PATAGONIA AND CHILEAN FJORDS
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PATAGONIA AND CHILEAN FJORDS
ITINERARY SUMMARY
| Day | Place | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Puerto Montt, Chile | Board the ship and set sail |
| 2 | Puyuhuapi Channel | Many fjords, islands and channels, marine life |
| 3 | San Rafael National Park | Biosphere reserve, explore the surrounds |
| 4 | At Sea | Gulf of Penas, beautiful views of mountain ranges |
| 5 | Caleta Tortel and Messier Channel | Small village, architecture, Southern Patagonian Ice Field |
| 6 | Bernardo O'Higgins National Park | Amalia Glacier area, Peel Fjord, dolphins, cormorants, condors and otters |
| 7 - 8 | At Sea | Strait of Magellan, Tierra del Fuego, Beagle Channel, Garibaldi Fjord |
| 9 | Ushuaia, Argentina | Disembark in Ushuaia |
SHIPS OFFERING THIS ITINERARY
Magellan Explorer
The Magellan Explorer is a new purpose built polar expedition vessel, with her maiden voyage being in November 2019. She offers almost exclusively Fly-Cruise voyages from Punta Arenas in Chile to King George Island on the Antarctic Peninsula. She features 50 spacious cabins, a forward-facing observation lounge, an observation deck, and a dining room that accommodates everyone at one sitting. She also has an outdoor barbecue area, a gym, and a sauna. The bow of the ship is accessible to guests to offer expansive views during exploration. Adventure activities include kayaking and snowshoeing.
Day 1 Puerto Montt, Chile
OVERVIEW:
Your journey begins in Puerto Montt, Chile, with boarding between 3-4pm. After all mandatory briefings, the ship sets sail towards the Gulf of Corcovado.
Day 2 Puyuhuapi Channel
Continue south to visit the area around Puerto Aysen and Puyuhuapi in the Aysén region. As we cruise and explore the area, we see the landscape unfold with its many fjords, islands, and channels. We hope to visit either Puerto Cisnes, Puyuhuapi, or Magdalena Island, with the possibility to see dolphins, whales, cormorants, sea lions, and river otters.
Day 3 San Rafael National Park
Today, the ship reaches the Chonos Archipelago. Heading towards the Moraleda Channel, the vessel cruises around the area of San Rafael National Park, a biosphere reserve, if weather permits. The park is the main entry point to Chile’s Northern Patagonian Ice Field. We will also explore the surrounding fjords, channels, islands, and coves.
Day 4 At Sea
As you sail south, we cross the Gulf of Penas, enjoying beautiful views of the surrounding mountain ranges. The expedition team tells us about the indigenous inhabitants of these southern lands, the early Spanish colonizers, and famous explorers such as Charles Darwin, Fitz Roy, and Alberto de Agostini. You will also learn about the region’s biodiversity through presentations about the local marine fauna and flora.
Day 5 Caleta Tortel and Messier Channel
If weather permits, a visit to Caleta Tortel or the surrounding region is planned for the morning. Located between the mouth of the Baker River and a small cove within the Baker Channel, Caleta Tortel is a small village consisting mainly of stilt houses, typical of Chilotan architecture, built along the coast for several kilometers. Wooden walkways are built with Guaitecas cypress, they connect houses and give the village its distinctive look and unique culture. Continue sailing south towards Messier Channel and navigate through the dramatic 18-meter-wide English Narrows for a privileged view of the glaciers of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. Outside Antarctica, some of the largest glaciers in the southern hemisphere are found here.
Day 6 Bernardo O’Higgins National Park
Embark on a Zodiac excursion to the Amalia Glacier area or the surrounding glaciers along the Peel Fjord in the Bernardo O’Higgins National Park. We bask in the glacier’s icy-blue beauty and cruise across the sea and among its ice floes to uncover part of Chile’s natural mystique. As you sail between snow-capped peaks to get a closer look at the glacier and its brilliant and rugged textures, you may spot dolphins swimming at a distance, cormorants or condors flying above, and otters.
Days 7 – 8 At Sea
While heading south along the Strait of Magellan, explore the waters of the fjords that branch out from Tierra del Fuego. Follow the remote coast around the Francisco Coloane Marine Park, a protected area in the southern hemisphere where whales feed. If lucky, you may be able to spot humpback or sei whales breaching in the distance. You may also see dolphins, sea lions, seals, penguins, albatrosses, and petrels.
The Beagle Channel is a striking narrow passage in the archipelago of Tierra del Fuego, a region originally named after the fires that burned in local native settlements when the first European explorers arrived. Dividing Chile and Argentina, the passage showcases ice formations along the snow-dusted Darwin Range. We will sail along Glacier Alley, home to the Holanda, Italia, Francia, Alemania, and Romanche glaciers, aiming to explore the Garibaldi Fjord.
Day 9 Ushuaia, Argentina
Morning arrival in Ushuaia and disembarkation.