Valle de Elqui (Elqui Valley)

If you remember, a couple of posts ago I talked about places to go in Chile, Valle de Elqui was one of them. Now, I'm still feeling bad that I could not give a lot of information in that entry, so here is a bunch of information on Valle de Elqui. I went to Elqui this past weekend with a friend that I have made here, and we stayed at a Hostel in the Valle for three nights, which I will definitely talk about with in this post, just later.
So, how do you get to Valle de Elqui? Easiest way, catch a bus to Santiago then a bus to La Serena, which is a main city just outside of the Valle. Then you can either have a place to stay in La Serena or catch a bus/colectivo to Vicuña or where ever in the Valle you will be planning on staying. You can also fly into the airport near La Serena and take a taxi directly from there or talk to the drivers and see what method they would recommend to get to where you will be staying. The drivers just want happy visitors in their town, so they are quite likely to help you find the cheapest way to get from point A to point B.

Now, there are a many of things to do in La Serena, but only having a few days, my friend and I made the decision to skip it, which was definitely fine with me. We spent a day traveling the Valle and visiting the little towns along the way. There is an art fair that you can go to in Horcón, there wasn't much, but it was still a nice place to see. You can do tours of vineyards and learn about how pisco, a traditional Chilean adult beverage, is made. My friend and I also did a star tour, which lasted about 2 hours. It was all in Spanish, but most of the guides speak clearly enough that most people can understand (a friend from Austria that does not know any Spanish even said so after taking the tour).
We also spent a day in Vicuña. There was not much, but we managed to find another art fair and the best ice cream that you will ever find. It is a store called El Cobre (the copper) and has 10+ flavors for you to choose from for wonderful prices. Definitely a place that you should visit while in the area.
And finally, the hostel: Luz del Valle. The owner, Luz Marina, and her husband run the place year round, but currently her husband is in Belgium for business, leaving her in charge. There are two dogs (Gringa and Lucky) and three cats (two full grown and one baby) that roam the property. There are also chickens in the back, of which Luz gets eggs from daily to make delicious breakfasts, which she provides for her guests every morning. She usually gets couples as her guests, but even if you go with a group of friends, she will be more than happy to take all of you in. She speaks Spanish, English, and French (just as a fun fact about this lovely lady).