The Best Day Trips from Santiago, Chile: Coast, Andes and Wine Country

Santiago has an advantage few capitals can match: in under two hours you can stand on the Pacific coast, in a vineyard below the Andes, or at 2,500 metres beside a turquoise reservoir. If you have a free day, leaving the city is almost a must.

This guide brings together the day trips from Santiago we recommend most, with travel times, the best season and what not to miss on each one.

How to choose your day trip

Before you decide, think about three things:

• The season. The high Cajón del Maipo and the mountain trails are best from October to April; snow season runs from June to September. The coast and the wineries work all year.
• How much you want to walk. Valparaíso is all hills and stairs; a glacier hike needs good fitness; a winery visit is a gentle stroll.
• How you will get there. Most of these places have no convenient public transport. A tour with transport saves you mountain roads and lets you enjoy a glass of wine.

1. Valparaíso and Viña del Mar: the coastal classic

Valparaíso, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003.

An hour and forty minutes from Santiago lies Chile’s most bohemian port: hills covered in murals, century-old funiculars and colourful houses hanging over the bay. The same day you can add Viña del Mar, the garden city, with its flower clock and seafront.

Don’t miss: Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción, a funicular ride and La Sebastiana, Pablo Neruda’s house.

How to do it: our Valparaíso and Viña del Mar full day leaves in a small group from the MUT and includes entry to La Sebastiana, a funicular ride, a coffee, an ice cream and a souvenir. More in our Valparaíso and Viña del Mar guide.

2. Cajón del Maipo and El Yeso reservoir: the Andes two hours away

El Yeso, at 2,500 metres.

The Cajón del Maipo is Santiago’s great Andean valley. High up, along a gravel road, the El Yeso reservoir appears: a turquoise mirror surrounded by peaks over 4,000 metres. It is one of the most searched images of central Chile, and for good reason.

Season: October to April. In winter, snow usually closes the road to the reservoir.

How to do it: on our El Yeso Andean picnic day you have a picnic with Chilean cheeses and Maipo wine facing the reservoir, and a hot chocolate in San José de Maipo on the way down.

3. Isla Negra, Pomaire and a historic winery

Isla Negra, the house Neruda loved most.

If you love poetry, this is your trip. Isla Negra is the house by the sea where Neruda kept his ship figureheads, bottles and shells, and where he rests with Matilde. On the way is Pomaire, the village where potters still shape the local clay, famous for its giant empanadas.

How to do it: our Isla Negra, Pomaire and Undurraga tour adds a tasting at Viña Undurraga, founded in 1885, and a clay piece to take home. With La Chascona and La Sebastiana you complete the poet’s three houses; see Pablo Neruda’s houses.

4. The Maipo and Casablanca wineries

The Casablanca Valley, home of crisp whites.

Santiago has vineyards inside the city and whole valleys less than an hour away. The Maipo is the valley of great reds; Casablanca, on the way to the coast, is the place for sauvignon blanc and pinot noir.

How to do it: a full day such as Cousiño Macul and Santa Rita or the Casablanca wineries combines two estates with a lunch break. Every option is in our guide to wineries near Santiago.

5. El Morado: a hike to a glacier

The El Morado lagoon, with the hanging glacier behind.

For nature lovers who want to move: a trail of about 8 kilometres up the Morales stream valley leads to a lagoon at the foot of the San Francisco glacier. It is demanding but not technical, and the reward is huge.

Season: October to April. How to do it: on our San Francisco Glacier hike you go with a mountain guide, a mountain lunch facing the ice and trekking poles on loan.

6. Parque Tricao: birds, gardens and the coast

The largest free-flight aviary in South America.

Near Santo Domingo, Parque Tricao combines an aviary with around 800 birds, botanical gardens and a lagoon. It is perfect for families and nature lovers. Our Parque Tricao day includes park entry, the aviary, a raft ride, the garden, a picnic and a monocular to keep.

7. In winter: a ski day in Valle Nevado

Valle Nevado, at 3,025 metres.

From June to September the ski resorts are an hour and a half from the city. On our Valle Nevado ski day everything is included: clothing, equipment and, as you choose, a beginner class or a day pass. Read more in our guide to snow in Santiago.

Quick guide: travel time and season

• Valparaíso and Viña del Mar: 1 h 40 · all year
• Casablanca: 1 h · all year
• Maipo wineries: 30 to 60 min · all year
• Isla Negra and Pomaire: 1 h 30 · Tuesday to Sunday
• El Yeso reservoir: 2 h · October to April
• El Morado glacier: 2 h · October to April
• Parque Tricao: 1 h 45 · Wednesday to Sunday (daily in January and February)
• Valle Nevado: 1 h 30 · June to September

Tips for your day trips

1. Start early. Long trips leave between 7:30 and 9:00 to beat the traffic and use the light.
2. Pack layers. In the Andes and on the coast the temperature changes fast, even in summer.
3. Always wear sunscreen. At altitude the sun is stronger than it feels.
4. Check closing days. Neruda’s houses close on Mondays; Tricao on Mondays and Tuesdays outside summer.
5. Book ahead in high season (January, February, July and long weekends).

Frequently asked questions

What is the best day trip from Santiago? For a first visit, Valparaíso and Viña del Mar. For nature, El Yeso reservoir in season; for wine, a Maipo winery.

Can I go by public transport? To Valparaíso, yes, by bus; to the high Cajón del Maipo, El Yeso and the wineries it is impractical. A tour with transport saves time and gravel roads.

Is lunch included? On our full days lunch is on your own at a spot with several options, unless stated (such as the picnics at El Yeso and Tricao).

Can I do it privately? Yes. Write to us and we will plan your day tailor-made.