South America

Patagonia & Chilean Fjords (2027-28 Itinerary Southbound)

11 Days aboard Magellan Discoverer. From AUD $10,440pp.
Small Ship Expeditions
Details

Overview

Embark on an unforgettable journey through Patagonia and the Chilean Fjords, where towering glaciers, pristine waterways, and rugged landscapes create a breathtaking backdrop for exploration. Each day brings new discoveries, from remote fjords teeming with wildlife to historic sites that tell the story of this untamed region. The itinerary outlined below serves as a guide, but nature sets the pace, and weather and sea conditions may lead to adjustments as we prioritize your safety and enhance your experience. No matter the course, an extraordinary adventure awaits.

Save up to A$1493 pp

Book by 31 March 2026

Itinerary Highlights

  • Sail through Chile’s remote fjords, where glaciers and forests meet dramatic coastlines.
  • Explore Patagonia’s rugged terrain, towering peaks, and rich biodiversity.
  • Cruise historic waters once charted by explorers at the edge of the South American continent.
  • Spot penguins, sea lions, dolphins, and condors in their natural habitats.

Itinerary in Brief

  • Day 1: Puerto Montt, Embarkation
  • Day 2: Chonos Archipelago
  • Day 3: Caleta Tortel
  • Day 4: Pío XI Glacier
  • Day 5: Madre de Dios Island
  • Day 6: Las Montañas Channel
  • Day 7: Torres del Paine National Park
  • Day 8: Strait of Magellan and Seno de Agostini
  • Day 9: Beagle Channel, Garibaldi Glacier
  • Day 10: Yendegaia National Park
  • Day 11: Ushuaia, Argentina, Disembarkation

Ship Information

For more information on the Magellan Discoverer please view the ship page.

View Magellan Discoverer

Travelling with Eclipse

Peace of Mind
  • Eclipse Travel is Australian owned and run, and an ATAS accredited travel agent.
  • 24/7 emergency numbers and local contacts provided for support while you’re abroad.
  • We provide all the information you need to organise your visas and vaccinations, making travel preparation stress-free.
  • No currency surcharges. Once your deposit is paid, your price is guaranteed.
Specialists
  • Our consultants are true destination experts, with firsthand experience and extensive travel in the regions we offer.
  • Expect quick, professional responses and dedicated service from our knowledgeable team.
  • We conduct regular checks on destinations, hotels, and services to ensure quality for every trip.
Authentic Travel
  • Tailor-made itineraries designed around your unique requirements.
  • Freedom to select your preferred style and standard of accommodation.
  • Unique itineraries that take you beyond the major highlights, immersing you in each location.
  • Committed to responsible travel: we reinvest in the environment and local communities across our destinations.

Day 1: Puerto Montt, Embarkation

Your journey begins in Puerto Montt, Chile, with boarding at the port between 15:00 and 16:00 hrs. After all mandatory briefings, the ship sets sail towards the Gulf of Corcovado.

Dinner included.

Day 2: Chonos Archipelago

At the far east of the Chonos Archipelago, explore a temperate rainforest and subantarctic coastal ecosystems on Kent Island. Often linked to the mysterious Isla Friendship, the island combines natural beauty with local lore, including UFO sightings, miraculous healings, and stories that blur the line between myth and reality.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 3: Caleta Tortel

After crossing the storied Golfo de Penas, discover Caleta Tortel, a coastal village nestled between the mouth of the Baker River and a quiet cove along the Baker Channel. Stretching for kilometers, the small town is made up of stilt houses in the traditional Chilotan style, perched above the shoreline. There are no conventional streets here. Instead, wooden walkways, built with Guaitecas cypress, wind through the village, giving it a remarkable look and a unique culture.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 4: Pío XI Glacier

The expedition continues navigating south towards the Messier Channel. We sail through the dramatic 18-meter-wide (59-foot-wide) English Narrows on our route to Pío XI glacier, to take a closer look at the Southern Icefield. Pío XI is the largest glacier in the Southern Hemisphere beyond Antarctica. Unlike most glaciers and despite global warming, Pío XI has experienced significant growth in recent decades, being the only one to expand steadily every year.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 5: Madre de Dios Island

Today, we venture to Madre de Dios Island, a remote and rarely visited land in the Chilean fjords. Known for its spectacular limestone cliffs, caves, and glaciers, Madre de Dios Island reveals a striking landscape shaped by strong winds and the sea. Experience its rugged beauty and remoteness, where untouched nature and striking geology converge at the edge of Patagonia.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 6: Las Montañas Channel

Sail through a breathtaking fjord in Chile’s Aysén Region, a 60-kilometer stretch framed by steep, snow-capped peaks of the Andes. Along the way, waterfalls cascade through lush temperat rainforests, and glaciers spill directly into the sea. If conditions permit, prepare to disembark for an up-close encounter with the majestic Bernal Glacier.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 7: Torres del Paine National Park

Step ashore and board a private bus that will take you into the heart of Patagonia’s most iconic landscapes, where granite towers pierce the sky, turquoise lakes shimmer, and a diverse array of wildlife roam freely amid the untamed wilderness.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 8: Strait of Magellan and Seno de Agostini

While heading south along the Magellan Strait, we enter the secluded fjords of Tierra del Fuego and discover the remote coastline of Francisco Coloane Marine Park, a vital feeding ground for whales in the southern hemisphere. Later during the day, we aim to reach Seno de Agostini, a spectacular fjord framed by steep mountains and hanging glaciers cascading from the Darwin Range. If conditions allow, we disembark at the Aguila glacier.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 9: Beagle Channel, Garibaldi Glacier

The Beagle Channel, a narrow waterway shared by Chile and Argentina in the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, is named after the fires seen in Indigenous settlements by early European explorers. As we sail through this remote passage, dramatic ice formations descend from the snow-capped Darwin Range into the sea. Along Glacier Alley, we pass five majestic glaciers: Holanda, Italia, Francia, Alemania, and Romanche. Conditions permitting, we access the Garibaldi fjord, surrounded by hanging glaciers and waterfalls close enough to touch. Together with the Strait of Magellan and the Drake Passage, the Beagle Channel is one of only three routes connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans in South America.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 10: Yendegaia National Park

Once a private ranch, the remote and beautiful Yendegaia National Park now protects pristine forests, rivers, and fjords. Enjoy the striking contrast between the southern Andes and the island’s open plains, home to guanacos, foxes, and soaring condors.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 11: Ushuaia, Argentina, Disembarkation

Ushuaia, Argentina, Disembarkation.

