Elqui Valley tour: Pisco tasting & Gabriela Mistral birthplace

Taste pisco at its source, then walk the square where a Nobel Prize winner grew up

This half-day tour departs from Coquimbo port and travels through the Elqui Valley to visit a pisco museum with tasting, an optional winery, and the town of Vicuña: birthplace of poet Gabriela Mistral. The route includes the Puclaro Reservoir viewpoint, lunch, and an air-conditioned vehicle with a live guide in English or Spanish. Stops can shift based on time and weather to ensure you return to the port on schedule.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Elqui Valley from Coquimbo Port

• Pick up from Coquimbo port
• Visit Puclaro reservoir viewpoint
• Tour CAPEL pisco museum and tasting
• Photo stop at Paihuano viewpoint
• Optional wine tour and tasting
• Free time in Vicuña city
• Return to Coquimbo port

The experience

The tour picks you up at Coquimbo port at 7 or 8 a.m. and heads inland to the Puclaro Reservoir, where you stop at a viewpoint to see the landscape that feeds the Elqui River and supplies water to the valley below. From there you move to CAPEL, the first pisco museum in Chile, where you walk through the facilities, learn how this brandy is made from grapes grown in the region's high-altitude vineyards, and taste it straight from the source. The guide may also take you to a winery if time allows (one known for organic certification and high-altitude production), where you taste wine and see how it's made.

Paihuano offers another photo stop overlooking the valley's unique terrain before you arrive in Vicuña, the town Gabriela Mistral called home. She was the first Latin American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, and her childhood shaped her work. You'll have free time to walk the main square, climb the Bauer tower, or try the local ice cream. Lunch happens en route, and the air-conditioned vehicle returns you to the port by 3 or 4 p.m. The guide can adjust stops depending on weather and how much daylight remains, so the itinerary is flexible within the time window.

What’s included

• Pickup and drop-off at Coquimbo port.
• pisco museum entry and tasting at CAPEL.
• optional winery visit with tasting.
• lunch en route.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• live guide in English or Spanish.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SundayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (11 to 64 years) · Senior (65 to 80 years) · Youth (6 to 10 years) · Child (2 to 5 years) · Infant (under 2): free

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Ecoturismo La Serena Spa.

Is this one for you?Book this if your ship stops in Coquimbo for a short port day: the guide coordinates timing to get you back on schedule, and the small group means you'll have breathing room between pisco tastings and time in Vicuña.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

5 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (6 to 10 years); Child (2 to 5 years); Infant (under 2): free.

What is pisco and why is the Elqui Valley famous for it?

Pisco is a brandy made from grapes grown in the high-altitude vineyards of the Elqui Valley, and the region has been producing it for generations. CAPEL, the museum you visit, documents this history and the process. The tasting at the end lets you sample it directly from a producer in the valley.

Who was Gabriela Mistral and why is Vicuña important to her story?

Gabriela Mistral was a Chilean poet and the first Latin American woman to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1945. Vicuña is her birthplace and where she spent her early years. The town honors her legacy, and you have free time to explore the main square and landmarks connected to her life.

How long is the drive from Coquimbo port to the valley, and when do we return?

The full tour runs 6 to 8 hours from pickup to drop-off. You leave the port at 7 or 8 a.m. and return by 3 or 4 p.m., with the exact timing adjusted based on your cruise ship's schedule and how long you spend at each stop.

Can the stops change during the tour?

Yes. The guide can modify stops depending on weather, daylight, and how much time remains to get you back to the port safely. Some stops may be shortened or skipped if needed, though the pisco museum and Vicuña are core parts of the itinerary.

What's included in the lunch, and are there dietary options?

Lunch is included and happens en route as a pick-up-and-go meal. Specific dietary details are not listed. Confirm any restrictions when you book or at pickup so the operator can arrange accordingly.