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The Best of Chilean Fjords – Cruise to the Heart of South America’s Landscapes

The Best of Chilean Fjords – Cruise to the Heart of South America’s Landscapes

From AUD $11,640

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Description

Winding channels, snow-covered mountains, majestic glaciers and narrow passages: welcome to the magic of the Chilean fjords. PONANT is inviting you aboard Le Lyrial for an 15-day expedition cruise to the heart of South America’s extraordinary landscapes.
Departing from Valparaiso, you will discover Quemchi, an authentic village located on the lush island of Chiloé.
After sailing in the Pulluche Channel, your next call will be the remote village of Tortel, suspended above the water, and its typical wooden footbridges which take the place of streets.
You will then enter the Patagonian channel known as the English Passage, before getting closer to including El Brujo, and Pie XI Glacier glaciers.
You will enjoy an unforgettable experience of sailing along the Strait of Magellan, then you will glimpse the gigantic Agostini and Garibaldi before rounding Cape Horn, surrounded by the stunning scenery provided by Tierra del Fuego National Park.
On Navarino Island, you will make a final call at Puerto Williams, a pleasant fishing port considered by the Chileans to be the world’s southernmost city, and finally you will sail to Argentina and Ushuaia, the final destination on your trip.

Trip Name
The Best of Chilean Fjords - Cruise to the Heart of South America’s Landscapes
Days
15
Overview
Vessel Type: Luxury Expedition / Cruise Ship Length: 142 metres Passenger Capacity: 264 (200 in Antarctica) Built: 2011 This superb mega-yacht with 132 cabins is the result of the expertise of the Italian Fincantieri shipyard and French sophistication, as interpreted by designer Jean-Philippe Nuel. L'Austral has a unique atmosphere, a subtle blend of luxury, intimacy and well-being. A sleek silhouette softened by elegantly smooth contours and large, arched windows opening up to the sea and the light: so many features come together to give L’Austral her distinctive shape. Precious materials, discreet elegance and a perfect balance between chic and casual, combine to make you feel as if you are on your own private yacht. A design blending tradition and innovation, where a nautical mood has been subtly recreated. Precious materials in smoothing neutral tones are brought to life with splashes of cheerful reds. So many personal touches create the spirit of a “private yacht”. Cuisine Loyal to the great French tradition, the haute cuisine on board is worthy of the finest restaurants, where discreet, attentive service is the hallmark. Our two restaurants welcome you for breakfasts, lunch and dinner. The Gastronomic Restaurant, with a capacity of 268 persons, is situated on Le Liberté Deck and serves you French and international cuisine accompagnied by fine wine. On the Grill Restaurant, you will have the opportuniny to eat outside and enjoy buffet lunch and themed dinner. Life On Board Whether you want to join other guests in the theatre or games area (Wii™ consoles, etc), or relax on your own in a quiet corner of the library, L'Austral has been designed to meet the needs of every guest. Everything has been done to preserve the independence of each guest to suit their personal tastes: lounges for lectures and shows, a spa in partnership with Sothys™, but also more intimate spaces such as the library and internet corner. Comfortable cabins, nearly all with private balcony, are available for families either as triples or as communicating cabins. There is also a games area with Wii™ consoles, children’s menus, and a baby-sitting service. Just as if you were on a private yacht, your time is your own to do as you please. Fitted with the latest equipment (Kinesis Wall, running machine) and in partnership with the famous Sothys™ brand, the Beauty Centre on L'Austral welcomes you for some unforgettable moments of relaxation and pampering (beauty treatments, hairdresser).

