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Laguna del Inca |
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(Portillo Hotel)The lake is about 100 miles from Santiago, at Portillo. The trip there lasts a little more than two hours and the road, although most of it has no shoulder, it's ok as long as you drive calmly and carefully. In many places, the maximum speed is 30 miles/h. It was summer, so it was quite safe, but we wonder how dangerous the road can become with snow ... It must be terrifying. Despite the beautiful scenery of the Cordillera we followed along the way.
We went there on a van we hired at a small travel agency next to the hotel. We noticed that the best-known tour operators were not interested in offering the ride, because it is rather expensive and not many people do it. And in our case, the van was just for us. We were only able to close the deal because we didn't back up and said that we would go either with them or with another agency. We traveled to Santiago having our mind made about taking this tour. In addition, we bought other tours with them such as the visit to the "Concha y Toro" winery (the most appropriate for people with children) and the ride to the Buin Zoo, which completed three tours. That's the indicated number of tours to get good discounts at the agencies in Chile.
The landscape becomes more beautiful as we climb up the Cordillera. And there are 32 sharp turns until you get there. It's worth stopping along the road to take pictures. The view is unique. It is possible to drive there, but you won't need a car after you get there. You can choose to use many of the hotel's own shuttles, which depart from Santiago as well as Mendoza.
Portillo is famous for its ski area, so it is only crowded in the winter. The view of the lake surrounded by white snow mountains is spectacular! Nevertheless, that doesn't reduce its charm in the summer. The lake has a crystal clear water with colors ranging from blue to green in various shades. It was the biggest thrill of this visit. At least for me, I love nature! The energy of the place is an amazing thing! We were there all by ourselves, the mountains and the lake ... Fantastic! It was really a live picture. We got wet a little, we wanted to feel the energy of that water, but the kids almost got in completely. They didn't swim because we didn't allow them to for the water is ridiculously cold and we hadn't taken extra clothing. It was worth every penny we spent on the tour.
The hotel, which is overcrowded in winter, was completely empty but the restaurant was open to our surprise. Of course we walked in and had lunch there, I didn't want to leave that place. Delicious food in a ski theme restaurant and a breathtaking view. Super worth it!!! Recommended for sure!!!
Lengend about Laguna del Inca: http://www.skiportillo.com/vida-en-portillo/leyenda-laguna-del-inca/?lang=pt
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