El Norte Chico Feature

Sugar-sand beaches: Soft sand, turquoise water, and warm breezes make El Norte Chico's beaches among Chile's best. In summer (January and February) you may have to fight for a place in the sun.

Starry skies: Thanks to some of the clearest skies in the world, Chile's northern desert is a top destination for international stargazers and scientists. A number of astronomical observatories in El Norte Chico arrange tours.

Nature reserves: Explore Parque Nacional Fray Jorge with its ghostlike fog, the petrified forest of Monumento Nacional Pichasca, and the barren desert landscape of the Parque Nacional Pan de Azúcar.

Wine and pisco: Your trip would be incomplete without sampling El Norte Chico's most famous export, pisco. The liquor's muscat grapes flourish in this temperate climate, which is also ideal for grape-growing (particularly pinot noir), making this an up-and-coming wine producing region.