Ski Portillo is more than a place, it is an experience.

What makes this remote Chilean ski resort – Ski Portillo so special? Is it the Andes? Is it the hotel and staff? Is it the snow? Is it the sun? Is it just skiing in summer? Is it the dining and nightlife? It is all of it and more. Past guests and other seasonal regulars often say, “Will you be Portillo-ing this year”? And of course, we answer absolutely!

SNOW put together “the absolute ultimate insider guide to Ski Portillo” because we have experienced Portillo every year – for many, many years. We know Portillo’s terrain intimately, we dine with the owners, we cut up with the staff, we ski with the guides, and we work with the ski pros. Our magazine has published great Portillo stories over the years King Henry Purcell, or A Skier’s Dream – The Andes Chile.

We will continue to add to and update this page. We feel like we are off to a great start, we have just scratched the surface of the amazing place that is Ski Portillo, Chile.

The combination of great snow, good weather, and world-class skiing make Portillo Chile one of the most amazing ski destinations in the world.

Situated High in the Andes – on the border of Argentina, Portillo Ski Resort is located 100 miles from Santiago, Chile [map] – close to Los Andes. The highest peak in both the Western Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere, Aconcagua rises above the resort and you can catch a glimpse when you go heli-skiing or hike the Super C.

Portillo’s ski season runs from mid-June into early October. Whether you are a die-hard skier or just looking to do something new, a Portillo ski trip is one of the best summer vacations you can take. It’s great for friends, families, couples, and individual travelers. The hotel sits at an elevation of 2,880 m (9,450 ft) above sea level, and the highest lift reaches 3,310 m (10,860 ft).

Situated High in the Andes – on the border of Argentina Portillo ski resort is located 100 miles from Santiago, Chile – close to Los Andes. The highest peak in both the Western Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere,

Where to Stay – Ski Portillo Accommodations

Hotel Portillo

From single rooms to suites and family apartments, stunning views of Laguna del Inca, the Tres Hermanos peaks or the slopes, Hotel Portillo has many fantastic options. If you’re not familiar with Hotel Portillo, it’s an iconic half-moon-shaped, canary yellow hotel that’s often likened to a cruise ship docked at the base of the towering Andes. 

The hotel has a 1:1 employee-to-guest ratio—making customer service world-class. It is a place steeped in history and there are hundreds of stories of things that happen #onlyinPortillo. If those walls could talk, they would have a lot to say about some of South America’s luminary families and the best ski racers in the world.

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Octagon Lodge

Ski Portillo’s Octagon Lodge is a great option for groups of 2-4 looking for a more economical option with a similar level of comfort and privacy to the main hotel. Octagon rooms feature two comfortable bunk beds and a private bathroom. The Octagon is located just steps away from the main hotel and guests eat meals in the main dining room and enjoy the same access to all of the hotel’s facilities and activities.

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Inca Lodge

The Inca Lodge offers accommodations similar to that of a youth hostel and is a great option for younger travelers coming to Portillo as a group or alone. Rooms are small and feature two bunk beds. Bathrooms are communal. Guests traveling alone will be assigned to a room with other guests of the same gender.

Note: Guests of the Inca Lodge eat meals in the self-service cafeteria but otherwise enjoy access to the all of the Hotel’s services, facilities and activities.

Lakeside Chalets in Ski Portillo with one of the best views anywhere in the world

Chalets

The Chalet A-1 accommodates 7 people and has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. A room with a double bed, a room for 3 people in bunk beds and another room for 2 people in bunk beds. It also has a living room.

Portillo Skiing

Amie Engerbretson Skier Bucket List checked off

Over the past 60 years, Ski Portillo has earned a reputation as an excellent destination for skiers and snowboarders from all over the world. The snow quality in Portillo is amazing and is often likened to that of the Rocky Mountains. Skiers of all skill-levels find what they are looking for on our mountain and come back year after year.

The ski area features 1235 acres of ski-able terrain, 14 lifts, and 35 runs. Beginner and intermediate runs are groomed nightly, off-piste runs are challenging and steep, and the powder is often deep. The bowls and shoots perfectly collect the light, dry snow and the above-tree-line landscape turns into a white playground. Pair this with frequently sunny, blue skies and it is easy to understand why many guests, even professional skiers, say they’ve had some of their best ski days at Portillo. Where else can you ski until 5 pm in the sun?

