The Best of Chilean Fjords

Meet and greet the local representative at the hotel. Check-in is available starting from late morning. This afternoon is at your leisure before meeting your fellow passengers for dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

After early morning breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia. Approximate flight duration: 3 hours, 30 min.

Depending on your choice when booking your cruise (options not combinable), transfer to a restaurant for lunch. When booking the cruise, guests willing to visit the Tierra del Fuego National Park sign up for an optional group excursion, with extra cost. If you decide to do so, please note that immediately upon arrival at Ushuaia airport, leave towards the Park to have lunch before starting the tour.

At the end of your visit, return to Ushuaia and the port for embarkation on your vessel.

Located on Navarino Island a few kilometers from the Argentinian border, the city of Puerto Williams is, according to Chileans, the southernmost city in the world. It is first and foremost, a charming fishing port whose calm and isolation delight you. Stroll around a few little streets and admire the dark silhouette of the Patagonian Andes, surmounted by eternally white peaks. The Martin Gusinde museum of anthropology gives an aperçu of the living conditions of the ancient indigenous people, the Yámanas, while the surrounding areas propose hiking paths across wild, unspoiled nature.

It’s at the meeting point between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans that you enter Chilean Patagonia where you head for the Tierra del Fuego archipelago and its famous Cape Horn. From the top of its impressive 425-meter high cliff, South America’s southernmost tip has, for many centuries, seen merchant ships from the world over passing by. Because of its legendary storms and rough seas, getting round this cape has gone down in history as a challenge for all seafarers.

Cruise along the narrow arm of Garibaldi Fjord and marvel at its stunning landscapes: thick green vegetation adorns steep mountains, rivaling the beauty of surrounding ice and snow. Further on, Garibaldi Glacier unveils itself: a towering ice titan looming at the end of the fjord that shares its name. Don't be surprised if sea lions and numerous birds accompany you on your enchanting journey into the heart of one of Chile's most beautiful glaciers. 

In the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, the Agostini Glacier sits at the back of the eponymous fjord, framed by the Cordillera Darwin. Named after the Italian missionary and explorer Alberto Maria De Agostini, this imposing blue-tinged glacier offers a stunning view over the fjord.

This mythical strait situated in the south of Chile and separating South America from Tierra del Fuego, awakens our imagination, stirring up a longing for adventure. For the first time, follow in the footsteps of the famous Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, known for having organized the first circumnavigation of the globe in the 16th century. Aboard your ship, cruise along the 600 km separating the Atlantic Ocean from the Pacific and, before arriving in Ushuaia, discover the sea route which was long nicknamed “Strait of All Saints” because Magellan’s ships first entered it on All Saints’ Day. A fascinating adventure.

Also called Fjord of the Mountains or Channel of the Mountains, the Estero Las Montañas fjord offers enchanting landscapes. Situated in large part in the Alacalufes National Reserve, this former glacial valley now flooded with water seems to stretch on forever inland. Surrounded by tall mountains with lush slopes and edged with numerous glaciers tinged in various shades of blue, it will be a highlight of your cruise.

In the heart of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, where the National Parks of Bernardo O’Higgins, Torres del Paine, and Las Glaciares meet, discover the Skua Glacier, also known as the Amalia Glacier. Nested on the Andes, this three-kilometer-wide tidewater glacier offers you sumptuous landscapes in infinite shades of blue: a magical show during which the impressive cracking of the ice can be heard at times.

At the heart of Bernardo O'Higgins National Park, the largest protected area in Chile, discover El Brujo Glacier. Located at the end of the Asia Fjord, this huge wall of ice sculpted by the wind is fascinating and impressive. This magical, natural and grandiose décor that changes as the light plays upon it is an unforgettable sight.

The Brüggen Glacier, a coastal glacier in southern Chile also known as Pio XI, is astonishing for its almost surreal dimensions. With a surface area exceeding 1,200 km2, it is the largest of the glaciers making up the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. This gigantic ice field is the third largest ice mass in the world. Straddling the southern Andes Mountains, its breathtaking natural setting inspires sheer wonder and awe.

Between green hills rising from the water and snow-capped peaks, the English Passage is one of the main Patagonian channels. Situated off the south-western coast of Chile, at the end of the Messier Channel, this narrow waterway with a width of just 180 meters offers a unique sailing experience due to its exceptional dimensions and its magnificent natural setting.

A picturesque, colorful fishing village, Tortel boasts a splendid location in the heart of southern Patagonia, halfway between Puerto Montt and Cape Horn. From the little streets made up of small walkways, love the grand panorama of rounded mountains, dense forest, the clear waters of the Pacific. If you walk out onto one of the many wooden pontoons, admire the views as you stand suspended a few meters above the water. The village is scattered with sculptures made by local artists, an excellent introduction to this friendly community.

Near the Peñón de Lobos (‘wolf rock’), in Chile, the Pulluche Canal is located northwest of Monte Prieto and the island of Sin Nombre, literally “the island without a name”. This maritime channel in the Aysén du Général Carlos Ibañez del Campo Region, in the south of the country, is 1,400 km south of the capital. Sail through a very singular landscape made up of islands, canals and fjords. Recognized as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1979, the San Rafael Lake brims with rainforests and abundant wildlife: sea birds (Black-browed Albatrosses, cormorants…) and marine mammals (pinnipeds).
 

In southern Chile, in the Lake District, discover the small fishing port of Quemchi on the east coast of Chiloé Island. With its authentic charm, its pretty wooden houses, its narrow streets lined with small shops, and its fish market, this faraway village is sure to win you over. Be sure to visit the museum dedicated to Francisco Coloane, the famous Chilean author and adventurer born on this southern land. Not far from there, the small island called Isla Aucar, accessible via a wooden footbridge will be a chance to observe a wide variety of birds and discover a magnificent botanical garden, home to many of the region’s endemic plants.

During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness center. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call is also an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique, or to meet the photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea,  visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest, and entertainment.

Talcahuano, Chile’s largest fishing port, neighbors the overflowing energy of Concepción, where music resonates on every street corner. Renowned for its cultural and artistic life, it is nicknamed “the gateway to the south”. With its 215,000 inhabitants, Concepción is a relatively prosperous city in Chile and the country’s largest town south of Santiago. Very beautiful little traditional fishing villages scattered along the coast add to the charm of this part of the Chilean coastline.