3 Best Sights in Side Trips from Santiago, Chile

This small tourist complex in the shadow of the mountains has a swimming pool and picnic area for short stays, as well as lodgings for longer sojourns. This is also a great base for exploring the Cajón. Accommodations come in several forms, including campsites, lodge suites, and freestanding cabins with rustic wood furniture. From here, multiday horseback-riding trips, guided hikes, and rafting excursions are available, as is transportation from Santiago.

These slopes were discovered by engineers building the now-defunct railroad that linked Chile to Argentina. After the railroad was inaugurated in 1910, skiing aficionados headed here despite the fact that there were no facilities. Hotel Portillo, the only accommodation in the area, opened its doors in 1949, making Portillo the country's first ski resort, and went on to host the World Ski Championships in 1966. Today, for beginners through to experts it has 35 runs—the longest of these, Juncalillo, stretches 3.2 km (2 miles)—and 14 lifts. The most famous run is the very steep Roca Jack, used for training by Olympic ski teams. Day visitors can dine in the auto-servicio (cafeteria-style) restaurant, at Tío Bob's restaurant, in the main dining room (most formal option), or at the Ski Box for on-slope snacks. Equipment rentals are available for around 25,000 pesos per day.

The Alemán Lo Valdés Mountain Center, built in 1932, provides basic, well-priced lodgings and organizes activities such as trekking and horseback riding in the mountains. It is open year-round and has a restaurant that also serves day visitors until 8 pm; meals won't cost more than 9,500 pesos. If you'd prefer to do your own hike, the center can give you a map and instructions.