Antarctica and Patagonia: Legendary Ice and Epic Fjords

Settle into the Mandarin Oriental before going on a guided overview of the vibrant Chilean capital backed by the Andes. 

Today fly from Santiago to Punta Arenas. Embark your ship National Geographic Explorer.

At the southernmost point of South America, an archipelago called Tierra del Fuego is shared by Chile and Argentina. It has a stunning landscape with snow-capped mountains, glaciers, tundra, and trees that have been shaped by the wind. The Argentine tourist city of Ushuaia is located on its major island, Isla Grande. Ushuaia, which is also referred to as "the End of the World," serves as a gateway to the area and Antarctica to the south.

Enter the Strait of Magellan to explore the Francisco Coloane Marine Park. which covers more than 165,000 acres of land and sea. Wildlife like humpback whales and sea lions are occasionally seen at the park. 

From Puerto Natales, drive to monumental Torres del Paine National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere. The landscape is big, wide and sprawling, with razor-backed ridges, Andean condors, flamingos, and rheas. It’s hard to imagine that the park could top the drive, but the Torres del Paine are an amazing sight, jagged granite mountains topped with a thick layer of dark slate. Discover one of the most spectacular and wildlife-rich areas in the Americas, covering 450,000 acres of glaciers, forests and grasslands, rivers and colorful lagoons. Chileans themselves dream of visiting this magnificent park. Choose whether to hike or else to drive to some of the most scenic places in this great setting.

The Kirke Canal is situated in the Ultima Esperanza province of the Magellan and Chilean Antarctic Region. Its significance comes from the fact that it is one of only two sea access points to Puerto Natales, the province's capital and home to 21,477 people as of the 2017 census. Additionally, as it is a necessary stop on the way to Torres del Paine National Park, this city is a fantastic tourist destination.

From the latitudes of Cape Horn to the Reloncav Estuary, Chile's southern coast features a sizable number of fjords and channels that resemble fjords. Important navigable routes leading to ports like Punta Arenas, Puerto Chacabuco, and Puerto Natales include some fjords and channels.

Since the Drake Channel is the narrowest passage around Antarctica, its presence and shape have a significant impact on the worldwide oceanic circulation, the global temperature, and the flow of water surrounding Antarctica. The Drake Passage's bathymetry is crucial to the global mixing of oceanic water.

The most southerly continent and location of the South Pole is Antarctica, an ice-covered landmass that is essentially uninhabitable. The Antarctic Peninsula, which juts out into South America, is where most voyages to the region stop. It is well-known for the Lemaire Channel, a stunning waterway surrounded by icebergs, and Paradise Harbor, as well as Port Lockroy, a former British research facility turned museum. A variety of species, including numerous penguins, is protected by the peninsula's remote topography.

Tierra del Fuego is one of Patagonia’s crown jewels. Visit its newest and largest protected area: Karukinka Natural Park. Established in 2004 through a gift from Goldman Sachs, Karukinka is one of the largest donations ever made for conservation. Your ship has special permission from the Wildlife Conservation Society to visit this private reserve, which spans 1,160 square miles and harbors endangered culpeo fox, Andean condors, and many other kinds of wildlife. Perhaps explore Jackson Bay, backed by a skyline of rugged mountains, and look for wildlife including black-browed albatross that nest on one of the nearby small islands. You may walk a trail to a lovely waterfall, and look for elephant seals resting on not only the beach but also high in the grass meadows and even in the small river draining the valley inland. Look for the Andean condors, albatrosses, grebes, petrels, fulmars, shearwaters, and many other birds that inhabit this otherworldly realm.

Enjoy the amenities and facilities onboard. 

Disembark in Ushuaia and board our flight to Buenos Aires or Santiago to connect to your flight home.