Corralco Skiing Chile, South America
Introduction Corralco Skiing
Corralco Skiing resort is a unique ski centre in the Chilean Lake Region. Corralco is predominately one hotel with direct access to a small ski area, but because it is remote it is not as crowded as places closer to Santiago, and the snow here is more reliable than at the ski resorts further north. And for the powder hounds and snowboarders there is a lot of back country to conquer. It is also a good place for beginners. Where it lacks is, perhaps, not offering a high variety groomed pistes for the intermediate skier.
For those who like powder, there is plenty of it. In addition, the hotel has a great indoor pool and spa facility, nice restaurant, and good level rooms. Near to the hotel are also some fantastic viewpoints over the Andes, to other volcanos as well as a dried lava river that came out of the side of the Lonquimay Volcano in 1988 on Christmas day.
Corralco also offers other activities such as a snow-shoe hike, in order to walk over the snow and get to remote places with beautiful views, as well as snowkite (where you get pulled along by a kite being blown by the wind) on the piste near the hotel.
Corralco Infrastructure
Location: Northeast from Temuco
Road Distance from Santiago: 702km
Skiing Altitude: 1,480m (4,855ft) to 2,400m (7,874ft)
Vertical Drop: 920m
Ski Area: 1,800 Hectares
Usual Ski Season: June, July, August, September
Pisted Terrain: 29 runs
Snowpark: Yes
Snowkite: Yes
Backcountry Access: Yes
Historical Season Snow Dump: 9m
Lifts: 6
Accommodation: Hotel Corralco
Mountain Restaurant: 1 / Ski School: 1
Location of the Corralco Skiing Centre
The Corralco Ski Resort is located on the south eastern side of the Lonquimay Volcano in the Malalcahuello National Reserve, not far from the little town of Malalcahuello. Corralco is 120km to the east of Temuco, whilst Santiago is 700km to the north.
How to Get to Corralco Skiing Centre
Flying in from Santiago
The flight from Santiago to Temuco airport is just about 1.5hr and from the airport to Corralco is just under 2hrs.
Here at ExperienceChile.Org we will arrange the flights and transfer you will need, just ask.
Driving from Santiago
Generally, it is accepted that the Chilean Lake Region begins at a point around Temuco, which is on the main Ruta 5, Panamerican Highway, and 676km south from Santiago. If you were to drive down the Ruta 5 towards Temuco and turned off left (therefore east) 65km before arriving to Temuco, you will arrive to a small village called Victoria 611km south of Santiago (therefore 65km north of Temuco). After that, heading east, towards the Andes for 53km is the village of Curacautin, followed by Lonquimay (but you do not want to arrive to Lonquimay). However, there will be the turn off left at a point 30km past Curacautin that leads up to the Corralco ski centre, which is 8km from this turn off.
Moreover, the scenery between the Ruta 5 and then up to and past Victoria, on the way to Curacautin is exceptionally pretty, rural countryside.
Araucaria Forest
Another key point, is at the point 30km past the village of Curacautin where the road leads up to where the Corralco ski base is located, is the start of Araucaria forest. All things considered, it is this area that is particularly special because it is populated entirely by an Araucaria trees (this is the “money puzzle” tree). Furthermore, above this amazing tree line is the Lonquimay Volcano (2,890m), all within the beautiful Reserva Nacional Malalcahuello and bordering Reserva Nacional Nalcas.
The Malacahuello Reserve is 120km northeast from Temuco offering 31,000 hectares of Chilean State-protected, wilderness. Within this area is incredible volcanic geology, Arucaria Forests as well as Lenga, Ñirres and Coihues trees.
Araucaria Forest
At Corralco there is one, upmarket hotel called Corralco Hotel and Spa. It offers 54 guest rooms and is positioned with direct access to the ski lift system.
Here at ExperienceChile.Org we will be pleased to arrange your accommodation, together with all required ski program needs, just ask.
