 Poster: A snowHead
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Planning a trip to Chile, or maybe dreaming of a trip to Chile. A group of us looking for an offpiste adventure, all capable of anything it has to throw at us.
A friend gave me following link http://www.chileanski.com/eng/
Looks great but not sure what to go for.
Any experience of the country out there in Snowhead land?
First suggestion has been Portillo.
The group will be from various parts of the world meeting up in resort so it will be a DIY fly and book rather than package.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Dek, if money and time are no object, I'd have thought one of the Snoworks Chile trips would be worth a look.
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I have been to Chile 7 times and cannot recommend it highly enough for that summer snow-fix. Depending on how long you intend to spend there, I would recommend a week in Portillo (www.skiportillo.com) and then a week either in a hotel in Valle Nevado (www.vallenevado.com) or in a condo in La Parva (www.skilaparva.cl). Valle Nevado is part of the 3 valleys of Chile and also covers El Colorado and Farellones, the original ski resort. You can stay in Farellones very cheaply. Lift passes are cheap by European and US standards, in fact everything is pretty cheap except the air fare. There is lots of challenging off-piste in the 3 valleys plus a great couloir La Chiminea (The Chimney) in La Parva which gets the adrenaline going. Don't go in July as it is the school holidays but August/early September is great. You will find many international teams training but very few tourists and no queues except perhaps a couple of minutes on a fine weekend. If you do stay in a condo make sure you buy all your food in Santiago as there are no food shops in VN and LP.
If you are on a very tight budget you can stay in Santiago which is just over an hour away and get the bus every day. Another place to consider is Termas de Chillan which is about an hour's flight south of Santiago. If you need any further info I know quite a few people there. One word of warning from the locals - years with an 8 in can be poor snow years - don't book until there is a good base.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Unfortunatley both money and time are a consideration, otherwise there are some fantastic, "go everywhere and do everything" packages to be had. We may start the journey from Brazil, so package holidays are a bit awkward and the length may be an odd number of days.
As you say Skilegs the main outlay is airfare - and due to a bit of luck most of that will be provided as a by-product of our work. Just being greedy really and trying to take advantage of an oppurtunity that has presented itself.
We will be bringing a group together from Canada, UK and Brazil and it will need to be timed to work around our jobs. Portillo is looking favourite at the moment, just need to do a bit more research, but finding time to read everything at the moment a bit challenging.
It seems that wherever we chose we will enjoy - unless there are any horror stories out there or any recommendations of where not to go.
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Termas is better than Portillo in every way IMHO.
And you don't need to fly.
4-hr train journey from Santiago to Chillan and then 1-2 hr bus / taxi to Las Trancas.
Cabana (cabin) with two bedrooms (sleeping 4 comfortably) set us back US$40 (20 quid) a night. That's a fiver per person.
Cook your own breakfast, lunch on the hill, snacks back at the cabana, and then out to dinner.
You won't be disappointed.
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franzman, Hate to ask the question but have you done anything but spam "subrated experience" on every thread?
I suspect a true "premium" business doesn't have to pimp itself so hard.
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Fat Bob, I have managed to pick up some info from the web site Franzman provided.
Although I dont think it has convinced me to jump onto one of the holidays.
It did help slim down the options.
Although still feel like a kid in a sweetie shop trying to decide where to go.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Mike Pow wrote: |
Termas is better than Portillo in every way IMHO.
And you don't need to fly.
4-hr train journey from Santiago to Chillan and then 1-2 hr bus / taxi to Las Trancas.
Cabana (cabin) with two bedrooms (sleeping 4 comfortably) set us back US$40 (20 quid) a night. That's a fiver per person.
Cook your own breakfast, lunch on the hill, snacks back at the cabana, and then out to dinner.
You won't be disappointed. |
Also IMO Termas is much better than Portillo. Portillo very limited accomodation is scarce. You can also directly HeliSki from the Piste !
