Chile : Ski Guide : Portillo

Situated in the Fifth Region, 149km from Santiago - 2,860m above sea level - this winter center is one of the oldest, most beautiful, and most famous of the country. Amongst its highlights are a snow-making system, the Laguna del Inca and its ski runs which have held downhill speed races where world records have been made.

Portillo also offers its visitors other alternatives to skiing. Heliskiing and snow boarding are ideal for those who prefer a bit more adrenaline.

The center does not only offer magnificent runs and a beautiful environment in which to ski. The Hotel Portillo has available, for its customers, a great variety of services to make your stay more relaxing and comfortable. These services include a heated swimming pool, gym, sauna, restaurants, nursery, transportation, entertainment, cinema and ski school among others.

2008 Season: Opening June, 2008.

Hotels	Flights	Tickets	Where to Eat
Packages	More Articles	Ski School	Trail Map
Transport	Lifts	Equipment Rental

Hotels

Portillo Hotel Ski Center This is the principal hotel of the ski center. It's comfortable guestrooms decorated with simplicity come with different options for views; the valley or the Inca lagoon.  It has a restaurant, discotheque, spa, recreational activities, cyber cafe, among other services.		Refugio Octogono Ski center Offers spacious guestrooms with bunks for groups up to 4 people with private bathroom.  Excellent for families or groups of friends. El octogono is the best value in Portillo, and is only 50 steps away from the hotel.  Enjoy all the services of the hotel including meals in the principal dining room.
Refugio El Inca  Ski Center El Inca offers bunk bed accommodations for 4 people in smaller bedrooms than the Octogono and contains a common bathroom.  It is a good option for younger people, adventurers, and backpackers.  Meals for the guest of El Inca are served in the self-service diner of the hotel but the guest can enjoy all the entertainment of the hotel.

Packages

	Portillo, the oldest Ski Center of South America Portillo: Story of dreams, success and the marvelous world of skiing Program from 8 days /7 nights US$ 1200
	Ski in Portillo Ski Center Lodges Portillo is the most antique ski center in South America and it’s history consists of dreams and success in the marvelous world of skiing. Program from 8 days /7 nights US$ 800

Transportation

** Special Deal

Another alternative to accede to the center, is through companies that make daily trips from Santiago.

- KL Adventure -
Address: Unimarc Cantagallo, Las Condes, Santiago
Telephone: (2) 217 9101
Frequency: Immediate availability
Leaves from: Airport, Unimarc Cantagallo Supermarket, Ski Rental.
Departure time: As you require, apart from transport to Farellones which leaves at 8:30 am

- Manzur Expediciones -
Address: Sotero del Rio 475, Of. 507
Telephone: (2) 777 4284
Frequency: Immediate availability
Leaves from: Plaza Italia (Metro Baquedano)
Departure time: 8:00 am
* This service requires a reservation by telephone.

- Ski Total -
Address: Avda. Apoquindo 4900 Local 37-46 (Ed. Omnium), Providencia, Santiago
Telephone: (2) 246 6881
Frequency: Immediate availability
Leaves from: Omnium building, Cantagallo, Mall Los Trapenses
Departure time: 8:00 and 9:00 am

More Articles

Ski Centers: The Privilege of a Narrow Strip of Land
Skiing

Slopes and Ski-Lifts

In Portillo, the largest run is 3.2km (2 miles) and the highest skiable point is situated 3,322 meters (10,896 ft.) above sea-level.

10% of the skiable area is designated to runs which are graded easy, 70% is intermediate-advanced and the last 20% is very difficult. The runs are marked with colors which correspond to the grade of difficulty, so the green correspond with beginner level and beginner-intermediate, blue for the intermediate-advanced, and the black for experts. These last runs are not groomed, compared to the greens and blues which are groomed daily.

Amongst the black runs, the most well-known is called "Roca de Jack", the run where the downhill ski record first reached, over 200 k/h, was broken. 

When the conditions allow, at Portillo some advanced runs for are left untouched, such as Garganta, El Condor and the Roca Jack, for those who want to enjoy the goodness of new powder.  And for those who like to adventure off trail, the area accesible by the Roca Jack and  Condor are ideal.  All this within an area patrolled by the ski center, taking all posible precauciones.

Slopes

Portillo is equipped with surface (platter), double, triple and quadruple chairs and va et vient ski lifts, and by using these, skiers can move between slopes of different difficulties and going up to a maximum of 3,322 meters above sea level.

Tickets

High Season: Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays; and from July 07th to August 15th.
Low Season: Remaining time.

Note
- Child, under 12 years old; senior , over 65 years old.

Ski School

The Portillo Ski School enjoys a well-deserved worldwide fame. With 60 years of history, this school always has directors and instructors of the highest level. 

The school offers both skiing and snowboarding classes for beginners as well as those who want to better their technique. These classes can be individual or group classes.

For children between 3 and 6 years, the Ski school has created a special program of classes: the "Children's Camp", which consists of 2-hour lessons between Sunday and Friday.

Note
* Child: 4 to 6 years old.
* Individual class for child: 1.5 hrs.
* Grupal class: 1.5 hrs.

Classes for Disabled Skiers

The Ski School at Portillo offers a program of ski and snowboard classes for people that are mentally or physically disabled. The objective is to provide the possibility to learn and enjoy these winter sports to all people who wish to participate.

The instructors at Portillo can teach people with disabilities in the following six areas:

• Blindness or limited vision.
• Intellectual or cognitive disabilities (Down's Syndrome or any other mental deficiency).
• Three track: disability in one leg.
• Four track: disability in both legs but can stand up with help.
• Bi-ski: disability of the lower and upper limbs (legs and arms).
• Mono-ski: disability of the lower limbs (legs), but with upper body strength.
• On foot: other disabilities, but can stand up with help from a walker.

Equipment Rental

At Portillo you can rent complete equipment both for skiing and snowboarding - skis, boots, boards and poles - by day or by week. On the other hand, in our shop you can acquire equipment, clothes, accessories and souvenirs, and also our own complete Portillo line of clothes and articles.

Note
- Prices are subject to change without previous notice.
- Insurance available.

Where to Eat

Tío Bob´s	Parrilladas
El Comedor Portillo	International