Chile Chico is situated only 500 kilometres north of Santiago. Planes from Santiago land in La Serena (health and seaside resort at the Pacific) three times every day. 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 on the northern hemisphere, holiday season, which is from October to April, begins here in this mild and dry climate. The blue Pacific with its hidden fishing villages and little villages in the wild Andes is part of this region as well as lonely valleys, endless mountain trails, and the peace and quiet of the Andes over which condors fly. A well-known holiday resort is Pisco de Elqui in the valley of the same name. The Rio Hurtado valley is situated nearby, only 15 kilometres as the crow flies, to the west; and that is where the Hacienda is. One of northern Chile's Indian ceremony places in the best condition is situated in this green valley only 120 minutes ride 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 Inca to the Hurtado valley some time later. They introduced the irrigation system which is a labyrinth of channels and which was used by the Spaniards too from the 16th century on, and still the farmers today profit from it. The Spaniards followed the old trade trail of the Inca, 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 like some hundreds years ago. The Hurtado district has only about 250 kilometres roads which can be travelled by car, and thousands kilometres of cattle trails which are travelled by the people (and by our guests) on horseback. Naturally, there have been changes besides the original life as well and that is good: small hospitals, schools, parish halls, restored villages and democratic developments reflect a new Chile.