A Natural Adventure Sport Paradise

Chile is a world epicenter for tourists of all ages and nationalities who enjoy adventure sports such as mountain climbing, water sports, trekking and many more.  Thanks to Chile’s peculiar geography, these disciplines can be carried out in the best natural conditions.

The diversity of natural resources has catapulted Chile to the heights of the most sought-after destinations in the world of adventure sports.  Awarded five consecutive times as the “Best Adventure Tourism Destination” in South America by the World Travel Awards (WTA), Chile was recently awarded  second place by the prestigious Adventure Tourism Development Index 2020.

The wide range of tourist services around these activities, ranging from rafting down one of the largest rivers in South America, climbing active volcanoes, or surfing waves of up to six meters.  Similarly, you can trek along cliffs, ski a circuit only for professionals with slopes of up to 50 meters, ice swim, and fly over the imposing Villarrica volcano in a wingsuit.

Some expert sportsmen reveal their secrets and tell us about their most complete experiences in their various disciplines.  It goes without saying that Chile is a destination for risk, adrenaline, and wild, pristine nature fans.

Mountain climbing

Climbing for hours, trekking slopes, withstanding imposing and long gusts of cold wind, and acclimatizing to the altitude are some of the challenges that great mountain climbers overcome when they decide to adventure into the depths of the mountains.

And if we are talking about mountain climbing, our country is surrounded by large and imposing mountains, and the Aconcagua, or “Stone Sentinel”, is one of them.  Although it is located in Mendoza, Argentina, the Aconcagua is 60 kilometers from the city of Santiago and only 15 kilometers from the border with Chile, with a majestic height of 6,962 meters.

Climbing to the top of the Aconcagua is not an easy feat and can be a frightening experience if the expedition is not planned properly, since it is challenging physically and mentally, a challenge that lasts at least seven days.  The greatest difficulties are the low temperatures and the altitude, although technically it does not pose a complex path.  Here you do not jump over gaps to pass from one side to another, nor walk on glaciers, although there is a route that winds through valleys crossing rivers, rock formations, and some snow.

As far as nature is concerned, impressive landscapes, condors furrowing the skies and mammals such as foxes, rodents and even pumas stand out.  If you are lucky, you can see muleteers that will assist you to better travel the route.

To start the journey, you must go to the crossing of Cristo Redentor by car on the border between Chile and Argentina, and then stop at the Aconcagua Provincial Park.  From there on, the first stop is the Confluencia Camp located only 7 kilometers away (about two hours walking) and at 3,400 meters above sea level.  The Catalan Kilian Jornet, ran up and down the Aconcagua in less than 13 hours, while the Swiss-Ecuadorian Karl Egloff, managed it in less than 12.  Everyone can experience this great adventure!

Further north, 90 kilometers from San Pedro de Atacama, in the Antofagasta Region, is the town of Socaire, where there are huge rock formations to climb to an altitude of 3500 meters above sea level.  From the top, you can see the immensity of the driest desert in the world.

Finally, the new climbing paradise in Chile is the Valley of the Condors, which has more than 70 routes divided into two sectors.  The first is known as “The Great Wall” and requires more technical climbing. The second sector is called “Monjes blancos” and is made of volcanic stone, so it includes several gaps.  This climbing paradise is located 150 kilometers from Talca and the best season to visit it is from October to April or May depending on the weather.

Alpine Skiing

When it comes to extreme adventure sports, Chilean alpine skier Henrik von Appen, who competed in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and the 2018 PyeongChang Games, is an authoritative voice on the perfect summits for alpine skiing in Chile.

“In the central area, specifically near the city of Santiago, are the ski centers La Parva, El Colorado, and Valle Nevado, and all three have slopes sanctioned by the International Ski Federation and have a flow of up to 70 professional teams that go there to train,” he explains.

Henrik von Appen also highlights the Portillo ski center located near Valparaiso: “Portillo is the favorite to enjoy this sport because it has one of the best downhill slopes in the world, the ‘Roca Jack’, where teams rush and pay millions of dollars for reservations to train”.

In the south, the two most important ski resorts according to von Appen are “Chillán and Corralco“. However, the climate during the winter plays a bad trick due to the heavy rain and snow that falls in the area.  Further south, 98 kilometers from Osorno, is the ski center Antillanca where you can also go alpine skiing.

To enjoy this sport, you have to take into account that it is an extreme activity, so its fans must have some kind of training.  Alpine skiing combines high speeds with free-heel bindings and the consequences can be serious when mistakes are made.  “When descending, you can reach an average speed of up to 110 kilometers per hour with a peak of 160, and the jumps vary between 40 and 70 meters in distance with a height of 5 meters.  It is a very intense sport with the highest rate of injuries,” von Appen concludes.

Other Chilean athletes with international projection and representatives of The North Face brand are Soledad and Chopo Díaz and Andrés Zegers.  Sole is one of the few women representatives of this branch of skiing who, along with her brother Chopo and Andrés, explored the foot of the Sierra Nevada volcano in the Conguillío Park in Araucanía.  The images of this adventure were captured in the audiovisual material Down South, published in the social networks of Chile Travel, where you can travel with them through these magnificent snowy peaks and get an idea of what is required to embark on this journey, only possible for followers with expert knowledge level.

“Sole is one of those who, if you can push the line, will be there, and not only that, she’ll be the one leading the group,” says her partner, the experienced Andrés Zegers, who has explored numerous snowy heights in Chile.  He was the first Chilean male to climb the three Paine towers in 1998 and he climbed and descended the Marmolejo Mountain (6,108 m) in the central Andes in just 19 hours, quite a feat considering it is normally done in a week.

Chile and its geography leave no one indifferent, but for mountain chasers, it becomes a must-see. These rock climbers, mountain climbers and skiers, whose adrenaline-fueled personalities seek endless new challenges, will make of Chile a destination to which they will repeatedly return.