The view of the Andes of Cerro San Cristobal above Santiago, Chile.
Brian Mann/NPR
Hide caption
Schakel Caption
Brian Mann/NPR
Santiago, Chile – it’s autumn in South America and in the capital of Chile, Santiago, that means great walking weather in the steep hills above the city.
Santiago is huge, more than six million people spread across the flat central valley of the country. Striking from the busy neighborhoods of the city are wooded hills volcanic rock.
After a few minutes of climbing, the sound and the hustle and bustle make way for pine forests, birds and sweeping.

Trees, wild flowers and cacti intersersen the paths on Cerro San Cristobal.
Brian Mann/NPR
Hide caption
Schakel Caption
Brian Mann/NPR
On Cerro San Cristobal, the dust path rises past beautiful old stone walls. There are wild flowers and enough shade among the peppercorns everywhere to sit on a warm Sunday morning and enjoy the view.

The hills above Santiago, Chile, offer a little wildness in the middle of a vibrant capital.
Brian Mann/NPR
Hide caption
Schakel Caption
Brian Mann/NPR
Despite the sun, there was still missing in the valley on this day. The towers and hills of the city seemed to float on clouds.
In the vicinity of the top, two men who turn out to be Park Rangers are on beautiful brown horses.

Morning Fog Shrows Santiago’s neighborhoods and hills during an autumn walk.
Brian Mann/NPR
Hide caption
Schakel Caption
Brian Mann/NPR
The top of San Cristobal rises almost a thousand feet above Santiago. It can be busy. There is a tower -high white statue of the Virgin Mary where people are going to pray.
But a side path leads to the trees where the forest opens to a great view of the city and the Andes in the distance. The mountains come up like a curtain wall, crowned by a long buttresses of snow fields and ice cream against the blue sky.

Santiago rises over the central valley of Chile, but the city is framed by the soing Andes Mountains.
Brian Mann/NPR
Hide caption
Schakel Caption
Brian Mann/NPR
#walk #Cerro #San #Cristobal #beautiful #view #Chilean #Andes