I stayed at the Gran which I can recommend , superb food
http://www.chileanski.com/eng/termas_de_chillan/hotels/gran-hotel.htm#
The Main Portillo Hotel (yellow one in all the photos) which is directly on the slopes is very expensive & very worn down. However it still seems to get full of Americans & International SKi teams. I stayed there one night & that was enough.
http://www.chileanski.com/eng/portillo/hotel.htm
Valle Nevado,El Colorado has expanded since I last went there however Hotels on the hill are expensive. I stayed downtown Satiago in the 5* Marriot for only $50 a night and drove up everyday.
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I know you've said you aren't necessarily looking for a package - but you might want to check out Casatours, a US company. They are absolutely excellent and highly recomended. Great value - with food,lift tickets & travel between resorts included. Guides and drivers are great, fun loving people. All in all a fantastic experience.
http://www.casatours.com/
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks Mountain additct. Web site looks good, going to speak with them to try and sort something.
Also made me consider the Argentinian option.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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You know it makes sense.
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If you're heading to Bariloche, and you have the time take a look at Chapelco out of San Martin de Los Andes; Caviahue; and my favourite La Hoya out of Esquel. Three very different resorts. All great.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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They have Cerro Bayo another great little resort.
You can do this trip a whole load cheaper than US$ 3,000 for 9 days though.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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This potential trip started as a bit of a pipe dream as we are in Brazil working and it is not far to get to the slopes from here (comparitivley)
The more I see, the more I cannot understand why I havent done it before even from the UK.
Given the total cost of my last trip to Meribel, I think better value for money can be had. Dont enjoy being ripped off anymore (even managed to pay 8 euros for a beer in France)
It seems a few snowheads have fallen in love with the idea of Southern hemisphere skiing. Just need to get my act together to join them - might never come back.......
....where did I put those big fat skis 
Anybody managed to pick up work in S. Amaericas ? Instructing or similar?
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Do you speak Spanish & want to work for €10 a day?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Understood
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Dek, i have also fallen in loive with the idea of the southern hemisphere summer skiing . . . so i've been suduced by the trip of a lifetime offered through snoworks, i'll let you know how i get on . . . i'm already on countdown lol
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 Soooooo jealous.
Good luck.
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Couldn't agree more with Mountain Addict. We did the 15 day ""Endless Winter" trip with Casatours 2 years ago and had an incredible time. For approximately £100 per day the trip included hotels, breakfast, all evening meals, ski guiding and lift passes for 10 days (plus the use of avalanche transceivers for as much off piste as we could handle), transfers on other days (including an internal flight!) and 1 day's lunch at a very posh winery.
All in all, an amazing trip, visiting 5 ski areas (as well as Santiago) with incredible off piste - including a hike to (and ski down from) the summit of an active volcano (Villarrica in Pucon).
Unforgettable!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I would advocate DIY.
This way you can meet & deal with the locals and not the western tourist companies that are only there to make a quick buck.
I only do DIY. Book the flight and work the rest out when you land in Buenos Aires or Santiago.
Why when visiting relatively poor countries do you want to give your money to Western tourist companies?
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My Chile trip was a mix of package & DIY - so I think I'm qualified to comment on both aspects of a trip, particularly Stanton's view on package trips using (God forbid) "Western tourist companies" ......(Incidentally, are the said companies "western "if they're actually from somewhere "northern" like the US? Wouldn't "western" then make Chile "eastern"...hmmm.
Anyway, a simple answer to why I'd want to give my money to the said "western" companies:
One booking and no hassle for everything we wanted from a Chile trip - the price included skiing at 4 resorts, nearly all food, all lift tickets and all ground travel in Chile. And above all else, all at a price no dearer than a DIY trip.
The profit motive (aka in Stanton speak as "only there to make a quick buck") is the way of the world. To think anything else is a bit naive - unless Stanton knows of any operators (in South America or elsewhere) who offer ski hols on a charitable basis?
Regardless of who we booked with (US company Casatours in our case), our tourist peso was spent in Chilean hotels, Chilean restaurants and in Chilean shops. Then there were the Chilean lift tickets and use of the Chilean minibus company complete with Chilean driver. I think we can safely say that we put a few quid into Chilean pockets.
Perhaps surprisingly to the first time visitor, Chile is not that strikingly poor. Santiago is relatively affluent and Chile as a whole is the richest country in South America. It certainly does not strike you as a 3rd world economy or a country where people are dying through poverty.
