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Attractions: About Grapes and Pisco

The Elqui valley used to be a territory full of gardens, vineyards, fruit trees, mostly apricot and peach trees. The main agricultural activity consisted in the production of "Pisco" and dried fruits called "Charqui". This "Charqui" has been the indigenous way of conserving fruits, consisting basically in drying them in the sun.

Nowadays the area developped into a monoculture of grapes for export and wine for the production of Pisco. The vineyards dominate the landscape extensively, from the rivers until high up to the hills and mountains, with distinct shades of green and purple, depending on the kind of grapes and the season. For the inhabitants of the valley working in agriculture is the main occupation, although being seasonal only.

A main point of interest for tourists in the Valley is a tour showing and explaining the production of the famous Pisco. These destilleries offer tours: "Pisco Capel" near Vicuña, "Los Artesanos del Cochiguaz" in Montegrande, "Mistral" in Pisco Elqui and "Los Nichos" about 2 km from Pisco Elqui in direction of Horcón.

We from Turismo Migrantes recommend a visit to Los Nichos, because it is the most authentic of the destilleries, with a tradition originating in the pioneer times of commercialisation. They dispose of a public sales room where you can buy their sweet wine and organic Pisco and so help the local producers in a very direct way.