Adventure tourism in Chile: 5 sports and where to do them

Thanks to its irregular geography surrounded by mountain ranges and a long coastline, Chile is an authentic outdoor gym where you can live unforgettable Adventure Tourism experiences.

We will tell you about the main 5 adventure sports in Chile that made us win the Leading Adventure Destination award in South America at the 2024 WTA (World Travel Awards), and we will show you where you can do them.

Rafting: adventure in the waters in the south of Chile

Near Pucón, in the Araucanía zone in the south of Chile, you can find the Trancura river, the perfect place to do rafting according to your experience and skills.

This is an activity you cannot miss, with authorized services that include gear, transportation, certified guides, and different price ranges depending on the required difficulty.

In the Los Lagos zone, even further south in our country, you can find the Petrohué river, surrounded by natural beauty. The class III and IV rapids on this river, made up of crystal-clear waters, are a great adventure to enjoy in the water, backed up by their spectacular natural environment and their proximity to many natural parks and picturesque destinations in the south, such as Puerto Varas and Chiloé.

You can do rafting on many rivers in Chile, such as the Trancura River.

Photograph: @viajes_travesiatourchile.

Surfing: enjoy the waves in Chile

If you enjoy the sea and sliding through the waves, you will want to try surfing in Chile.

The town of Punta de Lobos in Pichilemu, located 212 kilometers away from Santiago with waves almost 9 meters high, is home to the most important surfing competitions in the world.

Now, if you want to surf in warmer waters that do not go below 20 degrees in winter, you have to visit the Arica y Parinacota region.

The Chinchorro and Las Machas de Arica beaches, among many others in the region, are an example of what awaits you: perfect emerald waters to enjoy the sun, the water, and of course, a lot of surfing.

There are many beaches to surf in from north to south in Chile.

Photograph: @tonylureano_surf.

Mountain biking in Santiago

In the Chilean capital Santiago, one of the adventure tourism activities that you can do is mountain biking, which consists of riding hills, dirt roads, and ravines.

In the Santiago Metropolitan Park, a few minutes away from the subway station Pedro de Valdivia, you will find one of the best bike parks in the capital, specifically in the Anfiteatro Pablo Neruda area.

The Zorzal and Anfiteatro circuits are perfect for beginners because of their shallow curves. For more experienced mountain bikers, we recommend the  “La S” circuit, a path that extends for over 500 meters in a zigzag shape.

These tracks are located in the Anfiteatro Pablo Neruda area, in the Santiago Metropolitan Park.

Photograph: @santiagoadicto.

Snowboarding in Chile

Valle Nevado, La Parva, and El Colorado are three high-level ski centers less than 50 kilometers away from the capital. This is the kind of privilege that adventure tourism and snow sports lovers can find in a mountainous country such as Chile.

The “El Colorado” ski center is located just 36 kilometers away from the capital, the first ever to be built near Santiago. It offers more than 70 slopes nowadays, that provide adrenaline and entertainment for beginners as well as experts.

After these adventures, you can rest, get together with other people, and do a little tourism, enjoying the hotels and the local cuisine, very close to Santiago, the capital of Chile.

If you are looking to ski and snowboard in one of the best centers in South America, surrounded by one of the most majestic snow landscapes in the world, then you should visit the tracks in Valle Nevado, which offer boarding mats, half-pipe, uncrossable lifts, and a snow park that will surely satisfy all your adventuring needs.

If you are looking to slide through the mountains and meet new people, you can go to La Parva, which offers accommodation, apartments, restaurants, bars, cafeterias, and even a disco. This is the most visited winter center in the central area, and it welcomes thousands of people every year who look to enjoy adventures in the snow.

The “El Colorado” ski center is only 36 kilometers away from the capital.

Photograph: @athenapilato.

Climbing, an extreme adventure

If instead of sliding down the mountain, what you enjoy is climbing with your bare hands or a pickaxe and mountaineering boots, Chile is still the perfect place for you.

In our country you can do ice climbing on the rocks and in the snow in the mountains and discover unique landscapes in the heights while you enjoy the ice and the rock formations that will be the track for this sport.

Something we have to mention again is that Chile is also the country which is home to one of the highest volcanos on the planet, “Ojos del Salado” at 6,891 MASL in the middle of the Atacama Desert. This true wonder of nature is a majestic sight that every mountain climber should experience in their lives.

If you are staying in the capital, you can also climb many other places, such as Hangar in the district of San Miguel, a bouldering gymnasium considered by many as one of the best in South America. There are also others such as Casa Boulder, Ironwall, or El Muro, where you can do sport climbing with a rope.

Chile is surrounded by the mountain range on one side and by the sea on the other, and its longitude that stretches from Antarctica to the desert seems as if it was designed to be a playground for adventurers.

The Ojos del Salado volcano, one of the highest in the world, is located in Chile.

Photograph: @envertical.