The Roots of Chile's Central Valley

If you're adventurous, the inland areas of the Metropolitan and O'Higgins Regions will delight you with quite a few surprises. The Andean mountains and coastline are home to small towns, rivers and valleys in which modern life seems to give way to rural traditions.

Interested in exploring the Andes? Cajón del Maipo is your best option. Located just 15 km from the capital's La Florida district and southeast of the downtown area on route G-25, this canyon winds through Andean foothills and mountain slopes. You'll find plenty of accommodations, restaurants, extreme sports activities, hot springs and nature preserves like El Morado.

If you're more interested in learning about local culture, try Rancagua, the capital of the O'Higgins Region. Visit the former Sewell mining camp, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is buried so deep in the heart of the Andes that it has stairs instead of streets. Then head to Santa Cruz, where rural traditions prevail and it is not uncommon to see the locals sporting typical huaso costumes (Chilean cowboy gear).

Plan to stop in the colorful village of Pomaire, where craftspeople use greda, a type of clay, to create unique pots, cups, plates and small sculptures. Don't leave town without sampling the half-kilo empanadas, a true feast for food lovers.

Each of these excursions can be day-trips, but if you'd like to dig deeper into the secrets of the area's villages and valleys, you can find lodging in Cajón del Maipo and good hotels in Santa Cruz and some of the vineyards that form part of the Colchagua Valley Wine Route.

 

Featured Destinations

Cajón del Maipo		Pirque
Pomaire		Rancagua
Santa Cruz

 

Tours you can do

Andes		El Morado
World Heritage - Sewell		San Francisco de los Andes

 

Getting There By Car • Cajón del Maipo: From downtown Santiago, take Av. Vicuña Mackenna and turn east onto Av. Departamental until you reach Av. La Florida. Then head north to Camino al Volcán, which will take you to your destination. There's public transportation from the Bellavista de la Florida Metro Station (Line 5). • Rancagua: Take Route 5 (84km) to the by-pass near Rancagua (start looking for it when you hit Graneros). If you don't want to drive, busses depart Santiago every 30 minutes and there are several daily Metrotren rapid transit trains that depart Estación Central. It takes about 90 minutes to get there. • Santa Cruz: From Rancagua, follow Route 5 to the northern entrance of San Fernando. Then cut across Av. O'Higgins and take Route I-50 (the Wine Highway) to the entrance of Santa Cruz by way of Paniahue. Bus service is available from the Santiago and Rancagua terminals. • Pomaire: Take the Autopista del Sol to Km. 50, then turn right at the toll that marks the entrance to Pomaire. Buses leave from the San Borja terminal in Santiago. • Los Andes and San Felipe: From Santiago, take Route 5 to Route 57, which will bring you to Los Andes. If you leave from the Pirámide area, take the northeastern highway. San Felipe is 20 km north of Los Andes.

 

Activities that we recommend
Sports and Adventure Trekking Cycling Mountain Climbing Paragliding and Aeronautics Sports Rafting Kayak Horsebacks Excursions Canopy Culture and Heritage Folklorics Traditions History And Heritage Museums Paleontology City Life Shopping	Nature National Parks and Reserves Birdwatching Zoos Flora and Fauna Wealth and Relax Hots Springs and Spa Resorts Wine And Food Wine Routes Traditional Cuisine

 

Tips

01 Day Trips  Half-kilo Empanadas Santa Teresa de Los Andes Sanctuary You can make all of these trips in a single day if you plan to leave from Santiago and/or Rancagua. You'll find ATM machines, internet access, parking and health services in most places. Don't leave Pomaire without sampling the traditional 500-gram meat empanada. It's big enough for two people or one person with an enormous appetite. You've been warned! This temple in the Aconcagua Valley was built in honor of Chile's first female saint. The Auco Convent is open daily, and there's a youth procession once a year. 02 Harvest Festival Rafting the Maipo River The valleys are bursting with vineyards and the grape is celebrated each March at the Harvest Festival, which features wine tastings, folk music and dance, and more wine. The best ones are held in Santa Cruz and Pirque. Several companies organize rafting expeditions through the heart of the canyon. There are also other outdoor activities like horseback riding, trekking, skiing and paragliding.