Travel to Cerro Mirador with ski insurance from Essential Travel

Cerro Mirador, or Mirador Hill, ski resort is touted as the worlds most southern ski area and lies within the Magallanes National Reserve, overlooking the awesome Strait of Magellan and Tierra del Fuego. It is renowned for its hard snow, but the awesome landscape featuring windswept snow formations and ever-changing narrow tracks makes for a unique and characteristic appeal.

The ski resort base of Cerro Mirador is only 1,970 feet above sea level, yet its southern latitude near Punta Arenas means snow is guaranteed in the high season months. Facilities at the resort base include a ski school and rental boutique as well as a repair workshop and cafeteria.

There are eleven tree-lined, pisted runs at Cerro Mirador ski resort. Cerro Mirador is predominantly an intermediate ski area, but slopes exist for all levels. The single and double chairlifts provide slope access to all runs, rising to 4,920 feet above sea level in just 10 minutes.

Accommodation is provided at Punta Arenas along with après-ski entertainment, although there are basic refreshment facilities at the resort base. Accommodation ranges from one-star hostels to three-star hotels that are relatively expensive, although during the low season prices are negotiable. There are also plenty of restaurants and bars in Punta Arenas as well as a few nightclubs.

The Strait of Magellan provides outstanding views from Cerro Mirador’s slopes, while Punta Arenas is perhaps the biggest non-ski attraction in the area, with Tierra del Fuego providing interesting alternatives. Punta Arenas is a bustling and historic town with great shopping and attractions well worthy of exploration.

Cerro Mirador ski resort’s ski season runs from mid-June to mid-September, with the cheapest rates on weekdays at the beginning and end of the season and the best snow conditions in July. Flying to Punta Arenas and transferring by shuttle is the only sensible way of getting to Cerro Mirador.

Skiing in Cerro Mirador

Cerro Mirador is Patagonia’s best ski area, as well as being the world’s most southerly, and it is particularly well known for the fantastic views of the Strait of Magellan and Tierra del Fuego from its slopes. Cerro Mirador offers unique skiing suitable for all levels and is conveniently located near Chile’s major southern town of Punta Arenas.

Although Cerro Mirador ski resort only has one chairlift and doesn’t have mile upon mile of meticulously groomed pistes, it does have a commendable 11 runs and enticing tree-lined trails that cater for all abilities from beginners to advanced skiers and snowboarders.

Other non-ski activities at Cerro Mirador ski resort include trekking and snowshoeing, while keen photographers can go as far as the base resort at 1,968-feet altitude and take some awesome shots of the Tierra del Fuego region and the Strait of Magellan. There is no après-ski to speak of at Cerro Mirador, but Punta Arenas is loaded with restaurants, bars and a few nightclubs, while relaxation at spas and saunas can be enjoyed at the top hotels here.

Cerro Mirador’s resort facilities at the base are limited and include a ski school, rental boutique, workshop and cafeteria. There are no accommodation options at the resort, but with the city of Punta Arenas being close by, there is no real need for comprehensive facilities and services to hand.

The resort’s ski season runs from mid-June to mid-September and the best time to go skiing in Cerro Mirador is in July. At this time prices are at their highest, while cheaper weeks are available at other times in the season. The only practical form of transportation to Cerro Mirador is to fly to Punta Arenas and take a shuttle bus or hire a car for the transfer up to the resort.

Transportation to Cerro Mirador

The world’s most southerly ski resort of Cerro Mirador is only five miles west of the major Patagonian town of Punta Arenas and over 1,864 miles south of the capital of Santiago. There are not many transportation options for getting here, apart from hiring a car at the airport for the duration of your stay or making use of the efficient shuttle services; flights land in Punta Arenas every day from Santiago.

If driving from the airport to Cerro Mirador ski resort, head south to the city of Punta Arenas (12.5 miles on the CH 9), from where a sometimes tricky road requiring chains in adverse weather conditions heads west for another five miles to the resort. Be careful while negotiating the Punta Arenas-Cerro Mirador road when there are high winds.

Punta Arenass airport has links to Santiago up to five times per day with the Chilean carrier, LanChile Express. All flights go via the city of Puerto Montt. If you’re not hiring a car, regular buses, shuttles and taxis go to the centre of town, from where you can take a shuttle up to Cerro Mirador ski resort.

Shuttle services generally make two trips from Punta Arenas to Cerro Mirador daily, typically at 10:00 and 13:00 and returning at 15:30 and 17:00. Local buses ply this route on weekends, leaving from Muñoz Gomero square in Punta Arenas. Allow 30 minutes when travelling by car from Punta to Cerro Mirador ski resort.

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