Antillanca Ski Resort: The perfect snow holiday
The Andean Lakes region in Osorno, Chile, offers incredible adventures. We stayed at the Termas Puyehue hotel, took the opportunity to visit the Antillanca Ski Resort and were really surprised by what we found there.
About 40 minutes along a dirt road with many curves separate the Termas de Puyehue complex from the Antillanca Ski Resort, also known by skiers as “one of the best kept secrets in Chile”. The resort offers a Ski Day that includes round trip transfers, entrance fees to the park and lunch included. Another way to get there is by car, the roads to Osorno are paved, safe, well signposted and depart from the main cities in southern Chile such as Puerto Varas, Frutillar and Valdivia, if you come from Argentina you will pass through Villa la Angostura and San Carlos from Bariloche.
The Antillanca Ski Resort has the advantage of not being among the most popular in Chile, which means that the resort will rarely be crowded. Good snow, tranquility and 28 slopes that cater for both beginners and experts have made it one of the best places to ski in the country.
As soon as we arrived we were completely enchanted by the beauty of the place, you know those movie landscapes? Well, it was exactly how the Hollywood cliché likes it. The first thing to do in Antillanca is to go to the wooden house that sells the tickets, here they will give you the ticket for lunch and also the passes to go up to the ski resorts. If you are going to practice some sport, it is in this cabin that you will pick up the equipment that was rented. For those who come without the hotel transfer, the procedure is the same, here you buy tickets and rent clothes and equipment.
The ski season in Antillanca varies a lot and depends on several factors such as the weather, the wind speed in the volcanoes around the city and the amount of snow. Usually the best period is between June to October! However, snow can fall throughout the year, of course, not enough for skiing, but enough to make tourists happy. It is possible to check the Antillanca webcam to see how the snow conditions are at the resort.
The average temperature in high season is around 6ºC, ranging from 2ºC to 10ºC during the day and dropping to 0ºC or even negative temperatures at dawn. The average annual temperature is 11C.
With constant snowfall in winter and several hiking options, this place becomes romantic in the extreme. As it is located in the Puyehue National Park, in the heart of the Andes, one of the characteristics of this ski center is that it has a lot of vegetation, with forests, ancient forests and several natural refuges. What caught our attention the most was the family atmosphere we found, with many families greeting each other as if they had frequented the complex for a long time.
In a quick walk it was easy to understand why there are so many children circulating there, we found indoor sports courts, climbing wall and many ski classes aimed at the little ones, so the boredom goes away from here.
The restaurant is named after the famous crater that is nearby and can be skied by professionals: Raihuen. The atmosphere is super warm, all in wood, with a mezzanine and even a tree inside. Lunch is self-service style and has several products and recipes from the south of Chile, guests of the complex can also opt for an à la carte restaurant and a pub.
The Antillanca Ski Resort has a total of 28 slopes, three of which are considered very easy, suitable for children and beginners, eight of them are easy, ideal for those who have already mastered the skis, 12 are considered difficult and 5 are indicated only. for professionals. Four means of lifting are available for the public to have access to all tracks. Looking at the structure from above, we can understand the complexity of this center and the reason why it is the stage for several regional, national and some world championships. Check the Antillanca snow report to find out which slopes and lifts are open at the time of your visit.
We really enjoyed this ski center! Unlike the most famous snow destinations in Latin America, this place is designed for select travelers looking to associate rest and family leisure with the exuberant nature of the national park. Spending the day at the Antillanca Ski Resort is the perfect recipe for an unforgettable winter vacation!
