for full details.

The focus of this holiday is undoubtedly the landscapes and exploring on foot, however, there is much more to Chile than just the great outdoors. We want you to leave Chile feeling like you know the country and more than anything, that means its people.

Down in Patagonia, you will be looked after by a team who are normally from across Chile rather than being local to Torres del Paine - there aren't many permanent settlements in these parts! To this day it is a place of gauchos, cowboys, who live solitary lives riding across vast estancias. And yet, hospitality runs deep and sipping mate whilst sitting round an open fire is one of the great memories of southern Chile.

It absolutely is, yes. The price more or less stays as is per person assuming everyone is in a twin or double room but it's a great fun experience for families to travel together or groups of friends to experience something truly special together.