Top Attractions
Popular Activities
Filter Tours
28 Available Tour Excursions in La Serena
One way transfer in La Serena city. Please select the option you need. Arrival service Departiure service
Price: $14.67
Duration: 1 hours
Discover a unique phenomenon: a Valdivian forest that survives in a semi-arid climate thanks to the mysterious "camanchaca" fog. Fray Jorge National Park, declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, is a true oasis of biodiversity. Walk along trails surrounded by nature, breathe fresh air, and marvel at the views.
Price: $80.00
Duration: 7 hours
DE DE Chilean wine and pisco evolves from the oldest DE Chilean city, La Serena, to the oldest, most recognized and attractive DE cultural destination in the country, the Gran Valle del Elqui, a heavenly paradise of mountains that gave life to the most important treasures and cultural emblems of Chile and Hispanic America. You will discover the first vineyards and places where amazing bacchanals and the most extreme ENdimias were held in the new world, DE DE well as the places where the winemaking and alcohol trade EN Colonia began and spread in Chile and the Southern Cone. You will learn about the first DE bogas and vineyards DE Chile’s history and their amazing evolution that gave life to DE America’s oldest appeal, the Chilean pisco and later the DEnomination of origin of its famous nectar wines and bow ties. DE tasting spectacular wines and one of the most attractive geographies and atmospheres in the world of wine.
Price: $225.00
Duration: 10-11 hours
This tour stands out by offering a complete and immersive journey through the Elqui Valley, one of Chile’s most scenic and culturally rich destinations. From breathtaking mountain landscapes to charming traditional villages, you will experience the true essence of the region in a single day. Unlike standard tours, this experience combines culture, gastronomy, and local traditions, including visits to a pisco distillery and a high-altitude winery, where you will enjoy guided tastings of regional products. The journey also includes a traditional lunch in the heart of the valley, allowing you to connect with the flavors and lifestyle of northern Chile. With a well-balanced itinerary, comfortable transportation, and expert guidance, this tour is perfect for travelers looking to discover the Elqui Valley in a deeper and more authentic way.
Price: $47.00
Duration: 7-9 hours
More than a wellness activity, this is a deeply personal immersion into the natural rhythms of the Elqui Valley. Every experience is thoughtfully adapted to each guest and shared exclusively with one or two people, creating space for genuine presence, reflection and rest. Rather than following a scripted routine, you'll experience practices that have become part of Loreto's own journey, gently woven together with the silence, landscapes and ancestral spirit of the Andes. Here, nature is not simply observed—it becomes an essential part of the experience.
Price: $70.00
Duration: 4 hours
We will pick you up at your accommodation to take a journey to the majestic Andes mountain range. Our first stop will be in the remote town of Huanta, where we will enjoy breakfast at the last restaurant in the Valley. Afterwards, we will head to the Juntas del Toro Border Complex, where we will check in with the Carabinieri of Chile to access the thermal baths, located on the foothills of Las Tortolas Hill, the second highest mountain in the region and about 120 km from Vicuña. We will be at an altitude of 3,300 meters above sea level. You can enjoy a small trek to a hidden waterfall. Then, you will experience moments of relaxation in the baths, tasting local wines accompanied by a mountain pairing. We will return to Vicuña, where you can finish the day with a tasting of craft beer accompanied by delicious pizzas, in this way we will culminate this unique experience.
Price: $90.00
Duration: 4 hours
We will visit the most picturesque places of this great Valley, which surrounds us with mysticism and relaxation. We will visit the Puclaro Reservoir, Vicuña and its attractions. We will know in a pisquera factory the process of the distillation of the grape. Lunch will take place in a typical restaurant of the place. We will continue the route to Paihuano, we will make a stop at the viewpoint, to go later to Monte Grande. Pisco Elqui is the last town on this circuit, a small town with narrow streets and adobe houses, where the place's square and a beautiful water fountain stand out, with figures of children; the village church and crafts centers typical of the place, welcome us and say goodbye to this tour.
Price: $94.00
Duration: 8-10 hours
Welcome to the Elqui Valley, a cultural treasure that awaits you with open arms! Embark on a unique journey where history and nature intertwine in spectacular ways. Discover the ancestral secrets of ancient indigenous peoples as you explore the majestic mountains that guard this region. Visit the pisco and wine cellars, witnesses of the past and guardians of the flavor of Chilean viticulture. Let yourself be captivated by the authentic flavors that only the Elqui Valley can offer. You cannot miss the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Gabriela Mistral, the first Latin American woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, and feel the same inspiration that captivated her. Join us on this adventure where the past comes to life and the present invites you to explore. We are waiting for you in the Elqui Valley so that you can live an unforgettable experience full of authenticity and enrichment. Do not miss it!"
