Top Things to do in Chilean Patagonia
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What to do and see in Chilean Patagonia, Chilean Patagonia: The Best Geologic Formations
Dazzling fjords and vertiginous Andean peaks cover Chile's best-known region, turning this slim swath of land into a playground for skiing, whitewater rafting and trekking. To the north lies San Rafael Lagoon National Park with its impressive ice fields. In Patagonia's southern stretch, the city of Punta Arenas is the gateway to Torres del Paine National Park, which attracts serious climbers and casual day hikers to its granite peaks, glaciers and waterfalls.
Restaurants in Chilean Patagonia
1. Fjord Quitralco
2. Steffen Glacier
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2 reviews
3. Capillas de Marmol
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 522 reviews
Reviewed By Farmlabourer - Dumfries, United Kingdom
A wet and fast boat trip to the caves followed by a gentle tour in an out of the caves. A lot of explanation but all in Spanish but the main point is what you see. The longer trip is probably worth the extra cash for a more relaxed time in the caves.
4. Dientes de Navarino
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 64 reviews
Reviewed By evwtrip - Nijmegen, The Netherlands
This is one of the more rougher treks I've done. Both in terms of adressing my routefinding skills many times (while there is a collection of signposting as well as the much more frequent markerstones, I did manage to wander off track quite a few times) as in the actual difficulty of the terrain (boulder hopping, steep descents, muddy marshes, negotiating tree roots & branches) your progress will be slow each of the 3 or more days you're trekking the 32km/20mi long Dientes. I solo-hiked it in 4. But they say: the rougher the trek, the more beautiful it gets. That counts here also. It's a little more wilderness than the one in Torres del Paine. While you're on the most southerly inhabited island of the world in Puerto Williams, a Chilean Armada town slowly growing into a tourist destination, enjoy the view of Cerro Bandera while you start your climb. On top there's a beautiful view of the Beagle Channel and Argentina's Tierra del Fuego mountains across. Continue along the edges of the ridge to a steep drop to Laguna del Salto, one of the many tundra lakes in the area. I stayed here for the night on a terribly wet and uneven floor, but with fresh water. My second day started with a climb up to Paso Australia and over loose boulders up Paso los Dientes (I wandered off track here which did cost me half an hour) to eventually descent to Laguna los Dientes and Laguna Escondida again with plenty big boulders to hop. Campsites and water were no problem finding here and were in better condition. There's a beautiful view of the jagged peaks of the actual Dientes ('teeth' in spanish), for which the area is named. On a clear day the more southerly Lago Windhond is visible as are the Cabo de Hornos islands. My third day ended up being the easiest one. Only two easier uphill sections and drops to arrive at the beaver affected area of big Laguna Martillo, where I took a wrong direction again costing me about 45 minutes. After the big lake there's a beautiful valley to cross where I saw signs of a big animal nearby, possibly a puma. I eventually camped at the foot of the biggest climb of the whole trek, Paso Virginia. The fourth day started with a muddy ascent of the lower section of the climb and ended at a fantastic overview of a very steep and possibly dangerous descent to Laguna Guanacos. Take care here in bad weather. After this lake there is a long mixed section of marshes, woods and farmland to get you down to the end of the trail at an old fishery at the road which will lead you to Puerto Williams again in 2 hours. I only saw people on the first night and was thus almost the whole time alone on the trail. Weather can be a problem here because of the southerly location of the Island, but most of the time I was hiking in clear sunny skies in late March 2017. Recommended.
5. San Rafael Glacier and Lagoon
6. Channel of Last Hope (Ultima Esperanza)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 228 reviews
A sail through this beautiful Sound offers breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains, and the setting is particularly gorgeous at sunset.
Reviewed By kaybru
You get here by boat from Puerto Natales and it is well worth the trip - you can get off and walk to pretty close to the face of the glacier and it is so beautiful - quite stunning - loved it.
7. Glacier Grey
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,955 reviews
Whether hiking to it or simply viewing it from afar, this massive glacier is truly extraordinary.
Reviewed By 716sachink - Plainview, United States
Viewed Grey Glacier from a distance during a moderate hike within Torres Del Paine National Park. It was simply awesome and to view and hold some of the broken small icebergs of the glacier from up close in the lake was memorable. There are several other options of viewing the grey glacier including boat navigation. Certainly would very highly recommend viewing the Grey Glacier to any tourist.
