Paddling near Vicuña, Coquimbo

Vicuña sits in the heart of the Elqui Valley, a narrow Andean corridor in the Coquimbo Region defined by mountains, vineyards, and the rivers that carve through them. The marquee flatwater destination for paddlers in the area is Embalse Puclaro, a reservoir just outside town that suits kayaking and SUP. The quebradas and rivers of the valley are generally seasonal and low-volume, shaped by the semi-arid climate of northern Chile.