Price: $50.00
Duration: 7-9 hours
We offer the perfect blend of astrotourism and tastings with local flavors. You can do this experience just with your group, that way you will have a totally private and personalized experience.
Price: $45.00
Duration: 4 hours
7 hours tour. Explore the city of La Serena, Chile's second oldest city, full of history and colonial architectural elements that adorn their facades and streets, like churches, important buildings and The lighthouse of La Serena. Visit the city of Coquimbo, famous port surrounded with stories and traditions of the sea. Be part of the history of the fourth Region through this tour, which runs from Incas and Diaguitas civilization to pirates and corsairs.
Price: $400.00
Duration: 6 hours
In the Elqui Valley, in the IV Region, there is a privileged Astronomical Center with almost 300 days of clear skies a year. It offers advanced astronomy tours with specialized guides in Spanish, who explain everything about the universe in a clear and didactic way. High-quality telescopes are used, such as the 24-inch Hubble Optics, unique in Chile, the 20-inch Hubble Optics, and the 20-inch Meade, rotating between them for a varied observation experience. From the outdoor terrace, constellations, planets, nebulas, and more can be observed. Group astrophotography photos are captured on moonless nights, and visitors are allowed to photograph lunar craters with their own devices on moonlit nights.
Price: $55.00
Duration: 5-6 hours
The Elqui Valley is the most valuable cultural and mountain destination in Chile, creator of the most emblematic cultural treasures of our country. Its illuminated atmosphere allowed the creation and development of various cultural practices that make it a dream destination for those seeking relaxation, inspiration, cosmic connection and advanced knowledge about Chile's cultural heritage. Its beautiful geography welcomed ancient indigenous peoples, churches and hacienda houses of the first conquerors surrounded by pyramidal mountains full of minerals, energy and a transparent atmosphere, propagated tropical, desert and Mediterranean crops and the oldest wine and pisco cellars in the country. You will discover the art of the Diaguitas, the legacy of the Incas, the origins of Chilean and Argentine wine, the advanced astronomical observatories and the places that inspired mystics and the first female Nobel Prize winner for literature in Latin America, Gabriela Mistral.
Price: $245.00
Duration: 10 hours
You will explore one of the most arid and beautiful deserts on the planet. We will travel from La Serena to the coast of the Atacama desert, crossing impressive landscapes of the pampas and the coast to find its incredible geological formations with striking colors. We will explore ancient ravines, beautiful mountains, plains and beautiful coastal marine refuges occupied by indigenous people from the sector as well as picturesque settlements of miners, farmers and fishermen. We will travel through the beautiful and colorful beaches, bays, coves, pampas and hills of Atacama, possessing a magical geography and vestiges from Gondwana, Jurassic and prehistoric times and an amazing annual and seasonal flora that revives after the great rains. . You will meet magical towns, human settlements, fauna, wetlands and springs that cross, subsist and keep alive the coast and the driest desert on the planet.
Price: $595.00
Duration: 16 hours
This tour differs because it not only contemplates the observation of the Florid Desert in different landscapes, but also offers a box lunch in a natural oasis, the possibility of exploring the Llanos de Challe National Park and reaching the coast of Carrizal, where unique species bloom by the sea. With expert guidance from the team, you can identify the most iconic flowers and live a complete experience that unites nature, knowledge and unforgettable landscapes.
Price: $75.00
Duration: 12 hours
We head for north through the Panamerican Highway and cross a semi-desert like area. The road continues on a sloping ground from where we can observe several views of the rocky coast.
Price: $150.00
Duration: 8 hours
This 6 HOURS tour will take you through the great Elqui Valley (Valle del Elqui) where you can find places with paths between vineyards and fruit trees, barren hills covered with vines and pisco factories (liquor extracted from grapes). We will visit the city of Vicuña where you can find its main square and the museum of the poet Gabriela Mistral. Also you can visit the salesroom of Papaya, the typical fruit of the area. Then we will enjoy lunch in a restaurant where food is cooked with sunlight!
Price: $407.00
Duration: 7 hours
You will get to know one of the most beautiful islands on the southern Pacific coast and one of the areas with the greatest diversity of marine species. The borders of the Green North of Coquimbo and the beginnings of the driest desert in the world: the Atacama stand out for having attractive landscapes and settlements of former seamen considered the most experienced fishermen in Chile "Los Choros, Pieles Rojas, Changos and Camanchacas". You will navigate and get to know three magical islands: Gaviotas, Choros and Damas and enjoy its incomparable geography, beaches and diversity of plants and cacti together with its attractive fauna of penguins, dolphins, sea birds, otters and sea lions. You will be able to walk through Isla Damas, a place with a fascinating beauty of numerous beaches and desert flora. The current Humboldt Penguin National Reserve generated in ancient times the construction of the first and last rafts made with sea lion skin.