Itinerary



Day 1 - Day 1 VALPARAISO
Located about 100 kilometres south of Santiago, the legendary Valparaiso is the second largest city in Chile. It is also a splendid city, full of history: two qualities justifying its nickname “gem of the Pacific” and its status as a UNESCO World Heritage site. You can stroll along the steep streets, on foot or by cable car, and explore the many admirable sites like the delicate Iglesia de la Matriz, Sotomayor square, Bellavista hill, or Sebastiana house where the author Pablo Neruda lived. At every turning, you’ll get a refreshing view of the sea.
Day 2 - Days 2 - 3 AT SEA
During your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities offered, or to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.
Day 3 - Day 4 QUEMCHI, CHILOE ISLAND
In southern Chile, in the Lake District, discover the small fishing port of Quemchi on the east coast of Chiloé Island. With its authentic charm, its pretty wooden houses, its narrow streets lined with small shops, and its fish market, this faraway village is sure to win you over. Be sure to visit the museum dedicated to Francisco Coloane, the famous Chilean author and adventurer born on this southern land. Not far from there, the small island called Isla Aucar, accessible via a wooden footbridge, will be a chance to observe a wide variety of birds and discover a magnificent botanical garden, home to many of the region’s endemic plants.
Day 4 - Day 5 SAILING IN THE PULLUCHE CANAL
Near the Peñón de Lobos (‘wolf rock’), in Chile, the Pulluche Canal is located northwest of Monte Prieto and the island of Sin Nombre, literally “the island without a name”. This maritime channel in the Aysén du Général Carlos Ibañez del Campo Region, in the south of the country, is 1,400 km south of the capital. You will sail through a very singular landscape made up of islands, canals and fjords. Recognised as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1979, the San Rafael Lake brims with rainforests and abundant wildlife: sea birds (Black-browed Albatrosses, cormorants…) and marine mammals (pinnipeds).
Day 5 - Day 6 TORTEL
A picturesque, colourful fishing village, Tortel boasts a splendid location in the heart of southern Patagonia, halfway between Puerto Montt and Cape Horn. From the little streets made up of small walkways, you’ll love the grand panorama of rounded mountains, dense forest, the clear waters of the Pacific. If you walk out onto one the many wooden pontoons, you can admire the views as you stand suspended a few metres above the water. The village is scattered with sculptures made by local artists, an excellent introduction to this friendly community.
Day 6 - Day 7 ENGLISH PASSAGE & PIE XI GLACIER
Between green hills rising from the water and snow-capped peaks, the English Passage is one of the main Patagonian channels. Situated off the south-western coast of Chile, at the end of the Messier Channel, this narrow waterway with a width of just 180 metres offers a unique sailing experience due to its exceptional dimensions and its magnificent natural setting.The Brüggen Glacier, a coastal glacier in southern Chile also known as Pio XI, is astonishing for its almost surreal dimensions. With a surface area exceeding 1,200 km2, it is the largest of the glaciers making up the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. This gigantic ice field is the third largest ice mass in the world. Straddling the southern Andes Mountains, its breathtaking natural setting inspires sheer wonder and awe.
Day 7 - Day 8 EL BRUJO GLACIER & SKUA GLACIER (SAILING)
At the heart of Bernardo O’Higgings National Park, the largest protected area in Chile, discover El Brujo Glacier. Located at the end of the Asia Fjord, this huge wall of ice sculpted by the wind is fascinating and impressive. This magical, natural and grandiose décor that changes as the light plays upon it will be an unforgettable sight.In the heart of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, where the National Parks of Bernardo O’Higgins, Torres del Paine and Las Glaciares meet, discover the Skua Glacier, also known as the Amalia Glacier. Nested on the Andes, this three-kilometre-wide tidewater glacier will offer you sumptuous landscapes in infinite shades of blue: a magical show during which the impressive cracking of the ice can be heard at times.
Day 8 - Day 9 ESTERO LAS MONTANAS
Also called Fjord of the Mountains or Channel of the Mountains, the Estero Las Montañas fjord offers enchanting landscapes. Situated in large part in the Alacalufes National Reserve, this former glacial valley now flooded with water seems to stretch on for ever inland. Surrounded by tall mountains with lush slopes and edged with numerous glaciers tinged in various shades of blue, it will be a highlight of your cruise.
Day 9 - Day 10 SAILING IN THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN
This mythical strait situated in the south of Chile and separating South America from Tierra del Fuego, awakens our imagination, stirring up a longing for adventure. For the first time, follow in the footsteps of the famous Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, known for having organised the first circumnavigation of the globe in the 16th century. Aboard your ship, cruise along the 600 km separating the Atlantic Ocean from the Pacific and, before arriving in Ushuaia, discover the sea route which was long nicknamed “Strait of All Saints” because Magellan’s ships first entered it on All Saints’ Day. A fascinating adventure.
Day 10 - Day 11 AGOSTINI GLACIER
In the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, the Agostini Glacier sits at the back of the eponymous fjord, framed by the Cordillera Darwin. Named after the Italian missionary and explorer Alberto Maria De Agostini, this imposing blue-tinged glacier offers a stunning view over the fjord.
