Chiloé Island Charm & Pumalín Fjords

Day by day itinerary: 6 d/ 5n
 

INCLUDES: Expert bilingual guides, all transport from Puerto Montt onwards, all meals & snacks, beer & wine during meals, gourmet chef onboard, limited personal liability insurance, hot springs entrances & accommodations, both on land & on the hand-crafted wooden gem: La Cahuella

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY AND PHYSICAL CONDITIONING: Minimal difficulty, however a basic level of physical ability is required.  We cater the day's activities according to the interests of our passengers.  We've had youngsters from age 8 to not so youngsters age 89.  Our aim is to spend only a few hours cruising every morning and then go ashore for walks, hot springs soaks and visits with locals.  For this, a certain level of fitness and adventure are required to make the most of this unique, pristine wonderland of Patagonia!
 

Leaving in the morning from Puerto Montt or Puerto Varas (or airport), you will take the open air ferry across the Chacao Channel to the island of Chiloé Grande, famous for its mythology, wildlife, culture and spectacular seafood. We'll visit the bustling seaside city of Ancud and have a tea and kuchen (a traditional German cake) overlooking the bay while your bilingual guide explains the history and culture of the area.  Afterwards, we'll head west through the verdant countryside, past forests and rolling hills.  Pastures and farms dot the way, where every morning and afternoon tin milk jugs await pickup by the local cheese factory. Our destination is the rugged Pacific coast and the island penguin colony of Puñihuíl.  This group of small islands offer the only place in the world where Humbolt and Magallanic penguins coexist- a very important area for the Chilean conservation movement Later in the afternoon we make south to stop into a country farm house for dinner.  The hospitality of Maria Luisa Maldonado and her husband Hardi Dimter offers a unique view into the island way of life.  Afterwards, we’ll continue to the village of Quemchi, where we will board the Cahuella for a peaceful night sleep on the water.

DAY 2        Chiloé by Sea

      Upon rising we will make our way to the colorful wharf of Quemchi where lovely Cahuella will be at anchor for breakfast. After a brief introduction and being shown your cabin, we will set sail out of the channel and into Chiloé Archipelago. Numerous islands will fill the foreground, shimmering green amidst the blue waters, while the snowcapped peaks of the Andes complete the background. We will drop anchor in the protected bay of Mechuque Island, where traditional palafitos  (wooden houses built on stilts with boat parking underneath) and the quaint village make for a wonderful afternoon walk.  This traditional island is fantastic for photography and experiencing local life first-hand.  In the evening, you will have the opportunity to taste an expertly made pisco sour (the national drink) and enjoy two new wonders: the Chiloé sunset and the wonders of the gourmet cuisine your chef creates from the freshest local produce and seafood.
 

 After a breakfast of fresh fruit, bread, jams, local yogurt and more, we will begin cruising amidst the numerous islands of the Archipelago.  Our navigation will take us to the quaint village of Tenaún,   whose hand-crafted crafted 140 year old wooden church is a UNESCO World Heritage site (along with 15 others) and an impressive monument to the region’s missionary past.  The rest of the day will be spent immersed in the marine culture of the archipelago: visiting small islands, taking short walks and pulling up to local fishing boats at work to not only to observe their work firsthand, but also taste the freshness of their catch only moments out of the water!  In the afternoon we will cruise to a protected anchorage at a remote outer island to prepare for our early crossing of the Gulf the following day.
 

Day 4- Pumalín Park  

      Early in the morning we will cross the Gulf of Ancud to the Comáo Fjord, below the steep forested walls of the Andes Mountains.  The silence and islolation of the Cahuelmó fjord, deep in the heart of the Pumalín Park Project will be our destination.  We’ll adventure on a short forest walk to a virgin waterfall cascading from the glacial heights above- the only way to fully appreciate the denseness of the area’s rainforest.  Countless waterfalls tumble into the calm waters of the fjord and make one feel as if in a land that time forgot.  Sunset on deck is a magical experience of the majesty of the area’s untouched natural beauty….  Fine food, good company and excellent Chilean wine always await you later below deck. 
 

Day 5- Pumalín Park- Hidden Hot Springs

 After a quiet night´s sleep we will dedicate the day to visiting some of the remote settlements along the Comáo fjord, taking walks in a remote valley and learning more about the Pumalín Park Project.  The massive peaks of the Andes covered with glaciers loom overhead the deep waters of the fjord.  In the afternoon we’ll drop anchor and take a short walk into the forest for a not-to-be-forgotten bathing opportunity.  There is little that compares to soaking in completely natural hot springs in the stunning beauty of the Patagonian fjords.   Your chef will have a fine gourmet surprise waiting upon your return.
 

Day 6-  Hornopirén- Despedida (Goodbye to Patagonia)