Active tourism: more and more families are choosing adventure inside Chile

With the second half of the year under way, the winter season is consolidating as one of the busiest periods for domestic tourism in Chile. And there is a deeper change in how families travel: more and more are choosing to combine nature, physical activity and outdoor experiences in a single trip, leaving behind tourism built purely around rest.

Rest is no longer the only purpose

Activities such as low-effort trekking, horse riding, snow resorts with a family offer and moderate adventure circuits have been gaining ground among domestic travellers. This is not extreme adventure, but programmes designed so the whole group can take part.

For Marcelo Rollandi, founder of Vivencias Travel, the shift is one of expectation, not fashion: movement, contact with nature and time together, without demanding high physical effort.

"Today an active but accessible family trip predominates: short walks, horse riding, outings in the snow and outdoor activities that both children and older adults can enjoy." — Marcelo Rollandi, founder of Vivencias Travel

Why it is growing

The phenomenon responds to several factors that reinforce one another: greater awareness of the benefits of being outdoors, an increasingly professional domestic travel offer, and families' interest in disconnecting from screens and sharing real experiences.

"Families are looking to go back to the simple things: being together, moving, enjoying their surroundings." — Marcelo Rollandi

Central Chile and the south: where demand concentrates

As for destinations, central Chile —with the mountains a few hours from Santiago— and the south, with its lakes, volcanoes and forests, draw the most interest for this kind of travel. Both combine three decisive advantages for a family trip: proximity to urban centres, good connections and an increasingly broad range of activities for every age.

Safety and logistics: the part you do not improvise

When a family trip includes adventure activities, planning stops being a detail. Rollandi insists on three basics before setting out:

Certified guides. Any outdoor activity with children or older adults should have professional supervision.

Weather conditions. Check them before leaving, and be willing to change the plan if they do not cooperate.

Activities matched to each person. Choose according to the real age and fitness of every member of the group, not the average.

"Planning is key so the adventure is a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone." — Marcelo Rollandi

Programmes built for mixed groups

The operational challenge in this segment is that a family is rarely homogeneous: the same group can include an eight-year-old, a teenager and a grandparent. That is why Vivencias Travel designs circuits with different levels of difficulty and adaptable activities, with professional supervision and safety protocols built in.

"Our job is to build experiences tailored to each family, taking into account the children's ages, the fitness of the older adults and the interests of the whole group." — Marcelo Rollandi

Vivencias Travel is a tour operator founded in Bariloche with a presence in Chile, Brazil and Mexico, specialising in group and individual travel experiences. Its main focus is study trips, experiential travel, adventure activities, excursions and tailor-made programmes. It offers 24/7 support and professional guides with deep knowledge of Patagonia and international destinations.