Description:
On this tour you will visit the southernmost city of the world, as well as the world-class National Park Torres del Paine with incredibly diverse wildlife and stunning landscapes as well as the Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers.
Activites:
Cultural Exploration, Eco tours
Itinerary:
Day 1: Punta Arenas / Puerto Natales
Arrive at Punta Arenas airport. We will pick you up from the airport and drive you to Puerto Natales, a trip which takes you through the typical pampas steppes of the Magellan region. You will have the chance to view numerous animals like sheep, cows, ostriches and a variety of birds. We will stop for a short visit at the penguin colony at Otway Sound. Finally, we will arrive at the picturesque city of Puerto Natales situated on the banks of the Ultima Esperanza Bay (Last Hope Bay). Overnight at Puerto Natales.
Day 2: Torres Del Paine
We will leave Puerto Natales in the morning and drive for 45 minutes to Milodon Cave, where we can see the remains of an herbivore animal that lived within the cave 12.000 years ago. Our next stop will be the border crossing Cerro Castillo and from then on you should start to look up to the sky - this is condor country. At Lake Sarmiento we catch our first glimpse of the Paine Massif. As we get closer to the Park, we see the first guanacos which will accompany us for the next few hours. At Lake Nordenskjold, we will stop for photo and then drive for about 30 minutes along this lake with its magnificent views of the Paine Massif. You will be overwhelmed by the views. A short 30-minute hike will take us to the waterfall "Salto Grande". Lunch is a picnic at Lake Pehoe, a great spot for views of the mountain range. A tour of the Administration Center gives guests a better idea of the National Park. Our last stop is the Grey Peninsula, with a lovely beach and excellent views of the Grey Glacier. At the beach huge rocks of ice are stranded like former battleships.
Day 3: Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers
After breakfast we depart for a full-day excursion to the Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers, sailing through Ultima Esperanza Fiord. During this trip we can observe colonies of cormorants and sea lions. Upon arrival at the Serrano glacier, we will take a short walk from where we can admire its impressive millennial ices. Snacks included. Return to Puerto Natales at approximately 6 p.m. Overnight at Puerto Natales.
Day 4: Puerto Natales / Punta Arenas
After a breakfast at the hotel, we will depart for Punta Arenas. The afternoon includes visits to all major attractions of Punta Arenas, once the boomtown of southern Chile due to all the commerce that passed through the Strait of Magellan. Punta Arenas is still filled with buildings erected in its glory days - mansions now converted to hotels and government buildings. An important visit will be the Museo Regional Salesiano, a collection gathered by Salesian monks in the early days of European exploration and colonization. It covers what little is known about the former residents of this far off land, in addition to providing other exhibits on local flora and fauna. Overnight at Punta Arenas.
Day 5: Punta Arenas
We will take you from the hotel to the Punta Arenas Airport in time for your departing flight.