Experience firsthand the virgin snow and exhilarating slopes amidst the stunning peaks of the Andes during this extraordinary 6-day adventure which includes skiing/snowboarding at two of Chile’s top ski destinations, a full day of snowcat skiing at the incredible Ski Arpa, and a day of heli skiing at the 5-star Puma Lodge. This is truly the ultimate ski vacation of a lifetime.
Trailblazing
Day 1: Arrival & Ski Portillo
Welcome to Chile! Your driver will meet you at Santiago’s airport or your hotel to start your ultimate ski adventure. Most international flights arrive in the morning, so you can be skiing by noon. Your first day on the slopes will be at Portillo, South America’s oldest and most famous ski resort, first opened in 1948. Portillo has the ambience of a “boutique” ski resort, with limited hotel capacity, no lift lines and open slopes. There are slopes to fit any level of skiing expertise, and for the more advanced skiers and boarders there is an abundance of backcountry bowl.
Meals Included: Dinner
Day 2: Ski Arpa, snowcat skiing in the shadow of Aconcagua
Set out early this morning for a full day Snowcat Skiing experience at the incredible Ski Arpa. A place unlike any other in the world, Valle el Arpa is sweet music to the skier’s soul. Unparalleled vertical snow conditions and views of both Mt. Aconcagua and the Pacific Ocean are sure to make for an unforgettable adventure. In an anything-but-typical day, you’ll ski over 13,000 vertical feet of some of the best untracked powder in the world. Intermediate or advanced level of skiing experience required. In the evening, you will return to Santiago.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Snow cat drop off, Ski Arpa
Day 3: Valle Nevado
Your driver will meet you at your hotel lobby at 7:30am to head to Valle Nevado for another full day on the slopes at one of Chile’s top resorts. At an altitude of 3,670m/12,040ft and with average snowfall of 7m/276 inches, Valle Nevado has some of the most consistently great snow conditions among the major resorts in the region. In the late afternoon, private transport will take you back to your hotel inSantiago.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 4: Chile’s Wine Country – The Maipo Valley
Enjoy a relaxed morning before checking out of your hotel and meeting your driver to head out of the capital city by way of theMaipoValley. Maipo is one ofChile’s most traditional wine valleys, known for its excellent Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère varieties, and is home to some of the country’s most internationally recognized wineries. You will stop for a tour, tasting, and delicious lunch at Santa Rita Winery. Founded in 1880, Santa Rita is one of theMaipoValley’s oldest wineries, cultivating century-old vines with modern techniques to achieve the maximum potential from its grapes. The results are true enological masterpieces. Be sure to take a look at the extensive private collection of fascinating pre-Colombian artifacts in the impressive Museo Andino, located on the Santa Rita property. In the late afternoon, you will arrive to Puma Lodge.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Heliski at Puma Lodge
Day 5: Heli Skiing at Puma Lodge
Chile’s newest heliskiing destination, Puma Lodge opened for the first time for the 2011 season with a fully equipped 5-star facility. More importantly, the Puma Lodge is the Powder Capital of theAndes, with deep and abundant snowfalls averaging 100cm of champagne powder per storm. Enjoy an unforgettable day shredding thousands of feet of virgin powder with incredible mountain views. In the late afternoon, private transport will return you to Santiago.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 6: Departure
An amazing journey through the absolute best of Chilean ski country comes to an end today as private transport takes you to Santiago’s airport in time for your departing international flight.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Recommended trip combinations:
Ski Arpa is South America’s only fully snowcat-serviced ski center
This tour is available to begin every day during the months of July – September.
Price per Person (US$): $4,149.00
*based on a minimum of 2 travelers
*Prices valid through September, 2014. Please inquire for new rates.
Custom and private departure available upon request. for details.
Heliski Adventure at Puma Lodge
Price Includes:
Casa San Regis
Casa San Regis: A beautifully maintained 18th-century hacienda, Casa San Regis provides an authentic Chilean experience which is hard to find at the main ski resorts. This bed & breakfast style hotel is the closest to Ski Arpa Cat Skiing (about 1 hour away). The staff is warm and welcoming, embodying the best of Chilean hospitality. Large, comfortable dining and lounging areas showcase the original architecture.
Hotel Noi Vitacura
Noi Vitacura: Noi seems to represent the future of luxury hotels. With 87 incredibly spacious rooms, each equipped with unmatched amenities, a tranquil spa, two restaurants, a trendy rooftop terrace, and all-around chic design, Noi never ceases to amaze. It has a great location in stylish Vitacura, near several boutiques and the elegant Parque Bicentenario.
Puma Lodge
Puma Lodge: Located three hours south of Santiago (or a 30-minute helicopter ride), Puma Lodge is in a class of its own. Not only is it one of the best heliski centers in the world and a 5-star hotel and spa, but also it encompasses more than 3,000 square km of majestic mountains, deep valleys, cypress forests, mighty rivers, clear streams, and a diverse array of native flora and fauna.
