CRUISING IN CHILE
BELOW: SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA CHURCH
The popularity of this adobe pre-cordillera oasis stems from
transformation from the barren desert to the country’s fertile
its location in the heart of some of northern Chile’s most
heartland. A series of rivers flow through the Norte Chico region,
spectacular scenery. A short distance away lies the country’s
from the Andes to the coast, that allows the surrounding land
largest salt flat, its edges crinkled by volcanoes, with the 5916 m
to be irrigated and cultivated. The result is spectacular, lush,
high Licancábur volcano looming close to the village. Here too
vibrant green terraces laden with olives, apricots and vines that
are fields of steaming geysers, a host of other worldly rock
snake between the brown, parched walls of the valleys forming a
formations and weird layer-cake landscapes. San Pedro itself
sensational visual contrast.
is more than a handful of picturesque adobe streets clustering around a pretty tree-lined plaza and postcard-perfect church – it
LA SERENA
offers a vast array of cultural and outdoor activities.
The largest city in the Norte Chico is La Serena with its
South of San Pedro, the Nevado Tres Cruces National Park
neighbouring city of Coquimbo. It is an ideal base for exploring
has all the rugged beauty of the more popular high-altitude parks
the beautiful Elqui Valley east of La Serena, immortalised in
further north. Nearby lies the 6893 m Ojos del Salado volcano,
the verses of the Nobel laureate Gabriela Mistral, and home to
Chile’s highest peak (69 m below South America’s highest peak
luxuriant vines, observatories and idyllic riverside hamlets.
Aconcagua Mountain) and the highest active volcano in the world.
North of La Serena, wildlife lovers won’t want to miss the playful penguins at the Reserva Nacional Pingüino de Humboldt
NORTE CHICO
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and the Pan de Azúcar National Park.
A land of rolling, sun-baked hills streaked with river valleys
Just down the coast from La Serena lies the Parque
that cut across the earth, the Norte Chico, or ‘Little North’ is
Nacional Fray Jorge, with a microclimate that supports a
a semi-arid scrubland with sparse vegetation that marks the
small, damp cloud forest. Another botanical wonder is the
YACHTING MATTERS & THE YACHT OWNER ISSUE 37