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| San Rafael Lagoon, witness the last glaciation |
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Setting out from Puerto Montt, Navimag's ferry heads south across the gulfs of Ancud and Corcovado. After sailing though the Moraleda channel it calls at Puerto Chacabuco, an important point on the Austral Road. At a speed of 12 knots, the "Puerto Edén" resumes its journey, sailing out of the Aysén fjord and through to the end of the Elefantes fjord until it reaches the Témpano river, the doorway into Laguna San Rafael.
Situated southwest of Puerto Chacabuco, at the foot of the Northern Ice Fields, the San Rafael lagoon has as its backdrop the imposing wall of the glacier that carries its name: the San Rafael glacier. The setting is captivating because of the huge blocks of bluish ice that continually break off from the glacier and fall into the lagoon, giving rise to new shapes.
The lagoon is part of the Laguna San Rafael National Park, which was designated as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1979. It displays the wonders of a pristine ecosystem, where black-necked swans, caiquenes and a variety of ducks and cormorants, along with coipos, pudús, foxes and seals, are part of the beauty of an unexplored area. |
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Calbuco, Reloncaví Inlet, Gulf of Ancud, Paso Nao (Nao Strait) and Gulf of Corcovado
We will start our journey sailing along Calbuco. The present channels, fiords, inlets and headlands areas where the Calbuco Town is located were inhabited from the beginnings of the American history. 11,500 years ago these men were settled in Monteverde place.
The ethnic groups called huilliches, chonos, juncos, and poyas were descendants from these ancient men; the former baptized the islands and gulfs as Caicaén, Calbuco, Abtao, Huito or Reloncaví or Tabón.
Then we will head for Reloncaví Inlet and Gulf of Ancud. The Petrohué River flows into Reloncaví Inlet through the Reloncaví Estuary. There are also diverse islands such as Tenglo, Maillén and Guar, while Puluqui and Queulín Islands separate the Inlet from the Gulf of Ancud. On its shores we can see Puerto Montt town, one of the biggest ones in the country.
Besides these wonderful places, we will also visit Paso Nao and the Gulf of Corcovado, also beautiful places. Not long ago, it was found out that in the Gulf of Corcovado can be found a great variety of blue whales, from December to April, where the place is in the Summer season.
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Moraleda Channel, Guaitecas Islands, Puerto Aguirre, Caleta Andrade, Aysén Fiord and Puerto Chacabuco
We will start out journey going along Moraleda Channel or the North and South Pérez Channels. The Moraleda Channel separates Chonos Archipelago and Magdalene Island and the rest of Continental Chile, in the province of Aysén. Southward Aysén Fiord, facing Traiguén Island, the Moraleda Channel opens in two branches. One is Errázuriz Channel (or coast), that goes westward up to Taitao Peninsula; the eastern branch changes its name to Elephants Marsh, which then changes to the gulf of the same name, up to San Rafael Lagoon and Ofgui Isthmus.
Then we will head for Guaitecas Islands or Las Guaitecas, and then Puerto Aguirre and Caleta Andrade. Part of Guaitecas Archipelago belongs to Las Guaitecas National Reserve.
After visiting these beautiful places, we will see the wonderful Aysén Fiord and then reach port in the famous Puerto Chacabuco. This fiord is indirectly connected with the Pacific shore. Its bottom has three basins and one sedimentary level ground from the recent Post-Glacier period formed by the sliding in the slopes. At the head of Aysén Fiord is Puerto Chacabuco, main port of the region, municipality of Aysén and the Province of Aysén.
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Paso Quesahuén (Quesahuén Strait) Elephants Inlet, Paso de Bidts (Bidts Strait), Tempano River, San Rafael River and Puerto Chacabuco
We will then head for San Rafael Lagoon, and find Paso Quesahuén and Elephants Inlet. Then we will visit Bidts Strait and Tempano River, which is the drainage channel of San Rafael Lagoon, where you can see drifting ice floes that fill the atmosphere with magic.
We will finally arrive at the magnificent San Rafael Lagoon. The main and charming attraction of San Rafael Lagoon, zone of constant rock falls, is the calm of its surface area of 170km2 with ice floes and the glacier. At land, the paths of interpretation and the River Saltón Fall are other attractions. Northwards, the lagoon connects with Moraleda Channel through many gulfs and marshes. Southwards and eastwards connects with the Ofqui Isthmus and Taitao Peninsula. Southward San Rafael Lagoon there are the Northern Ice Fields.
The lagoon is of peri-glacier origin, since it was originated by the backward movement of San Rafael Glacier in the Northern Ice Fields. Here we can enjoy the beauty of nature and see ice falling from the glacier. We will reach port at Puerto Chacabuco.
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Puerto Chacabuco, Moraleda Channel, North and South Pérez Channels and Gulf of Corcovado
We will have the exciting experience of passing by Puerto Chacabuco. Then we will head for Moraleda Channel, where we will enjoy a fascinating landscape and charming beauty. Again we will go along the great North and South Pérez Channels, and then arrive at another stunning place: the Gulf of Corcovado.
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Calbuco, Gulf of Ancud and Reloncaví Inlet
On our last journey, we will go along Calbuco once more, and so see the wonders of this place. We will continue sailing along the Gulf of Ancud and arrive at our destination: the Reloncaví Inlet, a very important place in the area since many vessels sail its waters and connect the towns of Chiloé and Patagonia with the rest of Chile.
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| Attractions and activities |
Situated at the foot of the slopes of the Melimoyu mountain chain, on the western shores of the Ventisquero estuary, are the Chilconed, Maca and Puyuhuapi thermal baths, whose spring waters reach temperatures as high as 50°C. Surrounded by abundant vegetation, the thermal baths in the area offer their visitors a variety of activities enabling them to enjoy the attractions of this favoured spot.
Most of the rivers in Patagonia are large and torrential. The combination of volume and declivity makes them the ones most sought after for practising rafting. Prominent rivers in this region are the Baker, Chile's highest-volume river with numerous rapids suitable for rafting, and the Futaleufú, which offers excellent conditions for activities of this type.
For those who enjoy this activity the different rivers and lakes in Region XI, such as the Simpson, Palena and Baker rivers and the Cochrane and General Carrera lakes, are well known not only for the species found there, like brown and rainbow trout, but also for the beauty of their surroundings and for the hospitable lodges situated in the area.
After arriving at Puerto Chacabuco on board the Navimag ferry, travellers can take a trip of unique attractiveness along the Austral Road. Over its entire length of 1,100 kilometres they will not only be able to pass through areas of incredible beauty, such as the cold forests, glaciers, lakes and rivers, but they will also have the possibility of visiting Chile's southernmost towns and villages by means of four-wheel drive vehicles, motor cycles, bicycles or trekking.
Situated 170 kilometres north of Coyhaique, this park is remarkable for its attractions such as the Queulat hanging glacier, which can be reached along a number of trekking paths that have been established through the exuberant native vegetation, the prominent species being coigüe, tepa and nalca, among others. This is also a good spot for bird-watching, climbing, boat and horseback excursions and camping, among other activities.
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| Departures and Rates - San Rafael Lagoon 2008 |
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INCLUDES |
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Lodging according to category. |
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All fares include complete meals on board. |
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Movies & hall games. |
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• To obtain a discount, identity and the corresponding document must be presented. • DSenior citizen and student discounts valid only between march 1st and december 31th 2008 (low season). • All fares subject to change without previous notice. • Please check our Ticket Conditions. |
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