The sky’s
Missed out on the solar eclipse? Don’t worry, there’s another one next year, writes Joanna Booth
sun, watchers first see the rays concentrated into a ‘diamond ring’, and then they’re pitched into darkness for a full two minutes of twinkling stars and planets.
T But those who watched the solar
eclipse earlier this month from the very best location on the planet – Chile’s Elqui Valley – will have had good reason to have been pleased when the lights came back on. Rugged mountains and vineyard-carpeted valleys make this untouched region as beautiful during the day as it is at night, when its clear skies make it a great place to stargaze. This won’t be the last time sky-
watchers flock to Chile. In December 2020, a total eclipse will be visible around the lakes and volcanoes of Pucon and Villarrica, and in December
otal solar eclipses make astrotourists hot under the collar – and for good reason. As the moon’s shadow passes over the
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2021, visitors to Chile’s southern tip will see a partial solar eclipse. So expect operators to introduce more specialist trips as a result. The skies really are smiling on Chile.
Beyond the movements of celestial bodies, British Airways has increased the frequency of its direct Dreamliner flights between Heathrow and Santiago, which launched two years ago, up to five a week.
Vineyards to volcanoes It’s not just those with cosmological interests who will be filling the seats. Chile is so long and thin – transposed to Europe, it would stretch from Norway to Tunisia – that it encompasses a vast variety of terrain, from deserts, vineyards and volcanoes to fjords and glaciers. While it’s easy to sell Chile in combination with neighbouring Argentina or Bolivia, it really justifies a standalone visit, offering more than enough to fill a fortnight’s trip.
July 2019 | Travel Weekly touring adventure| 17
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