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5 Days Exploration @ Elqui Valley & Humboldt Penguins National Reserve

5 days
Start and end in La Serena
5.0
3 traveler reviews

No departure dates available

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Plan your adventure:
In-depth Cultural
Immerse yourself in rich history and local traditions
Fully Guided
An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Medium Intensity
Travelers should be comfortable with somewhat-demanding activities
Guided in English
Other languages on request: Spanish
Group Size 2 - 20
All Ages Welcome
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Itinerary

  1. Day 1

    La Serena

    You'll get picked up from the airport and head to your hotel to settle in. This afternoon, you can start walking through La Serena's historical center and check out the Recova handcraft site where local artisans sell their work. The Main Square with its Cathedral is right there, and you'll pass by the Lighthouse. After that, head over to nearby Coquimbo to see the Third Millennium Cross and visit the historic Fort Coquimbo before heading back.

    Start point
    Aeropuerto La Florida (LSC - SCSE), Camino a Vicuña s/n, Ruta 41, La Serena, Coquimbo 1700000, Chile (Pick up at La Serena Airport )

    Included Activities

    • Visit to Recova handcraft site
    • Visit to Main Square and Cathedral of La Serena
    • Visit to La Serena's Lighthouse
    • Visit to Third Millennium Cross and chapel in Coquimbo
    • Visit to Fort Coquimbo (Fort Lambert)
    Landmarks
    Recova
    Main Square of La Serena
    Cathedral of La Serena
    La Serena's Lighthouse
    Third Millennium Cross
    Fort Coquimbo (Fort Lambert)
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
  2. Day 2

    Elqui Valley

    Early start as you travel inland to the Elqui Valley. Along the way, you'll stop at Puclaro Reservoir and drive through Paiguano for nice views of the valley. Next you'll reach Montegrande, where the Chilean poet Gabriela Mistral spent her childhood, and tour the Casa Escuela Gabriela Mistral Museum. After that, head to Pisco Elqui for lunch and see the Nuestra Señora del Rosario church, which features a monument designed by Gustave Eiffel. You'll also tour a pisco distillery to learn about the local brandy, then finish the day in Vicuña at Gabriela Mistral's birthplace museum.

    Meals
    Lunch (Lunch menu 2 courses in Pisco Elqui)

    Included Activities

    • Visit to Puclaro Reservoir
    • Panoramic view at Paiguano
    • Visit to Montegrande and Casa Escuela Gabriela Mistral Museum
    • Visit to Nuestra Señora del Rosario church
    • Pisco distillery visit and tour
    • Visit to Vicuña and Gabriela Mistral museum
    • Entrance fee to Gabriela Mistral Museum
    Landmarks
    Puclaro Reservoir
    Paiguano
    Montegrande
    Casa Escuela Gabriela Mistral Museum
    Nuestra Señora del Rosario Church
    Vicuña
    Gabriela Mistral Museum
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
  3. Day 3

    Humboldt Penguin National Reserve

    You'll be picked up early to travel to Punta de Choros, where you'll board a boat and sail out to the Humboldt Penguin National Reserve. While sailing around Choros Island, you'll spot sea otters, diving petrels, and Humboldt penguins from about 30 to 80 meters away. Then you'll land on Damas Island for about an hour to walk along the white sand beach and explore some trails. After you head back to La Serena, grab lunch at a typical local restaurant to wrap up the day.

    Meals
    Lunch (Lunch menu 2 courses in a typical food restaurant)

    Included Activities

    • Sailing to Humboldt Penguin National Reserve
    • Visit to Choros Island
    • Visit to Damas Island with one hour disembarkation
    • Entrance fee to Humboldt Penguin Reserve
    Landmarks
    Punta de Choros
    Humboldt Penguin National Reserve
    Choros Island
    Damas Island
    Itinerary Image 1
  4. Day 4

    La Serena

    You'll have the day free to do what you'd like. If you're interested in stargazing, there's an optional astronomical tour at Mamalluca Observatory near Vicuña. The tour includes an introductory talk, a chance to look through manual telescopes to see stars and constellations and planets, explanations from your guide, and time using the observatory's main high-tech telescope. Just keep in mind this depends on clear skies and good weather.

    Optional Activities

    • Mamalluca Observatory astronomical tour including telescope observation and guide explanation
    • Admission to Mamalluca Observatory
    Landmarks
    Mamalluca Observatory
    Vicuña
  5. Day 5

    La Serena

    Hotel staff will pick you up and drive you to La Serena Airport for your departure flight.

    End point
    Aeropuerto La Florida (LSC - SCSE), Camino a Vicuña s/n, Ruta 41, La Serena, Coquimbo 1700000, Chile (Drop off at La Serena Airport )
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What's Included

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  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Insurance
  • Meals
  • Additional Services
  • Transport
  • Free eSIM
    TourRadar offers the lead traveler (the person who booked) a free 1GB eSIM for the trip. The eSIM is redeemable only through the TourRadar app 72 hours before departure.

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Optional
  • Additional Services

Operated by

Signature DMC

Number of tours

218

Age Range

1 to 99 years old

Response time

within 1 day

Response rate

100%

Signature Tours is a Tour Operator in South America oriented to clients who...

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Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Traveler Reviews

5.0
Overall rating based on 3 Reviews
  • Itinerary
    5.0
  • Transport
    5.0
  • Guide
    5.0
  • Accommodation
    5.0
  • Food
    5.0
  • 4.9

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  • T
    July 21st, 2020
    5.0
    Automatic translation available in English. View in English
    An excellent experience! It was so good to have done something like this
    Traveled in February 2020
    Reply from: Signature DMC
    Thank you for your time and feedback. We are happy to know you enjoyed the trip in the Elqui Valley. Regards, Marilda
    Show more
  • R
    June 2nd, 2020
    5.0
    I did this tour with my son, it was a wonderful trip. An incredible experience.
    Traveled in January 2020
    Reply from: Signature DMC
    Thank you for your comments, glad to know you enjoyed the experience. Best regards, Marilda
    Show more
  • M
    May 6th, 2020
    5.0
    It was all perfect. Excellent from start to finish.
    Traveled in September 2019
    Reply from: Signature DMC
    thanks Maurice for your comments, hope to see you back soon in our latitudes! thanks and take care Gabriela
    Show more
Can’t find the answer to your question?
Reach out to the experts at Signature DMC with your enquiry, they usually respond within 1 day.

No departure dates available

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Plan your adventure:

Good to Know

Tour ID: 198038

  • Currency
    $
    Chilean Peso
    Chile
  • Plugs & Adapters

    As a traveler from USA, Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa you will need an adaptor for type L.

    Type L
    Chile
  • Vaccines
    • These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
    • Typhoid - Recommended for Chile. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis A - Recommended for Chile. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis B - Recommended for Chile. Ideally 2 months before travel.
    • Rabies - Recommended for Chile. Ideally 1 month before travel.
  • Visa
    • Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
    • Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
  • Payment information
    • For any tour departing before April 12th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after April 12th, 2026, a minimum payment of 10% is required to confirm your booking with Signature DMC. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 60 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
    • Some departure dates and prices may vary and Signature DMC will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
    • The following cards are accepted for "Signature DMC" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
  • Cancellation Policy
  • Accessibility
    Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0

Select departure month

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2027

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2028

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Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
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