Book Your South American Ski Adventure

Now It’s spring. The snow is melting into mud, the birds have returned to your feeders, and your to-do list says “clean out garage.”

But wait, we are skiers, and we don’t have to settle for boring spring cleaning when we could be planning a ski trip to South America.

Stellar Adventure Travel owner and lead guide Reggie Crist is somewhere in this photo.

Why sweat through July and daydream about powder when you can actually go ski it? The time to lock in your Andean adventure is right now. And come summer, when everyone else is mowing their lawns, you’ll be purring through untouched powder and clinking glasses of pisco sour with a backdrop of the mighty Andes. 

So, wondering where to point your custom Wagners? Here are our top five South American destinations.

Valle Nevado, Chile

Perched at an impressive 10,000 feet in the Andes just 35 miles east of Santiago, Valle Nevado offers the most extensive terrain in South America, with over 7,000 skiable acres when connected with neighboring resorts. The resort features high-speed lifts and a European-inspired village complete with luxury hotels, apartments, and world-class dining options. What makes Valle Nevado particularly special is its exceptional snow quality and reliability, averaging 240 inches annually, combined with 360-degree Andean views. The wide-open bowls—all above treeline—provide the perfect canvas to inscribe your signature tracks. It’s on the Ikon Pass, too.

Portillo, Chile

Even if you've never been to South America, as a skier you'd recognize this hotel.

The iconic bright yellow Hotel Portillo set against the stunning backdrop of Laguna del Inca is known as “the cruise ship of the Andes,” and is the most recognizable ski destination in the Southern Hemisphere. This all-inclusive experience means empty lift mazes, as the single hotel limits capacity to around 450 guests, and, considering that storms often bring 5 feet of snow every two weeks or so, more untracked to yourself. Portillo's terrain features everything from gentle slopes for beginners to the heart-pounding Super C Couloir. The resort's unique ski-week format is amazing for families, and because guests eat meals in the same dining room together, share stories over drinks at Tio Bob’s, and stay out way past bedtime at the Portillo Bar Central. You’ll leave with way more friends than you came with.

Las Leñas, Argentina

For those who want challenging terrain and backcountry access, Las Leñas in Argentina's Mendoza province stands as the holy grail of South American skiing. When conditions align, the infamous Marte Chair opens, providing access to some of the most extreme in-bounds terrain on the continent—steep chutes, expansive bowls, and cliff-laden faces that would make even seasoned pros take pause. The resort's remote location, approximately 250 miles south of Mendoza city, contributes to fewer crowds and a raw, authentic ski experience. Las Leñas' extensive vertical drop (4,035 feet) and off-piste terrain make it a veritable playground, while the charming base village offers enough après options and Argentine steakhouses to refuel after those quad-burning runs.

Cerro Catedral, Argentina

Overlooking the Nahuel Huapi Lake near Bariloche, Cerro Catedral combines excellent skiing with Patagonian cultural charm. The resort boasts the most developed infrastructure in Argentina, with 38 lifts accessing over 3,000 acres of terrain that includes everything from beginner-friendly slopes to challenging tree skiing—a rarity in South America. What truly sets Catedral apart is its scenery and accessibility; the mountain sits just 12 miles from Bariloche, Argentina’s only true ski town, so you can experience Argentine culture, excellent restaurants, and a pulsing nightlife that might make first chair improbable. The region's European influence (particularly German and Swiss) creates an alpine-meets-Andes vibe.

Stellar Adventure Travel, Chile

Random fact: Stellar guide Joe Eppler pulled Wagner's original Graphics Guru off the hill after she was hit while teaching in Telluride.

Want something totally unique? Try Stellar Adventure Travel for an unforgettable heli-skiing experience with Olympic athlete and big mountain pioneer Reggie Crist. Ski untouched powder on 5,000-vertical-foot descents, guided by Reggie himself and surrounded by authentic Chilean hospitality. Get picked up from the rooftop of Santiago’s W Hotel and fly straight to Refugio Uno, where Crist’s chefs and DJs will provide all the food and entertainment. And if you’re keen to take a day off skiing to go surf or check out the beaches, that’s all on the menu, too. 

(Insider tip: Stellar flies in Patagonia, too!)

Don't let your Wagners gather dust during what could be the highlight of your skiing career. The southern winter awaits, but it won't wait forever. Book now, thank yourself later, and get ready to experience what skiing in July was always meant to be.

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