11 Best Sights in El Norte Chico, Chile

Although there are more established observatories in the area, Alfa Aldea has made its mark on the astronomy world due to the flawless attention to detail and excellent customer service. With a glass of wine in hand, embark on a journey to the beginning of time as the dome above you transforms into an interactive and 3D exploration. While lounging among comfortable seating, carpeted floors, and blankets, a bilingual astronomer explains the inner workings of the universe. Afterward, you pop outside beneath the stars to peep at constellations, nebulas, planets, and the moon with a real telescope before listening to light transformed into sound waves by a radio telescope, one of the very few available to tourists in the area. You will need to book your visit here in advance.

About 4 km (3 miles) past Pisco Elqui lies this operational pisco distillery. Guided tours show you around its workings and culminate in the basement, where the original owner and his partners would raid the stock for prolonged, secretive drinking sessions. More clearheaded visitors should note that he and his friends also found time to amass a rather morbid collection of epithets, now displayed on the walls. If you want to get to the dregs of this valley´s historic distillery story, this is the site to visit.

Housing many fascinating artifacts and one of the world's best collections of precolonial ceramics, this museum is a must-see for anyone interested in the history of the region. Reopened in 2021 after a 10-year restoration, the museum's new curation contains a beautifully housed collection of Diaguita and Molle pottery, an Easter Island moai (carved stone head), bones of the mysterious American Horse, and a raft made of seal skins sown together with cactus spines.

This museum offers a geological history of the region and the country's best collection of rocks and minerals. There are close to 2,500 samples, including some found only in the Atacama Desert. The museum even displays a few meteorites that fell in the area.

One of the many tourist observatories to pop up across the region catering to the growing numbers of visitors keen to catch their own glimpse of the mysteries of the universe, Pangue—17 km (11 miles) south of Vicuña—boasts more firepower than most, with arguably the most powerful telescope in the region. Through the 16- and 25-inch telescopes, you can view solar systems, planets, galaxies, and nebulae. The standard tour allows enough time to see eight to 10 such phenomena, while budding stargazers are welcome to bring their own list, and tour guides can help you find them. Tours can be organized from the tour office at San Martín 233 in Vicuña and are available in English, French, and Spanish. Note that tours do not run for the week around each full moon.

This national reserve stretching for 40 km (25 miles) along the coast north of the town of Chañaral has some of Chile's most spectacular coastal scenery. Steep cliffs fall into the crashing sea, their ominous presence broken occasionally by white-sand beaches made for picnics. Within the park is an incredible variety of flora and fauna, including sea lions, sea otters, foxes, and the very rare Peruvian diving petrel, as well as some 20 species of cacti, including the rare copiapoa, which resembles a little blue pin cushion. At the tiny fishing village of Caleta Pan de Azúcar, you can find several local guides who can take you on boat trips to see colonies of Humboldt penguins.

Stretching from the southernmost tip of Bahía Inglesa right around the bay, Playa Las Machas has escaped the attention of the majority of tourists and is a relaxing alternative to the more crowded beaches in the town proper. Whether you decide to explore the long shoreline on foot, taking in the dramatic scenery as you go, or find yourself a secluded spot for sunbathing and to get away from it all, this white-sand beach is a great place to while away a lazy afternoon. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; sunset; surfing; walking.

Even though it's a bit of a trek, this stunning package of bleach-white sand, turquoise water, and rocky desert scenery is worth the trip. The 17-km (10-mile) journey south from Coquimbo is more than made up for by the natural advantages of the beach and the perfect conditions for swimming, diving, fishing, and snorkeling. Amenities: food and drink (summer only); parking (fee). Best for: snorkeling; sunset; surfing; swimming; walking.

One of the more intriguing spots in all of Norte Chico, this isolated and sprawling protected wilderness area is crisscrossed by unexplained holes in the stone floor, made most likely by the Molle and Diaguita cultures. Also dotted all around the park are rock carvings known as petroglyphs and pictographs, which date back from about 4,000 years and feature everything from a (supposed) alien to people with elaborate headdresses. Wildlife roams everywhere here, so keep an eye out for the liebre (hare), loica (long-tailed meadowlark), and the degu, a native rodent.

Sometimes a guide waits near the petroglyphs and can show you the best of the carvings for a small fee. To reach the site, take Ruta 45 west from Ovalle. About 19 km (12 miles) out of town, head south for 5 km (3 miles) on a rough, dry road.

This small-scale winemaker is a Limari Valley pioneer, known for producing premium quality wines that highlight the character of each of their vineyards. The winery can be found on the same unpaved road that leads to the Valle del Encanto and makes a perfect place to relax after exploring the petroglyphs. Tours, which must be reserved at least one day in advance, include a tasting session in the impressive underground cellar. It's open only on weekends for appointments made in advance.

Ancient viticulture meets avant garde techniques at this unimposing but extraordinary vineyard near the head of the Elqui Valley. Their two-hour tour begins with a drive through an eclectic mix of vines such as Carménère, Petit Verdot, Carignan, and Touriga Nacional. Next, see the barn housing maceration pools where, during harvest season, tourists can still help trample barefoot on the grapes. Finally, travel underground into a James Bond–esque room where giant concrete vats ferment the wine. After the tour, try three wines with a selection of cheese and dry fruit. If you visit one vineyard in Chile, make it this one.