Entrepreneurship Offers Astrotourism Experiences in Guanaqueros
Astro Guanaqueros, offers a route that addresses the main archaeological sites of the resort and a rarely seen session of astronomical observation in coastal areas.
To say that the skies of the Coquimbo Region are privileged for astronomical observation and therefore, one of the most demanded by astrotourism lovers is nothing new. However, a large percentage of this activity is concentrated in the valleys, where most of the observatories and related tourist services are located, but what few know is that there are coastal areas within the region with almost the same qualities and one of them is Guanaqueros.
This is one of the services provided by Astro Guanaqueros , a tourism agency that is dedicated to disseminating the different heritage routes of the resort, focusing on its main archaeological sites. Each route ends with a day of observation and astronomical photography, offering an experience out of the ordinary, as it takes place a short distance from the coastline.
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Jocelyn Inostroza, founder of Astro Guanaqueros, stated that “This has been a differentiating factor for us, as the vast majority of these services are concentrated in the valleys. In addition, it allows us to share a historical and archaeological story about the different cultures that have left their traces in this territory and that makes people appreciate these vestiges and support their protection and preservation».
Heritage Rescue Route
It was thanks to a competitive fund from the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage, with which this entrepreneur was able to develop three years ago the Urban Route Piedras Tacitas de Guanaqueros, a tour of these national monuments that are located in different parts of the resort. In addition, it includes shells, indigenous cemeteries and other sites of archaeological interest that review the history of Guanaqueros and speak of the passage of cultures such as Molle, Ánimas, Diaguita and Changa in the territory.
Tacit stones correspond to horizontal and flat rocky surfaces with shallow circular concavities that, according to various studies, had different purposes, for example, grinding and feeding, ceremonial uses and for the manufacture of pigments for rock art. Those existing in Guanaqueros date back five thousand years and were probably created by the hunter-gatherers who inhabited the area.
In this regard, the tourist guide indicated that “This is a nine-point route, where we’ll learn about the history of the Tacitas stones, different cemeteries of native peoples and shells, among other points. It lasts approximately two hours, is completely suitable for blind people and comes with the entire archaeological story so that people can take away as much information as possible. In addition, we finish at the foot of Cerro Guanaqueros, with an astronomical observation and astrophotography session so that you can take home a nice memory of the route“.
During this year, this entrepreneur will begin a work plan to address the different tasks of business work, among which are administration, accounting, marketing, among others. That is why, from the Sercotec Coquimbo Business Center, you will receive personalized advice to carry out all the improvement opportunities that drive the growth of the business.
Jorge Donoso, director of the Sercotec Coquimbo Business Center, pointed out that “This is a very interesting proposal, since it mixes tourism with the historical and patrimonial story of Guanaqueros, so it is necessary to spread it, since it is part of the culture of our region. Jocelyn participated with us during the astrotourism summit that was held last year in Vicuña and we are sure that new actions will come where she will be able to share what she does with Astro Guanaqueros and what she knows about the subject“.