Price: $220.00
Duration: 10 hours
Experience different ecosystems with the tour to the Fray Jorge National Park and Valle del Encanto, touring a Valdivian forest in the IV Region.
Price: $315.90
Duration: 10 hours
Key Info for Visitors
- Currency: CLP
- Languages: Spanish
- Climate: Semi-arid Mediterranean
- Timezone: America/Santiago
- Population: Approximately 220,000
- Best Time to Visit: best time to visit is spring through early autumn for warm weather.
- Visa Requirements Visitors from the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom generally do not require a visa for stays up to 90 days. Many other countries also benefit from visa-free entry or visa on arrival. An e-visa option is not typically available. Travelers must have a valid passport, proof of onward travel, and sometimes proof of sufficient funds. It is advisable to check specific requirements before travel.
About La Serena
La Serena is a charming coastal city in northern Chile known for its beautiful beaches, colonial architecture, and relaxed atmosphere. It is one of Chile’s oldest cities, offering a unique blend of history and modern tourism. Visitors are drawn to its long sandy shores, ideal for sunbathing and surfing, as well as its well-preserved historic center featuring churches and colonial buildings. The city serves as a gateway to the Elqui Valley, famous for its clear skies and astronomical observatories, making it a top destination for stargazing. La Serena’s mild semi-arid Mediterranean climate ensures pleasant weather year-round, perfect for outdoor activities and exploring local culture. The city also boasts vibrant markets, delicious seafood, and a welcoming local community. Whether you are interested in history, nature, or relaxation, La Serena offers a diverse experience that appeals to families, couples, and solo travelers alike.
La Serena Tours & Experiences
- Top Attractions: Highlights of North Chile
- Duration Range: Half-day or Full-day
- Group Size: Intimate Groups
- Difficulty Level: Easy to Moderate
- Recommended For: The best time to visit is spring through early autumn for warm weather. Pack light clothing with layers for cooler evenings. Respect local customs and greet people with a friendly “hola.” Carry some cash as not all places accept cards. Stay hydrated and use sun protection. Safety is good but remain vigilant in crowded areas. Learning basic Spanish phrases enhances the experience.
Average Tour Price: $95
Lowest Price Tour: $45
Highest Price Tour: $250
Important Tour Information
- Bring comfortable walking shoes and appropriate clothing
- Check tour cancellation and refund policies
- Arrive at the meeting point at least 15 minutes early
- Carry valid identification and tour booking confirmation
Frequently Asked Questions
Local Food & Cuisine
La Serena’s cuisine features fresh seafood such as ceviche, grilled fish, and shellfish. Signature dishes include pastel de jaiba (crab pie) and chupe de mariscos (seafood casserole). Local specialties also highlight Chilean staples like empanadas and pisco-based cocktails. Dining customs are relaxed, with many restaurants offering outdoor seating overlooking the ocean. Noteworthy restaurants include those along Avenida del Mar and in the historic center, where traditional flavors meet contemporary culinary styles.
Getting Around
La Serena is accessible by air via La Serena Airport with flights from Santiago and other cities. Buses connect La Serena to major Chilean cities. Within the city, taxis, buses, and shared vans are common for local transport. Walking is convenient in the historic and beachfront areas. Transportation costs are generally affordable, with taxis and buses being economical options.
Travel Tips
The best time to visit is spring through early autumn for warm weather. Pack light clothing with layers for cooler evenings. Respect local customs and greet people with a friendly “hola.” Carry some cash as not all places accept cards. Stay hydrated and use sun protection. Safety is good but remain vigilant in crowded areas. Learning basic Spanish phrases enhances the experience.
Culture & Customs
La Serena’s culture blends indigenous and Spanish colonial influences. Social interactions are warm and polite, with greetings and small talk common. Important festivals include the Fiesta de La Pampilla in September, celebrating Chilean independence with music and food. Respect for local traditions and modest dress in religious sites is appreciated. Tipping is customary but modest.
About The Author
Calvin has loved travel and adventure since first visiting Los Angeles with a suitcase in 1992 at the age of 20. He ditched the suitcase and got a backpack pretty fast.
He hates leaving after any trip and has to console himself by writing and sharing articles on it. You can find and connect with him on linked in here.
Likes
Travel, Gaming, Scuba Diving, Skiing and anything to do with water.
Dislikes
Exact luggage sizing police and being tired in an airport and many more..