Central Andes · Winter
Tres Valles Resort Ski Tour
Ski El Colorado, Valle Nevado & La Parva
At a glance
Ski El Colorado, Valle Nevado and La Parva in three days, one resort per day, on-piste with a bilingual guide, lift passes and transfers from Santiago.
- Duration
- 3 days / 2 nights
- Max elevation
- 3,333 m (10,935 ft), the top of El Colorado's runs
- Difficulty
- All levels, on-piste only
- Group
- 1–6
- Season
- Winter (June–September)
- Start
- Santiago, pickup point confirmed at booking
- End
- Santiago, drop-off point confirmed at booking
- Accommodation
- Mountain lodge or hotel (2 nights; property confirmed at booking)
- Guiding
- Guided
Overview
Three ski resorts sit in the Andes above Santiago, about an hour from the city: El Colorado, Valle Nevado and La Parva. This three-day trip gives you a full day at each one, always on groomed runs, with a bilingual guide who knows the mountains and can show you the parts of each resort that suit your level. It's a short, simple way to ski Chile's Central Andes while you're visiting Santiago.
Day 1 is El Colorado, a resort with runs between 2,430 and 3,333 m above the old mountain village of Farellones. Day 2 is Valle Nevado, whose resort village sits at 3,025 m inside the Yerba Loca Nature Sanctuary, and where your guide takes you into the higher sectors when conditions allow. Day 3 is La Parva, a ski village at 2,750 m with views over Santiago's central valley, before you head back down to the city. You sleep two nights in a mountain lodge or hotel, so there's no daily drive up and down the 40 curves of the Farellones road.
The trip suits skiers of every level, from those still building confidence to strong skiers who want to compare three resorts in one trip. It runs from June to September, for groups of 1 to 6. The lift pass for all three days, the bilingual guide, two nights of lodging and all transfers from Santiago and between resorts are included. Ski equipment rental and lessons are not, but rental can be quoted on request.
Highlights
- A full day at each of the three resorts above Santiago: El Colorado, Valle Nevado and La Parva
- Lift pass included for all three days, one resort per day
- A bilingual on-piste guide who adapts each day to your level
- Two nights in the mountains, with no daily commute from the city
- Transfers to and from Santiago and between resorts included
Is this trip for you?
- Level
- All levels
- Group
- 1–6
Skiers of every level who want to stay on groomed runs and ski all three resorts above Santiago in a short trip. It works well as an add-on to a city stay in Santiago, for solo travelers, couples and small groups of up to 6. If you're looking for off-piste or ski touring, see Tres Valles Backcountry.
Itinerary
Day 1
Ski Day at El Colorado
Your transfer picks you up in Santiago at the point agreed at booking and drives east up the road to Farellones, which climbs 40 hairpin curves after the Corral Quemado bridge. During the ski season vehicles must carry chains, checked by Carabineros at La Ermita; the transfer handles this. You spend a full day on-piste at El Colorado with your guide. The resort has 101 marked runs and about 1,100 skiable hectares between 2,430 and 3,333 m, rising above Farellones, the village Chile's ski pioneers named in 1932.Overnight · Mountain lodge or hotel (confirmed at booking)
Day 2
Ski Day at Valle Nevado
Day 3
Ski Day at La Parva
Where you'll stay
- Nights 1–2Mountain lodge or hotel
Two nights in the mountains near the three resorts, so you're close to the lifts each morning. The exact property is confirmed at booking.
Dates
Private departures on request, winter (June–September).
Hours of daylight · 33° S (Santiago)
Included and not included
Included
- 2 nights in a mountain lodge or hotel
- 3-day lift pass (one resort per day)
- Bilingual on-piste guide
- Transfers to/from Santiago and between resorts
Not included
- Ski equipment rental (quotable on request)
- Ski lessons (optional)
- Meals and drinks not specified
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities and personal expenses
What to bring
- Ski or snowboard clothing: waterproof jacket and pants, base and mid layers, warm gloves
- Goggles and sunglasses
- High-SPF sunscreen and lip balm for high-altitude sun
- Your own skis, boots and helmet, or ask us to quote rental
- Cash or a card for lunches and drinks on the mountain
- Passport and travel insurance documents
Good to know
- The trip stays on-piste every day. Lessons are optional and not included.
- Ski equipment is not included; rental can be quoted on request.
- Meals and drinks are not included, so budget for lunches on the mountain and dinners.
- The resorts are high (El Colorado's runs reach 3,333 m, Valle Nevado's village sits at 3,025 m); if you've just flown in, take it easy on day 1.
- Chains are mandatory on the Farellones road during the ski season; your transfer takes care of this.
More in the Central Andes: the Central Andes travel guide, with when to go, the places and every trip in the region.
SOURCES · Vertic field notes · santiagoregion.com · elcolorado.cl · vallenevado.com · laparva.cl · Daylight computed with the NOAA solar equations for 33° S (Santiago), 15th of each month
Ready to go?
FAQs
El Colorado on day 1, Valle Nevado on day 2 and La Parva on day 3.
About an hour from Santiago. Transfers to and from the city, and between resorts, are included.
Yes. It's designed for all levels and always stays on-piste. Ski lessons are optional and can be added.
Two nights in a mountain lodge or hotel, a 3-day lift pass (one resort per day), a bilingual on-piste guide and transfers to and from Santiago and between resorts.
No. Ski equipment rental can be quoted on request.
No. Meals and drinks are not included.
In winter, from June to September.
1 to 6 guests, with a bilingual on-piste guide.
No. This program stays on groomed runs. For guided ski touring in the same three resorts, see Tres Valles Backcountry.
No. Travel insurance is required and is not included. We recommend World Nomads for travel insurance and Global Rescue for evacuation and medical support in remote terrain. Both are optional partners, never part of the trip price.