Pisco Elqui Tour: Elqui Valley Vineyards & Villages

Pisco Elqui's narrow streets and adobe square anchor a day through Chile's wine country.

A full-day tour of the Elqui Valley from La Serena takes you through Puclaro Reservoir, the poet's birthplace of Vicuña, a working pisco distillery, and ends in Pisco Elqui: a small town of craft shops and mountain views. The tour includes entrance fees, lunch at a local restaurant with wine or beer, and a live guide in English or Spanish. Hotel pickup runs between 8:30 and 9am. A minimum of four people is required, though private departure is available for an additional fee.

The experience

Puclaro Reservoir opens the route: a mountain-fed water collection point where you can walk the grounds and browse a craft fair (45 minutes). From there, Vicuña sits as the valley's astronomical hub and birthplace of Nobel Prize–winning poet Gabriela Mistral. The town holds her museum, the Immaculate Conception Church, and the Bauer Tower, each marking her life and work (about an hour). A pisco distillery on the way to Peralillo walks you through the grape-to-spirit process and its sales room (45 minutes), then lunch arrives at a local restaurant where the menu includes different beverages (mineral water, wine, beer, or nectar) alongside regional dishes.

After lunch, the route climbs to Paihuano's viewpoint, where hillside colors and plantations frame the valley floor (5 to 10 minutes), then stops at Monte Grande to see the monument to Gabriela Mistral and her students: a key photo spot (25 minutes). Pisco Elqui closes the circuit: the valley's most visited town, built around a central square with a fountain carved with children's figures, flanked by the village church, craft centers, and restaurants. You'll have about an hour to walk its narrow adobe streets before the return to La Serena.

What’s included

• Entrance fees to all attractions.
• lunch at a local restaurant with a choice of beverages (mineral water, wine, beer, or nectar).
• a live guide in English or Spanish.
• hotel pickup between 8:30 and 9am.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SaturdayDepartures at 08:30 and 09:00

AgesAdult (18 to 59 years) · Senior (60 and older) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 1)

GroupUp to 42

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 31 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by La Serena Turismo Chile

Is this one for you?The full-day itinerary (8 to 10 hours) packs five distinct stops across the valley into one route, which is what makes it possible to see the pisco process, Vicuña's monuments, and Pisco Elqui's town center without backtracking. If your schedule allows only a morning or afternoon in the region, a shorter focused tour would suit better.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 1).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Gabriela Mistral's connection to the Elqui Valley?

Gabriela Mistral, a Nobel Prize winner in Literature, was born in Vicuña. The tour visits her museum in town, the monument to her at Monte Grande where she taught students, and sites tied to her life and work throughout the valley.

Can I taste pisco on this tour?

The tour includes a visit to a pisco distillery where you learn the distillation process and can browse the sales room. Lunch includes wine, beer, or other beverages, but tasting at the distillery itself depends on the producer's offerings at the time.

How much time do I spend in Pisco Elqui itself?

Pisco Elqui is the final stop and you'll have about an hour there to explore the town square, the church, craft shops, and restaurants before heading back to La Serena.

What's included in the lunch?

Lunch at a local restaurant includes a meal prepared with regional ingredients and your choice of beverages: mineral water with or without gas, white or red wine, beer, or nectar.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to the meeting point?

Hotel pickup is included. Your guide will collect you from your accommodation between 8:30 and 9am. Public transportation options are also available nearby if you prefer to meet at a central location.

What's the minimum group size for this tour?

A minimum of four people is required to run the tour. If fewer people book, the operator will offer to reschedule the departure or run it privately for an additional fee.