On the central coast of Chile, just 48 km northwest of Viña del Mar, known as the garden city of Chile, lies the cliffs of Quirilluca, home to gorgeous bay views and sunsets, and vast numbers of diverse birdlife and marine fauna.

 

At this unique landscape where the countryside meets the sea, you can do a trek of very low difficulty, but very high level of attractions with those magnetic views toward a seemingly infinite horizon in the sea and the mesmerizing birdlife you can sometimes witness in their nests in holes along the rocky cliff that have formed over millions of years.

 

The cliffs reach almost 90 meters (295 feet) high at its the highest part, are composed of sandstone and conglomerate rock (petrified gravel). According to the Puchuncaví Natural History Museum, the rocks belong to the so-called "Horcón Formation,” which is distinguished by the presence of numerous fossils of cetaceans, fish, and invertebrates that were formed mainly in a marine environment that existed during the Pliocene epoch some 2 to 5 million years ago.

 

This is an easy trek that takes about one a half hours one way, where you will observe all manner of charismatic birds, such as The Booby (Sula variegata), which is one of the main inhabitants of this area, and pelicans (pelicanus), Dominican gull (Larus dominicanus), and loicas (Leistes loyca). As well, it is possible to observe sea otters from the cliffs and to cross a forest of Belloto del Norte, a native tree species that is endangered.

All the above make this place one of a kind, and which justifiably has led Chile to deem it a priority site for the conservation of biodiversity. Nevertheless, this special place could soon be severely affected if a large-scale real estate project planned nearby involving 14,108 homes comes to fruition. One of the last undeveloped places left in the Maitencillo area, so far, the Maratué project has been blocked thanks to citizen opposition.

 

This is a trek that can be done in both directions: from Maitencillo bay to Quirilluca or vice versa. My recommendation is to do it as the first option, since the hike ends in an idyllic white sand beach and clear waters, which, if it were not for the low temperature of this part of the Pacific Ocean, this would be 100 percent paradise.

 

To get there from Maitencillo, a popular beach town nearby, you should head toward the Cerro Tacna sector, where you may come across paragliders taking off under the guidance of local tour provider Parapente Aire Libre. It is next to this place where the 4.1-kilometer hike begins along a wide path where it is impossible to get lost since the path always skirts along the cliffs.

 

It is important to point out that there are no water sources on the trail and sun protection is particularly important, either with special clothing or sunscreen, as there is practically no shade on the trail and the sunlight can be deceptive.

 

Altogether, this is a trekker’s delight and an ideal place to go with the whole family. The remarkable beauty found along these magnificent cliffs that still conserves amazing biodiversity taking refuge in one of the last places remaining along the central Chilean coast without construction, buildings, or other development.