Flowering Desert in Chile

Monday, 05 September 2011 17:18

On September 8th, 2011, Llanos de Challe National Park, located 45 km north of Huasco, will officially launch the season 2011 of the famous flowering desert. It is a phenomenon that occurs in Atacama Desert between September and November, when occassional precipitations fall causing many latent seeds and roots to bloom. These are accompanied by the proliferation of insects and some small lizards.

The flowering desert reaches its maximum splendour between Vallenar and the north of Copiapó. The tours we offer in GoChile include visits to Llanos de Challe National Park, and city tours to towns like Carrizal Bajo and Huasco. They mix wildlife observation with visits to wetlands and oasis where Chile's best olive oil is made.

Take a look at our programs...

Programs

Flowering Desert from Huasco - 2 days/1 night

The program includes:

1 night accommodation in Solaris Hotel with buffet breakfast.
1 half-day excursion to the Flowering Desert with transfer and local guide.
Snacks (sandwich, juice, fruit). City tour in Huasco.

The program does not include

Any services that are not mentioned above.

Itinerary:

Day 1:
Reception and accommodation at Solaris Hotel.

Day 2:
07.30: Departure from your hotel/hostel.
08.15: Arrival at Llanos de Challe National Park and introductory speech from Conaf's park ranger.
08.30 - 11.00: Walk through Llanos del Challe interpretive road.
11.00 - 11.45: Return to Huasco through the coastal road.
11.45 - 13.00: Visit to the historical center of Huasco Bajo, centenarian olive trees, and olive oil factory/olive tasting.
13.00 - 14.00: Return to Huasco. City tour through the main streets and promenade.
14.00: Farewell in Bahía or Manhattan restaurants (subject to availabilyty). Free souvenir.

Rates
Per double passenger: $89.000 CLP

* Timetables are referential.
* VAT included.
* Minimum group size: 4 passengers.
* Dates are referential. This program is only valid during the flowering desert phenomenon, which does not have a fixed duration.

Flowering Desert from Huasco - 3 days/2 nights

The program includes:

2 night accommodation in Solaris Hotel with buffet breakfast
1 half-day excursion to the Flowering Desert with transfer and local guide.
Snack (sandwich, juice, fruit). City tour in Huasco.

The program does not include

Any services that are not mentioned above.

Itinerary:

Day 1:
Reception and accommodation at Solaris Hotel.

Day 2:
07.30: Departure from your hotel/hostel.
08.15: Arrival at Llanos de Challe National Park and introductory speech from Conaf's park ranger.
08.30 - 11.00: Walk through Llanos del Challe interpretive road.
11.00 - 11.45: Return to Huasco through the coastal road.
11.45 - 13.00: Visit to the historical center of Huasco Bajo, centenarian olive trees, and olive oil factory/olive tasting.
13.00 - 14.00: Return to Huasco. City tour through the main streets and promenade..
15.30 - 18.00: Visit to Carrizal Bajo. Excursion to the gullies on the road to Totoral.

Day 3:
Breakfast and farewell.

Rates
Per double passenger: $142.000 CLP

* Timetables are referential.
* VAT included.
* Minimum group size: 4 passengers.
* Dates are referential. This program is only valid during the flowering desert phenomenon, which does not have a fixed duration.

The flower Route and Huasco Valley 2 days/1 night

The program includes:

Accommodation in Solari Hotel or Huasco hostel.
Transfers.
Meals mentioned above.
Excursions mentioned above.
Guide during the tour to the flowering desert.
English-Spanish interpreter.
Souvenir.

The program does not include:

Any services that are not mentioned above.

Itinerary:

Day 1

Reception in Huasco.

07.30: Departure from your hotel/hostel. (Huasco or Vallenar).

08.15: Arrival at Llanos de Challe National Park and introductory speech from Conaf's park ranger.
08.30 - 11.00: Walk through Llanos del Challe interpretive road.
11.00 – 11.45: walk along a road with cacti and flowers.

11.45 – 13.30: tour through the gullies.
13.30 – 13.45: return to Carrizal Bajo.
13.45 – 14.45: lunch in a restaurant overlooking the beach.
14.45 – 15.45: visit to Carrizal Bajo, its beach, church, and slagheap.
15.45 – 16.15: return to ethe cological beach.
16.15 – 16.45: visit to the ecological beach and San Francisco community.
16.45 – 17.25: return to Huasco Bajo.
17.25 – 18.15: visit to Huasco Bajo and its centenarian olives/olive tasting.
18.15 – 18.25: return to Huasco.
18.25 – 19.30: city tour around Huasco.
19.30 - 20.30: dinner in El Faro or Manhattan restaurants.
20.30: Solari Hotel or Huasco lodging house.

