Discover Chilean Patagonia

Your tour begins in Puerto Varas which lies at the southern end of the Lake District under the shadow of the snow-capped Osorno and Calbuco volcanoes. Puerto Varas sits on the shores of Lake Llanquihue and is known as “The City of Roses”.

Today we will visit two of the region's most stunning natural wonders, the Osorno Volcano and Petrohué Falls. Despite its low altitude, the upper slopes of Osorno volcano are covered in glaciers and the views from the top are truly spectacular. From here we continue to the Pertohué Falls located deep in the Vincente Perez Rosales National Park. The chute-type, icy cold, blue green falls stem from the Todos los Santos Lake the next and final stop on today's trip.

We sail to Chiloe Island, perhaps encountering sealions, pelicans and sea birds native to this area. On Chiloe Island we will head to Ancud city to visit the San Antonio Fort; an historic landmark that is one of the last Spanish fortifications in Chile.
We continue to Dalcahue to visit an interesting Palafito market. The wooden based construction is built over the water with a spectacular sea view. We also take in the Handicraft Market and walk to the local World Heritage listed church.

Today we head south from Castro and can enjoy the country life as we pass small farms dotted with grazing animals, and several beautiful lakes. Arriving at Chiloé National Park we´ll do an easy hike in the forest which is home to an important biodiversity of species. After our hike, we´ll visit the indigenous community of Quilque, where we´ll enjoy a local light lunch and then stop at Chonchi to visit its World Heritage wooden church.

We depart Chiloe Island by ferry and return to Puerto Montt, stopping at Angelmó, a small bay at the west end of Puerto Montt. Angelmó can be divided into two main areas. The first part is a long street bursting with many stalls selling traditional Chilean handicrafts. The second area is the harbour where we will find the fish market and restaurants. Angelmó is a seafood extravaganza with a large variety of fresh fish and seafood.

Today we will fly south to Punta Arenas, the historic capital of the Magallanes Region and of the Chilean Antarctic. The city has many treasures, including the statue of Magellan at the centre of the Plaza Armas and the iconic Palacio Sara Braun. The city's public cemetery is adorned with beautiful gardens, whilst the Mirador Cerro la Cruz is a lookout point that offers a spectacular panorama of the city's colourful houses.

Today we head towards Torres Del Paine, South America’s finest National Park and a trekker’s paradise. In this area are the colossal towers and horns of granite that have given the park worldwide fame. The park preserves numerous animals like guanacos, condors, ñandues (South American ostrich), foxes and the elusive puma.
We break the hike into three separate walks, hiking an average of 15km (9.5mi) to 20km (12mi) each day. The group is assisted by expert local trekking guides who guide us through the hiking trails.

Other than hiking there are activities available inside Torres Del Paine. Please ask about our Torres Light Add-On.

Las Torres Hike (Difficult)
Hiking to view the iconic Las Torres (the Towers) is a challenging yet immensely satisfying hike. The Towers are the three massive granite columns that encircle the smaller Torres Glacier. The Towers hike is by far the most strenuous of all the hikes. It takes in dirt paths, some steep in areas, through valleys with a great river underneath, within beautiful forests, river crossings and a final scramble over boulders to the base of the towers.
Full walk takes approximately 8 - 9 hours return. * Please ask about our Torres Light Add-On.

French Valley Hike (Moderate – Difficult)
The French Valley is the most beautiful valley in the Torres del Paine National Park. It is a steep hike and offers incredible panoramic views of Los Cuernos del Paine, the French Glacier and Lakes Nordenskjold, Pehoé, Scottsburg and Toro. Finishing at the French Lookout with a 300m/1000ft elevation gain we can sit, watch and hear ice crack and maybe even see a mini avalanche. We stay overnight at the Paine Grande Refuge so we do not have to return across the lake to our hotel. Full walk takes approximately 8 - 9 hours return. * Please ask about our Torres Light Add-On.

Greys Glacier trek (Easy – moderate)
Grey Glacier is one of the principal tourist attractions located in Chile. The lake’s creamy blue colour dotted with floating icebergs and the Patagonia Icefield at the back is a breath taking sight. Hiking through a combination of valleys, inclines and forest we reach the remarkable lookout point, before hiking down to the Refugio Grey Glacier viewpoint which brings us a lot closer to this magnificent ice sheet. The full walk takes approximately 7 - 8 hours return. * Please ask about our Torres Light Add-On.

Depart Puerto Natales to Punta Arenas for your onward journey, compete with wonderful memories, and a new respect of our wonderful planet courtesy of Patagonia. Or perhaps join one of our connecting voyages to Antarctica, the frozen continent.