Where to go in the Cajón del Maipo?
Viña San Carlos
This is the old winery of the ex-vineyard San Carlos, located between Paraderos 36 and 37 of the Avenida Concha yToro, corner of Calle San Carlos. It has been declared a Natural Monument.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Don José Luis Coo bought the San Carlos property to plant vines, to produce and sell wine for export.
Winery architecture was a special feature of the final decades of the nineteenth century. This type of architecture has been compared with the farms of northern Europe. This vineyard is the only example of this type, and is presently not in use.
IMPORTANTE: We have received information that this vineyard has fallen into disrepair and is no longer open to the public.
Viñas Cavas del Maipú
This vineyard is located at Camino El Volcán N° 0121 in the Las Vizcachas sector. It is a vineyard with winery buildings, owned and worked by a family of Spanish origin. The vines are set in natural surroundings and their speciality is sparkling wine fermented in the bottle.
Baños Colina
These hot springs are located 104 km from Santiago in the lower Andes sector of the Cajón del Maipo. The thermal waters flow at an average temperature of 70° C. Apart from enjoying the thermal baths you can carry out other activities such as excursions or mountaineering in the area to enjoy the scenery and take photographs. The hot springs are open all year round and access depends on weather conditions.
Baños Morales
This village is located 72 km from Santiago and access is via the Cajón del Maipo road. The road is paved as far as the confluence of the Yeso and El Volcán rivers, and the remaining 30 km are of gravel in reasonable condition. There are public transport services available.
It is a little village which has three pools with thermal waters, run by the Junta de Vecinos (Neighborhood Association). The temperature is over 28º C and the springs are open all year round between 09.00 and 18.00 hrs.
Cerro Purgatorio
Cerro Purgatorio rises from the plains of San Juan of Pirque, on the south side of the Río Maipo, opposite Las Vertientes, El Canelo and El Manzano; its peak is 2,458 meters above sea level.
Located between the waters of the Estero Coipo and the Río Clarillo to the south west, and the Río Maipo to the north east, Cerro Purgatorio, Morro de Pirque, Alto de Llareta, Iglesia el Papagallo and Cerro Corredores make up a block offering fertile ground for mountain excursions of moderate difficulty.
El Canelo
This village, located 32 km from Santiago, offers various little lakes with limpid waters suitable for fishing. From here you can get to Cerro Purgatorio.
El Ingenio
This bathing resort is 66 km from Santiago and 18 km from San José de Maipo. There is good fishing in the Estero El Ingenio for various species of salmonids. There is also abundant fauna to observe, such as rabbits, wild duck and species of doves. Rural leather-workers make saddlery and other riding equipment.
El Manzano
From the village of El Manzano you can go on excursions up the stream of the same name, where there are good spots to fish. For those who like to walk, you can follow the valley throuh the low vegetation, which includes litre and boldo trees. Apart from fishing and walking there are also places to climb, including the Cerro Las Torrecillas – a good climb. There is a campsite, picnic area, horse-riding and children’s play area – a charge is made for use of these services.
El Melocotón
Located 54 km from Santiago and 6 km from San José de Maipo, El Melocotón offers a number of attractions set in the surrounding mountains. You can go walking or climbing, pursue an interest in geology or natural history; this is also the starting point for excursions to the Estero El Coyanco.
El Romeral
El Romeral, 73 km from Santiago, is the entrance to the Embalse del Yeso. It is an attractive destination for the visitor at any time of year, especially for fishing for salmonid species. Permission to visit must be obtained from the Gobernación of Puente Alto.
Embalse El Yeso
This reservoir is located 98 km from Santiago, and access is via the Cajón del Maipo. It contains 253 million cubic meters of water and is 3,000 meters above sea level. The waters are turquoise blue, and you can go windsurfing or fish for salmon.
In this sector you can also visit the hot springs of El Plomo. To get there you should take the turning after San Gabriel, about 2 km. There is a check-point and you can only visit with prior authorization.
El Volcán
This village, 80 km from Santiago and 65 km from San José of Maipo, arose in about 1874, on the site of an artesanal industry working the copper deposits in this part of the mountains. The village owes its name to its location on the banks of the El Volcán river, which in turn is so named because it flows down from the San José volcano.
Guayacán
This village is 44 km from Santiago and 30 km from San José of Maipo, and offers picnic areas, restaurants and coffee shops. It is named after a common tree in the area, which has beautifully grained wood.
La Obra
La Obra is 29 km from Santiago and 14 km from San José of Maipo. Many of the inhabitants are stoneworkers, carving objects in stone including mortars in which to grind garlic for making the typical “Chancho in Piedra”, a sauce used for dressing many types of food in Chilean cuisine.
Las Vertientes
This village, 31 km from Santiago and 17 km from San José de Maipo, is named for the springs which feed streams running down from the mountains. It is a residential area, although many of the houses are used for weekends and summer holidays; there are a number of cabins to let and hosterías with swimming pools which welcome visitors to the area. You can also hire horses to go out exploring the surrounding hillsides.
Lo Valdés
This little settlement is 93 km from Santiago and 78 km from San José de Maipo. Nearby is the so-called Valle de los Fósiles, where you will find quantities of petrified mollusks. There is a mountain sports center – there are no ski slopes but you can make day excursions or go out climbing, trekking or horseback riding.
San Alfonso
This village is 59 km from Santiago and offers excellent areas for days out, camping and picnics. The surrounding mountains are ideal for excursions and climbing, and there are sites of geological interest if you would like to do some amateur research.
San Alfonso has hosterías, inns, restaurants and a private vineyard where excellent chicha is made with local grapes.
San Gabriel
This village is 70 km from Santiago and 22 km from San José de Maipo, at kilometer 47. It is a good place for mountaineering and climbing enthusiasts, especially the sector called Boyenar. From here you can go up to Laguna Negra and the Estero El Manzanillo, both of which offer very good fishing. There is a route going east from here to take you to the El Morado National Park and the Embalse Yeso.
Termas del Plomo
The El Plomo hot springs are rustic pools a long way up an interior valley of the Andes. There are natural pools here, where you can sit in the thermal waters surrounded by snowy mountains. The route is via the Embalse de Yeso, and a four-wheel-drive vehicle is essential.
Volcán Tupungatito
This volcano is capped with a thick layer of eternal snow. It stands on the border with Argentina, 64 km from Santiago, at the head of the Río Colorado. It rises to a height of 6,550 meters and has a crater 3 km in diameter, containing a great mass of snow.
Parque Los Héroes
This park is 56 km from Santiago and is suitable for picnics and barbecues. It has access to the Maipo river, extensive green areas and a mini-zoo with a collection of deer, llamas and birds. There is a special area for barbecues, with fireplaces, drinking water, bathrooms and a washing area. It is open to the public from 10.00 to 19.00 hrs.
Río Colorado
The entrance to the Río Colorado valley is at kilometer 22. The paved road leads to the Los Maitenes and Alfalfal hydro-electric plants.
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