Terrain Overview

Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Expert
  • Vertical drop: 2,500 feet
  • Longest run: 1,5 miles
  • Altitude of Hotel: 9,450 feet
  • Altitude at highest ski point : 10,860 feet
  • Average annual snowfall : 201 inches
  • Chance for beautiful weather : 80% sunny days
  • Ski -in, Ski – out access from hotel to slopes
  • Distance from Santiago: 102 miles (2 hours)
Ski Portillo Map Chile South America

Julia Mancuso gives us a Go Pro eye’s view of life at Portillo, Chile.

From running gates and skiing powder to a little pool time in the afternoon, check out the “a day in the life” Julia Mancuso Portillo ski video. If you book in early September you might just run into Julia on the slopes at Ski Portillo.

Portillo Secrets - The Big Picture

Pro skier Amie Engerbretson shares what she loves about the Portillo Skiing Experience.

At Portillo Chile, a variety of skiing on the advanced level ranges from skiing steep exposed slopes to couloirs that you can only access by hiking. This is contrasted by the skiing on perfectly groomed cruising runs. Read the full article here.

The Ski School Director Robin Barnes shares the inside scoop on why the ski school at Ski Portillo is so special.

This goes for skiers of all ability levels, from beginners to the most advanced. If you like skiing off-piste, there are internationally certified guides to take you around and show you the Ski Portillo terrain. If you like racing, you will find some of the fastest and best coaches who can get you on the podium in the weekly Sol de Portillo Ski Race. Read the entire article and watch the video here.

Insider Secrets to Ski Portillo

The Hotel at Ski Portillo has a Tea Time

Hotel Portillo has a wonderful tradition of tea time from 5 pm to 6 pm after skiing where they serve tea and coffee and cookies when the mountain closes. Take off your boots and warm yourself up with a cup of tea. It is a great way to keep you going until dinner time at 8:30 or 9 pm.

Ski Portillo Secret from Mountain Manager Michael Rogan – The Southern Cross

If you have never been to the Southern Hemisphere, then you haven’t had a chance to see the Southern Cross. It is one of the coolest constellations and Ski Portillo resort provides great access. Stargazing is enhanced because there is not a lot of light competing with the starlight. Read the full article here.

Pro Skier Chris Davenport’s Secret Hotel Portillo Passages

Even if you’ve been to Ski Portillo multiple times and stayed at Hotel Portillo, you may not know about all of the secret tunnels, dumb waiters, and underground pathways that lead all around the hotel. Find one of the Hotel Portillo long-time employees and ask them to show you one of the secret spots in the hotel to see what kind of adventure you might find. Read the entire article and watch the video here.

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Summer Skiing at Ski Portillo with the Pros

Imagine your favorite sports stars. Easy to do, right? Now imagine playing side-by-side with them, sharing beers and high-fives. A little harder to do—unless that is, you idolize skiers. In which case, Ski Portillo, Chile in late August and September is the place to be to summer ski. That’s when World Cup ski racers from around the world flock here to spend weeks at a time free-skiing, race training, ski testing, and workout out to hone their skills in advance of the World Cup season and—the Olympics. Read the entire article Summer Skiing in Portillo with the Pros.

How To Make A Pisco Sour like Don Jaime in Bar Portillo

When visiting Portillo, the famous Chilean cocktail Pisco Sour is hard to miss. Starting with a welcoming cocktail party on Sunday nights, you will encounter this delicious drink throughout the week. Maybe for lunch at Tio Bob’s after some great powder runs or when rocking out at the bar and closing down the Discotheque, the Chilean cocktail is a popular choice. Jaime Cantillano teaches you how to make a pisco sour Chileno. Watch Portillo’s legendary Barman Jaime Cantillano, shares how this drink is prepared.

The Ski Portillo Experience

The Experience of Ski Portillo is Unforgettable

Ski Portillo is known for its ability to captivate, and year after year even the most seasoned of guests book again and again. Their love for this yellow and blue hotel in the middle of the Andes is what keeps them coming back. It’s the cruise-ship feeling of intimacy and being “part of the scene” as owner Henry Purcell explains what makes Ski Portillo so special – and what keeps friends and families coming back every season.


