5-days Exploration At Elqui Valley & Humboldt Penguins National Reserve

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at La Serena and Transfer to hotel

Stop At: La Serena, La Serena, Coquimbo Region
You will be picked up from airport at the time your flight arrives, and you will be transferred to your hotel.
In the afternoon, we will pick you up at your hotel. We will begin by the historical center of La Serena, with a visit to the Recova, old handcraft site of the city. Subsequently, we will go to the Main Square, where we will see emblematic buildings of the place, like the old house of former president Gabriel González Videla and the Cathedral of La Serena.
The route will take us to La Serena's Lighthouse, place from where we will advance by the Avenida del Mar towards the city of Coquimbo. There, we will visit the Third Millennium Cross, religious monument built in the El Vigía hill to commemorate the Great Jubilee in the year 2000.We will be able to enter and traverse the chapel of the place, at the same time we receive information about the history of this monument’s construction.
Our next stop will be the Fort Coquimbo or Fort Lambert, built to defend the bay during the war with Spain, used after for the Pacific War. After listening the stories and legends of Coquimbo streets, 3 hours after the beginning of the tour, we will finish the service arriving at your hotel.
Duration: 4 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight at a 3* Hotel in La Serena (Hotel Diego de Almagro or similar)

Day 2: La Serena - Tour Elqui Valley

Stop At: Elqui Valley, Elqui Valley, Coquimbo Region
We will pick you up at your hotel to begin our travel to the Elqui Valley. Our first stop will be the Puclaro Reservoir, where we will get to know the history of Gualliguaica. Then, we will make a stop in Paiguano, where we will have a panoramic view of the valley.After that, we will get to Montegrande, place where Gabriela Mistral lived during her childhood and adolescence. In this place we will be able to visit the church and pass by the front of the Casa Escuela Gabriela Mistral Museum.
The next point will be the small town of Pisco Elqui, where we can have lunch.
After the break, we will go by a handcraft gallery and a little square outside the Nuestra Señora del Rosario church, which contains the only monument in Chile designed by Gustave Eiffel.
We will visit a pisco destillery to learn about the elaboration process of this liquor.
The last visit will be to the town of Vicuña, where Gabriela Mistral was born, to traverse its streets and the museum dedicated to this wll known Chilean poet.
The tour will finish in the city of La Serena.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Overnight at a 3* Hotel in La Serena (Hotel Diego de Almagro or similar)


Day 3: La Serena - Humboldt Penguins National Reserve

Stop At: Reserva Nacional Pinguino de Humboldt, Punta Choros Chile
Hotel pick up early morning to go up to Punta de Choros. From this point we will sail towards the Humboldt Penguin National Reserve. We will navigate through two islands: Choros Island and Damas Island. In Choros Island we will see the sea fauna, with sea otters, diving petrels, and Humboldt penguins, at a distance of 30 to 80 m, depending on the sea conditions. After sailing around this island, we will go to the Damas Island, where we will disembark for 1 hour. The island has a white sand beach, crystal clear waters and tracks to go over and see the flora and fauna of the place. Back in the continent, we will have lunch in a typical food restaurant.
On our way back to La Serena, we will see the semi-desert flora and fauna before reaching the city.
*It is important to notice that the number of penguins and other animals in the area may vary due to different nature factors not manageable when making the tour.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Overnight at a 3* Hotel in La Serena (Hotel Diego de Almagro or similar)


Day 4: La Serena - Mamalluca Observatory

Pass By: Mamalluca Observatory, San Martin 275, Vicuna 1760000 Chile
Day is at leisure.
Expand your view of the universe with this astronomical tour at the Mamalluca Observatory.
We will pick you up at your hotel to start the Mamalluca Observatory tour, located very close to the Vicuña city. We will begin with a brief introductory talk, and then move on to the observation with telescopes. In this part, we will identify stars, constellations and planets through manual telescopes, which they will teach us how to use. The observation will be accompanied by the guide’s explanation, taking advantage of one of the clearest skies of the planet to carry out this activity. Finally, we will enter to the observatory to use the high-tech telescope in the main dome of this facility. Then, we will return to La Serena city. *is subject to optimal weather conditions.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at a 3* Hotel in La Serena (Hotel Diego de Almagro or similar)


Day 5: Transfer Out to La Serena Airport

Pass By: La Florida International Airport, Aeropuerto La Florida - Coquimbo, La Serena, Coquimbo, Chile
Transfer Out to La Serena Airport

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.