Valle del Encanto
Hundreds of carvings and grinding hollows in a dry ravine, made by people who used it for a thousand years.
Updated 30 August 2026
The Valle del Encanto is a shallow granite ravine west of Ovalle carrying several hundred petroglyphs, pictographs and piedras tacitas - the cup-shaped hollows ground into flat rock for processing food - left by people occupying the valley from roughly 2000 BC and most strongly associated with the El Molle culture of the first millennium AD. The best known carvings are large human heads with elaborate rayed and tiered headdresses, cut into boulders on the valley floor. It was declared a national monument in 1973. Unusually for rock art, the carvings here read most clearly around midday when the sun is high.
What you'll find
- Hundreds of petroglyphs - on boulders through a granite ravine.
- Human heads with rayed headdresses - the site's characteristic figures.
- Piedras tacitas - ground hollows used for processing food.
- Best at midday - unlike most rock art, which needs low light.
When to go
Year round, around the middle of the day for the carvings. Two to three hours.
What to expect
There is no shade and it is hot in summer. Touching or chalking the carvings is prohibited and has damaged them in the past. Facilities are minimal. The track in is gravel.
Nearby
Ovalle is east; Fray Jorge national park is west towards the coast.
Key facts
Source: Wikidata, item Q6159212, read on 18 October 2026.
What to pack for Valle del Encanto
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
- A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
- A refillable water bottle - Many cities have public fountains; save money and plastic. Find on Amazon
- A light layer + compact umbrella - For museum air-con and a sudden shower. Find on Amazon
Some links on this page are Amazon affiliate links - if you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
All packing kitsPlan your trip
Where to start if Valle del Encanto is going on the list.
Booking links on this page are affiliate links - if you book through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we write about a place.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.