Travel Guide to Chile:
5
Fun Facts to Know About Chile
A
Hiking Guide to Easter Island
Chile:
Land of Poets
Chile
Travel: Visiting the Lake District from Puerto Varas
Chile
Travel Destinations & Places To Visit in Chile
Concepcion
Guide
Discover
the beauty of San Pedro de Atacama
History
and Growth of Santiago de Chile
History
of Chile
Sightseeing
in Punta Arenas - Chile
Revealing
the Valleys of Chile
Swept
Away In Santiago De Chile
The
Mythology of Easter Island
Travel
to Valparaiso, Chile
Revealing the Valleys of
Chile by Andres Gabor Lopez
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accommodation in Antofagasta
Chile is a place of great
contrast, which can be experienced by the tourist through the landscapes
and climates that can be found travelling across its territory. Beginning
by the Big North (Norte Grande), linked to the Desert of Atacama (Atacama
Desert or Desierto de Atacama). From Putre by the north in the Chilean
Plateau (Altiplano chileno), contemplating to the Chungara Lake and Lauca
National Park, Vicuñas National Reserve, to San Pedro de Atacama
and the Salt Flat of the same name, you will notice how the colors appears
in the landscapes, as well as dry the atmosphere, the cold of the nights
and the warm of the afternoons.
Besides the popular Desert
of Atacama (above) and San Pedro de Atacama natural scenes, less well-known
beautiful places can be found, starting off from north to south, Valley
of Azapa (Azapa Valley or Valle de Azapa), Valley of Lluta (Lluta Valley
or Valle de Lluta), and Parinacota.
Perhaps the less known area
in Chile is the one from Antofagasta until Copiapo that for many comprises
part of the Chilean Big North (Norte Grande). From the south of Antofagasta
to Chañaral stands out by its weather and geography, which is rather
warmer and nicer than areas as Arica and Iquique.
Close to the center by the
mountain zone, there are located several main cities as Copiapo and Vallenar.
Near Copiapo are Nevado Tres Cruces National Park (Parque Nacional Nevado
Tres Cruces) and the stranger and mysterious Salar de Maricunga. The National
Park Llanos de Challe also is located in this sector, near Huasco by the
side of the coast. Almost in the limit between the North Grande or Big
North.
The zones of valleys appears,
with greener landscapes facing still the great influence of the desert,
mainly to standing out of the zone of Serena, Coquimbo and more specifically
the Elqui Valley (Valle de Elqui).
Elqui Valley holds the title
to the clearest skies of the South Hemisphere and according to many, of
the world. The zone of the Norte Chico or Small North in Chile presents
small, but interesting towns as Vicuña, Pisco Elqui, Monte Grande,
Cochiguaz and Alcohuaz among others, most of which are located in the Elqui
Valley. The economy of the area relies mainly on agriculture, since the
zone holds several areas of culture of vines for the pisco, typical liquor
of Chile.
Heading south is Ovalle,
an agricultural zone. Less than 1 hour from Ovalle you may found Fray Jorge
National Park (Parque Nacional Fray Jorge), famous by its flora, fauna
and also archaeological findings. Monte Patria, La Paloma Dam (Embalse
La Paloma), Punitaqui, Combarbala, are also small towns spread near Ovalle.
More to the south, Illapel appears and towards the coast Los Vilos, Salamanca
also is part of Chile Chico and it is popular known as the city of wizards.
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accommodation in Antofagasta
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