Valle de Elqui
Starting in the city of La Serena, and traveling
along route 41, or International Highway Gabriela Mistral, which
passes through the quiet town of Vicuña (which is also the
route to San Juan, Argentina), around kilometer 25, one can observe
the majestic scenery of Valle de Elqui. Provided here is a panoramic
view, which allows one to see the parched hills, rising from both
sides, to reveal the lush valley at the center, and the highway,
which snakes through this scenery, beckons one to continue on toward
the cordillera of the Andes.
The many attractions, found along the
hundreds of kilometers of highway 41, are very diverse. One of the
first places that travelers can call on is Algarrobito, a small town
whose inhabitants have specialized in the production of manjar de
leche, and other sweets that tempt both children and adults. Another
example, El Molle, is a place with many restaurants, swimming pools,
campgrounds, and hotels whose operations are based on the use of the
ecological richness of the region. El Molle also holds another
special appeal, as the home of the national artist, Monserrat
Castedo. Her work of fine embroidered images, on cloth, is inspired
by the beautiful environment 
of the Elqui Valley. After traveling
through the towns, the interior of the valley and the city of
Vincuña, where many tourist attractions can be found, the
traveler can visit museums, squares, plazas, the pisquera Capel, and
other areas of interest, such as the Communal Observatory Cerro
Mamalluca.
Continuing on, in the same easterly
direction, one will discover the quaint town of Chapilca, known for
the attractive work done by its weavers. The traditional Chapilca is
maintained, thanks to the experienced hands of these women. 18
kilometers past Vicuna, the highway forks, and to reach Chapilca it
is necessary to take the fork that that goes northeast, which
corresponds to the route that goes to the international pass Agua
Negra, through highway 41. In Chapilca, the older women have
organized a center of artisan weavers, and with the product of their
labor, help to sustain their homes. These earnings compliment the
income received by younger men and women, who work in agrarian
activities, especially during the grape season. They link the
technique of the pedal weaving machine, acquired from the colonial
period, and the motifs of the autochthonous towns. The weavers
illuminate the small space of this town with their colorful, vibrant
works. To improve their works, through their own organization and the
diverse external support, the women have discovered techniques for
dyeing wool, utilizing natural materials. Sitting beneath the shadow
of a Hawthorne, or Carob tree, these women weave together past and
present, hoping to sell these works, that attract visitors from afar,
and which are the fruits of old traditions that struggle to survive
into the future.
If the traveler, confronted with the
fork of route 41, opts to veer toward the south, they will find
another part of the Elqui Valley, Rio Claro. This will put the
traveler in touch with the towns of Paihuano, which is the capitol of
the county, Montegrande, Pisco Elqui, and the interior valleys of
Cochiguaz and Alcohuaz. In the town of Montegrande rests the grave of
Gabriela Mistral, a famous Chilean poet and Nobel Prize laureate in
literature, who was born and lived in this area during her childhood
and youth. She also taught in this region and, for this reason, the
old schoolhouse in which she taught has been transformed into a small
museum. Also found in Montegrande is a Zen art gallery, which
conducts relaxation workshops and sells natural products, such as
perfumes made with the essence of wildflowers.
In Montegrande, the road forks, with
one direction leading to Pisco Elqui, a town that, until January 11,
1936, bore the name La Union. However, for pure strategic commercial
motive, and through a supreme decree, the name was changed to Pisco
Elqui, which remains until today. This change was made to defend the
denomination of the origin of pisco, whose paternity is claimed, internationally, by the
country of Peru. Pisco Elqui is quiet and picturesque, with the town
plaza as the point of encounter for residents and visitors alike. In
the center of the plaza rests a beautiful ornamental water fountain,
decorated by fine carved figures of small children. To the side of
the plaza is a Gothic style church, whose tower is raised,
imposingly, to the transparent skies of Elqui.
An interesting attraction in Pisco
Elqui is Solar de Pisco Control, and its plant, which can be visited
to learn about the process and history of pisco production. Another
obliged stop in this town is El Fundo Los Nichos, known for its
"three R" piscos, named for its original owner, Rodrigo Rodriguez
Rodriguez. There, one can discover its fascinating storage cellar,
whose walls are adorned in peculiar drawings of the medical doctor,
Tole Peralta, and Roman Neoclassical reproductions. In its lower
level, there exist the niches, from which the name El Fundo Los
Nichos is derived. 
The niches are built into the walls and have the
characteristics of an ossuary. Vintage bottles of pisco fill the
niches, where they are preserved, creating a pisco museum, of sorts.
While visiting El Fundo Los Nichos, one can hear the engaging story
of the history of the niches. This story tells of patrons who, during
the early days of El Fundo Los Nichos, would sit, drinking pisco
there, until they reached a state of unconsciousness. They were then
placed inside the niches, where they were left to sleep off the
effects of the pisco. Upon waking, they found themselves "buried" in
the tomb-like niches. Each niche displays an inscription, written,
during the "sleep of the dead", in tribute to its inhabitant.
At the fork in the road in Montegrande,
one can choose the other direction, heading toward Cochiguaz. This
area concentrates on activities that exhibit all of the mystic
enchantment of Valle de Elqui. There exist several communities that
deepen their knowledge of the esoteric school by carrying out
meditative and spiritual retreats and natural therapies, such as
massage, acupuncture, etc. Restaurants, here, offer a cuisine based
on naturalist and vegetarian preferences. Cochiguaz is also an area
rich in ecotouristic activities such as mountain climbing, biking,
horseback riding and stargazing. It offers attractive tourist resorts
with cabins and camping. All of this mystique is framed by rustic
scenery and covered by one of the most desired skies of the world,
for astronomical observations.