Day 11 - Day 12 GARIBALDI GLACIER
Cruise along the narrow arm of Garibaldi Fjord and marvel at its stunning landscapes: thick green vegetation adorns steep mountains, rivalling the beauty of surrounding ice and snow. Further on, Garibaldi Glacier unveils itself: a towering ice titan looming at the end of the fjord that shares its name. Don't be surprised if sea lions and numerous birds accompany you on your enchanting journey into the heart of one of Chile's most beautiful glaciers.  
Day 12 - Day 13 SAILING AROUND CAPE HORN
It’s at the meeting point between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans that you enter Chilean Patagonia where you head for the Tierra del Fuego archipelago and its famous Cape Horn. From the top of its impressive 425-metre high cliff, South America’s southernmost tip has, for many centuries, seen merchant ships from the world over passing by. Because of its legendary storms and rough seas, getting round this cape has gone down in history as a challenge for all seafarers.
Day 13 - Day 14 PUERTO WILLIAMS
Located on Navarino Island a few kilometres from the Argentinian border, the city of Puerto Williams is, according to Chileans, the southernmost city in the world. It is first and foremost, a charming fishing port whose calm and isolation will delight you. You can stroll around a few little streets and admire the dark silhouette of the Patagonian Andes, surmounted by eternally white peaks. The Martin Gusinde museum of anthropology gives an aperçu of the living conditions of the ancient indigenous people, the Yámanas, while the surrounding areas propose hiking paths across wild, unspoiled nature.
Day 14 - Day 15 USHUAIA
Capital of Argentina's Tierra del Fuego province, Ushuaia is considered the gateway to the White Continent and the South Pole. Nicknamed “El fin del mundo” by the Argentinian people, this city at the end of the world nestles in the shelter of mountains surrounded by fertile plains that the wildlife seem to have chosen as the ultimate sanctuary. With its exceptional site, where the Andes plunge straight into the sea, Ushuaia is one of the most fascinating places on earth, its very name evocative of journeys to the unlikely and the inaccessible…
Day 15 - Please Note:
Itineraries are subject to change.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
28-10-202511-11-2025AUD $14,250Superior Stateroom
28-10-202511-11-2025AUD $15,360DeLuxe Stateroom
28-10-202511-11-2025AUD $54,330Owner’s Suite
28-10-202511-11-2025AUD $16,950Prestige Stateroom - Deck 4
28-10-202511-11-2025AUD $17,740Prestige Stateroom - Deck 5
28-10-202511-11-2025AUD $18,700Prestige Stateroom - Deck 6
28-10-202511-11-2025AUD $25,650Deluxe Suite
28-10-202511-11-2025AUD $34,350Prestige Suite - Deck 5
28-10-202511-11-2025AUD $36,100Privilege Suite
28-10-202511-11-2025AUD $41,310Grand Deluxe Suite
28-10-202511-11-2025AUD $48,750Grand Privilege Suite
07-11-202521-11-2025AUD $13,620Superior Stateroom
07-11-202521-11-2025AUD $14,670DeLuxe Stateroom
07-11-202521-11-2025AUD $16,170Prestige Stateroom - Deck 4
07-11-202521-11-2025AUD $16,920Prestige Stateroom - Deck 5
07-11-202521-11-2025AUD $17,830Prestige Stateroom - Deck 6
07-11-202521-11-2025AUD $24,420Deluxe Suite
07-11-202521-11-2025AUD $32,660Prestige Suite - Deck 5
07-11-202521-11-2025AUD $34,320Prestige Suite - Deck 6
07-11-202521-11-2025AUD $42,330Owner’s Suite
03-11-202617-11-2026AUD $11,640Superior Stateroom
03-11-202617-11-2026AUD $12,500Deluxe Stateroom
03-11-202617-11-2026AUD $13,720Prestige Deck 4
03-11-202617-11-2026AUD $14,340Prestige Deck 5
03-11-202617-11-2026AUD $15,070Prestige Deck 6
03-11-202617-11-2026AUD $20,450Deluxe Suite
03-11-202617-11-2026AUD $23,150Privilège Suite
03-11-202617-11-2026AUD $27,190Prestige Deck 5 Suite
03-11-202617-11-2026AUD $28,290Grand Deluxe Suite
03-11-202617-11-2026AUD $29,150Grand Privilege Suite
04-11-202618-11-2026AUD $11,640Superior Stateroom
04-11-202618-11-2026AUD $12,500Deluxe Stateroom
04-11-202618-11-2026AUD $13,720Prestige Deck 4
04-11-202618-11-2026AUD $14,340Prestige Deck 5
04-11-202618-11-2026AUD $15,070Prestige Deck 6
04-11-202618-11-2026AUD $20,450Deluxe Suite
04-11-202618-11-2026AUD $27,190Prestige Deck 5 Suite
04-11-202618-11-2026AUD $28,540Prestige Deck 6 Suite

Inclusions

    • Explore the magic of the Chilean fjords with a sea kayak adventure. Led by experienced, State-Certified kayak guides, you will skim the water’s surface amid the ice. Full professional equipment is provided, including tamdem kayak, carbon paddle, full-body drysuit, lifejacket, AIS beacon. For more information about your kayak tour, please go to the section "PONANT activities" and to book your kayak tour, contact your cruise advisor.
    • Outings and shore visits in zodiac inflatables with a team of experienced naturalist guides.
    • Observing glaciers, channels and fjords, and navigating along narrow passages.
    • If weather conditions allow it, disembarking at Cape Horn and discovering its albatross sculpture created by the Chilean artist José Balcells Eyquem.
    • The stop in Tortel, a picturesque village with wooden pontoons and footbridges, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    • Sailing along the Strait of Magellan (on the edge of Tierra del Fuego), and the Beagle Channel (with its so-called “Glacier Avenue”).
    • Depending on opportunities, observing Magellanic penguins, caracaras, dolphins, humpback whales, fur seals, sea lions, condors and cormorants.
    • Landscapes: fjords dominated by the snow-capped peaks of the Andes, iridescent glaciers, and mountain lakes with crystal-clear water.

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