8. Cape Horn
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 235 reviews
South America's most southern city.
Reviewed By IN_Travelers47906 - West Lafayette, United States
We took the 5-day cruise from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia. This is shorter than the roundtrip cruise, but I was surprised to find that it seemed that most people had opted for the shorter one-way trip. This review is quite a bit longer than I usually post because the experience was so good despite information being spotty before our departure. I hope the detail provided here will be helpful and will help alleviate any anxieties others may have when considering this cruise. CRUISE ARRIVAL and DEPARTURE: We sailed Punta Arenas to Ushuaia. The cruise terminal is several km from Punta Arenas airport, but our driver had no problem finding the terminal once we provided him the address on our Australis payment receipt. Arrivals are processed from 1-4 pm, with boarding scheduled at 6:00 pm. If you have your passport and have completed the required documents sent to you by Australis, check is quick and easy. Bags are tagged, run through security and stored. Early check-ins have a couple of options. You can remain in the terminal and use the provided WiFi, or you can use the time to explore Punta Arenas for a couple of hours. Punta Arenas is an historic town of some size so browsing especially along the shoreline of the Strait of Magellan is a fun activity. We were most anxious about our disembarkation in Ushuaia. Breakfast served between 8-9 am as usual and passengers are expected to disembark no later than 9:30. Our flight from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires did not depart until 3:20 pm. What to do? Once we left the ship as independent travelers, we picked up our luggage at the bottom of the ramp, and then carried it ourselves through customs and out of the port area. Total distance, perhaps 200 m. We then carried, pulled it and dragged our luggage a long block up a steep hill and found the Australis office where we checked our luggage for $10 an item. At that point, life got better. We spent two hours walking around Ushuaia before returning to the Australis office, using their facilities, and then catching a cab to the airport. The agents at the office were extremely polite and helpful; however, Australis could definitely improve its service by offering independent travelers an add-on luggage transfer to their office for storage. The start of our cruise was a bit bumpy as the ship was not allowed to come into port until near midnight due to high waves caused by excessive wind. Instead of boarding at 6:00 pm Sunday as scheduled, we boarded at midnight and occupied our room at 1:00 am., Monday. The cruise line should be credited for handling the situation as well as could be expected, by busing all awaiting guests to a very nice local hotel where we were treated to a buffet set up just for us. A major logistical nightmare was accomplished in very short order. Staffer Lorena Álvarez demonstrated remarkable composure providing bi-lingual updates throughout the evening in a way that kept the customers calm and on her side. I am quite sure several members of the crew had little or no sleep that night. I can’t speak from the viewpoint of those passengers who were on the ship that could not docked at least 12 hours later than planned with the need to reschedule all sorts of arrangements. The word among our group was that Australis assisted those passengers in rescheduling flights and making new hotel arrangements, but, because the situation was an act of God, they assumed none of the costs resulting from the incident. I did not confirmed this. The cruise caters to multiple languages and attempts to meet the informational needs of all aboard. Excursions are divided by language and informational announcements are offered in almost every language on board, with Spanish, English and German the most popular. Cruises are all-inclusive. Your final payment is made prior to the cruise and aside from souvenirs you may choose to purchase, everything else is paid for: meals, excursions and alcohol. However, tipping is encouraged at a rate of $15 per person per day. The cruise is booked as 5 days even though it is actually 3 days of touring with Day1 being late afternoon arrival and Day 5 being departure right after breakfast. Even so, $150 seemed to be a common tip for a cabin with two people. The easiest way to leave a tip is to use your credit card at the 2nd-floor reception area. FYI, we also provided a $20 USD tip for our waiter, Leonardo, who is so friendly and attentive. I can only speak for our cabin which was #418, a AAA cabin. I was frustrated when I made our reservation almost a year in advance. This was the first time I was not allowed to select my specific cabin when booking a cruise. I was guaranteed AAA, but all I could do was request king bed, center of the boat away from stairwells and elevators on the starboard side. When my cabin was finally assigned about 6 weeks prior to sailing, it had a twin-bed AAA cabin situated at the extreme front of the ship directly next to the stairs on the port side. The exact opposite of what was requested. I was not happy and after a couple of pointed email exchanges, we were moved to midship port into a cabin originally configured for two twin beds. We missed on the side, but they agreed to reconfigure the cabin for a king bed, and the result was a very satisfactory cabin with a comfortable and an approx. 