Andean Showdown: Valle Nevado vs. La Parva

Forget the glossy postcards. If you’re reading this, it’s because you know that at 10,000 feet in the Chilean Andes, the air is thin and decisions have consequences. You have two giants staring each other down: Valle Nevado, the international heavyweight, and La Parva, the private balcony of Santiago’s elite.

They are close enough to ski from one to the other in a single afternoon, but their personalities clash like tectonic plates. Where are you dropping your boards for the 2026 season? Let’s cut through the noise.

1. The "Via Crucis" of the 40 Curves

Getting there isn't for the faint of heart. Route G-21 is an asphalt serpent with over 40 hairpin turns that catapults you from the smog of Santiago into the high-altitude silence of winter.

• The Golden Rule: On weekends, the road is a dictator. Uphill in the morning, downhill in the afternoon. If your flight lands on a Saturday at noon, get comfortable—you won't see the snow until 4:00 PM. The mountain doesn’t wait, and Chilean traffic definitely doesn't.

2. A Hotel or a Home? Choose Your Side

This is where the vibes fork:

• Valle Nevado (The Snow Cruise): This is for the traveler who wants to walk out of the lobby and fall onto their skis. Its three main hotels run an "All-Inclusive" system—think of it as a cruise ship anchored in the snow—where your lift ticket and your pisco sour are already handled.

• La Parva (The Exclusive Hideout): There are no hotels here, only lifestyle. You rent a high-end apartment, buy your own groceries, and live the mountain like a local. It’s freer and more intimate, but you are the master of your own logistics.

3. The Technical Duel: Infinite Bowls vs. Pure Vert

• Valle Nevado: It is the empire of space. 2,224 acres of wide-open terrain that feels like it never ends. It’s an infinite bowl, perfect for high-speed carving and getting lost in the best way possible.

• La Parva: It is the temple of verticality. It has less acreage, but 960 meters (3,150 ft) of vertical drop that will set your quads on fire. If you’re looking for steep pitches that make your heart skip, La Parva has the sharper angle.

4. The Lift Reality Check: The "Poma" Struggle

If you’re coming from the heated six-pack chairs of Aspen or the Alps, welcome to the Andean reality. In both resorts, surface lifts rule. You will spend a significant amount of time with a "Poma" between your legs. In Valle Nevado, only 6 out of 14 lifts are chairs; in La Parva, the ratio is similar. If you can't ride a drag lift, you’re missing out on half the mountain.

5. The Pro Move: The Interconnection

Want the best of both worlds? You can jump the border.

• The Mission: Ride the Andes Express in Valle to 3,700 meters. Drop into the Lazo run—and keep your speed up, or you’ll be rowing with your poles like a gondolier. Suddenly, you’re in La Parva.

• The Return: It’s a trek of three consecutive surface lifts and one final chair. Watch the clock: if 3:00 PM catches you on the wrong side of the ridge, you’re looking at a very expensive three-hour taxi ride back to your base.