Santiago Off the Beaten Path Tips by tommix

What is wonderful about Santiago it's the fact that if you're tired by the city you can easly and quite fast escape from. After less then one hour driving you can find yourself in the middle of nature in gorgeous mountains and far from civilization. Just to enough to take a breath of a pure air and relax.
My preffered summer destination is the direction of Farellones with natural reserve of Yerba Loca...

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That's a perfect destination for one-day or weekend trip (or even more if you like!). Cajón del Maipo is a long, quite untouched, mountain valley. You can try there rafting, camping, trekking, horseback riding. At the very end of the valley you will even find thermal baths: Baños Morales and Baños Colina. Water of both is known for salts and minerals good for the health, especially for rheumatism affections.
Trekking adepts will certainly appreciate a day trip to El Morado Natural Park, one of the lateral valleys of Cajón del Maipo, ended by a beautiful lagoon and glacier. In an another lateral valley there is also a huge dam and a artificial lake El Yeso. And it’s possible to windsurf there! Even there after aquatic exploits you will be also able to relax in a hot water – close to El Yeso reservoir are Baños El Plomo, another thermal baths.

The easiest way to get to Cajón del Maipo is – obviously – to drive your own (or rented) car. The main route from Santiago is by going along Avenida La Florida, which later changes its name to Avenida Camilo Henriquez – it will take you directly to the Las Vizcachas which is the beginning of the Cajón del Maipo. Another way is by going along Avenida Vicuña Mackenna until you arrive to Puente Alto. From there you can take Eyzaguirre which will connect to the main route G-25 just before Las Vizcachas.
But you can also arrive there with the public transport. There are numerous buses leaving for San José del Maipo (the “capital” of Cajón) from the bus station at Plaza Vespucio (next to Bellavista de Florida metro station).

Don’t forget that If you plan to go mountaineering or trekking deep into the mountains, you have let the local police at San Gabriel know what route you are planning to take and the day you expect to be back.

Also have in mind that in local villages it’s easy and advisable to buy homemade and tasteful bread, cheese, vine and stronger alcohols and also nuts, almonds or honey.

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