Exploring Patagonia’s National Parks - Punta Arenas to Puerto Montt

Arrive in Santiago, Chile’s capital set against the Andes Mountains. You transfer to The Ritz-Carlton or similar hotel for accommodation and rest.

Take a recommended flight from Santiago to Punta Arenas, the southern gateway to Patagonia. You receive airport transfers and luggage assistance. Proceed to the harbor and board the National Geographic Resolution.

Tierra del Fuego is one of Patagonia’s crown jewels, and Karukinka Natural Park sits right in the heart of this breathtaking wilderness. Established in 2004 through a gift from Goldman Sachs, Karukinka is one of the largest donations ever made for conservation. With special permission from the Wildlife Conservation Society, visit this private reserve, which spans 1,160 square miles and harbors the endangered culpeo fox, Andean condors and many other kinds of wildlife. Explore Jackson Bay, backed by a skyline of rugged mountains, and look for wildlife—from the black-browed albatrosses that nest on a small nearby island to elephant seals, which you may spot on the beach, in grass meadows and even in the small river draining the valley inland. 

Sail the historic Beagle Channel through a vast and pristine region of soaring, snowcapped mountains, gigantic glaciers, thousands of verdant islands, serene lakes and waterfalls. Wind through the fjords, getting up close to a number of different glaciers, and stopping along the way to Zodiac cruise or kayak in protected waters. Hike the rugged shores where the blue and white ice contrasts with the verdant forest and bright flowering plants. Look out for Andean condors, albatrosses, grebes, petrels, fulmars, shearwaters and many other birds that inhabit this otherworldly realm. 

After a thrilling navigation through the Kirke Narrows, arrive in Puerto Natales. From there, drive to monumental Torres del Paine National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve famed for its jagged, granite mountains topped with a thick layer of dark slate. One of the most spectacular and wildlife-rich areas in the Americas, this stunning park shelters an array of fascinating creatures, from Andean condors and flamingos to rhea and puma, throughout its 450,000 acres of glaciers, forests, grasslands, rivers and vibrant lagoons. Explore among the jaw-dropping scenery on exceptional hikes and walks through this world-famous national park, taking in the dramatic granite peaks and diverse wildlife.

This vast region of incomparable scenery is seemingly untouched by humans except for a few fishing villages perched at “the end of the world.” Over the next few days, you’ll have multiple opportunities to hike, Zodiac cruise and kayak among snowcapped mountains, thousands of islands covered with forests, lakes, soaring granite walls and waterfalls

One of the many highlights is the Pio XI Glacier, the longest glacier in the southern hemisphere outside of Antarctica, running some 60 miles from the Patagonia icefield to the fjord, where it noisily calves off gigantic ice masses at a rate of one every several minutes. Get up close to this impressive natural wonder on Zodiac rides.

Today, choose from two options. Take a morning excursion to Aiken del Sur, a privately owned park set in a beautiful evergreen forest with lovely lakes and waterfalls, including a 75-foot-high cascade. As you walk the well-maintained trails, keep an eye out for ringed kingfishers, woodpeckers and a variety of forest birds. Cap off the walk with a Patagonian lamb barbecue (with vegetarian options) and entertainment by local musicians. 
 
Alternatively, take a full-day excursion to the Coyhaique National Reserve, driving up into a scenic valley nestled in the Andes, with views of the snow-covered peaks. The starting point for the day’s hike is Laguna Verde, “Green Lake,” which you’ll reach after passing through evergreen forest full of giant rhubarb and ferns into the transition zone of deciduous Nothofagus forest. An array of animals can be found here, including three Chilean woodpecker species, passerines, diurnal and nocturnal predatory birds, pumas and foxes. After the hike, enjoy a picnic lunch followed by time in the city of Coyhaique to see its central plaza and artisans’ stalls.

Located in the wildest and most remote territory of the Great Island of the Chiloé Archipelago, Tantauco Park is  made up of evergreen forests, millennial cypress groves, bog plains from the last glacial period and imposing lakes and rivers. A formidable diversity of flora and fauna, including many endangered species, are concentrated within, and the park has been declared one of the 36 key sites of biodiversity on Earth, as well as a priority conservation spot in Chile. You will have a choice of walks or hikes through the forests with your naturalist guides and an opportunity to visit the museum and information center to learn more about the history, ecology and conservation work in this remote and rugged region. 

Spend the day exploring Chiloé Island, which is known for its unique palafitos, colorful fishermen’s houses precariously built on stilts along the water’s edge, as well as its wooden churches, collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town of Castro has shops and a large open-air market where the Chileans show their wares, such as alpaca sweaters and lapis jewelry. You may choose a trip to Chiloé National Park to see its forests, wetlands and wildlife, with a selection of longer or shorter walks. Alternatively, visit some of the welcoming small communities that dot the countryside and learn about their traditional rural way of life.

Spanning 750,000 protected acres in Chilean Patagonia, Pumalín National Park is one of the last areas where the unusual alerce forest remains. These huge trees compare in size and age to California redwoods, with some specimens reaching 2,000 years old. The Pumalín Project was established in 1995 by the late American conservationist Doug Tompkins, who wanted to preserve some of the remaining virgin forest in Chile. Walk through the forest with naturalists, visit a hidden waterfall or climb along a rushing stream and look for forest birds along the trail. In the afternoon, head for the Golfo de Corcovado in search of Magellanic penguins, sooty shearwaters, dolphins and, with luck, whales.

Disembark in Puerto Montt, where you’ll have some free time to explore before proceeding to the airport for your flight to Santiago and return flights home.