Discover Chile's Lake District & Chilean Patagonia - 9 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Santiago, Explore

Day 2: Fly to Puerto Montt, Transfer to Puerto Varas

After breakfast at your hotel in Santiago, you'll depart on a short flight to Puerto Montt, a port city in southern Chile that serves as a gateway to the Andes mountains and Patagonian fjords. When you arrive, you'll meet your English-speaking guide, who will transport you in a private vehicle to Puerto Varas. Drop your luggage at the hotel, have lunch, and then join your guide once more for a tour of the village located on the shore of Lago Llanquihue. You'll observe a mix of German architecture and Mapuche cultural influences. You'll have a free evening to relax before tomorrow's tour around the region.

Day 4: Explore Isla Chiloé & Puñihuil Penguins National Reserve

This morning, you'll transfer from Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt and continue up the Panamericana 5 highway to the port of Pargua. Once you reach the ferry terminal, you'll embark on a 30-minute boat ride across the Chacao Channel to Isla Chiloé. Your first destination here is the town of Ancud on the northern end of Chiloé. The town features a viewpoint atop Huaihuen Hill, where you'll have stunning views of Ancud's many landmarks, including the Fuerte San Antonio, an early 19th-century Spanish-colonial fort that played a significant role in the wars for independence.

You'll also visit the regional museum, the municipal market, and the Caulín Bird Sanctuary, a shelter for migratory birds like black-necked swans, flamingoes, and herons. The day trip continues with a visit to a penguin colony in nearby Puñihuil, home to both Magellanic and Humboldt penguins. Indeed, this is the only place in the world where the two species coexist. In the late afternoon, you'll return to Puerto Varas and enjoy a relaxing evening in town. 

Day 5: Fly to Punta Arenas

It's time to go deeper into Chilean Patagonia! The journey starts in the morning with a private transfer to the airport at Puerto Montt, where you'll catch a flight to Punta Arenas, a city located near the tip of Chile's southernmost Patagonia region. Due to its location on the Strait of Magellan, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, Punta Arenas is often used as a base for excursions to the surrounding wilderness and Antarctica.

After getting settled at your hotel, stroll around town to see the sights. Plaza Muñoz Guerrero is a leafy central plaza lined with French street lamps and surrounded by impressive architecture. Many of these grand neoclassical mansions were once owned by wealthy sheep-ranching families. Tour the Palacio Sara Braun to see just how much wealth the sheep trade generated in the 19th century. Explore the waterfront and watch the sun go down at Mirador Cerro de la Cruz. This viewpoint overlooks the city all the way out to the Strait of Magellan. Sample fresh seafood specialties like chupe de centolla (soufflé of king crab), oysters, scallops, and shellfish for dinner.

Day 6: Isla Magdalena Penguin Colony & Transfer to Torres del Paine National Park

This half-day tour begins bright and early. You'll transfer from downtown Punta Arenas to a pier on the Strait of Magellan, where you'll board a boat at sail to Isla Marta. It's home to a large colony of Patagonian sea lions as well as cormorants, skuas, arctic pigeons, and more. Continue to Isla Magdalena, where you'll disembark and spend one hour onshore. With your guide, follow a 2,624-foot (800 m) path to an old lighthouse that offers sweeping views of the Strait of Magellan.

This island is home to Los Pingüinos Natural Monument, a protected area home to Chile's largest colony of penguins. There's no experience like hiking alongside penguins near Patagonian waters, first mapped by Magellan and made famous by Charles Darwin. Afterward, you'll transfer to Torres del Paine National Park. On the way, you'll certainly spot some of the local fauna, including many species of birds and the guanaco, a wild camelid related to the llama. You'll check into your hotel and have the rest of the day to relax before touring the park tomorrow. 

Day 7: Explore Torres del Paine National Park

One of South America's most impressive national parks, Torres del Paine, is named after the soaring granite pillars that rise over 6,562 feet (2,000 m) above the Patagonian steppe. This pristine wilderness is home to turquoise lakes, gushing rivers, glaciers, dramatic peaks, and dense forests and extends across roughly 700 square miles (1,813 sq km). Most people come here to hike, though it's also a great destination to relax and reconnect with nature while staying in a mountain-style lodge. 

During your two days in the national park, you'll be able to choose from a variety of excursions. See part of the famed "W" Trek, or walk along one of the park's shorter trails, visiting lakes, waterfalls, and rock formations. Wildlife watching is another highly recommended activity: guanaco and pumas are among 26 mammalian species that inhabit the region. 

Day 8: Hike to Salto Grande Waterfall

On your second day in Torres del Paine, choose from a few activity options. Go on a guided hike to learn about the park's flora, fauna, geology, and human history. An experienced guide will take you to impressive natural wonders, including the Salto Grande waterfall and Laguna Azul. Throughout the journey, you'll pass through exotic lenga forests abounding with wildlife. 

Alternatively, take a self-guided walk to the Salto Grande waterfall and Mirador Nordenskjöld, where you'll take in a spectacular view of the lake and mountains. You could also go horseback riding, mountain biking, ice hiking, or kayaking. 

Day 9: Depart Patagonia