This guide is for you if you want the high Andes in a day from Santiago, and a lake at almost 3,000 metres. It helps you choose between a snow day and a summer day, understand what the mountain road can do to your plans, and pack for thin, cold, bright air.
Snow season or summer
Portillo is a ski resort first. The official tourism site says it operates from June to September or October. In those months the slopes are open. The rest of the year the lifts are still, and the lake and the peaks around it are the reason to go.
The two give very different days:
- In the ski season you can ski if you want to. Lift passes and equipment are not included; tell us and we will plan the day around them. The road is also more likely to be affected by snow.
- Outside it you come for the views, the walk by the water and the drive. The climate is still very cold and sunny, so you still need warm clothes.
Whichever you choose, the weather decides on the day. Heavy snow can close Route 60, the road you take to Portillo, and closures are not limited to midwinter: heavy snow in April has shut the international pass to all traffic before now. In winter the road can need chains and may close after heavy snow. We check the evening before and tell you.
The lake and the hotel
The Laguna del Inca lies at about 2,850 metres, and the resort's yellow hotel stands on its shore at about 2,880. The resort describes the water as changing from bright emerald green to deep blue with the light and the time of day. That is the reason to stay a while, and to come back to the shore at a different hour if you can.
There is a story behind the name. According to the legend the resort tells, an Inca prince, Illi Yupanqui, married the princess Kora-llé high in the mountains. She fell from a cliff during the ceremony, and he laid her body in the lake wrapped in white linen. As she sank, the water turned the colour of her eyes.
The resort has a history worth knowing as you walk by it. Skiers first came here by train: the line across the Andes opened in 1910, and the resort calls it the first ski lift in Chile. The hotel, with 125 rooms, opened in 1949. In August 1966 Portillo hosted the first world skiing championships held in South America.
How the day fits together
You are collected at 07:00. Portillo is about 160 kilometres away. At about 08:45 you stop for coffee in Los Andes, the last town before the mountains, where the international road begins.
From there the road climbs the side of the valley on Los Caracoles, a long series of hairpin bends; one travel writer counted 29. You stop for photographs where it is safe, at about 09:30, and reach Portillo at around 10:00.
Most of the day is spent at the lake, with time to walk by the water. Lunch is at about 12:30, at Portillo or on the way down, and is not included. The resort's own guide mentions a restaurant, Tío Bob's, with a wide view over the lake; check whether it is open on your date. At 14:00 you start back down the hairpins and along the Aconcagua valley, and you reach your hotel at about 17:00.
Because the vehicle is yours, you can change the balance on the day: more time at the water and a shorter lunch, or the other way round.
On your own or with a driver
The official tourism site puts the drive at two to three hours each way, by Route 57 and then Route 60, and it recommends hiring a private transfer. Los Caracoles has sharp curves, the road is shared with traffic heading for the border, and conditions change with the weather. A driver who checks the road before you set out lets you spend the drive looking at the mountains. The price depends on the size of your group; see it on the tour page.
The day stays on the Chilean side. You do not cross into Argentina, so you do not need to go through the border controls.
Altitude, and what to bring
Portillo is high in the Andes and the air is thin. Walk slowly, drink water and do not rush the path along the lake. If you have heart or breathing problems, ask your doctor before you go.
- Warm layers, a hat and gloves, even in summer.
- Sunglasses and sun cream. The climate up there is cold but very sunny.
- Water for the day.
- Shoes with grip for the lakeside path, and boots if there is snow.
- Local cash for coffee in Los Andes and small purchases.
Who it suits
It suits people who want real mountain scenery and are happy with a long day in the car. Skiers can use it as a day on the slopes. Think twice if anyone in your group gets car sick on hairpin bends, or if you have health problems that altitude can make worse. If you would prefer mountains closer to the city, the Cajón del Maipo and El Yeso day is shorter. Our guide to day trips from Santiago compares all five.
Questions people ask
What if the road closes?
We check the road the evening before and tell you. If it is shut, ask us about another day, or cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up for a full refund. See our cancellation page.
Were the world championships really held here?
Yes, the 1966 Alpine World Ski Championships, held in August. Jean-Claude Killy won the downhill and the combined.
What if there are more than 16 of us?
You travel in two vehicles on one booking. Message us through the contact page and we will price it.
Booking the day
Choose the ski season for snow, or the months outside it for a quieter lake, and pack for cold either way. The timings and what is included are on the Portillo and Laguna del Inca private day trip page, where you choose the size of your group and book.
