Crusining the Patagonian fjords
Created | Updated Dec 18, 2004
For anyone up for some really far away cruising, the Patagonian fjords through southern Chile might offer some of the best options there is on the planet.
From Puerto Montt, the boat M/S Magellanes departs once a week on a cruise taking 3 nights and 4 days before arriving in Puerto Natales quite close to the southernmost point on any continent; Punta Austral, and so defenetely in southern Patagonia.
Along the way, you'll pass through channels, fjords, passed icebergs and icecaps, waterfalls, open waters crossing the Golfo de Penas with the Pacific Ocean standing straight on the boat for a whole night, might send most people into the most dreaded world of sea-sickness there is... But it's all worth it!
Cause along the way, the boat's followed by pengiuns, dozens of lobos (sealions), a few dolphins and if you're lucky; a condor or even a whale or two. The wildlife is astounding, and standing on deck watching it all is truly an amazing way of passing through territory that even Pinochet's farfetched plan of connecting with a road had to be given up. And as we all know: Pinochet was a man who wanted things done his way...
On the way the boat also stops for about an hour in the smallest and completely remote place called Puerto Eden, lying on an island, hundreds and hundreds of kilometres away from any road and connected to the outside world by only a few boats, M/S Magellanes being the most important and housing only a few hundred brave, hardened souls.
For the ones who think that seeing this wildlife might become a bit tedious and monotonous in the end and who think the one pengiun in the water's much like any other, there is also the bar, where you can either drink things brought onboard or buy beer and wine from the bar directly. Evenings are spent in the bar, drinking and socializing as a big family onboard, it's the easiest of places to meet fellow travellers of all sorts, that you will defenetely bump into on the way onwards in your further travels through Patagonia.
If this sounds a bit too touristy, much too much like a cruise ship, take comfort. There are few luxuries aboard, this is in fact a car ferry that also caters for the travellers by providing cheap hostel-class bunkbeds for the ones strapped for cash and more comfy cabins for the ones with a bit more to spend. This is as a matter of fact a vital link to keep Chile as one country, any road from "mainland" Chile to it's most southern parts goes through Argentina, the only other way is travelling on the M/S Magellanes, and travelling on the boat is a complete adventure.
The last highlight passing through the Paso White, entering the huge expanse of water around the harbor of the small port Puerto Natales and it's windswept open terrain around it. This is nature at its most beutiful and a must for anyone who want to say they've travelled the southern stretches of South America.
The company running the ferries is called Navimag and their webpage can be found by clicking on this link: http://www.navimag.cl/ where all kinds of information about the trips, prices, schedules and so on can be found as well. If you're thinking about when to go, all seasons have their upsides, the best part of going in the low season is that the boat's more quiet, tickets are easier and cheaper to come by, and there is still a lot of wildlife to see everywhere. Weather can be a bit more nasty than in summer though, when prices are higher, boat's more packed but weather's generally better and there might be even a bit more wildlife to see.
For anyone going: enjoy the trip, it might easilly be among the best boattrips you've done for years, maybe even your whole life...
From Puerto Montt, the boat M/S Magellanes departs once a week on a cruise taking 3 nights and 4 days before arriving in Puerto Natales quite close to the southernmost point on any continent; Punta Austral, and so defenetely in southern Patagonia.
Along the way, you'll pass through channels, fjords, passed icebergs and icecaps, waterfalls, open waters crossing the Golfo de Penas with the Pacific Ocean standing straight on the boat for a whole night, might send most people into the most dreaded world of sea-sickness there is... But it's all worth it!
Cause along the way, the boat's followed by pengiuns, dozens of lobos (sealions), a few dolphins and if you're lucky; a condor or even a whale or two. The wildlife is astounding, and standing on deck watching it all is truly an amazing way of passing through territory that even Pinochet's farfetched plan of connecting with a road had to be given up. And as we all know: Pinochet was a man who wanted things done his way...
On the way the boat also stops for about an hour in the smallest and completely remote place called Puerto Eden, lying on an island, hundreds and hundreds of kilometres away from any road and connected to the outside world by only a few boats, M/S Magellanes being the most important and housing only a few hundred brave, hardened souls.
For the ones who think that seeing this wildlife might become a bit tedious and monotonous in the end and who think the one pengiun in the water's much like any other, there is also the bar, where you can either drink things brought onboard or buy beer and wine from the bar directly. Evenings are spent in the bar, drinking and socializing as a big family onboard, it's the easiest of places to meet fellow travellers of all sorts, that you will defenetely bump into on the way onwards in your further travels through Patagonia.
If this sounds a bit too touristy, much too much like a cruise ship, take comfort. There are few luxuries aboard, this is in fact a car ferry that also caters for the travellers by providing cheap hostel-class bunkbeds for the ones strapped for cash and more comfy cabins for the ones with a bit more to spend. This is as a matter of fact a vital link to keep Chile as one country, any road from "mainland" Chile to it's most southern parts goes through Argentina, the only other way is travelling on the M/S Magellanes, and travelling on the boat is a complete adventure.
The last highlight passing through the Paso White, entering the huge expanse of water around the harbor of the small port Puerto Natales and it's windswept open terrain around it. This is nature at its most beutiful and a must for anyone who want to say they've travelled the southern stretches of South America.
The company running the ferries is called Navimag and their webpage can be found by clicking on this link: http://www.navimag.cl/ where all kinds of information about the trips, prices, schedules and so on can be found as well. If you're thinking about when to go, all seasons have their upsides, the best part of going in the low season is that the boat's more quiet, tickets are easier and cheaper to come by, and there is still a lot of wildlife to see everywhere. Weather can be a bit more nasty than in summer though, when prices are higher, boat's more packed but weather's generally better and there might be even a bit more wildlife to see.
For anyone going: enjoy the trip, it might easilly be among the best boattrips you've done for years, maybe even your whole life...
