Chilean Patagonia
In Chilean Patagonia, one of the world's southernmost regions, you will sail between towering blue-colored glaciers and the sharp peaks of the Andes Mountains. This pristine area of waterways and rugged landscapes where glaciers and forests meet dramatic coastlines is perfect for exploring by ship. Each day brings new highlights, from remote fjords and beaches teeming with marine life to historic sites that tell the story of this Chilean region. The itinerary serves as a guide, but nature sets the pace, where the world can't find you....
Penguins, sea lions and condors
During this expedition, where you will visit several national parks, you will get to know Patagonia's rich biodiversity very well. By Zodiac, you will sail between ice floes with snow-capped peaks and glaciers as a backdrop, looking for dolphins, cormorants, otters or condors flying above them. Around the Francisco Coloane Marine Park, with some luck you will spot humpback or northern fin whales jumping out of the water and there is a great chance of seeing sea lions, seals, penguins, albatrosses and petrels.
TIPS & TOPS Cruise along the fjords of Patagonia and Chile
- San Rafael National Park is the main gateway to Chile's northern Patagonian ice field
- At the Gulf of Penas has beautiful views of the surrounding mountain ranges
- The expedition team talks about the indigenous inhabitants of these southern lands and famous explorers such as Charles Darwin, Fitz Roy and Alberto de Agostini
- The villages near the Baker Canal consist mainly of stilt houses, typical of Chilotan architecture, built for miles along the coast; wooden walkways connect the houses, giving it a distinctive appearance and unique culture
- Heading toward the Messier Channel, sail through the impressive, 18-meter-wide English Narrows for amazing views of the glaciers of the South Patagonian Ice Field
- Outside Antarctica, some of the largest glaciers in the southern hemisphere are located here
- By Zodiac, sail to the Amalia Glacier area or the surrounding glaciers at Peelfjord in Bernardo O'Higgins National Park; sailing between snow-capped peaks, you may spot dolphins, cormorants, condors and otters
- Along the Strait of Magellan you will sail through the waters of the fjords, branching off from Tierra del Fuego
- Around the Francisco Coloane Marine Park, a protected area in the southern hemisphere, with a little luck you can spot humpback or northern fin whales in the distance, jumping out of the water
- The Beagle Channel is a striking, narrow passage in the archipelago of Tierra del Fuego, separating Chile and Argentina; the ice formations along the snow-capped Darwin Mountains are very impressive
- Fire Country gets its name from the fires that raged in the local settlements when the first European explorers arrived
