The Norte Chico - the small north  - is situated only 500 kilometres north of Santiago. Flights from Santiago arrive three times per day in La Serena, a beach resort on the Pacific coast. Visitors from distant countries hardly know this region. Nevertheless, well known is the term "Pisco", which is a colourless and natural brandy extracted from the grapes of the local sunny vineyards. When autumn and winter starts in the northern hemisphere, our holiday season, which is from October to April, begins in this mild and dry climate. The blue Pacific with its hidden fishing bays and the little villages in the wild Andes are part of this region, as well as lonely valleys, endless mountain trails, and the peace and silence of the Andes over which condors rule. A well-known holiday resort is Pisco Elqui, in the valley with the same name. The Rio Hurtado valley is situated nearby, only 15 kilometers as the crow flies to the west and that's where the Hacienda is located. One of northern Chile's best preserved Indian ceremony places is located in this green valley, only a 2 hour horseback ride away from the Hacienda Los Andes.

More than fourty rock paintings are the last traces of the ancient Indian culture of the Diaguitas. They owned gold mines, which attracted the Incas to come to the Hurtado valley some time later. They introduced the irrigation system with a labyrinth of channels. This system was even used by the Spanish from the 16th century on and farmers today are still profiting from it. The Spanish colonization followed the old trade trail of the Incas, known as Inca trail, upstream the Rio Hurtado and further over the Andes.

They gave this pass its name "Linia Santa Rosa" and still today thousands of animals with their herdsmen follow this trail from Chile to the summer pastures in Argentina, just like hundreds of years ago. The Hurtado district only has about 250 kilometers of roads which can be travelled by car, but thousands of kilometers of cattle trails which are travelled by the people (and by our guests) on horseback. Naturally, modern times have brought changes to the original lifestyle. Changes for the better: small hospitals, schools, parish halls, restored villages and democratic developments reflect a new Chile.

Visitors to this region will find a mixture of the old Chilean culture and the achievements of the new century. The hospitable people who can be met here are small farmers, herdsmen, workmen and cattle breeders.                       

They live in small villages surrounded by huge and colourful mountains, semi-desert landscapes, steppes, and a wide Sierra.

The sky is bright blue more than 300 days a year. The crystal-clear and absolutely clean air plus the freedom of light pollution, attracts astronomers from all over the world. Major professional observatories (ESO, CTIO, SOAR,...) are located nextdoor. This fascinating starlit night sky is pure Andean nature and is worth exploring during your holiday!