6’ x 6’ floor to ceiling window. The side of the ship makes little or no difference as the cruise is through narrow channels that are picturesque on both sides. Mornings, the ship drops anchor and moves about 360, providing each cabin a view of the entire surroundings. Cabins are clean and modern but without televisions or WiFi. There is no WiFi anywhere on board. There are several electrical outlets (2 or 3 prong posts in a row); however, we found it helpful to have two power strips. A shelf along the wall across from the bed, a chair and one bedside table are the only furniture aside from the bed. There is about 6’ of carpet between the bed and the outside wall, plus the bed sits high enough to allow opened suitcases to be slid under for storage. A narrow closet is present for hanging clothes and another narrow closet with 6 shelves is present for storage. The bathroom has a shower and a sink with plenty of space below it for storage. WHAT TO WEAR: The dress around the ship and in the dining room is business casual except for the Captain’s dinner which tended to be a bit more formal for some and no different for others. Hi temps for our mid-January cruise were low-mid 50’s during the day, and this was considered warm for the time of year. EXCURSIONS: The ship drops anchor and transfers to and from shore are managed by using tenders, motorized rubber rafts. Excursion transfers to and from the ship take perhaps 5-10 minutes each way, and we never got a drop of water on us the entire trip. There are at least two crew members assisting you every time you get into or out of a raft. It is suggested that you dress with 2-3 layers and it is good to have a backpack that will allow you to put on or take off a layer on the fly. Crew wear waterproof pants and boots because they often need to stand in water to assist passengers, but we did not encounter a need for boots or waterproof pants at any time during our cruise. You almost certainly will encounter mud and slick rock on your hikes and walks requiring shoes that provide a good grip and that provide a solid (not mesh) toe to keep your toes and feet dry. I always carried a plastic bag for my camera, but it was never needed. Once onto a raft, people were taking pictures the entire transfer. Especially around the glaciers. UV can be an issue and light rain can occur at any moment, so a hat is essential. Winds are always present so a hat (sock hat?) that is not susceptible to flying off is a good choice. The guides and excursions are top-flight. The guides are all young, engaging, energetic and work well as a team. Every excursion requires a transfer to shore via Xodiac raft. The raft pilots are generally older men who have other jobs aboard ship (including ship helmsmen) and are very serious about their jobs. You sense that guides and pilots maintain a clear respect for one and coordinate their responsibilities to ensure safe passage for the guests. Five excursions are included in the price for the cruise’s three active days. Day 2: Leaving from Puerto Arenas, a 1-hour morning excursion is provided to a small island to visit Magellan penguins via the Xodiac rafts. Rafts were loaded by language (same method used throughout) with the rafts coordinated so as not to interfere with one another or the wildlife. Rafts are not allowed to land, but are grounded very close to the penguins and serve as great places from which to observe and photograph the penguins up close An afternoon excursion takes passengers ashore for a nature hike through a very nice forest at the foot of a glacier. Day 3: Glacier visit: Passengers are transferred to a observation point on land that places them in position for the viewing and photography of a sizeable glacier that is right in front of them. A brief overview of the area geologic history is provided by the guide, After the excursion to the glacier, the ship departs and passes through Glacier Alley for close up viewing of 5-6 glaciers that line the narrow passage on both sides for over an hour. Day 4: Passengers are transported to Cape Horn to visit the monument at the “End of the Earth” as well as the lighthouse that is still maintained by a keeper and their family on the island. The final excursion offered in the afternoon of Day 4 is a landing at Wailua Bay. In addition to this excellent schedule of excursions are 1-2 60-minute daily lectures that are very informative and professionally done. The ship also provides an on-line network of all lectures and maps that can be viewed in the cabins. Very helpful resources for those keeping journals. Each day of the trip was fully packed with meaningful activities to provide the best cruise experience possible. However, be advised that every day is dependent upon weather and sea conditions. We felt very fortunate to have ideal days with smooth seas, partly cloudy/sunny skies for our mid-January cruise, but this is not the case for all cruises. Despite having to insist on the location and set up of our cabin and the late start on Day 1, everything else on the cruise was top-flight, providing a once-in-a—lifetime experience and memories!!
9. Cabo Froward
10. Glacier Jorge Montt
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 37 reviews
Reviewed By apals2018 - Sattal, India
Reaching Glacier is neither easy nor cheap. But, if you can you must...It is an experience to watch these glaciers, what remains of the ice age.
