Unspoiled Wonders: Patagonia, Chilean Fjords & Antarctica Cruise - 2019

Your adventures in the Southern Hemisphere begin with an overnight flight to Santiago.

Founded in 1541, Santiago has been the capital of Chile since colonial times. Upon arrival on Day 2, enjoy an afternoon at leisure to explore your new surroundings before joining your fellow travelers for a Welcome Dinner at the hotel.

Following breakfast this morning, we'll set out for a more in-depth look at Santiago's major highlights, including stops at the grand Plaza de Armas and the regal Government Palace. The rest of the day is at leisure for you to further explore this vibrant city.

We journey this morning to Valparaíso, one of the most important seaports on the South Pacific and the second-largest city in Chile. Set in a natural amphitheater overlooking the sea, the city boasts a historic quarter that has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its 19th-century architecture and urban planning. Today, Valparaíso is renowned as an educational center and lively repository of Chilean culture. Cultural Discovery: We’ll drive past its highlights — including Latin America's oldest stock exchange and Chile's first public library — before stopping to enjoy a traditional empanada lunch, a revered cultural icon in Chile and its national dish, along with a glass of red wine before boarding the ms Roald Amundsen this afternoon. After settling into your room, join your fellow travelers for a Captain’s Welcome Cocktail prior to dinner.

Two peaceful days at sea provide you with plenty of opportunities for onboard relaxation, learning, and enjoyment. Whatever your whim, you’ll find it aboard the ms Roald Amundsen, furnished with elegant lounges, comfortable cabins, and viewing areas. Your onboard team will offer scintillating lectures to contextualize your experiences in South America and deepen your knowledge of this fascinating region.

You’ll also appreciate creative and delicious food in three onboard restaurants that blend Norwegian tradition with international gastronomy. Savor this experience on the ms Roald Amundsen, the world’s most advanced expedition ship!

Located on Isla Grande de Chiloé, the city of Castro is set among windswept hills and green vegetation. This small but energetic metropolis is known for its colorful palafitos, wooden houses mounted on stilts perched along the water's edge. We’ll have some time to go ashore and enjoy the city’s local character, mixed with a dash of modern development. Your Adventure Leader will take you into town and point you towards such highlights as the Iglesia de San Francisco. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, the church is a visual delight. We’ll take time to admire the juxtaposition of its cheerful yellow and lavender-trimmed exterior to its stunning varnished-wood interior, illuminated by rows of stained-glass windows. Other sites include Plazuela del Tren, a small plaza right by the waterfront with an odd collection of old trains; the ornate tombs of the Cementerio Parroquial; and the bustling Feria Campesina Yumbel marketplace. Shoppers can head to the Artesanal Lillo to peruse hand-knit woolen goods and other handicrafts; foodies can wander along the cafés of Calle Blanco and sample the area’s renowned meat, potato, and seafood stew known as curanto; nature lovers will find wide beaches and rugged coastline filled with dozens of seabird species, penguins, and sea lions in Chiloé National Park just outside the city.

Our expedition continues as our ship heads south through the fabled waters of Patagonia toward one of the world’s most undisturbed and beautiful places: the southern province of Ultima Esperanza (Last Hope). As we sail through these iconic Andean seascapes, you’ll have plenty of time to admire the magnificent natural expanse from the comfort of the ship’s top deck.

After an unforgettable cruise through the Patagonian waters, we arrive in the enchanting village of Puerto Edén. A tiny settlement in Bernardo O’Higgins National Park situated at the end of a deep fjord, this treasured port is often passed over by larger ships. Of Puerto Edén’s already small population of 176, 15 are the remaining members of the Kawéskar people. There are no roads here, only wooden walkways, and electricity is only available for a few hours each day. As such, Puerto Edén is a fantastic place to experience the traditional indigenous culture of the Patagonian tribes. The villagers make their living selling fish, mussels, and shellfish, which are taken weekly to markets by boat, or by selling traditional Kawéskar crafts such as wicker baskets and boats made from sea lion skins and tree bark.

Enjoy some time exploring on your own this afternoon. Consider joining your Expedition Team for a hike around the area; keep your eyes peeled for Magellan hummingbirds as you explore!

Today finds us in Puerto Natales, a colorful fishing port known as the gateway to world-renowned Torres del Paine National Park. One of the most awe-inspiring nature sanctuaries in the world, its main feature is the "towers" themselves — three impressive rock formations called "Torres del Paine” ("Towers of Paine") that soar thousands of feet above the ground. We’ll embark on a walking tour of downtown Puerto Natales upon arrival; the rest of the day is at leisure.

