Journey to Tierra del Fuego
This exclusive 7-day, 6-night journey, taking place only in a few dates per year, has been specially designed for individuals seeking places barely touched by man. It reflects our desire to explore remote and unconventional destinations, discovering and connecting with places of unparalleled beauty through a profound exploration journey in Chilean Patagonia. We will venture into unpopulated and scarcely explored territory, delving into the untouched landscapes that await us.
Itinerary:
DAY 1 – WELCOME
We will meet this day at the Yegua Loca Hotel in Punta Arenas, where we will be waiting for you. Depending on the arrival time, you can explore the beautiful city of Punta Arenas while we prepare for the evening, where we will enjoy the introduction to our journey with our exploration team and a dinner to kickstart the trip.
DAY 2 – STRAIT OF MAGELLAN AND PAMPA
We rise at dawn, have breakfast, and get ready to depart. With our vehicles and guides, we head to cross the Strait of Magellan, the most important natural passage between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
Crossing the strait to Tierra del Fuego Island has its charm, being on the deck of the boat and imagining part of the history while feeling the cold air that reminds us where we are. It was from here that Hernando de Magellan, 500 years ago, named the island after the large bonfires that could be seen from the sea. They were the Selknam.
Arriving at the port of Porvenir, we briefly tour the city to understand part of its history and culture. Crossing vast extensions of Pampa and several estancias, we continue our journey to visit the island’s only reserve of King Penguins, where we can appreciate these marvelous animals.
We will have lunch, connecting with the estancia culture of Tierra del Fuego, and finally, we will move to our first small local accommodation, in a local estancia.* *This first accommodation only has single rooms.
DAY 3 – TRANSITION TO PATAGONIAN FOREST
We start by crossing the border from the vast plains of Pampas to enter the beginning of the forests of Tierra del Fuego. We arrive at Karukinka Park, a private natural reserve of 300,000 hectares that seeks to preserve the natural environment and raise awareness about the island’s biodiversity.
We will take a 7-kilometer hike to Cerro Pietro Grande, where we can admire part of the island, its diverse ecosystems, and the effect of beavers on its forests.
We end the day arriving at our accommodation, where we will spend the night near Lake Fagnano. The Genkowsky family will welcome us upon arrival. This wonderful family is known for being the last settlers’ family on the island, who managed to open roads and settle against all odds to live in this part of the planet. We will learn part of their history and their life firsthand.* *Some cabins have outdoor bathrooms.
DAY 4 – NAVIGATION AND PATAGONIAN FJORDS
Early breakfast. A new adventure begins. We head to Caleta María, a bay that for many years could only be accessed by sea and only had a land route to reach it less than ten years ago (2014). We embark on the boat that will take us to navigate to Parry Fjord. We will cross the Almirantazgo Sound (Tierra del Fuego’s first protected marine area),
We will take a moderate hike along the fjord’s edge, through forests overlooking the glaciers. In the afternoon we will return to the protected area of the Almirantazgo Sound where we can find the home to sea elephants, leopard seals, black-browed albatrosses, among other species. We disembark in Caleta Maria and return to our cabins at Estancia Fagnano to have dinner and rest.
DAY 5 – MOUNTAIN AND FORESTS
A full-day hike of advanced intensity through irregular terrain, around high-altitude lagoons in Yendegaia National Park.
This park is closed to visitors, but we have made a special request to explore a part of this wonderful park at the end of the world.
DAY 6 – ANDEAN TREELINE
We prepare for our last exploration. We will return to Karukinka Park but now to its extreme south-east side and we will do a moderate walk along the tree line.
At the highest part we will have incredible views of the mountains, valleys and an ecosystem that presents the greatest richness of plants in all of Karukinka, in addition to concentrating here the largest number of endemic plant species.
In some cases we can find snow in the area so we will have snowshoes with us so we can enjoy a walk in the snow if necessary. Back in the cabins, we will have our farewell dinner in the evening.
DAY 7 – FLIGHT TO PUNTA ARENAS
The end of such a marvelous journey approaches. We prepare for the return. We begin our journey to Pampa Guanaco, where the flight runway is located, and an airplane will be waiting to take you to Punta Arenas. The flight has a duration of approximately 30 minutes.
The flight is operated by our partner in aerial transfers: Aerolíneas DAP, in an airplane with a maximum capacity of 15 people. (ExlorA)
