Chile - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 402

EATING
Los Jugos Plaza de Armes. Delicious fruit juices and large
portions of pizza (CH$3000).
El Ranchito de Don René Centenario s/n, just up from
the church. Serves Chilean classics, such as pastel de choclo
(CH$4900), on a shaded patio.

hour before the tour starts. Reserve
tickets in advance, especially in the peak
months from December to February.

Pisco Elqui
The green and laidback village of
PISCO ELQUI boasts a beautiful hillside
setting alongside the Río Clara, with
unparalleled views of the Elqui Valley.
he shaded Plaza de Armas , with its
brightly painted Gothic church, hosts
the Mercado Artesanal in the summer.
A block away, the Destileria Pisco Mistral
is Chile's oldest pisco distillery, and offers
guided tours (O'Higgins 746; daily:
Jan-Feb 11.30am-7.30pm; March-Dec
10.30am-6pm; CH$5000; T 51 451358)
complete with tastings. Los Nichos (daily
tours at 1pm and 3.30pm, CH$1,000) is
an old-fashioned distillery 3km south of
Pisco Elqui, and worth visiting to see
pisco processed by hand.
Be warned there are no ATMs in town,
so bring plenty of cash.
ARRIVAL, INFORMATION AND
ACTIVITIES
By bus Via Elqui buses stop in front of the Plaza de Armas.
Via Elqui run to La Serena and Coquimbo (more than 20
daily; 2hr 15min) via Vicuña.
Horseriding Alcohuaz Expediciones , based in Monte
Grande, 4km before Pisco ( T 9 87881978, E alvarezhuasco
@yahoo.com, W caballo-elqui.cl), is run by a genuine
huaso (Chilean cowboy) and offers excellent horseriding
trips in the area.
Tourist information Hostel owners will be able to
help you with information, but an excellent option for
local knowledge of the area is the tour agency Turismo
Migrantes, O'Higgins s/n ( T 51 2451917, T 9 8295630,
W turismomigrantes.cl), where Bárbara and Pablo
organize pisco tours, horseriding and bike rides in the
surrounding area, and even stargazing tours at their
own home.

RESERVA NACIONAL PINGÜINO
DE HUMBOLDT
he Reserva Nacional Pingüino de
Humboldt is a remarkable marine
wildlife reserve 110km north of La
Serena, which comprises three islands
jutting from the cold Pacific waters: Isla
Chañaral, Isla Choros and Isla Damas.
The islands are home to chundungos
(sea otters), a noisy colony of sea lions ,
the Humboldt penguin , four species of
cormorants, clamouring Peruvian boobies
and countless seagulls.
Unless you plan to stay the night at
Punta de Choros (see below), it is much
easier to visit as part of a tour (see box,
p.407). Boats sail (CH$8000 per person;
sailings dependent on conditions) from
Caleta de Choros , the small fishing
community closest to the islands, along
the steep jagged coastline of Isla Choros .
You get close enough to see the wildlife in
great detail, and on the way to the island,
pods of curious bottlenose dolphins often
frolic around the boat; it's also possible to
spot humpback, blue and killer whales .
On the way back, visitors are allowed a
short ramble on sandy Isla Damas , whose
pristine beaches are home to a smaller
penguin population.
INFORMATION
Tourist information There is a Conaf-run Centro de
Información Ambiental (Mon-Thurs, Sat & Sun 8.30am-
5.30pm, Fri 8.30am-4.30pm) at Caleta de Choros, with
informative displays on local flora and fauna, and another
smaller one at Caleta Chañaral.

4

ACCOMMODATION
El Tesoro de Elqui Prat s/n T 51 2451069, W tesoro
-elqui.cl. Cosy adobe dorms and rooms - one with a
skylight for stargazing - and excellent food. The owners
can help o rganize motorbike h ire and tours. Dorms
CH$11,000 , doubles CH$37,000
Hostal Triskel Baquedano s/n T 9 94188680, W hostal
triskel.cl. Lovingly decorated rooms and decent breakfasts.
They ca n arrange h iking, biking and horseriding too.
Doubles CH$24,000

ACCOMMODATION
Camping There are opportunities for wild camping at
Punta de Choros in the summer (mid-Dec to mid-March);
reserve in advance with Conaf ( T 09 5443052). Be sure
to give names, dates (the maximum stay is three days
and two nights) and the number of campers (CH$12,000/
site for up to six people). Bring all necessary supplies,
including water.