When choosing where to study abroad, I knew I wanted a place that was full of outdoor activities. What Santiago lacked in green space, Chile absolutely made up for in jaw dropping scenery and easily accessible activities. During my time there, I was able to say I had surfed, skied, backpacked, and hiked all in one semester. This country is filled with incredible landscapes, terrain, and parks that are absolutely doable for students. Heres my top activities to fulfill your outdoor dreams in one of my favorite countries:
ONE. TREKKING
A very manageable version of Manquehue. 
Views from San Cristobal, a great weekly workout spot. 
After an underprepared journey to Manquehue. 
My semester started with trekking (aka hiking). Being a well seasoned hiker from living in Colorado, I felt super confident going on a hike with a bunch of new abroad friends. Little did I know that Santiago hikes are steep, and with the summer heat and altitude, I was grossly unprepared. We decided on trek, Cerro Manquehue, a hike starting deep in Los Condes, and spent a good four hours going up. Covered in dust by the time we summited, we realized the altitude and lack of preparation had surely gotten to us. With many tumbles down the mountain, we were passed by local Chileans, running up the steep hills effortlessly. One Chilean even taught us the proper footing so we wouldn’t slip down the mountain. Despite this lack of preparation, the hikes views were worth it, the exercise intense, and it was a beautiful start to Chilean Treks. A month later, I tried Manquehue’s little sister, Manquehito’s and experienced a much more manageable experience.Â
Exploring Santiago’s hiking scene is super fun because the city’s surrounding border is filled with great treks, and I loved exploring new regions of the city, and escaping the smog, at least for a few moments. Just an hour from the city, you can enter a different world with Cajon del Maipo’s incredible views. And if I ever needed a quick hike, San Cristobal was a great option for an easy view of the city.
TWO. SURFINGÂ
Santiago is located near various incredible surfing areas and rentals can be affordable making for the perfect combination for a fun weekend trip. One weekend nearing winter, a couple of friends and I took a morning bus to Pichilemu, rented wet suits and a surf board, and went out in the water for a couple of hours. We didn’t bother paying for lessons and had a blast trying to fight and catch some frigid winter waves. After an exhausting and entertaining day of getting pummeled by the freezing waves, we hung out in Pichilemu going to a couple of cafes and chatting with locals. Regardless of where you choose, Chile is full of super beautiful and fun places to surf, and the accessibility from Santiago is incredible.
Three. Backpacking
Sun rises in Paine Grande. 
Going in April allowed for us to see incredible fall colors.
Probably my most memorable experience in Chile was backpacking and thru hiking in Patagonia ( I will do a full blog post soon). Torres del Paine National Park offered some of the most spectacular views of my life, and allowed me to meet some incredible people. I have daydreamed about this place ever since and would love to return to do the full O. Patagonia is notoriously expensive, but undoubtably worth it, and the backpacking we did was incredible. I have heard of other amazing areas in the Patagonia region that are not Torres Del Paine that offer equally beautiful views.
Four. Skiing
Towards the end of my semester, I was able to go up to the mountains and ski twice. Knowing Colorado priced skiing, I was amazed to see student packages totaling to $80 for rentals, transportation, lift tickets, and lunch. While, I’m sure prices aren’t always this cheap, the trips were super well organized, the mountains uncrowded, and the ride super close to Santiago. Santiago is also full of resell shops so I was able to buy a full ski outfit and goggles for around $30. I loved going on the slopes there and experiencing snow in Chile.
I was only here for four short months, and unfortunately had to attend classes, but if you have the chance to come there are even more incredible opportunities to experience, like kayaking, horseback riding, climbing volcanos, sand boarding and many more. If you have an desire to explore various types of terrain, I cannot recommend Chile enough. And if you’re looking for a city within hours of hiking, backpacking trails, skiing, and surfing, Santiago is your place.
Hailee Boyle Social Media Management 