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| PATAGONIAN
CHANNELS |
There
are two huge ice fields that make impossible the road connection
between the Southern region of Magallanes and the rest of
Chile. A lot of glaciers come down from the mountain tops
to the bottom of the fjords, among them the Pío XI,
a real ice colossus and the biggest in Southamerica with an
area of 1.242 km2, 64 kms long and an impressive 6 kms wide
front and 75 mts high above sea level.
The sea connections are very important to provide goods to
the rest of the Chilean terriroty south of Puerto Montt. But
there is only one enterprise that conects regularly this city
with the Southern edge (not considering the international
cruisers that sail between Buenos Aires and Valparaíso).
There is no enterprise with services between Puerto Chacabuco,
in Aysén, and Puerto Natales or Punta Arenas, in Magallanes. |
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| In
this section Patagonian Channels we present the sea transport,
cruisers and motorboat excursions south of the Península
de Taitao --which makes imposible the navigation south of
Laguna San Rafael-- to the Magellan Strait. |
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| Patagonian
Channels Overlook |
| Puerto
Montt -> Puerto Natales |
| Navimag |
4
days |
Ferry
with cabins |
from
US$ 550 |
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| Puerto
Natales -> Southern Ice Field -> Puerto Natales |
| Skorpios
III |
4
days |
Luxury
touristic cruise |
from
US$ 1.970 |
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There
are also 2 points with departures for day excursions to the
glaciers. One is the small town of Caleta Tortel,
located between the two ice fields and recently conected to
the Carretera Austral. At the harbour you can ask for excursions
to the glaciers Steffen and Jorge Montt. The trip is done
in small boats withcovered decks for passengers and last 6
and 12 hours in each case.
Much more organized are the excursions from Puerto
Natales. Here there are motorboats and catamarans
with capacity between 50 and 100 passengers, that sail through
the Última Esperanza fjord towards the glaciers Balmaceda
and Serrano, which are not as impressive as the ones previously
mentioned. It is also possible to sail inside the
Torres del Paine National Park, through the lakes
Grey and Pehoé, which is a good option when you don't
have much time. |
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Navimag's Ferry Evangelistas
Impresive landscapes in the Patagonian channels
Skorpios III in front og the Amalia-Glaciar. Photo: Copyright by
Skorpios
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