Day 3 – Monday the plan was to drive back towards Viña and stop at some of the sights on the way down. About ½ hour south we stopped to check out this well known surfing beach Totoralillo and snap a few photos.
Crystal Blue Waters!
The highlight of our drive home was undoubtedly our stop at Parque Nacional Fray Jorge, a lush cloud forest set in the mountains between the coast and the desert. In order to get there we took a 27 kilometer rough road through cactus-covered farmlands and isolated villages and up a series of hair-raising switchbacks. But the payoff was worth it. The unique ecosystem materializes as you reach the top and the vistas of the coast to the west and the desert to the east were impressive. The cloud forest thrives on the blanket of fog that cloaks the park daily and burns off as the day goes on. The park offers a half mile walking circuit with wooden paths reminiscent of Star Wars’ Ewok Village. The forest includes some unusual flowers and shrubs as well as full sized trees as seen below.
The Desert
Inside the Forest
The vista overlooking the ocean
Petra next to a strange giant flower
On the way out we stopped in at the visitor center and encountered these little guys, desert foxes who hang around the BBQ area in hopes of grabbing stray scraps of food.
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