Snowboarding advice - chile or argentina?

Question

I am a 36 y/old south african guy looking to see a bit of both countries, but am wondering which is a cheaper destination Chile or Argentina? Which would be more interesting culturally also?

Can you also tell me which people are friendlier?

Answer 1

Argentina i thought it was a lot ncer and the boarding was good and people are really nicce. Argentina is not that expensive. Cutuarllay i think both of them are good. Argentina i do recommend going too its worth it.

Answer 2

I have to say that people are nicer in Argentina. However, the culture in Chile remains unmodified while in Argentina everything is just too westernized nowadays. Now, when it comes to prices, I think Argentina is cheaper (and there is more people in the Argentina side too).

Answer 3

I cannot remember so much the prices but i do know that i like   boarding in Chile more than Argentina. But people in Argentina were nicer in my oppinion

Answer 4

Chile has amazing locations for snowboarding... the US ski team trains there in the Winter (I've ran into them on a plane).

Regarding price, if you had asked a couple of years ago I would have recommended Argentina, as their economy was floundering and prices were very cheap.  Now, I'd say they are very similar when it comes to lodging and lift tickets.  The one advantage in Chile is that you are very close to the city.  In other words, you can go from one of the best malls in Santiago to skiing in Valle Nevado in an hour.  On the other hand, you can also drive from the city to the ocean in a couple of hours.  Ski resorts in Argentina are very far from the capital.  Take a look at a map and you'll understand what I mean.

Answer 5

Chile have the best sky centers in South America, Valle Nevado have a half-pipe and tracks specially designed for snowboard for free style and you can find extreme slopes if you like the free ride. Velle nevado is close to the capital city Santiago, the road that connect them you will find, in a little bit lower in altitude, the Farellones town  where are El Colorado and La Parva sky centers. Together with Valle Nevado is the biggest sky-able surface in South America. Also Valle Nevado, due its altitude (2800 to 3100 m above the sea level) have excepcional climate and snow quality (don't get confuse sometimes can be very rought but most of the time the wheather is great). There are also others alternatives such Portillo, with the most extreme slops, and Termas de Chillan where you can find the largest traks and after a hard day of snowboarding, you can relax in the hot springs (termas in spanish) of the hotel. There are many other sky centers in Chile and some of them are also combined with hot springs.

In the Argentinian side you have near to Bariloche town Cerro Catedral sky center. This is a great center with good accommodations and a very big sky surface, not very good slopes, good food and chocolate, but sometimes they didn't have snow because in that side of the Andes the only moisture come from the Pacific ocean, so it have to cross all the mountains for get there, if is a dry winter in the Chilean side (like probably going to be this year)  there will be no snow for Bariloche.

Summarizing if you want snowboarding in world class traks I defenitly choose Valle Nevado or Farellones. If you like something more relaxing I choose Termas de Chillan. If you want something more touristic I defenitly choose Bariloche.

I think that Argentina is a chaper destination, but I don't quite sure because the turistic towns tends to be a lot more expensive. I also think that both Argentinians and Chileans are frendly and you will have great time in both countries.  

PD: I have been in all those places