Where is Penitentes Centro de Esqui?

Los Penitentes Ski Resort is located on the international highway that connects Santiago in Chile and Mendoza in Argentina, just 15 miles (25km) from the Chile-Argentina border.

Penitentes is 114 miles (183km) west of the city of Mendoza, the wine capital of Argentina.

10km (6 miles) west of the Penitentes ski area is the entrance to the Aconcagua National Park, and with a 5 minute walk you’ll be able to get a glimpse of Aconcagua which soars up to 6,961 metres (22,838 ft).

Nearby and 8km west of Penitentes is Puente del Inca, which features a small canyon with a historic hot springs bath where the train used to stop.

Other Ski Resorts Nearby

Los Puquois Ski Resort is 5km (3 miles) west of Penitentes. This is a little family ski area with delightfully easy slopes, although the terrain above it is very steep.

Portillo Chile is only 30km (19 miles) to the west.

Las Lenas Ski Resort in Argentina is far away – 497km (309 miles) by road to the south.

Flights

Mendoza is the main gateway airport, which is 6km from the city of Mendoza, with flights from Buenos Aires and Santiago. You can search for flight options here.

Santiago Airport could also be an access point, which is 183km from Penitentes.

Driving to Penitentes

From Mendoza, the 183km drive to Los Penitentes is rather dramatic, with lots of big mountains (and an abundance of trucks!). It’s not clear whether chains are compulsory to carry when driving to Penitentes, yet if you want to play it safe, there are various cadena rental outlets in the town of Uspallata (63km from Penitentes) for which you’ll need to pay cash. Also be aware that most of the petrol stations in the towns along the way only take cash.

If driving to Penitentes from Santiago or Portillo you’ll need to cross the border. Crossing the border in a rental car may require some pre-planning because some car rental companies don’t allow it, or require you to apply for a permit. Be aware that the road over the Andes can be closed during and after a storm, and that the border crossing through Los Libertadores tunnel can be time consuming.

Day trippers to Penitentes will be charged a parking fee to park in the muddy car park.

Bus to Penitentes

There is regular bus transport to Penitentes from either Mendoza or Santiago, but if you don’t read Spanish you’ll need to find someone to help you book a ticket.