Santiago de ChileThe capital sits in a valley between the coastal mountain range and the mighty Andes, with snow capped summits reaching altitudes of over 7000m that can be seen year round. Santiago is a thriving city with plenty to interest the visitor and it is within easy reach of world class vineyards, great skiiing and whitewater rafting among other attractions. Within 60 km of the capital are the ski resorts of La Parva and Valle Nevado, with 25 runs, 15 ski lifts each and a huge off-piste area. Its close proximity to Santiago makes it ideal for day trips from the capital or if one prefers a longer more thorough investigation. Wine aficionados can pick from over 80 vineyards that lie within a 2 hour drive of Santiago. The ‘new’ world wines that have come from Chile over recent years have made a large impact on the international market. You have the opportunity to visit a range of vineyards, from mass-production establishment such as Concha y Toro and Cousino Macul, to small scale, family-run enterprises. For the more adventurous, white water rafting provides a good escape from the city. Experienced guides will navigate you through the rapids, followed by lunch at the base of the Animas waterfalls. TO SEE AND DO IN SANTIAGOBelow are some sample itineraries for the region. These are just some of our ideas, we are able to put together any trip that suits your requirements. Santiago city tour. This ˝ day tour provides an insight into the Chilean capital’s colonial past. Among the sights included in this tour is the ‘La Moneda’ presidential palace, the city’s main square the Plaza de Armas, the national congress, the supreme court of justice and the cathedral. The hill of Cerro San Cristobal provides a breathtaking finale with its views of the city and the Andean Mountains.Visiting vineyards. A full day tour has been designed to show the different facets of wine production in the Colchagua valley, visiting three vineyards; one of mass production, one smaller scale emerging vineyard and a producer of organic wines. Alternatively, for the real enthusiasts we also offer more extensive trips into the Maipo valley, visiting such vineyards as Concha y Toro and Santa Rita. These trips are usually for 3D/2N.White water rafting. For those with an appetite for adventure, and wanting to escape from the city, there is a morning of class III rapids to go down. This is followed by a hot shower, lunch at the waterfalls, and in the evening you may relax by the pool or enjoy a sauna before returning to Santiago.SKIING IN CHILEPortillo. Located 150km from Santiago, this is the oldest ski resort in Chile. Situated at 3350m it has 23 runs broken down into 24% easy, 33% intermediate and 43% difficult to expert. Aside from this there is plenty of powder snow and off-piste skiing, including heli-ski and snowboarding.Valle Nevado. Situated an hour away from the city centre and containing 4 different resorts with a total of 104 trails and a huge off-piste area, it is the biggest in South America. Valle Nevado is a young resort with an infrastructure and services comparable to those of Europe and North America. With 27 runs spread over an area of 32 km, including diverse activities such as heli-ski, snowboarding, snowmobiles and dog sledging!
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