Cruising the Chilean Fjords on Route to Patagonia

Pio XI glacier from distance.

There are luxurious ways to cruise the Chilean Fjords and then there’s the Navimag Ferry. Despite being basic in it’s accommodation and amenities and despite a little mishap, (read When Your Holiday Hits the Rocks), it was a fabulous experience.

My ultimate destination for my trip to Chile was Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia. I didn’t have the time to get there by bus and I didn’t want to fly and miss the countryside. My solution was to take an overnight bus from Santiago to Puerto Montt and pick up the Navimag Ferry there for the four day, three night trip to Puerto Natales – the town from which you access the park.

Crew took a zodiac out and got some of the glacier ice for drinks at the bar.

The  Navimag Experience

As cheap holidays go, taking the Navimag is kind of expensive because you have to get there first. But as far as cruising through the Patagonian fjords goes, the Navimag is a deal.

The Navimag is a commercial ferry primarily for trucks and cars but foot passengers are also welcome. You have a number of cabin options: single, double, triple and quadruple occupancy. You can choose a private bathroom or a window – these two seem to be mutually exclusive. You can also get a bunk outside of a cabin. I chose a bed in a quad cabin with a window. (I figured that I’d be sharing a bathroom with strangers anyway so why not get a window.) The bunks outside of cabins (similar to bunks in a train) seemed quite fine and I might have tried had I known.

Your choice of accommodation is the only thing affecting the fare you pay for the trip. Everyone eats the same food in the cafeteria at prescribed meal times. In the cafeteria, you grab a tray, line up and eat what’s on offer – kind of how your mother would serve you. The food was basic. Not great but nothing to cause real complaints either.

Otherwise, the ship consists of a number of decks from which to enjoy the spectacular scenery and a bar/common room in which to read, have a drink, nap, play cards… essentially, it was a place to hang out and enjoy fellow travelers.

My friend Noemie, one of many out to see the glacier.

Solo Travelers on Board

There were many solo travelers doing the same trip as me. (You can meet many of them in this post: Travel Alone but Not Lonely – the Pictures). As a result, it was a very social experience. Over the course of the four days I spoke with lots of solo travelers, learned about their trip, how long they would be on the road, how it was going and more. I was left a little frustrated with how short my holiday would be but I also met a travel partner for my trip into Torres del Paine. My plan had been to stay at the Refugios there but after meeting Noemie, that was dropped, we rented a tent and went in to camp and hike together.

My Navimag experience was wonderful for the people and the natural beauty it offered. A “thumbs up” from me.

(This post is sponsored by icelolly.com.)

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