TurismoAstronomico.cl and AstronomicTourism.com in the version in English is a thematic portal created in 2008 to promote the Astronomical Tourism in Chile.
The portal is characterized as one of the pioneers in spreading this type of special interest tourism contributing to the positioning of Chile is this area.
We are constantly updating to achieve encompass all tourism in Chile, either astronomical, tourist programs, hotel services and tours / excursions.
Astronomical Tourism is basically a type of special interest tourism which is oriented to the simple observation of the heavens and is performed primarily in geographic locations that possess the conditions necessary and appropriate to do so. Your practice may be professional or amateur, but it does not require anything extraordinary, only the joy of learning and discovering the mysteries or above us.
Astronomical Tourism in Chile
The development of new types of tourism is a situation that has become very interesting in recent years in Chile. This has caused, and perhaps largely attracted by the variety, the arrival of thousands of foreign tourists coming from distant areas such as Europe, USA and even Australia.
In the Fourth Region of Chile is starting to develop the Astronomical Tourism, a type of tourism which can be labeled under the category of special interest because their particular style of tourism attracts all persons without regardless of age, sex or religion.
It is also a tourist you can practice all year, given the circumstances, geographical location, the quality of their skies and an internationally recognized extraordinary climate that allows much of the year (at least 300 night).
"ELQUI IS NOT ANY OF THE TYPICAL CHILEAN VALLEYS, SAID THAT THEIR FERTILE LAND, MICROCLIMATE PLEASANT, CLEAN SKY AND STAR, FAVORING SPECIAL POWER AND PEACE"
In the mountain range north of the Fourth Region, is the majestic Elqui Valley, a distance of 130 kms. from the mountains to the limits of the rural town of La Serena. Features a clean and generally clear skies, so make it an attractive place for the installation of observatories or for multiple activities, both mystical and curative because the place is recognized for possessing interesting properties energy.
It has also given way in recent times to the achievement of water sports like kite surfing and windsurfing in the reservoir Puclaro to guided tours of their vineyards and pisco and a trip through the culture where the Museum of the poet Gabriela Mistral and the archaeological remains of the Diaguitas Pre-Hispanic cultures.
Its microclimate is characterized by very pleasant temperatures throughout the year, rising well into the summer season. Its geography boxed cleverly contrasted with green mountains and arid plains planted vineyards.
While this beautiful and fertile valley has been attributed radiation and magnetic energy very special, the place began to have more notoriety in the 80s when this area came endless tourists and astronomers led by scientific event of the decade, moving from world famous comet "Halley".
From there, this unique valley that is home from communities that seek to be "renewed" for this energy, every night until astronomers can enjoy the starry sky bluish opening their windows to show off his beauty. Within this "Promised Land" that we find beautiful people have been giving shape and life to the valley, each with its peculiarities. Departing from La Serena to the east can be found in upstream to Altovasol, who was a former settlement of Peru; Algarrobito where you can enjoy its exquisite delicacy in white pastry (sweet milk) and fruit; El Molle, cradle Prehispanic culture and where they found the first traces of a prediaguita culture known as "El Molle" and that leads to this village and El Tambo, who is the last town before going in depth with the following people who make up more drawer full of the valleys of Elqui and Rio Claro.
Not only is the Fourth Region of Coquimbo has materialized and the momentum of astronomical tourism, through circuits that are interesting to know. Further north of this area as in the Atacama Desert, lies the Second Region of Antofagasta and is located inside the town of San Pedro, an oasis that stands out for having a strong influence Inca. In this place located over 2400 mts. above sea level, is perhaps one of the most attractive places for tourists as it gathers history of pre-Hispanic cultures and is now one of the major long-haul destinations for foreign tourists visiting the country, with around 40 thousand visitors a year. Its value and fragility of their resources have led to the Chilean State to declare "International Tourist Zone," which favors investments in this sector. Therefore, there is concern to preserve this destination which is a coordinated work with Atacama communities.
A study conducted in late 2001 by EuroChile, was to develop a tourism project in relation to astronomy through the creation of a Astronomic Route, supported by existing or new locations. Given the numerous astronomical facilities that have already been established for just over a decade in this region led by the VLT in Cerro Paranal, followed by OCA (Cerro Armazones), this "grand tour" would include Antofagasta, Cerro Paranal, Crater of Monturaqui, Salar de Atacama and Calama Tatio geyser, as well as other small communities Caspana, Machuca, Camar and Beter, the latter located about where the imaginary line travels the Tropic of Capricorn.
In recent years, the Second Region has increased tourism attracted not only by the beauty of the majestic places like the Valley of the Moon, or Geyser Tatio and the Atacama Salt Deposit (the largest in Chile) or the peaks of some of their volcanoes as Licancabur, but the fact that this area started to develop and integrate astronomical projects, starting with Paranal Frames and followed by the followers of astronomy put their eyes to this area, which features dry desert have a clean its skies as remarkable as any in the Elqui, which can encourage and develop tourism is tremendous astronomical, and promote this new type of tourism is very well seen by Sernatur, office development tourism in Chile. Indeed, currently working in public and private developments, which have left off.
Astronomical Tourism is essentially a kind of special interest tourism that is oriented to the mere observation of the heavens and is performed primarily in geographic locations that possess the necessary and appropriate to do so. Your practice may be professional or amateur, but do not require anything special, just the joy of learning and discovering the mysteries and that is on our heads.
