Winter vacations in Malalcahuello, Chile
Winter in Malalcahuello, in the ninth region of Chile (called the Araucanía region), has much to offer tourists.
Snow
From July one is guaranteed to experience snow. Sometimes it starts snowing solidly from June, sometimes from the first or second week of July. When it snows Malalcahuello awakes from its slumber and comes alive with activity as skiers and snowboarders from all over the globe come to the ski centre Corralco.
Corralco ski centre is located on Volcano Lonquimay within the national reserve Malalcahuello where Corralco Hotel is the only accommodation permitted. The hotel boasts 54 rooms accommodating up to 140 people and includes a wide range of facilities and services. During the winter season it tends to get booked out by international visitors, particularly ski teams and professionals from the northern hemisphere who are looking for a place to train during their summer months. Outside of the Reserve http://www.chilewild.com, there are many other options for accommodation suitable for all budgets, although winter is the peak season for Malalcahuello so prices are at their highest. Some places offer restaurant, hot tub or guided activities.
Apart from Corralco ski centre, there are many other slopes inside and outside of the Malalcahuello reserve for people who practise randonnée or backcountry ski/splitboard. Some of the areas are accessed using snowmobiles and others by the traditional means of human power. One can take an expedition with a guide who knows the local areas and conditions
Thermal baths
In and around Malalcahuello there are several places offering the healing experience of thermal bathing. They are all commercial operations so charge a fee and offer facilities and services such as restaurant, change rooms, massage services etc. Within Malalcahuello, Las Termas de Malalcahuello, offer a large indoor pool and a range of massage services in an attractive parkland setting. Other thermal baths offer outdoor bathing and are further away, requiring vehicle transport to get there. Cañon del Blanco (white canyon) offers the most rustic of the bathing experiences as it has small pools located within a native forest setting in a beautiful rural valley overlooked by the snowy Sierra Nevada volcano.
Transport
There are many options for arriving to Malalcahuello from the north, south or even from Argentina, as Malalcahuello is located on an international route. Public transport is extremely limited within Malalcahuello, however, there are private options for getting to and from the attractions and your accommodation. Malalcahuello is approximately 1.5 hours drive from an international airport (Aeropuerto La Araucanía), close to the city of Temuco where it is possible to hire a car.
