Top La Serena Day Trips

You will get to know one of the most beautiful islands on the southern Pacific coast and one of the areas with the greatest diversity of marine species. The borders of the Green North of Coquimbo and the beginnings of the driest desert in the world: the Atacama stand out for having attractive landscapes and settlements of former seamen considered the most experienced fishermen in Chile "Los Choros, Pieles Rojas, Changos and Camanchacas". You will navigate and get to know three magical islands: Gaviotas, Choros and Damas and enjoy its incomparable geography, beaches and diversity of plants and cacti together with its attractive fauna of penguins, dolphins, sea birds, otters and sea lions. You will be able to walk through Isla Damas, a place with a fascinating beauty of numerous beaches and desert flora. The current Humboldt Penguin National Reserve generated in ancient times the construction of the first and last rafts made with sea lion skin.

You will explore one of the most arid and beautiful deserts on the planet. We will travel from La Serena to the coast of the Atacama desert, crossing impressive landscapes of the pampas and the coast to find its incredible geological formations with striking colors. We will explore ancient ravines, beautiful mountains, plains and beautiful coastal marine refuges occupied by indigenous people from the sector as well as picturesque settlements of miners, farmers and fishermen. We will travel through the beautiful and colorful beaches, bays, coves, pampas and hills of Atacama, possessing a magical geography and vestiges from Gondwana, Jurassic and prehistoric times and an amazing annual and seasonal flora that revives after the great rains. . You will meet magical towns, human settlements, fauna, wetlands and springs that cross, subsist and keep alive the coast and the driest desert on the planet.

Visit the home of Chile’s famous Pisco Sour on this full-day, small-group tour of the Elqui Valley from La Serena, including hotel pickup. Uncover the cosmic secrets of the Cochiguaz Valley; tour a Pisco production plant; and indulge in an expert-led Pisco tasting. After tucking into a traditional lunch (included) at a local restaurant, spend time exploring Vicuña, the hometown of Nobel Prize winning poet Gabriela Mistral.

Visit some of the most prominent beaches and spas in the region, where you can enjoy a quiet and refreshing day by the sea.

Set out from Coquimbo port on a private sightseeing tour of La Serena, known for both its historic architecture and exquisite beaches. Visit some of the city's stone-built churches as well as its Archaeological Museum, exhibiting artifacts from Easter Island's Rapanui culture. Continue onto La Serena Lighthouse en route to Coquimbo city, another place known for its white sands as well as seafaring traditions. After lunch stop by the Cross of the Third Millennium and Guayacan, a neighborhood rich in copper smelting history. This shore excursion includes round-trip transport.

This tour stands out by offering a complete and immersive journey through the Elqui Valley, one of Chile’s most scenic and culturally rich destinations. From breathtaking mountain landscapes to charming traditional villages, you will experience the true essence of the region in a single day. Unlike standard tours, this experience combines culture, gastronomy, and local traditions, including visits to a pisco distillery and a high-altitude winery, where you will enjoy guided tastings of regional products. The journey also includes a traditional lunch in the heart of the valley, allowing you to connect with the flavors and lifestyle of northern Chile. With a well-balanced itinerary, comfortable transportation, and expert guidance, this tour is perfect for travelers looking to discover the Elqui Valley in a deeper and more authentic way.

Explore Chile's lush Elqui Valley on a private shore excursion from your La Serena port of call. Set out for this stunning region where the bulk of Chilean pisco is produced, stopping first at Puclaro, an artificial reservoir offerings spectacular views of the area. Next tour a pisco factory, learn about the distillation process of this national spirit and enjoy a sampling or two before continuing on to Vicuña, the birthtown of poet Gabriela Mistral. Peruse the Gabriela Mistral museum, then enjoy lunch in Villaseca before returning to port.

This experience stands out by offering one of the best opportunities in Chile to observe fin whales, the second largest animal on Earth, in their natural habitat. Located in the remote and protected waters of Chañaral de Aceituno, this tour takes you far from crowded tourist areas and into a unique marine ecosystem where wildlife thrives. With a high probability of sightings during the season, you may encounter not only whales, but also dolphins, seabirds, and other marine species. Combined with a scenic journey through the coastal desert and a visit to a traditional fishing village, this experience offers a rare and unforgettable connection with Chile’s wild nature.

This experience stands out by offering a boutique stargazing journey in the Elqui Valley, one of the best places in the world for astronomy thanks to its exceptionally clear skies. Unlike large observatories with crowded groups, this tour takes place in a private and peaceful setting, allowing for a more personal and immersive connection with the night sky. Guided by an expert, you will explore stars, planets, and deep space objects through professional telescopes in a relaxed and intimate environment. The experience also includes astrophotography, giving you the opportunity to capture unforgettable moments under one of the clearest skies on Earth.

The Elqui Valley is the most valuable cultural and mountain destination in Chile, creator of the most emblematic cultural treasures of our country. Its illuminated atmosphere allowed the creation and development of various cultural practices that make it a dream destination for those seeking relaxation, inspiration, cosmic connection and advanced knowledge about Chile's cultural heritage. Its beautiful geography welcomed ancient indigenous peoples, churches and hacienda houses of the first conquerors surrounded by pyramidal mountains full of minerals, energy and a transparent atmosphere, propagated tropical, desert and Mediterranean crops and the oldest wine and pisco cellars in the country. You will discover the art of the Diaguitas, the legacy of the Incas, the origins of Chilean and Argentine wine, the advanced astronomical observatories and the places that inspired mystics and the first female Nobel Prize winner for literature in Latin America, Gabriela Mistral.

The Valley of Enchantment is a marvelous place with a unique nature and numerous striking resources that surprised and enchanted thousands of years ago primitive nomadic tribes native to the Atlantic and the Amazon, attracted by the good climate, precious stones, and the Pacific coast. and its ancient oceanic forests, becoming the first sedentary of the regional valleys. This mysterious culture settles in this beautiful natural space and hidden semi-arid ravine, turning it into the most important artistic, astronomical and ceremonial center of Chilean prehistory. Its attractive and strategic location, geomorphology, variety of slopes, flora and fauna, its large stones with surprising engravings, paintings and mortars, teach the amazing art, rituals and worldview of the oldest and shamanic culture of the Coquimbo Region: Molle culture.