Enjoy a day at leisure to explore on your own. Nature lovers can speak to their Adventure Leader about embarking on a hike through the incredible surroundings of Torres del Paine National Park. You’ll find a stunning variety of landscapes to explore here, from the vast emerald forests and azure lakes to rugged mountain terrains and one massive, radiant glacier. The diversity of environments here has allowed a wide variety of a fauna and flora to flourish, making this an incredible area for hiking. Keep your eyes peeled for llamas, pumas, and chilla foxes, as well as more than 100 species of birds such as the Andean condor and black-chested buzzard eagle.

We awake to the scenic splendor of the Chilean fjords this morning, a magnificent labyrinth of waterways that slices through the southern reaches of South America, connecting the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Spend some time on deck today: In addition to vistas of soaring mountains and beautiful forests, you'll have the opportunity to spot dolphins, whales, seals, and a variety of other wildlife.

We sail through the Beagle Channel this morning, a waterway named after the ship that carried Charles Darwin on his voyage of discovery. We continue into open waters and, if conditions allow, make landfall on Cape Horn — the southernmost tip of South America. The southernmost point of the six major continents, this region holds great historical significance due to its location. If we are able to anchor off Cape Horn, we’ll go ashore and explore this isolated yet romantic piece of land known as “the end of the world.” It is truly a travel milestone to make landfall here.

Today we continue through the Drake Passage, connecting the southern Atlantic and Pacific oceans, on our way to Antarctica. This sea passage was notorious among the early polar explorers and is a unique voyage that few have the chance to experience. Here the warm water from the north meets the cold, less salty water from the south. This makes the ocean particularly rich in nutrients and forms the foundational basis of the unique marine life found here.

The last great wilderness left on Earth with no permanent human inhabitants, the continent is dedicated to scientific research and peaceful cooperation. Simple words cannot convey the feeling of being here, with its crisp air, towering icebergs, and endless white mountain ranges. Unforgettable Moment: We'll spend four incredible days cruising channels and passageways surrounded by the Antarctic Peninsula's rugged, glacier-covered islands and craggy land masses.

Legendary travelers were drawn here in spite of the stark and inhospitable surroundings. Roald Amundsen and Robert Scott famously raced to the South Pole in 1911 (Amundsen’s expedition beat Scott’s by 33 days). Perhaps the most famous explorer is Ernest Shackleton, leader of a crew that set off to cross the White Continent in 1914. Shackleton’s ship, the aptly named Endurance, was crushed in the ice. Miraculously, the great explorer was able to deliver his entire crew back to safety and civilization (albeit a year and a half later). Needless to say, to step foot on mainland Antarctica is a true once-in-a-lifetime travel experience.

We’ll marvel at our striking surroundings — vast tundra and jagged icebergs mirrored in frigid seas — as we cruise through a part of the world so remote and extreme that it has no permanent human residents. Antarctica is, however, home to millions of penguins, as well as an astonishing array of seals, birds, and other unique species, so be sure to keep your cameras at the ready! As we cruise, we'll enjoy a rewarding balance of onboard lectures that enlighten the mind and onshore excursions that thrill and invigorate.

The next few days are spent taking in Antarctica’s white-blue icebergs, towering walls of ice, snowy mountain ranges, and amazing land and sea life. We’re always sure to keep our cameras at the ready as our highly maneuverable small ship wends its way among islands, bays, and channels. This is a stark landscape of heady breathtaking terrain and a travel experience unlike any other.

Ice, wind, and weather dictate life in Antarctica, just as they dictate our route and our landings. As such, we determine our landings as our adventure progresses. Unforgettable Moment: Where conditions allow, we go ashore on naturalist-led expeditions by versatile landing crafts to explore such sites as Cuverville Island, Half Moon Island, Neko Harbor, and Deception Island, to better experience the wildlife and otherworldly landscapes found here. One thing is certain — no matter which of these magnificent spots we explore, your team of onboard naturalists will help you view the nature and beauty of Antarctica as never before. With an open mind and spirit of adventure, you will enjoy the most rewarding of journeys.

Our final days at sea are spent cruising through the Drake Passage back to Punta Arenas, Chile. In addition to wrapping up our onboard lecture series, we'll share our favorite experiences in Chile and Antarctica. Be sure to spend some time on deck watching for wildlife.

After a final breakfast on board, we’ll disembark in Punta Arenas and head to the airport for a transfer flight to Santiago de Chile.