Parque Nacional Fray Jorge
A patch of land so rich in vegetation and animal life in the heart of El Norte Chico's dry, desolate landscape defies logic. But Parque Nacional Fray Jorge has been a UNESCO world biosphere reserve since 1977, with a small cloud forest similar to those found in Chile's damp southern regions. The forest, perched 600 meters (1,968 feet) above sea level, receives its life-giving nourishment from the camanchaca (fog) that constantly envelops it. Within this forest, you will come across ferns and trees found nowhere else in the region as you maneuver a slightly slippery boardwalk on a 20-minute tour. Although Fray Jorge will not take a lot of time to see, it makes a pretty spot to stop, and there is a picnic table from where you can watch the fog drift over the Pacific Ocean below.
