In Chile, hiking is not limited to just the Patagonian region! Many parts of the country have great trails to check out, including in the Central Valley. This region offers a distinct type of climate and landscape, along with beautiful flora and fauna to admire. In fact, there are many hiking opportunities right by or in Santiago, Chile’s capital city. That means, you can easily escape the hustle and bustle and hop right into beautiful nature within a matter of minutes!
There are so many great trails to pick from, but today we’ve listed some of our favorites. Without further ado, here are the first 4 of 7 great hikes near Santiago.
7 Hikes You Can’t Miss Near Santiago, Chile PART 1:
1) Aguas de Ramon
2) Mirador de Los Condores
3) Cerro Manquehue
4) La Campana National Park
7 Hikes You Can’t Miss Near Santiago, Chile PART 2:
5) Cascada De Las Animas
6) El Morado National Monument
7) Cerro Pintor
1) Aguas de Ramon
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Length: 7-8 hours roundtrip
- Location: Santiago
Located on the east side of Santiago, Parque Aguas de Ramon offers a slew of wide, open land to explore! There are a few routes to take, but a common one is Salto de Apoquindo which leads visitors straight to a waterfall! That’s right — there is a waterfall in the middle of Santiago.
The park is home to local fauna, including foxes, tarantulas and various birds. There are also many opportunities to check out local flora that reside in the dry and sunny Santiago climate.
If you are going to complete the full hike, it is important to arrive early to the park! Every visitor needs to check in before embarking on the excursion and you won’t be allowed to complete the hike if the ranger does not think there is enough time. Arriving between 8 and 8:30 AM is recommended.
2) Mirador de Los Condores
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Length: 4-5 hours roundtrip
- Location: Cajon de Maipo
Just a couple of hours outside of Santiago is a great hike to the “Mirador de Los Cóndores.” This translates to “Condor Lookout” in English. Based on the name, you might guess that there is a lot of Andean condors on this trail! That’s right — it’s one of the best spots to marvel at this massive bird (one that’s wingspan stretches to 3 meters).
Keep in mind that you are entering the condors’ home. It’s important that all hikers are respectful of the birds and observe them from a safe distance.
3) Cerro Manquehue
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Length: 2-3 hours roundtrip
- Location: Santiago
The Cerro Manquehue trail can also be found in the middle of Santiago. But this one goes straight up hill! It is shorter in distance than Aguas de Ramon, the city’s other popular trail, but is significantly steeper. Prepare to strut through the dirt trails, up rocks and to one of the most beautiful spots above the city. You’ll sit right beside the clouds!
For those looking for an easier hike, in the same area there is Cerro Manquehuito. This is a smaller hill and doable for hikers of all ages. On a sunny weekend, it’s likely you’ll spot families, pets and groups of friends hiking up the hill.
For both hills, make sure to wear proper trekking shoes and bring plenty of water. Hiking poles are also helpful due to the steep terrain.
4) La Campana National Park
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Length: 5-6 hours roundtrip
- Location: Olmue
Palm trees galore! La Campana National Park is the perfect place to spot the Chilean palm trees. In this national park, there are hundreds of trees, as well as many beautiful landscapes. You can camp, bike, hike and more!
One great hike in the park is the Amasijo- Portezuelo Ocoa Trail, which leads visitors into an area filled with palm trees. Just make sure to pay careful attention to the pathway. An area with so many similar-looking trees can be confusing.
Want to add some of these hikes on to your next Chile Adventure contact us!
Stay tuned for the rest of the list of hikes around Santiago next week!
Your friendly Chile expert,
Gretchen
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