After taking the overnight bus from San Pedro we arrived at La Serena and leaving our bags at the bus depot headed into town to get some breakfast and find an Internet cafe. We needed to organise our onward journey from the Elqui valley as I was under the impression there would not be internet access where we were going. Turns out I was wrong we had a days extremely slow access so thankfully we did book a flight to Puerto Montt and accommodation for our next leg before heading to our pre booked accommodation on the outskirts of Vicuna.

For  some unknown reason we were under the impression that our accomodation was based in Pisce Elqui and not Vicuna so we took the bus and only when we arrived at Pisce Elqui took out the paperwork to check the address and found we should have got off in Vicuna so across the road we went and back on the bus. Having added a further hour onto our journey we finally arrived at our accommodation (Elqui Terra ) tired and bedraggled.

What an oasis of peace and tranquility Elqui Terra is. Set in a secluded spot surrounded by mountains it offers four spacious comfortable rooms with use of a communal area that contained a kitchen and dining space  where our hosts served a delicious breakfast every morning, and a lounge area all looking out large openings onto the gardens and pool area. Our hosts Roberto and Alejandra provide a great breakfast sourcing their products from the local community, jams full of fruit, avocados from a neighbour, grapes and watermelon from their garden. If you need a taxi Roberto is there to book it,we wanted to do a night visit to an observatory, I wanted a massage no sooner said than done what great hosts.

The Elqui valley is famous for its production of Pisco which has a similar taste to brandy. The grapes from which it is made can be seen growing all around the valley and spreading their way up the mountainside to heights that make you wonder how the vines are tended and the fruit harvested. Obviously we had to visit a Pisco distillery of which there were many in the valley, we opted for the one on the road to Vicuna. First was a tour of the museum area with exhibits of the original equipment used followed by a tour of the factory with its modern hi tec equipment. At one point the door of the barrel storage area was opened Wow the alcoholic fumes knocked you back, I am convinced you could get drunk just standing there and inhaling .

Following our distillery visit we headed into Vicuna stopping at an Artesan village on the way for a browse around the shops and a delicious coffee based drink topped with ice cream and cream yummy.

On our second day we decided on a walk into the village located in the opposite direction to Vicuna for lunch at a vegetarian restaurant recommended by Roberto.Setting off we walked down the track next to Elqui Terra along the side of the river  then up onto the road towards Daiguista, where we found a small artisan shop selling a mixture of ceramics and painted hessian wall hangings. Saw and purchased two of the hangings which we thought will look great above our bed at home and fit nicely into our cases.

It was an 8 km walk to the village and feeling lazy after our lunch we decided to take a taxi back. A quick dip in the pool, shower and then a massage which was done outside in a quiet part of the garden, a slight breeze lifting the white gauze sides of the massage tent while all around birds were singing what bliss and what a perfect end to our last day.

Thank you Roberto and Alejandra for making us feel at home and giving us a perfect two days, just what was needed after our busy time in San Pedro.

Jason, if you are reading this we hope you make it to Putre and enjoy it as much as we did. Stay focused and you are sure to achieve whatever you set out to do, just don’t lose your sense of adventure.