Pisco Elqui is a town in Valle de Elqui, northern Chile. It is one of the main tourist destinations in the Elqui Valley, and its history is closely linked to the origin and production of Chilean pisco, a brandy.

Understand

Nuestra Señora del Rosario church

The town is famous for its most important export product to the rest of Chile, Pisco. Pisco is a fruit schnaps made of grapes matured in wooden barrels, giving it a Whisky-like taste while maintaining the fruit scent.

Pisco is often consumed with Coke and ice, or with lemon as Pisco Sour, even though the local family factories do not support the mixture of Pisco for the purpose of consumption.

Get in

By bus

From La Serena buses go at least hourly from the provincial bus station northwest of the Japanese Garden or less frequently from the Terminal de Buses, passing by Vicuña on the way—about 2½-hr duration and 5,500 pesos (updated October 2022). There are more frequent departures on Sundays and during holidays.

From Vicuña, the buses leave for Pisco Elqui at 07:00, 07:25, 09:00, 10:25, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30, 15:30, 17:00, 17:30, 18:00 and 19:15, costing 3,000 pesos (updated October 2022).

The last colectivos back to La Serena are at around 20:30 from Pisco Elqui and 21:00 from Vicuña. Furthermore, there are also at least two Turbus buses from Vicuña after that, the last one at 22:45, but please re-check.

The bus from Alcoguaz leaves at about 06:45 (re-check days and departure time). There is a return bus at 18:25.

The bus from Horcón leaves at 14:30 (from a blue roofed bus shelter).

By car

From La Serena you should take Route 41 to the east. 12 kilometers after the city of Vicuña, take the route that goes through the Elqui Valley to the right. After the towns of Paihuano and Montegrande, you arrive at Pisco Elqui. The route has one track in each direction the entire way, and it is completely paved.

Get around

Everything can be reach on foot.

See

• Near the town is the "Solar de Pisco Elqui", the oldest distillery in the Elqui Valley.
• Pisco Doña Josefa de Elqui (just 1 km out of town), ☏ +56 9 6201 5414, josefaelqui@yahoo.com. They offer free tours at their distillery in the production of Picso. They are happy if you buy something there, but it is not a must. Bottles: 0.05l 2,000 pesos, 0.7l 40% 7,000 pesos, 0.7l 45% 8,000 pesos. (updated Apr 2018)
• A few kilometers away is the Town of Artisans of Horcón where there are beautiful craft stalls.

Do

• You can hike some of the hills surrounding the village. Inquire at the tourist information in town.
• Turismo Migrantes is a certified tour operator, offering different kinds of outdoor activities (like observatory) in the Elqui Valley. Besides, you can join trips to the mountain range of the Andes.

Drink

• Grab yourself a bottle of Pisco, some ice and go ahead. The park in centre of town has a beautiful lawn and church in front of it. Enjoy the view and sun.

Sleep

There are some camping places, hostels and regular hotels in town and the surrounding area. It should not be hard to find something fitting.

Check out the ones that are further from other settlements, so you can enjoy the sky at night.

• 1 Cosmo Elqui Valley, Ruta 41 (located at the corner where the bus takes the turn towards Pisco Elqui from the Vicuña road), ☏ +56 932006237, cosmoelquivalley@gmail.com. Check out this interesting and stylish hostel with pool and off the other settlements right in the valley. Though, it is quite a little far from Pisco Elqui, but the town does not necessarily require staying in it over night. Note, it seems they also have a hostel in La Serena running, make sure to book the right one. FB. Dorm from €15. (updated Apr 2018)

Go next

• Hike into the Santuario de La Naturaleza Estero Derecho National Park and further.