Portillo Perfect – How does a skier pass a perfect summer day? In Ski Portillo Chile skiing the Andes. Sleeping, eating, cruising, swilling at Hotel Portillo.

It’s a cruise ship kind of start to the day at Ski Portillo Chile. Wake up slow. Eat an enormous breakfast. Take first run mid-morning once the snow has softened. There’s no pressure to rush, as nothing about this “ski vacation” is normal. For one thing, it’s August. For another, Portillo is south of the equator. Here’s a plan for your perfect Ski Portillo Chile summer ski day…Read the article Portillo Perfect

Portillo ICE PLUNGE! – Pro Skier Sierra Quitiquit on how she used the Wim Hof Method to combat her diagnoses with Hashimoto’s disease.

Sierra Quitiquit “I was witness to these girls spending 5 minutes in 36-degree water. The strength and mind control that I witnessed was mind-blowing. I am in awe of these girls and their inner strength and determination which they show every day”. For those of you who have tried Cryotherapy, Portillo’s Laguna del Inca offers a low budget option for skiers to do daily for apres ski!

Hotel Portillo Chile Chris Davenport

Sol de Portillo Ski Race

Hotel Portillo in Chile South America is well known for the many activities it offers to guests visiting Ski Portillo for the week. One of them is the famous Sol de Portillo ski race. Every Thursday this race offers guests of all levels, ages, and disciplines to race against the clock for the chance to win a medal, cup and sometimes goodies from sponsors.

This race attracts everyone from ski instructors, famous free-skiers like Chris Davenport to ski racers fresh off the US or Austrian Ski Team.  Guests and the owners of Hotel Portillo are all participating so this race promises to be one of the social highlights of the week. Read the full article here.

Hotel Portillo Chile Chris Davenport

Becoming Sierra – Sierra Quitiquit talks life and Skiing + Bogner Photo Shoot at Ski Portillo Gallery

Sierra Quitiquit needs no introduction. As a professional freeskier, she has competed globally, ripped some of the world’s toughest terrain, and garnered a cult following starring in iconic films such as Warren Miller’s Ticket to Ride and Nick Waggoner’s Valhalla. As a model, she is a face of Bogner, worked with global brands Nike and Lululemon  to name but a few  and graced billboards from Times Square to Tokyo. Read the entire article “Sierra Quitiquit Bogner Shoot Ski Portillo“.

Ski Portillo Heli-Skiing

Portillo Heli-Skiing offers World Class Terrain & Snow

Heli-Skiing is a great way to explore the surrounding terrain. Heli-skiing in Portillo offers guests an opportunity to go out for the day or even for just a few runs. They price it by the run, so you can ski as much as your legs can handle. Some people start their day by a few runs of heli-skiing and then have the helicopter drop them at Portillo’s famous on-mountain lunch spot, Tio Bob’s.

The quality of the skiing is comparable to anything that you would find in Alaska or Canada. It offers long powder-filled runs at different levels of difficulty. Sign up at the front desk and on a first come, first serve basis and Frank Coffey and his team will show you a day to remember. Read the entire article and watch the video here.

3 Awesome Ski Portillo Heli-Ski Tips from veteran heli guide Carlos Liendo

SNOW got a chance to ride a chairlift and chat with Portillo Instructor, Lifetime visitor and Heli Guide Carlos Liendo to get some Ski Portillo heli-ski tips. Having spent several years skiing the resort and now as a guide for the heli-skiing operation, Carlos has the inside scoop on how to heli in Portillo. Check out His top 3 heli-skiing tips for Portillo, Chile.

Ski Portillo Dining

On-Mountain Manager Michael Rogan shares his Ski Portillo Latin Dining Knowledge.

Hotel Portillo at Ski Portillo is unique in that they feed you, not 2 times a day, not 3 times, but 4 times a day. There is a grand dining room that looks out over Laguna del Inca where guests have breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea or “once”, and dinner. Guests can also dine on the mountain at Tio Bob’s Restaurant or at the Ski Box.

Dining in the bar is also a fun option where guests can order fun things like sushi, fondue, brochettes, etc. Latinos eat later than most American’s, but they also get up later, so it all…Read the entire article and watch video here.

