One of the 10 best regions in the world to visit 2019! especially for lovers of nature, heritage and astrotourism.
Solar eclipse 2019: Heaven is heaven
In most places in Chile Argentina and Bolivia you will see a partial solar eclipse. But those who plan to trip to the Elqui Valley, will enjoy a visual spectacle of nature that has shocked the entire world, especially for astrotourism lovers, since the solar eclipse will be total. La Serena, Coquimbo and Elqui Valley will be privileged places to contemplate the beauty of the universe in all its splendor.
Among the observatories that can be visited are Cerro Tololo, Mamalluca, Del Pangue, Collowara, Cancana and Gemini, among others. Some of them will be available and open to the public, while others will be reserved for scientific research of the sun and the earth.
Tourism in the Elqui Valley is very developed. It has luxury hotels, exquisite restaurants with local cuisine and different tourist services. Do not miss a night ride to explore the mountain valleys and contemplate the stars under the light of the moon. The excursion begins at sunset to appreciate the landscape and ends in total darkness to appreciate the beauties of the Milky Way.
Heritage, culture and archeology in the Elqui Valley
An important cultural legacy for Chile and the whole world is what the Chilean poet Gabriela Mistral left us, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1945. Her past history will be found in the Elqui Valley, where she lived a large part of his life .
In the city of Vicuña there is the Gabriela Mistral Museum where there is a collection of photos, letters, objects and a large part of his poetic work.
Solar gastronomy in Valle del Elqui
Skies cleared 300 days a year and considered one of the purest in the world for its low light pollution. But we will talk about the beauty of the Elqui Valley, but a discovery that is attracting thousands of tourists who come to taste the delicious products that are born from the sun through solar ovens that heat naturally. A solar oven is a hand-built structure that uses concentrated solar energy to produce the effect of high temperatures and thus heat food.
Among the most popular dishes, there is the Chilean casserole that locals say they are large that they serve in a clay pot or directly in a small pot.
Other tourists prefer barbecue that includes steak, boneless chicken breast, loin, sausages and the traditional chunchule. As a finishing touch, there is the dessert, which usually offers papayas in juice or the classic mote with huesillos. All this is accompanied with a kneading bread that is heated with sunlight through a natural process.
The route of Pisco!
The Elqui Valley is much more than the flavors of Syrah and Muscat. We invite you to visit the Pisco factories in northern Chile, where you will learn about the mysteries of the famous Chilean pisco.
Where is this exquisite liqueur made with an intense fruit aroma? The pisco route includes to visit through the whole process, which goes from the reception of the grape, the vinification, distillation, storage and preparation.
But this is not all.
A few kilometers south of La Serena is the Limarí Valley. It is characterized by its fertile land for the production of pisco and wines, highlighting its landscape of light green for the Sauvignon Blanc, dark green for the Chardonnay and Cabernet and the natural green for the grapevines of table. This colorful paints the landscape that is crossed by two rivers that are born in the Cordillera de los Andes. A glass of wine and a tour of its vineyards?