Portillo is Chile's most historic ski resort and one of the most internationally recognized: for years it has served as a preseason training base for national ski teams from various countries, thanks to its reliable snow and the chance to train outside the Northern Hemisphere season.
Laguna del Inca
Portillo's hotel and slopes line Laguna del Inca, a glacial lake of intense blue color surrounded by mountains, giving the resort a landscape unlike other Chilean resorts, which are more associated with views back toward Santiago.
How to get there and where to stay
Portillo is about two and a half hours from Santiago, very close to the border crossing with Argentina (Los Libertadores), via Route 60. Unlike the Farellones resorts, Portillo runs on a single-hotel model within the complex: most visitors stay right there for several days, since there's no town or alternative lodging nearby.
Because of its location and snow, Portillo is also known for its off-piste terrain and advanced-skier slopes, though it also has beginner sectors near the hotel.
