The Río Olivares Valley is a high Andean valley in the Cajón del Maipo area, in the Santiago Metropolitan Region of Chile. It is also known as the Valle del Río Olivares. Fed by glacial meltwater, it runs through dramatic mountain scenery, and it is one of the main glacial valleys in the vicinity of Valle Nevado, stretching toward the Argentine border.
What the valley offers
The valley is best suited to visitors who come for the landscape. Its setting is one of high mountains and glacial terrain, with the river carrying meltwater down through the valley floor. For many people, the appeal lies in simply being among the peaks and watching how the terrain changes as the valley climbs toward the border.
Planning a visit
- Location: Cajón del Maipo, within the Santiago Metropolitan Region, reached from the Chilean capital.
- Nearby: Valle Nevado, the ski area that sits among the same glacial valleys.
- Character: A high-altitude, mountain setting, best approached with the conditions of the Andes in mind.
Because the valley is high and glacially fed, the scenery and the river can look quite different from one season to the next. Visitors who want to see more of the area can combine a trip here with the wider Cajón del Maipo, which offers further mountain landscapes around Santiago.
