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Cajón del Maipo

The Andes an hour from Santiago

San José de Maipo Route G-25 · 25 to 90 km from Santiago6 routes to the destinationFrom US$ 75

How to get there with us

Routes to Cajón del Maipo

Regular and private departures from the catalog that explore the destination, with transport from Santiago.

Adventure and MountainsCajón del Maipo

Cajón del Maipo – San José + Casa Chocolate

Andean nature, the historic town of San José de Maipo and the singular Casa Chocolate.

Full day · 10 to 11 hrs Every day

Adult fromUS$ 75

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Adventure and MountainsCajón del Maipo

Hot Springs – Cajón del Maipo

Natural hot springs at the foot of the San José volcano, with stops at San José de Maipo and Casa Chocolate.

Full day · 10 to 11 hrs Every day

Adult fromUS$ 94

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Adventure and MountainsCajón del Maipo

Rafting Cajón del Maipo

Three hours of rafting down the Maipo River with specialized instructors and photos included.

Full day · 10 hrs Every day

Adult fromUS$ 103

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Adventure and MountainsCajón del Maipo

Paragliding Flight — Cajón del Maipo

A tandem flight over the Cajón del Maipo with an instructor, among mountains, rivers and valleys.

Half day · 5 hrs Every day

Adult fromUS$ 195

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Relaxation and WellnessCajón del Maipo

SPA Cajón del Maipo — Relaxation + disconnection

Massage, pools, hot tubs, sauna and quartz bed in the Andes, with breakfast and lunch included.

Full day · 10 hrs Every day

Adult fromUS$ 175

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Mountains and AndesCajón del MaipoPrivate

Cajón del Maipo and El Yeso Reservoir

Full day of Andes and turquoise water

The Maipo river canyon up to the El Yeso Reservoir, at 2,500 meters: the turquoise reservoir that supplies Santiago with water, surrounded by peaks and glaciers.

9 hrs · departures To be agreed From 1 passengers · 0+ years

Per person fromUS$ 89base 4 to 6 passengers

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Mountains and Andes

Cajón del Maipo and El Yeso Reservoir

Full day of Andes and turquoise water · 9 hours · Time to be agreed · Private

Editorial content under review

The price of this route is confirmed; the text is not. Description, itinerary, duration, schedule, inclusions / exclusions and requirements are a draft and must be validated with operations before publishing.

The experience

The Cajón del Maipo is Santiago's great mountain backyard: a narrow valley following the course of the Maipo River toward the Andes, a little over an hour from downtown.

The tour passes through San José de Maipo, capital of the cajón and a town of adobe houses and tree-lined streets, and continues through San Alfonso and the El Volcán area, where the landscape turns mineral and the valley opens up.

The high point is the El Yeso Reservoir, at about 2,500 meters: a turquoise glacial lake surrounded by peaks that supplies drinking water to much of Santiago. It's one of the most photographed landscapes in the Metropolitan Region.

The return includes the option of stopping for empanadas or kuchen in one of the villages of the cajón.

Itinerary

Hotel pick-upEarly departure from Santiago.
San José de MaipoCapital of the cajón: square, adobe church and heritage houses.
San Alfonso and El VolcánThe valley narrows and the landscape turns to high mountain.
Road to the reservoirClimb along a gravel road with lookouts over the Yeso valley.
El Yeso ReservoirFree time at 2,500 meters facing the turquoise water and the glaciers.
Food stop on the way backEmpanadas, kuchen or coffee in one of the villages of the cajón.
Return to Santiago

Includes

Private round-trip transport from the hotel
Spanish-speaking driver-guide
Fuel, tolls and parking
500 cc bottle of still water

Not included

Lunch, drinks and purchases in the villages of the cajón
Admission to parks, hot springs or reserves
Tips

What to bring

Comfortable clothing and shoes suited to the season
Sunscreen and sunglasses
ID card or passport
Mobile phone with photo or video camera
Warm clothing: at the reservoir it's windy and cold even in summer
The last kilometers are on a gravel road

Before booking

Gravel road on the final stretch: check before booking in case of reduced mobility or back problems

Round out your trip

Other departures that pair well with this one.

