Discovery of Patagonia with Ferry Navim navigation

Upon your arrival at Puerto Montt airport, you are transferred to Puerto Varas, a Chilean city located on the shores of Lake Llanquihue, facing the Osorno. You enjoy a stroll along Lake Llanquihue, the third largest lake in Latin America. From its shores, you admire the Osorno volcano, whose conical silhouette resembles Mount Fuji in Japan.

You then head to Saltos de Petrohué, where the turquoise waters of the Petrohué river flow through volcanic rock formations. This natural site also offers a beautiful panorama of the Osorno volcano.

At the end of the day, you settle into a typical Puerto Varas hotel for the night.

You are transferred to Puerto Montt, to the offices of the Navimag maritime company. After check-in procedures, scheduled between 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., you have some free time to discover the Angelmo market, renowned for its many fish and seafood stalls.

Around 2:00 p.m., you board the ship and attend a presentation of navigation procedures. Departure is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. Your cruise through the Chilean fjords begins with the crossing of the Reloncaví estuary, then the Gulf of Ancud. You continue your navigation through the coastal landscapes of southern Chile to reach, at the end of the day, the Apiao canal, then the Gulf of Corcovado.

At dawn, you continue your cruise through the Chilean fjords by joining the Moraleda Canal, one of the deepest on this route. Depending on weather conditions, the captain adapts the navigation course. You may thus travel through the Errázuriz Canal, the Costa Canal, then the Pulluche Canal, bordered by lush vegetation dominated by beech and cypress forests.

As you navigate, keep your eyes open: with a bit of luck, you may spot dolphins, called "toninas", sea lions as well as various species of seabirds.

In late afternoon, you begin an ocean crossing of approximately 12 hours in the Gulf of Peines. Depending on the season and weather conditions, this part of the journey may also be an opportunity to observe humpback whales.

This morning, you continue your cruise in the Chilean Patagonian fjords by taking the Messier Channel, which reaches a depth of 1,270 meters. During navigation, you spot the wreck of the Capitan Leonidas cargo ship, stranded since 1970 on a partially submerged islet. Also known as Bajo Cotopaxi, this site has become a landmark for navigators. You then cross the Angostura Inglesa, also called English Narrow, a narrow maritime passage that leads you to Puerto Edén. Located on Wellington Island, one of the largest islands in Chile, this village is home to descendants of the indigenous Alakaluf (Kawésqar) people. The island is part of the Bernardo O'Higgins national park, in the heart of isolated landscapes of Chilean Patagonia.

If weather conditions permit, you disembark at Puerto Edén to discover this village and its natural environment.

Upon waking, you continue your cruise through the fjords of Patagonie by sailing on the Sarmiento Channel, before crossing the White Angostura, a particularly narrow passage that measures only 80 meters wide. Navigation continues through the Unión Fjord, then into the access channel to Puerto Natales, which you reach in the morning. Located on the edge of Chilean fjords, Puerto Natales is one of the main gateways to the Torres del Paine national park.

Upon arrival, you are transferred to your hotel. You then enjoy a free afternoon in Puerto Natales, before spending a night on land, after several days of sailing.

This morning, you set off to discover Torres del Paine National Park, whose name refers to the three imposing granite towers that dominate the Paine massif. Your excursion begins with several viewpoints over the park's landscapes, notably from the shores of Lake Sarmiento, then from Laguna Amarga, which offer beautiful panoramas of the massif.

You continue towards Salto Grande, a waterfall connecting Lake Nordenskjöld to Lake Pehoé, before discovering the turquoise waters of the Paine River. You then cross vast plains to reach Lake Grey. After check-in formalities at Hostería Grey, you board the Grey III for a cruise on the lake. As you navigate, you observe icebergs drifting on the water's surface. The boat takes you to the front of Grey Glacier, where you sail facing its impressive ice walls and seracs with blue-tinged reflections. You take this moment to enjoy a glass of whisky on the rocks, in a natural setting characteristic of Patagonie.

After approximately three hours of navigation, you return to land and take the road back to Puerto Natales.

Along the way, you make a stop at the natural monument Cueva del Milodón, a site associated with the past presence of the milodon, a prehistoric animal that once lived in this region of Chile.

After breakfast, you are transferred to the bus terminal to travel to El Calafate, in Argentine Patagonia.

You successively cross the Chilean and Argentine borders, then traverse the vast expanses of the Patagonian pampa. Your route leads you to the río Santa Cruz, whose waters flow peacefully toward the Atlantic Ocean.

In early afternoon, you arrive at El Calafate, a small tourist town located on the shores of Lago Argentino.

You then head to a traditional Patagonian estancia, away from the usual tourist circuits. Located on a 12,000-hectare property bordering the lake, this agricultural enterprise has maintained its authentic character. It is notably dedicated to raising Hereford cattle and sheep, two emblematic activities of the region.

In the evening, you share a traditional dinner around an asado, featuring lamb cooked over a wood fire. A convivial moment to discover the culinary traditions of Argentine Patagonia.

You spend the night in an old estancia house, typical of the region and now converted into a comfortable hostería, while preserving its original charm.

You are transferred to the airport to catch your flight departing from El Calafate, marking the end of your stay in Patagonia.