Santiago - Puerto Chacabuco - San Rafael
Arrival in Santiago de Chile, reception and transfer to your hotel.
Day 2. SantiagoAfter breakfast, a half day city tour of Santiago including a visit to the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino. This museum offers a thorough overview of 4500 years of pre-Columbian civilization throughout Central and South America. At the Main Square (Plaza de Armas) you shall appreciate the beautiful Cathedral, Post Office and National Museum. Continue along the main avenue called "Alameda" to admire the San Francisco Church and the National Library. You shall also see the Mercado Central which is one of Santiago’s most colourful markets.
A visit to Cerro Santa Lucia, where Santiago was founded in 1541. After lunch, a visit to the Undurraga vineyard, one of the largest exporters of fine wines in Chile. The tour will end with some wine tasting before returning to Santiago.
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the flight to Punta Arenas, located on the very tip of the continent. Reception and transfer to the town for a typical lunch before transfer to Puerto Natales, the gateway to the Torres Del Paine National Park. En route we shal visit the penguin sanctuary at Seno Otway, located along the northwest of the Brunswick Peninsula. The Magellanic Penguins return annually to this area between October and March to lay eggs and raise their young. Accommodation at your hotel in Puerto Natales.
Day 4 (Saturday). Puerto NatalesAfter breakfast, free day or choose the optional tour of visiting the Balmaceda and Serrano Glacier. Transfer to the Skorpios Terminal in Puerto Natales at approximately 19:00 hrs. Embarking at 20:00 hrs, with a welcome cocktail and sumptuous dinner aboard the Skorpios III. With the best gastronomy of Patagonia, and carefully selecting the most exclusive meat products, horticulture products and sea foods such as spider crabs, oysters and mussels, all prepared according to the culinary tradition of the Skorpios. In addition to this, the passengers can enjoy the best meats of the area, such as Magellanic lamb, all accompanied with a vast variety of fine Chilean wines that have been exclusively selected for the route, as well as an Open Bar service, at no extra cost. The M/N Skorpios III offers ample decks, salons and dinning rooms that have a capacity of up to 130 passengers. A system of simultaneous English translation for chats with the passengers, as well as a professional digital recording system and exhibition of videos of the internal canals. The Zeus Bar (smoking room), with an English decor and the Apolo Salon (non-smoking), decorated in a classical style, provide a warm ambient to share with your traveling companions, play cards or simply read.
The Cruise Ship has been conceived under the “Super Class” concept; with 49 cabins with a capacity of up to 125 passengers. It possesses the most advanced telecommunications technology and satellite navigation, as well as a modern water treatment plant. With its elegant and spacious acclimatized cabins, vested in fine native woods, accommodation includes Master Suites, Junior Suites, Double Bed Suites, Double A, Double B and Single Suites. All come equipped with low beds, luxurious private bathrooms, fridge-bar without cost, multifunctional communications system, two music systems, TV and Video channels, with stereo sound, magnetic keys, security box; which all provide for the comfort of the passenger.
At 04:00 hrs, we will set sail from Puerto Natales, navigating through the Patagonian channels to the Kirke Narrows. In the early morning, we will navigate through the Morla Vicuña, Unión inlet and Collingwood channels. In the mid-morning continue on through the Sarmiento channel. In the afternoon, we will sail through the Pitt and Concepcion channels arriving finally at Eyre inlet.
Day 6. (Monday).At 08:30 hrs, navigation of the Eyre inlet, to the Pío XI Glacier and sailing in front of the Glacier. This is the largest Glacier in South America, with a surface area of 1,263 km2. It belongs to the Bernardo O’Higgins National Park, which is considered to be the largest National Park in Chile. The Pío XI is located in the northern part of the Southern Ice Field. Its gigantic size transforms it into a truly colossus of ice, with a frontal face of approximately 6 kms, towering higher than 75 metres, and with an overall length of 64 kms. This is one of the few glaciers that is found in its maximum neo-glacial position, registering advances towards the sea of up to 10 kms in recent years. The age of the Pío XI Glacier is over 1000 years old and with it is one of the 48 glaciers that are born of the Southern Ice Field. With a surface area of 13,000 km2 and a length of more than 350 kms over the Andes Mountains.
At midday we set sail, navigating towards the Eyre inlet, the Grappler channel and Paso del Indio. Arrive at Puerto Edén approximately at 17:00 hrs. Disembarking in motorboats, we will have free time to visit this village which is located in Wellington isle, and whose first inhabitants were the Kaweskar and Alacalufe natives. This village does not have any streets, only walkways along which visitors can walk and visit its houses, or climb up to the lookout.
07:00 hrs, sail to Puerto Edén, navigating through Paso del Abismo and the Wide channel. In the afternoon arrival to Amalia Glacier, located in the center of the Southern Ice Field. Continuing along the Peel Inlet, we find the Amalia Glacier, located in the central part of the Southern Ice Field. It is an absolutely emotional spectacle to see its long silhouettes of towering ice, descending from the Andean Mountains, which contrast with the colors of the surrounding environment. The frontal face of this glacier is approximately 1 km wide and it reaches heights of over 50 metres. This ice mass is generated from the intense snow blizzards, which when the snow freezes, is transformed into ice that has a crystal aspect. This is due to the fact that the glaciar loses oxygen under the great pressure of its own weight.
Day 8 (Wednesday). Calvo Glacier07.00 hrs, we will leave the Villarrica Cove. Navigation towards the Calvo Fjord. In the mid-morning we continue sailing through the Peel Fjord and thus enter the Calvo Inlet, from where we can view six glaciers that deposit colorful and multi-formed ice floes into these quiet waters. Here is where we, in specially designed motorboats, participate in an extremely enjoyable excursion and were we traditionally have a toast with whiskey and millennium old ice. In the afternoon we set sail again en route to Puerto Natales. 20:00 hrs.
Day 9 (Thursday)In the early morning we cross the Kirke Narrows, arriving at the Skorpios Terminal in Puerto Natales at approximately 10:30 hrs. Here passengers disembark at 11:00 hrs for the transfer to Punta Arenas and the return flight to Santiago and connecting flight home.
- Accommodation at first class and deluxe hotels with private bathroom, including breakfast.
- Cabins aboard the Skorpios as indicated with all meals and open bar.
- All transfers, tours and excursions as per itinerary in private.
- All meals as per itinerary.
- Flight tickets: Santiago - Punta Arenas - Santiago.
- Meals not specified on the itinerary.
- US$31.00 tax for all international air departures.
- All domestic flights require a US$5.00 charge (airport tax)
- Personal expenses such as telephone bills, laundry expenses, beverages, etc.
- Insurance against theft, loss, illness and/or accident, cancellation and curtailment, etc.
- Tips, baggage porterage and other extras not specified.
For current availability contact us at info@amazingchile.com and we will send you the relevant trip dossier along with a 90 day fixed quote, terms and conditions.