Day Trip: Cajón del Maipo and Picnic (Small Group)

Cajón del Maipo is a canyon located in the Andean southeastern portion of the Santiago Metropolitan Region. It encompasses the upper Maipo River basin, where the river has entrenched itself in a narrow valley. The zone features a series of confluent rivers such as El Volcán River, Yeso River and Colorado River, as well as other minor streams, including San Gabriel, Manzanito, Coyanco, El Sauce, El Manzano and San José. The main locality is San José de Maipo, capital of the commune that includes all of the Andean sector of the Metropolitan Region
This sector actually corresponds to the “El Yeso Reservoir”, a formidable body of water located over 2,000 m.a.s.l. , it has a capacity of 250,000,000 m3, and a depth of 55 meters. In its emerald green waters, it is possible to practice various water sports such as wind-surfing and sport fishing, all surrounded by gigantic mountains.

In this place you are going to enjoy the picnic.
The abandoned Tunel del Tinoco tunnels through the mountains along Camino Al Volcán, a remnant from the region’s railways days. Trains ran through the tunnel between 1914 and 1980. Now, it is completely dark, with a strange smell and a chilling past.
San José de Maipo is the communal capital, where the main commercial activities of the sector are located. Its picturesque architecture rescues the classic style that gave rise to the currently existing town. You can tour your Main Square and enjoy a well-deserved rest. Here interesting artisanal samples typical of the area are installed on weekends and holidays, giving the visitor the opportunity to get a nice memory of this trip.
Once we enter the G-25 route, the first town we will know is La Obra, this sector had its beginnings in 1802 because of the tasks that were carried out during the construction of the San Carlos canal, whose mouth was born in the Maipo river.

Our next destination corresponds to the town of El Canelo, which owes its name to the sacred tree of the Mapuches, which is also found in the wet streams existing in the sector. From here you can access the Purgatory Hill with 2,466 meters high and also enjoy wines and spirits from the area.

El Manzano is the fourth town that we can find in the Cajon del Maipo. It offers to the visitors sectors that invite to travel between boldos, thorns and quillayes, the estrus existing in the sector.
It is the second town we will visit, its dawn dates back to 1941 as a result of the lot of an old farm. Currently typical products such as almonds, honey, nuts and quartz crystals, meet the visitor at the sides of the road

The identity of this town encourages visitors to enjoy their beautiful natural surroundings more and more peacefully, which in some sectors is confused with the picturesqueness of their local architecture. In addition to enjoying wines and spirits from the Area

San Gabriel emerged as a small village born from livestock activities and the exploitation of quarries and mines. In this town it is possible to observe on the rocky slopes of the hills the "Cypress of the Cordillera", one of the few existing confieras in the country. A great attraction are “Los rodados de San Gabriel”
Locality that arose from the need to have natural pastures to feed the animals that came down from the mountain range. In this place you can enjoy a beautiful landscape that invites you to travel and enter the sector to enjoy more full contact with nature

Departure from Santiago city