South America’s Top Skiing: Las Leñas, Pucon & Bariloche

While it is not currently ski season in South America, ski-enthusiasts know it is never too early to start planning their next ski trip. Whether you’re a first time skier or a pro, there are slopes for all levels. Excellent multi-lingual ski instructors can teach you how to stand up on a snowboard or master a trick you’ve been working on. Here are a few of the options for top skiing in South America:

If your family is off on a wine tour in Mendoza, considering heading to the mountains to hit the slopes. About a one hour drive from the Malargue airport in Mendoza is Las Leñas ski resort. The area’s most popular ski destination was built in 1983. Locals and travelers enjoy the runs here in Argentina during from July through September.

Or further away in Chile, peer into a smoking crater at 9317 feet (2,840 meters) above sea level. The Pucon ski resort is located on the active Villarrica Volcano and beautiful Lake Villarrica. Pucon has 20 slopes for beginner, intermediate, and expert skiers. After exploring the area around the volcano, descend through the alpine slopes and deep lava flows which create natural half pipes, cornices, and wind lips. There are plenty of other adventure activities in the area including rafting in the Trancura river, fly fishing, horseback riding, biking, and thermal swimming pools.

In northern Patagonia, just 1.5 hours away from Chile’s capital, is several exceptional mountains in Bariloche. Valle Nevado has 22.9 miles of ski runs open year-round to skiers and snowboarders. This luxurious resort also features heliskiing for the dare-devil types. The next peak over, El Colorado, is the largest of the three peaks. Some of the 25 trails have a view of Santiago. El Colorado is a great park to take kids due to the several beginner’s slope and a lift designed specifically for little ones. For more advanced skiers, La Parva, boasts trails that stretch over 66 miles. Full of great backcountry bowls and untouched powder, this area is open from mid-June until October.

Jump out of a helicopter onto the slopes or merely enjoy mountain scenery from your hotel balcony, either way a ski vacation in South America will be a remarkable mix of beauty, culture, and adventure.

This guide to the skiing vacations in Argentina and Chile was written by a Argentina travel expert at Argentina For Less available to help you custom design your exciting vacation.