Day 2
07.00 – 07.45: breakfast at the hotel.
07.45: departure for Freirina.
08.00: arrival in Freirina.
08.00 – 10.00: excursion to the to Chimeneas de Labrar (Working Chimneys). During the trip you will observe the flowering desert (Approximately 50 flower species). Ruins and history of La Cobaltera. Miners' cemetery. Quebradita XIXth century. Remains of an old foundry. Chimeneas de Labrar National Monument.
10.00 – 11.00: visit to Chimeneas de Labrar National Monument.
11.00 – 13.00: return to Freirina.
13.00 – 13.40: visit to National Monuments, main square, church, and portals.
13.40 – 14.40: return to Huasco through an old road.
14.40 – 15.40: lunch at El Faro or Manhattan restaurants.
15.40 – 15.45: trip to Huasco Bajo.
15.45 – 17.00: visit to the main square and a lecture on its history. Visit to an olive oil factory and lecture on the manufacturing process. Olive tasting
17.00 – 19.00: spare time.
19.00 – 20.00: dinner at El Faro or Manhattan Restaurant.
20.00: farewell and souvenir.

Referential values per person in CLP

HOTEL	VALIDITY	QUADRUPLE ROOM
Solari Hotel or Huasco Lodging House	1/Sept/2011 to 31/Oct/2011	$305.000

* Timetables are referential.
* VAT included.
* Minimum group size: 4 passengers.
* Dates are referential. This program is only valid during the flowering desert phenomenon, which does not have a fixed duration.

Flowering Desert from La Serena - 3 days /2 nights

The Program Includes:

Transfers La Serena/Hotel/La Serena Airport.
Buffet breakfast.
Access to the hotel's facilities.
1 excursion in private service Flowering Desert full day with box lunch during the excursion.
1 excursion in private service Flowers City Tour.

The program does not include:

Any services that are not mentioned above.

Itinerary:
Description of Excursions

Flowering Desert Excursion (07:30 to 19:00 Hrs.)
The tour starts in La Serena, passing by Elqui River and skirting the shoreline. There is a stop for you to observe the gullies covered with white reeds called 'capers'. In Hornos Cove you will see a beautiful spectacle: Pájaros Island, a land full of seagulls, pelicans, penguins, and sea lions. You will then ascend 11 more km to see hectares of land covered with white flowers resembling snow. From the top of the hill you will see an ample valley surrounded by hills, next to which you will find the town of La Higuera. In Vallenar, the aridity of the ground contrasts with slopes covered with thick bellflowers. Near Incahuasi you will see huge mountains, carved by the exhausted iron mine of Santa Fe. You will leave the green north to finally arrive at the flowering desert. You will pass by "chañar" trees, and then see the buildings of La Silla and Las Campanas observatories. Close yo Incahuasi you will see hills carved by the exhausted iron mine of Santa Fe and then leave the green north to enter the flowering desert. You will pass by "chañar" trees to and then see the majestic buildings of La Silla and Las Campanas observatories, located right in the north border of the Region of Coquimbo. Going further north, the flowering desert will slowly start appearing. It is an ecosystem maintained and protected by the wise mother earth. Plains covered in wild flowers that resemble colorful caprets, attract botanical researchers, landscape painters, photographers, ecologists, and tourists in general. From Algarrobal you will descend to Quebrada Carrizal, seeing valuable vegetal species such as Garra de León (lion's claw). Box lunch in the picnic area. Observation of wild flowers, with species like pasitheas, huillis, añañucas, suspiros de campo, alcaparras, miner's flower, don diego de la noche, and malvilla, amongst others. There is also a great variety of cacti, some of which are in bloom. The tour ends going back to Vallenar, through the beautiful Huasco Valley, to then go back to La Serena during the sunset.

REFERENTIAL VALUES / Per person in CLP

HOTEL	VALIDITY	CATEGORY	SINGLE	DOUBLE	TRIPLE	QUADRUPLE
Hotel de la Bahía	1/Sept/2011 to 31/Oct/2011		$650.500	$325.500	$240.250	Does not apply
Club La Serena	1/Sept/2011 to 31/Oct/2011		$601.000	$306.500	$220.250	$175.000
Playa Campanario	1/Sept/2011 to 31/Oct/2011		$587.000	$293.500	$207.250	$164.000

* VAT included.
* Dates are referential. This program is only valid during the flowering desert, which does not have a fixed duration.
* Ask for unprogrammed excursions (minimum group size 6 people).

Car + Hotel - 4 days/3 nights

CAR + HOTEL IN THE FLOWERING DESERT
Visit the desert and go around it at your own pace.

4 days/3 nights - From La Serena (consider taking a flight or bus to La Serena)

02 nights accommodation in Serena Club Hotel.
01 night accomodation in Solari Hotel in Huasco.
Buffet breakfast.
2x4 Pickup truck rental or similar, with tax and airport fee included (72 hours).

Rate: CLP $164.500 (per double passenger).

4 days/3 nights - From Copiapó (consider taking a flight or bus to Copiapó)

02 nights accommodation in Solari Hotel in Huasco.
01 night accommodation in Serena Club Hotel.
Buffet Breakfast
2x4 Pickup truck rental or similar, with tax and airport fee included (72 hours).

Rate: CLP $156.000 (per double passenger)