So, each to their own I'd say. Let those who want to book a whole DIY trip do so and let those who want to book a package with anybody of their choosing do so without suffering some kind of moral guilt trip.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| mountainaddict wrote: |
My Chile trip was a mix of package & DIY - so I think I'm qualified to comment on both aspects of a trip, particularly Stanton's view on package trips using (God forbid) "Western tourist companies" ......(Incidentally, are the said companies "western "if they're actually from somewhere "northern" like the US? Wouldn't "western" then make Chile "eastern"...hmmm.
Anyway, a simple answer to why I'd want to give my money to the said "western" companies:
One booking and no hassle for everything we wanted from a Chile trip - the price included skiing at 4 resorts, nearly all food, all lift tickets and all ground travel in Chile. And above all else, all at a price no dearer than a DIY trip.
The profit motive (aka in Stanton speak as "only there to make a quick buck") is the way of the world. To think anything else is a bit naive - unless Stanton knows of any operators (in South America or elsewhere) who offer ski hols on a charitable basis?
Regardless of who we booked with (US company Casatours in our case), our tourist peso was spent in Chilean hotels, Chilean restaurants and in Chilean shops. Then there were the Chilean lift tickets and use of the Chilean minibus company complete with Chilean driver. I think we can safely say that we put a few quid into Chilean pockets.
Perhaps surprisingly to the first time visitor, Chile is not that strikingly poor. Santiago is relatively affluent and Chile as a whole is the richest country in South America. It certainly does not strike you as a 3rd world economy or a country where people are dying through poverty.
So, each to their own I'd say. Let those who want to book a whole DIY trip do so and let those who want to book a package with anybody of their choosing do so without suffering some kind of moral guilt trip. |
Santiago is a great city. I have spent many nights there. However, if you drive around the peripherals of the city (all over) you will see for yourself abject poverty. There are of course some very wealthy areas (just so happens) on the eastern side in the Condes district leading up to the Ski resorts! Downtown at night you will be see crippled kids begging everywhere.
Dont forget South Africa is a very wealthy country but millions of people live in abject poverty.
Western Tourist Companies I refer to the developed world > European, North American, Australasia, Japan.
My point is. With DIY you get to see life in the country your visiting. Packages tend to keep you shielded. Ski resorts in SA are so far far far from the average life of folk in SA.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| stanton wrote: |
Santiago is a great city. I have spent many nights there. However, if you drive around the peripherals of the city (all over) you will see for yourself abject poverty. T |
bit like LA then ....
Must confess I'm pretty much an avid DIY-er, but on a first visit to a new place, a tour company can be useful We did that first time in Japan, partly because english content on internet was a lot lower 4 years ago.
Think I need to go to Chile ...
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| gortonator wrote: |
| stanton wrote: |
Santiago is a great city. I have spent many nights there. However, if you drive around the peripherals of the city (all over) you will see for yourself abject poverty. T |
bit like LA then ....
Must confess I'm pretty much an avid DIY-er, but on a first visit to a new place, a tour company can be useful We did that first time in Japan, partly because english content on internet was a lot lower 4 years ago.
Think I need to go to Chile ... |
Definitely GO and have a good time.
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You know it makes sense.
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Stanton:
I certaily wasn't basing my view of Chile on downtown Santiago or on the ski areas. Couple of years since we went -and you have jogged my memory. We did see some pretty poor looking suburbs while driving through Santiago - and a few even poorer places on a (DIY) trip to Valparaiso on the coast.
It's all relative - and still wasn't as bad as (for example) shanty towns in Sri Lanka. Then again, locals in Sri Lanka told us very proudly that - compared to India - Sri Lanka is very affluent, most kids get an education and no-one dies of poverty. As I say, it's all relative.
Gortonator:
Have alook at this for DIY possibilities and transfers - a total bargain if you stay in Santiago! US$ 1100 for 6 days! (inc. 1 hr transfer to the slopes.)
http://www.skitotal.cl/html_ingles/home_ing.html
Chile is incredible - just get yourself there!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Part of the "process" of DIY is to "get familier" with the destination country. To that end, I agree with Stanton, you get to "know" the country you're visiting when you DIY.