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Totalfrom US$ 89

History

History of Cajón del Maipo

The Cajón del Maipo is the valley the Maipo River carves as it enters the Andes, and it forms the municipality of San José de Maipo: the largest in the Metropolitan Region, with almost five thousand square kilometers stretching from the 900-meter entrance to the volcanoes on the border.

The town of San José de Maipo was founded in 1792 by Governor Ambrosio O'Higgins to serve the San Pedro Nolasco silver mines. From that era remain the square and the adobe-and-timber church, declared a National Monument, which is still the center of town.

Between 1906 and 1985 the valley was traveled by train: the military branch line from Puente Alto to El Volcán climbed the hillside and carried the cargo of the mines and the mountains. Its route can still be recognized in several stretches of the road, and it explains why the villages of the cajón are where they are.

Today the valley lives on tourism and water. The El Yeso reservoir, at 2,500 meters, supplies much of Santiago, and its surroundings concentrate the hot springs, glaciers and trails that make the Cajón the closest mountain getaway to the capital.

Qué ver

Must-sees in Cajón del Maipo

Los lugares que no puedes dejar de visitar en el destino.

San José de Maipo

The capital of the valley and its 1792 square, with the adobe-and-timber church declared a National Monument. Starting point and supply stop for almost every trip into the cajón.

Embalse El Yeso

The turquoise mirror at 2,500 meters that supplies Santiago with water, wedged between peaks above 4,000. The gravel road up to it is part of the outing.

Monumento Natural El Morado

A protected area run by CONAF, with a trail climbing from Baños Morales to the lagoon and the San Francisco glacier, at the foot of Cerro El Morado.

Cascada de las Ánimas

A Nature Sanctuary in the hands of the same family for four generations. Rafting, horseback riding, trails and lodging in native forest above the Maipo River.

Termas Valle de Colina

Thermal pools on stepped terraces above the valley, at over 2,500 meters. The water comes down the mountain and each terrace has its own temperature.

Baños Morales

A mountain hamlet with ferruginous mineral-water pools, with the entrance to the El Morado Monument steps away. Open mainly in the summer season.

Baños Azules

Bluish thermal springs deep in the mountain range, at the far end of the valley. Reached on foot and usually almost empty.

Termas del Plomo

The most remote hot springs in the cajón, past the El Yeso reservoir along a high-mountain road. Rustic pools among glaciers, with no infrastructure.

Glaciar Nieves Negras

A glacier covered in volcanic sediment that gives it its dark color, at the end of a demanding trek along the San José volcano route.

Laguna de Los Patos

A high-altitude lagoon surrounded by wet meadows and moraines, in a little-visited part of the valley. A full-day trek with views of the border range.

Mirador de Cóndores

A natural balcony over the cajón where condors glide at eye level, riding the thermals of the ravine.

Mirador de El Ingenio

An open view over the bend of the river and the village of El Ingenio, beside the main road. A short stop with one of the best panoramas of the valley.

Río Maipo

The river that names and shapes the cajón: it comes down from the glaciers and organizes the whole valley. It's the setting for rafting and kayaking in the area.

Las Melosas

Wet meadows and sclerophyllous forest at the far end of the Volcán river valley, with gentle trails and a camping area. A good destination with children.

Los Manyos

A ravine with crystal-clear pools and waterfalls near San Alfonso. A summer refuge for swimming a few meters from the road.

Puente El Cristo

A suspension bridge over the Maipo River, one of the valley's historic crossings and a must-photograph spot on the way into the cajón.

Heritage Railway

The memory of the branch line that linked Puente Alto with El Volcán between 1906 and 1985. Stations, stretches of track and rolling stock preserved in the valley.

Observatorio Astronómico Roan Jasé

A mountain observatory with telescopes and guided talks, taking advantage of the cajón's clear skies for night-time observation.

Casa Chocolate

An artisan chocolate shop on the road to the volcano, a must-stop on almost every trip into the valley. Chocolate made in plain view and mountain coffee.

Where to eat, sleep and shop

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Cajón del Maipo

Routes to Cajón del Maipo

Cajón del Maipo – San José + Casa Chocolate