The Elqui Valley

The Elqui valley cuts inland from the Pacific into the southern edge of the Atacama, a thin ribbon of irrigated green between bare ochre mountains. The dryness, the altitude and the almost total absence of cloud and light pollution give it some of the clearest skies anywhere, which is why a cluster of major international observatories sit on the ridges above and why a string of small tourist observatories run nightly stargazing for visitors. The same conditions grow the muscat grapes that go into pisco, and distilleries in Pisco Elqui and around Vicuña run tastings. The valley also has a long association with the poet Gabriela Mistral, born in Vicuña, and a reputation among Chileans as a place people come for silence and stargazing.

What you actually see

• Night sky tours - small observatories running telescope sessions most clear nights.
• Pisco distilleries - tastings and tours around Pisco Elqui and Vicuña.
• The Gabriela Mistral museum - the poet's life and work, in her home town of Vicuña.
• Cochiguaz - the quiet upper side valley, popular for retreats and star camping.

When to go

Skies are clear most of the year, but tours pause around the full moon since it washes out the stars, so check the lunar calendar before booking. Summer nights are warm; winter nights are cold and often the clearest.

Honest expectations

Stargazing tours are cancelled by cloud and effectively pointless near a full moon, which catches many visitors out. The professional observatories on the ridges mostly do not take casual visitors, and the ones that do require booking well ahead. Pisco Elqui village is small and gets busy in January and February with Chilean holidaymakers.

Nearby

La Serena and its beaches lie on the coast; the Atacama proper is far to the north.