Chilean Fjords

At the southern tip of Chile, islands and icebergs feather around the tip of the mainland, and channels and stairs carve routes from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Along Chile’s west or Pacificcoast, the fjords are as deep and dramatic as their northern counterparts, but with the addition of near total isolation, ice-blue icebergs, and only a handful of native people.

The breathtaking remote area holds be-inlets, snowcapped mountains, pristine wilderness, and breaching whales, and it is not difficult to see what make a trip there so special. In our busy world, where everything is only a click of mouse away, just getting there is an organizational feat. The 1,100 km take around four days to travel a leisurely pace, allowing you to stop and notice the smallest details, like dolphins following in the wake of the boat and seals playing along the shore.

Albatross, giant petrel, and Magellan penguins are just there of the delights for bird-watchers. As the cruise ship anchors, you can take a canoe to explore the islands and inlets nearby. It is charming area, dotted with wildlife and very few visitors. Just a handful of fishing villages stud the coastline, and penguin colonies number more than people in many areas. As night falls the Milky Way stands out brightly in the black sky.