Navigating the fjords and channels has opened up spectacular corners of the great Fuegian archipelago, whetting our appetite to continue learning and understanding these ecosystems.
The Strait of Magellan is not only a passage and connection between 2 oceans, although this connection was the "discovery" to make the fastest commercial routes, in the beginning it was of high risk due to its strong winds and unknown geography. With the passage of time and different western expeditions this was changing, until today.
Those who inhabited the Tierra del Fuego archipelago for thousands of years surely knew every island and bay in this labyrinth of canals. Knowing it from a boat takes us back thousands of years and makes it easier for us view the canoeists' perspective. Going into the Big Island and visiting the places where the Selknam and Haush people lived is undoubtedly a memorable experience.
Peat bogs, mountain lakes, being able to visualize from the heights the transition from the pampas to the Fuegian Andes or visiting ranches that have been forged by decades of effort, are experiences that we want to share and that have left us many lessons.
Main attractions:
Exploring the vast and little-traveled Patagonian Fuegian Archipelago
Between 7:00 and 8:00 AM we will pick up passengers at their respective lodgings to go together to the boarding place: Punta Carrera, 50 km south of the city of Punta Arenas.
The navigation to the Eco Camp is approximately 8 hours, we will sail the famous Strait of Magellan, which has provided so many stories and myths to the world.
We will arrive at the camp in the afternoon, where we will have time to have the first observations of the Humpback whales that come to feed in this beautiful place
Listening to the blowing of the cetaceans during the night and watching the sunrise from the camp with the whales' tails is exciting. If the sky accompanies us with its characteristic colors, the scenery could be even better.
The day will be dedicated to whale watching, we will tour the Marine Park and its surroundings to get to know better this territory where marine life abounds, and beauty is part of the landscape.
We re-board the Estoa to head towards the Fuegian Andes.
We will leave the Marine Park after visiting a Magellanic Penguin colony and head towards Almirantazgo Sound, where we will visit glaciers and observe colonies of very interesting species that inhabit these remote places at the end of the earth.
After sailing for a few hours during the night, we will wake up in front of one of the most beautiful fjords overlooking Admiralty Sound. We will land to observe its beauty from land and walk a few kilometers to approach the ice fields that fall directly into the sea.
In the afternoon we will continue exploring the coasts of Alberto D'Agostini National Park, observing the variety of bird life that abounds in the area and learning more about the history of the occupation of these territories dating back more than 7,000 years.
After sailing for a few hours during the night, we will wake up near Caleta Maria, where we will land and begin our adventure on land on the Big Island. But first, we will visit a colony of elephant seals that inhabit Jackson Bay (Karukinka Park) and Albatross Islet, one of the few remote places in Antarctica where dozens of black-browed albatrosses nest.
Upon reaching land, we will go to Estancia Faganano, where we will visit the museum that Don Germán Genskowski built to show the value of those who have worked in these places. Then, we will head to the place where we will spend the next nights, one of the most peaceful and comfortable places in Tierra del Fuego, the Lodge Deseado.
We will wake up with a beautiful view of the Deseado Lake, just steps away from it.
We will sail during the morning to different points of the lake, where we will take short walks, visiting the river where it flows, a large waterfall, quiet bays and large fields of peat bogs.
On our walk we will observe various birds of the sub-Antarctic Forest and surely some guanaco. In the afternoon we will have the opportunity to visit the Karukinka Natural Park, where we can go on foot, by bicycle or by car.
We will start our last day of the expedition with an early breakfast as a very interesting road trip through Tierra del Fuego awaits us.
We will say goodbye to the sub-Antarctic forests and begin to observe the transition to the Fuegian pampas. Old ranches and small towns are the only places where humans live in these latitudes of the country.
We will visit the King Penguin Reserve, where we will be able to see this iconic species in its breeding habitat, and then continue on our way to the northern end of the island, where we will cross to the mainland.
We will arrive in Punta Arenas around 8:00 PM, where we will drop you off at your respective accommodations. You will surely be filled with unforgettable experiences and encounters that you had in the Tierra del Fuego archipelago.
*Ask about route extensions!
Interested in this route?
Base of Operations
WHALESOUND has a camp on Carlos III Island, in the middle of the Strait of Magellan, right in front of the Francisco Coloane Marine Park
The camp has 5 domes that allow the overnight stay of up to 10 passengers and a main dome of common space, where we will share scientific talks, conversations of the day's experiences, where we will eat and also where you will find bibliography of the regional history and about the nature of the fjords and channels.