Valparaiso & Punta de Choros

We left Santiago de Chile on December 23, choosing Valparaiso as our first stop on our way north. Although practically in all the brochures and tourist information Valparaiso is considered in the "Top 10 must see in Chile", in my opinion this is exaggerated. Valparaiso is a port city, much dirtier compared to other cities visited so far in Chile, unfortunately also known for its high crime rate. During our visit to the city, we were warned by the locals several times that we should be careful of pickpockets and other categories of scammers. Although the open-air museum represented by the rich graffiti ornaments and the view from the adjacent hills are interesting, this object can be visited quickly in an afternoon. For security reasons we chose to stay at a campsite in Laguna Verde (a seaside village near Valparaiso) and visit the city by bus.

The second stop going north was at the "Reserva National Pinguino de Humboldt" on Damas Island (near Punta del Choro). We took a three-hour tour by motorboat. The trip was excellent, we were able to see sea lions, Humboldt penguins, various species of birds and in addition, many species of cacti and succulent plants. The photos speak for themselves...Læs mere