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Ski Portillo Slope-side Dining at Tio Bob’s

In Ski Portillo Chile, the sun dances on the bright blue lake and the Chilean flag sways gently in the breeze. Bailando by Enrique Iglesias plays over the outdoor speakers. Huge wooden tables sit solidly on the patio, beckoning skiers to slide up, take a seat, and enjoy the sensational view. This is Tio Bob’s, a slopeside restaurant, just off the Plateau chairlift in Portillo. On-mountain dining is always a treat, but there is something magical about this spot named for Bob Purcell, former Portillo owner and beloved uncle of current owner Henry Purcell. Tio Bob’s (Uncle Bob’s) is the place to be for lunch in Portillo.  Read the entire article: Portillo Perfect! Sublime Slope-side Dining at Tio Bob’s.

Portillo Travel Tips

Travel tip from top pro skier and model/spokesperson Amie Engerbretson on how to pack for your Portillo ski trip.

You would think that since you are going to winter that you should pack your suitcase full of sweaters, but once you are inside the hotel, it is actually quite warm. The guests in Portillo come from around the world, including nearby Brazil and Argentina, as well as Chile and they are quite fashion forward.

If you haven’t noticed that 1 in every 3 supermodels are from Brazil, then you will when you get to Portillo. So bring your best clothing because people dress for dinner and then move onto the bar and disco. So a button down shirt for men/boys and nice looking tops, dresses, and heels for women. Come and show your stuff, It’s Latin America, Vamos! Read the entire article and watch the video here.

Ski Portillo is known for its ability to captivate, and year after year even the most seasoned of guests book again and again. Their love for this yellow and blue hotel in the middle of the Andes is what keeps them coming back. It’s the cruise-ship feeling of intimacy and being “part of the scene” as owner Henry Purcell explains – that makes Ski Portillo so special -and that keeps friends and families coming back every season.

Ski Portillo Kids Guide

Portillo Kids Activities After Skiing

Ski Portillo is a great resort to keep kids happy.

Micah Sanders Silva is a Ski Portillo veteran. At 9 years old, it is his 9th time at Ski Portillo. Here he is sharing his “10 Great Portillo Kids Activities to do After Skiing”. If anyone knows what is special to do beyond skiing in Portillo, its Micah. Check out all the cool activities for kids that make it a family must, from skiing the mountain, riding the Condor, baking fresh bread with the baker, playing soccer, swimming, and more..read the entire article.

Ski Portillo Prices & Season

PRICES IN US DOLLARS LOW SEASON REGULAR SEASON HIGH SEASON
Double Valley 2400 3500 4050
Double Lake 2700 3790 4500
Double Lake w/ Balcony 2790 4250 4790
Double Lake 6th. Floor 2790 4250 4790
Double Suite 3450 5750 6600
Single Valley 3100 4650 5700
Single Lake 3400 5000 6390
Single Lake w/ Balcony 3600 5550 6850
Single Lake 6th. Floor 3600 5550 6850
Single Suite 4450 7900 9000
Family Apartment (one bathroom) 2100 2800 3450
Family Apartment (two bathrooms) 2390 3200 4000
Octagon Lodge (4 occupants) 1650 2050 2170
Octagon Lodge (3 occupants) 1750 2400 2600
Octagon Lodge (2 occupants) 2000 2850 3200
Children 4–11 years with an adult 1190 1490 1650
Teens 12–17 years with an adult 1350 1750 1900
Children under 4 years old No charge No charge No charge
Inca Lodge (4 occupants) 1190 1290 1400
Inca Lodge (3 occupants) 1250 1350 1450
Inca Lodge (2 occupants) 1350 1500 1600
PRICES IN US DOLLARS LOW SEASON REGULAR SEASON HIGH SEASON
Chalet C1 or C4 (*) 5800 8100 9100
Chalet A1 – B1 y B2 (**) 9500 13500 14800
Extra Bed 1350 1700 2000
LOW SEASON REGULAR SEASON HIGH SEASON
* Jun 22 – Jun 29 * Jun 29 – Jul 06 *Jul 06- Jul 13
* Aug 31– Sept 07 Jul 27 – Aug 03 Jul 13 – Jul 20
* Sept 07 – Sept 14 Aug 03 – Aug 10 Jul 20 – Jul 27
* Sept 14 – Sept 21 Aug 10 – Aug 17
** Sept 21 – Sept 28 Aug 17 – Aug 24
** Sept 28 – Oct 05 *Aug 24 – Aug 31