SMALL DESERT

Duration: Six Days Five Nights

Time of year: all year round

Day 1 Our guide will pick you up at the airport of La Serena, or your hotel. Transfer to city lookout to get bearings and begin to understand the surroundings, here we will brief you on the program and resolve any questions you may have. We then drive into the city to visit the Arquelogical Museum to learn about the pre-columbian cultures that inhabited this region of the country. Afterwards we will drive south along the coast to Fray Jorge National Park and UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. Here we will find a natural treasure for the region, a relict native forest set in the Coastal range, which we will get to experience first hand and learn more about in its Environmental Education Center. After enjoying the forest and the views of the coast we head to our final destination fro the day, a charming typical hotel of the area, where you will be able to enjoy hot mineral water baths and pools and rest. Welcome diner and full program briefing.

Day 2 After an easy breakfast, we will drive for about 10km north to our trail head for the day. Here we will hike a beautiful valley shows the habitat and environment in which the Molle culture thrived hunting and gathering nearly 2000 b.c. This route will lead us towards the National Monument Valle del Encanto, arqueological treasure where we will find a wide range of petroglifs craved by this ancient culture. Afterwards we will head on to the Tabali winery to visit their vineyards, cava and production area. We will finish with a tasting of regional products and a tasting of their different wines. Return to hotel to rest and use the pools. Dinner.

Day 3 After breakfast, leave the hotel to drive into the valley towards the town of Ovalle. Located at the old train station, we visit the Limari Museum, that presents an important collection of antique ceramic and cultural heritage of the Diaguita Culture from this region. Later we will drive towards the valley of the Hurtado River where we will be able to understand and appreciate the geography of the region and the culture of the local community. We will then cross over the Andes piedmont to the valley of the Elqui River, and visit the town of Vicuña, famous for its Nobel award winning poetize Gabriela Mistral. In the afternoon we will drive to the town of Pisco Elqui to spend the night in an authentic small valley town. Diner and stargazing before bed.

Day 4 After breakfast visit the charming small town of Pisco Elqui, and get to know firsthand the process of how pisco is produced by visiting the distillery Mistral. Afterwards we will head down valley to Chalpica, to visit a local artisan arts and crafts center where you will learn about the techniques and lives of the local women weavers. Then continue down valley to the small village of Villaseca, for a nice Chilean lunch prepared in solar powered hand crafted kitchens. After lunch, we make our way back to the city of La Serena, afternoon to relax and enjoy. Diner.

Day 5 Early in the morning, before dawn, we will pick you up and head out, north of La Serena towards the Humboldt Penguin National Reserve, which consist of three rocky islands and white sand beach surrounded by turquoise waters filled with marine wildlife like penguins, sea lions, seals, a colony of dolphins and a large variety of bird life. Once there we will prepare our gear and kayaks (comfortable Necky amaruk models) and after the safety talk and receiving paddling instructions we will paddle to the Damas Island. Here we will have lunch, be able to walk around and explore the island and rest for a couple of hours. Afterwards we will return to the mainland in our kayaks where we will be picked up and driven back for the night. Lodging in Punta de Choros. Farewell diner.

Day 6 Breakfast and transfer to La Serena airport or your hotel. End of services.

Note: The program can be modified at any moment due to changes in the condition of the sea or any other situation that affects the integrity of the group. If we are on the mainland and we cannot cross due to the evaluation of the conditions carried out by our guide, we will wait until the conditions improve. This may include a change of the condition of the sea after staying at the Damas island, which could mean that we have to stay on the island a little longer. These situations cannot be predicted and are out of our control so they are not a reason for a refund.

Overland

The Map - IV Region