Breakfast included.

Next Departure Date: 24 Sep 2027
DatesCabinFromAdditional
24 Sep 2027 - 04 Oct 2027 AUD$10440ppExpand to view prices - Includes specials!
Triple Veranda SuiteAUD$10440ppContact us
Deluxe Veranda CabinAUD $13127pp AUD$11634ppSave up to A$1493
Family Veranda SuiteAUD $13127pp AUD$11634ppSave up to A$1493
Grand Veranda SuiteAUD $14918pp AUD$13425ppSave up to A$1493
Single Veranda CabinAUD $19097pp AUD$17604ppSave up to A$1493

**Prices are per person based on twin / shared accommodation.
**Single supplements may apply

Cabin Details

Triple Veranda Suite

Approx. Size: 560 ft² / 52 m²
Two-room suite with sitting area and balcony

Triple  Veranda Suite
Triple Veranda Suite
Deluxe Veranda Cabin

Approx. Size: 280 ft² / 26 m²
Cabin with sitting area and balcony

Deluxe  Veranda  Cabin
Deluxe Veranda Cabin
Family Veranda Suite

Approx. Size: 560 ft² / 52 m²
Two-room suite with sitting area and balcony

Family  Veranda Suite
Family Veranda Suite
Grand Veranda Suite

Approx. Size: 409 ft² / 38 m²
Suite with sitting area and balcony

Grand  Veranda Suite
Grand Veranda Suite
Single Veranda Cabin

Approx. Size: 280 ft² / 26 m²
Cabin with sitting area and balcony

Single  Veranda  Cabin
Single Veranda Cabin

Magellan Discoverer Deckplan

deck plan

Specifications

  • Passengers: 76 guests for Antarctic air-cruises
  • Staff & Crew: 67
  • Breadth: 17.2 m
  • Length: 94 m
  • Draft: 4.3 m
  • Lifeboats: 2 Fully enclosed, capacity 57 Persons (both equipped to serve as rescue boats)
  • Propulsion: 2 x 1,800 kW
  • Ice class: PC6
  • Cruising speed: 13 knots in open water

What's included?

  • Cruise on board the ship indicated for each voyage.
  • Comprehensive pre- and post-voyage information material.
  • For guests visiting Punta Arenas, exclusive access to Explorers House.
  • Daily buffet breakfast and lunch on board the ship, offering a variety of dishes.
  • Three-course dinner served daily on board the ship offering a choice between one of three main courses.
  • Wine, beer, juice, and soft drinks served with lunch and dinner on board the ship.
  • Coffee, tea, chocolate, cappuccino, water, and snacks on board the ship throughout the expedition.
  • Loan of waterproof boots for landing.
  • All guided shore excursions.
  • Lectures and entertainment on board.
  • Access exclusive content on the app while on board your expedition ship.
  • A voucher for premium internet access. Conditions apply.
  • Landing fees and IAATO passenger fees.

What's not?

  • Flights, accommodation, meals, excursions, and transfers other than those included in the itinerary corresponding to each voyage.
  • Beverages purchased at the ship’s bar.
  • Personal travel insurance.
  • Extra expenses (communication, laundry, souvenirs, etc.).
  • Gratuities.
  • Multi-entry visas for Chile, Argentina, the UK and/or other destinations included in your itinerary, passport expenses, and any arrival and/or departure tax, if applicable.
  • Required application for entry permit to South Georgia (for sea voyages including this destination)

Important notes and additional information

Optional Activities:

  • Sea Kayaking: US$995

Price Assurance

At Eclipse Travel, our expert destination knowledge and decades of travel planning experience come at no extra cost to you. While many think booking through a tour operator is more expensive than planning a trip independently, that’s not the case. We’re paid by our travel partners—such as hotels, activity operators, and cruise providers—via commissions, not by our clients.

Our team negotiates the best rates for you and ensures you receive unbiased advice, with no preference for any particular supplier. In fact, where we secure higher commissions, we often pass the savings on to you, giving us a competitive price edge.

Additionally, we lock in exchange rates at the time of your deposit, ensuring no surprise costs when it’s time for final payment. You can rest easy knowing we’ll handle the details with our suppliers. The only exceptions are national park fee increases or fuel surcharges imposed after your booking, though these are rare.

Take advantage of our team’s expertise and let us help you plan the perfect holiday—hassle-free!

Destination: South America

The vivid sights and sounds of South America offer something for everyone. Stretching from the Caribbean to Patagonia, the variety of cultures, climates and landscapes has to be experienced firsthand to be believed. The memories you take home will leave you wanting more – we’re sure you’ll want to return again and again, just like us!

Downloadable travel guide

Planning your next adventure has never been easier with our free downloadable travel guides. Get in-depth insights into local attractions, dining options, and hidden gems, all curated by our team of travel specialists with decades of experience.

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Patagonia & Chilean Fjords (2027-28 Itinerary Southbound)

11 Days aboard Magellan Discoverer. From AUD $10,440pp.