One of the highlights of visiting Chile’s Patagonia is seeing the many glaciers in the area – what an incredible sight! Some of the glaciers can be hiked, like the Grey Glacier (something I did in a trip a few years later when I hike the W circuit around Torres del Paine). Other glaciers one can admire from a distance from the water (like the Serrano and Balmaceda glaciers). All these amazing glaciers are easy to reach from Puerto Natales with a glacier boat tour. I got to see these beautiful glaciers by boat and it was a very enjoyable cruise in the Chilean Patagonia. But there was even more than the glaciers to enjoy, as I would discover…
On the way to the glaciers from Puerto Natales
My tour boat left from Puerto Natales and the route over was breathtaking. Milford Sound in New Zealand was more splendid but this still was noteworthy for sure. Even if just seeing this part had been the purpose of the boat tour, that would have been worth it in and of itself. But, of course this initial part was not the end goal – the glaciers would turn out to be even better. Like it is often said, the journey sometimes is better or as good as the destination: the way over offered many great sights!
What a country home – I would take it! Wonder how isolated it feels in winter…
Right after leaving Puerto Natales
Seals have many good resting places along the “banks” of the channel
Some of the best sights of wildlife are only possible via a glacier boat tour for sure.
I believe these are corcorans (not penguins), covering all the cliffs
Beautiful rock formations that betray geological history beyond my knowledge
More of the rock formations
A view of the Torres del Paine from afar – awesome!
Grey Glacier
While I got to hike the Grey glacier during my trek in Patagonia in 2015 (see here for that story), on this glacier boat tour we took a different approach: we got off the boat and drove to the opposite shore from the glacier. It was not close enough to be awed by it, compared to being ON it, but it was a neat place to visit as we got to walk to an area on the opposite side of Lake Grey from the glacier and face the glacier and watch the ice floes. There were even waves hitting the piece of land where we were standing!
The deep cold blue of the floes was beautiful especially with the contrast to the shades of gray in the background.
Strolling around…
Before I go on to the other two glaciers… a couple of non-nature images that I like from this boat trip.
Handrail on the path to visit the Serrano glacier
Wooden ladder on the boat – colorful
Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers
During the cruise, we also visited the Serrano and Balmaceda glaciers. The Serrano and Balmaceda glaciers kiss the water like Grey glacier does but in what seemed a narrow and steeper “face” as it hits the water. We were able to get off the boat in one of the glaciers (the Serrano glacier) and hike around the shoreline near the glacier on some type of boardwalk built for this purpose.
Balmaceda Glacier has little ice as it touches the water
Balmaceda Glacier
Balmaceda Glacier
Balmaceda Glacier
Serrano Glacier has more ice volume as it meets the lake’s waters
Serrano Glacier
And more beauty
Seeing the glaciers so close was nothing short of spectacular. These “things” are monumental and magical just like I expected they would be. But during the glacier boat tour I also saw some beautiful sights that had nothing to do with the glaciers: the unique flora in the immediacy of the glaciers. These plants were unexpected beauties – I had not stopped to think if there would be any vegetation worth looking at in this part of Patagonia.
No idea what this is but it is beautiful, especially because orange is my favorite color
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Pin this to your travel board and get to Patagonia some time in your life!
Those are some great pics Raul! How long was the boat trip itself? How cold was it at that time?
Karl recently posted..Jelly Mill Falls – Southern Vermont
Patagonia is such a wild and beautiful part of South America. I look forward to experiencing its glaciers someday. They look stunning.
Bespoke Traveler recently posted..Running With Bison at Yellowstone
And I look forward to reading your writeups about it! Loved your Yellowstone one.
Hi. I’m in Puerto Natales and will be visiting Grey. I will also be visiting Perito Moreno once I get to El Calafate. I have an extra day in Natales and am debating whether to visit Serrano and Balmaceda and whether its worth paying between $130 to $180 for the day tour. Will it be glacier overload? Thanks
Hmmm, tough one. If you are on a budget, it may be that your visit to Grey and Perito Moreno will suffice. Unless you are hiking on Grey, you will see it from afar whereas the boat tour of the other glaciers gets close. Perito Moreno you will see pretty close whether you do a boat tour or just see it from the front. Now, I don’t recall how much I paid for S & B by boat but that price sounds steep. Perito Moreno is the most impressive of all, IMHO. Let me know what you decide!
Hi, I am debating whether Grey Glacier or B&S Glaciers are worth visiting? I have seen Glaciers in Iceland and want to evaluate whether its worth paying $90 for GREY or $150+ for B&S glaciers. I would love your honest opinion. I’ll definitely visit Perito Moreno someday (not in my current trip). Thank you!!