To the Elqui Valley and Back Again

While soaking up the atmosphere of Valparaiso, I have also been making plans for my onward journey. My plan is to head further north, hopefully riding some big passes across the Andes between Chile and Argentina, then on into Bolivia and Peru. Unfortunately, recent storms in the Atacama desert in northern Chile have claimed lives and created a state of emergency in exactly the area I want to pass through (Atacama province). 

With surprisingly little information available about the state of the roads and passes, I decided to take a bus as far as La Serena (still over 1000 km south of Atacama) and see first hand if it would be possible to cycle the Paso Agua Negra to Argentina. This is the first of the 4000 m passes between the two countries when heading north. 

The streets of the seaside town of La Serena were eerily deserted when I arrived early in the morning. I ate a quick breakfast then headed up the Elqui Valley, which is on the way to Paso Agua Negra. The town of Pisco Elqui in the valley's upper reaches is famous for its Pisco distilleries. The distilleries use wine made from the grapes grown in the valley, which are known for their high quality. The landscape is beautiful: At lower altitudes, an irrigation system keeps the valley green, while the barren and arid snow-capped mountains stand in stark contrast. 

I met Pierre, a fellow cyclist, and we spent a couple of fun days exploring the valley together. However, Paso Agua Negra turned out to be closed for the foreseeable future. No option but to return to Valparaiso and look for another way across the Andes...

La Serena's deserted streets. 

Pisco Elqui's little church. 

Heading up the valley towards the village of Horcon. 

Harvested grapes drying in the sun. 

Our desert camp. 

Riding out of the valley the next morning. Pumps are used to irrigate the grapes growing high up on the slopes.