Santiago Cordillera

Just a couple of hours away from Santiago, in the Andean range, one can find true natural treasures. One of them is the Rio Clarillo National Reserve, in the transition area between the plains and the cordillera itself. The Clarillo river flows down from the mountains forming small water pits where people can bathe and enjoy the surrounding woods. Together with some friends, I went to spend a day there, do a barbecue and enjoy the river and the sun.

Deeper into the Andes, there is the already mentioned Cajón de Maipo, which I'd visited during winter and was covered in snow (see here). This time the landscape was completely different, full of vegetation and with visible glaciers. A 3-hour trek leads to the bottom of the San Francisco glacier, passing by a small lagoon. In the glacier there is an ice cave that you can enter. Amazing experience! February is typically the holiday month in Chile, which makes it a good time to be at Santiago. That is what I've been doing, spending time with friends as time slowly runs out...