Whether it would save money, I'm not entirely sure. If you want western standard hotel and transportation, it'll be western prices anyway. Add the profit of the tour company, western or local, you have the package price. How else does one explain a higher per day expense in S. America than in N. America?
There's no doubt you can get it done cheaper if you're willing to sleep and move around more like the locals. The challenge, of course, is figuring out at what point is the "local standard" is so shabby it takes away the holiday enjoyment.
When I went to Equador and the Galapagos Islands, I used the "local" tour companies. The standards were high and the price was still considerably lower than packages from N. American tour companies. And there's no doubt the money was spend "locally". But I must admit I wasn't entirely confident of the standard of our accomondation and transport until we finished the trip. Along the way, we saw even cheaper possibilities but also kind of things we'd better off stay away. So, unless you have the nack of smelling out deals while avoiding ripoffs, DIY just isn't everyone's cup of tea...
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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chrismat, am sure you will find someone to team up with but if you don't it is absolutely fine to go on your own. You will meet so many people and the resort workers are now speaking pretty good English. At Portillo you get lessons included in the price and a lift pass and there is a weekly visitors race. I was there 3 years ago at the end of August and met lots of Chileans, some English and the Austrian ski team plus some US and other nationalities. You will meet people on the bus and everyone is very friendly. Santiago is a great city and you could always stay there very cheaply and get the daily bus to one of several ski resorts. Have a great adventure.
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skilegs, thanks for the encouragement, I'm really excited about this adventure! I wanted to ask, do you think 2 weeks in Portillo is too much? I works out a lot cheaper if I just go there, as opposed to going to Portillo and Valle Nevdo. I have been quoted around £2300 for flights from the UK and 19 nights with everything included - 15 days ski and 4 days sight seeing. Who thinks that a good deal or not?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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chrismat, just a thought-I don't know if this would be any good for you but have a look at this http://www.speedbreaks.co.uk/ski/. Price is excluding flights but it would be an opportunity for you to travel with other people same sort of age as you, and organised by Dreamski apparently. More money than what you said but you would go to more resorts.
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chrismat, which company are you going with? £2300 sounds very good to me if everything really does include everything but I would say that 2 weeks in Portillo is too long. One week is fine if you really want to concentrate on improving your skiing. Why not think about a week there, then stay cheaply in Santiago and go daily to Valle Nevado, La Parva, El Colorado on the bus - you will meet people to ski with on the bus - lots of young of all nationalities and many on gap years. Check out the webcam on www.vallenevado.com and see how much snow has fallen already. Have been to Chile many times with groups and alone so do ask if you have any questions.
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skilegs, its being organised by http://www.skisafari.com/ who I have been impressed with so far. I have question for you, how long in the bus trip from Santiago to Valle Nevado, and what is the road like? I heard it was 2 hours and is very windey. I must admit I get car sick so I'm not sure I fancy 4 hours on the bus every day. If I was going to go to stay at Valle Nevado ski safari say it would cost an extra £1000 as I'm staying in a hostel in Portillo and they say there is no equivalent in Valle Nevado. Unless you know different? Are you summer skiing year?
VolklAttivaS5, as per my original post post http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=940363 I can't go on http://www.speedbreaks.co.uk/ski/ as I'm too young and have to go in September. Thanks for the tip though.
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chrismat, ok I see. They would have probably let you in though at 24 as they are flexible with the age range so I hear. No good with the September dates though with them.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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chrismat, bus trip from Santiago is about 1.5 hours - the road is narrow and has 40 hairpin bends but the views are fantastic. No breakfast and an anti sickness pill and you will be fine. Check out the www.elcolorado.cl website as they may have cheap accommodation or Farellones which links to El Colorado. Not sure of my summer plans but a last minute trip is not out of the question. Also contact La Parva on www.skilaparva.com and ask them about any cheap accommodation. This year they are twined with Snowbird in Utah. La Parva is my favourite resort of the 3 valleys of Chile.
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skilegs, thanks for the tips, will check it out. Just though of question about Portillo. I notice that the highway runs next to Portillo, is it busy and noisy to the extent that it disturbs the peace of the valley? I'm going to be in Chile of all of September now so let me know if you going.
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