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Ranking among the best hotels, Hotel Salto Chico enjoys the advantage of a great location. Easy to access through the daily flights from Santiago to Punta Arenas, you get a royal reception and pick up facilities right at the airport. Once you step into the hotel, you will be charmed by the superb interiors and accommodation facilities that Hotel Salto Chico offers. However, the real charm of this grand hotel lies in its surrounding exterior that offers endless scope for adventure sports and explorations.
The facilities
Hotel Salto Chico offers you the best of facilities to make your stay a memorable one. There are 50 plush rooms, among which 7 offer an open view of the Salto Chico waterfall, 6 suites and 37 Cordillera Paine rooms give you a glimpse into the neighboring Macizo del Paine. You will get top class cuisines, dining, laundry, communication and bar facilities in each of these rooms.
However, before you step out of your cozy deluxe suit and plunge into the wonders of Patagonia, you must take proper preparations. Enjoying your hiking, trekking or skiing ventures will require a full supply of warm clothing. Be prepared with a set of thermal underwear, water-repellent windcheater, gloves, goggles and mountaineering shoes before setting out in the breathtaking locales. You can buy these at the explora shops.
The attractions
You can go for a series of interesting walks as part of your exploration programs originating from Hotel Salto Chico. The Lago Grey peninsula Walk is one such beautiful site that will take you half a day for traveling. The Rio Pingo hanging bridge is the main attraction along with the views of Glacier Grey, icebergs and lenga forests that you can enjoy as much. Alturas Del Toro Walk is perfect for a full-day picnic program. Look out for the natural beauty of Rio Paine and Valle Río Serrano.
The other forms of outdoor enjoyment include a traditional barbeque at Quincho and short walks around Laguna Azul. This full day program will give you a taste of lamb and vegetable barbeque that you will devour with an appetite! These areas have an abundance of wildlife like foxes, geese, condors etc. Boating across Glacier Grey is yet another interesting tourist outing you will love, surveying the gorges, rivers and forests from various lookout points.
If you are not habituated in walking long stretches without taking snacks, the Mirador del Toro Walk should befit you. You get trail snacks during your journey and a unique scope to review the natural setting of the Conaf Park. The mountains Cerro Ferrier and Cerro Donoso towering over Lago Toro and Río Serrano make a beautiful scene. If you are looking for something more, head straight for the archaeological walk from Guarderia Sarmiento to Guarderia Laguna Amarga. You can enjoy the ancient rock paintings found in this area and have a fantastic view of the landscape.
For riders who want to speed through the scenic setting of Chile, exploring the breathtaking forests of Río de las Chinas will prove to be even more romantic. Check out the Sierra Baguales while you gallop away in glory. Riding across Refugio Pehoe, touching attractive spots like Campamento Las Carretas and Río Grey will be even more adventurous.
Estancia 2 de Enero offers you the dual pleasure of a horse ride and trail snacks. While passing through Río Zamora and parts of Laguna Jara, you may observe condors and soaring eagles. Laguna Linda is another similar horse riding spot to offer you trail snacks. The view of upright hills covered with burnt vegetation is the primary attraction of this spot along with the Andean mountain chain.
However, if you are looking for something unique about the Hotel Salto Chico surroundings, do not miss the Torres del Paine National Park. It is a perfect ensemble of varied flora, landscape and wild life specimens. This UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978 is located in central Patagonia and spans over 242,242 hectares. You will go gaga over the lakes, rivers, glaciers and waterfalls covering this National Park. Make time out of your usual trekking and mountaineering expeditions and visit the village of El Calafate and Perito Moreno to complete your accommodation experience at Hotel Salto Chico.
