Overview
This is part 3 of a 6-part series which covers the Chile portion of our 54-day journey. Our trip took us through Central American and then down the west coast of South America to Antarctica before ending in Brazil.
The Complete Series can be found here:
Part I — Central America & the Panama Canal: The Journey Begins
Part II – Across Ecuador & Peru: Markets, Monasteries, and Lost Civilizations
Part III — Chile: Ten Days Along the Edge of the Andes
Part IV — Argentina, The Falkland Islands & Antarctica: To the End of the World
Part V — Uruguay Beach Resorts and Wineries
Part VI— Brazil: The Final Stretch North
Coquimbo, Chile – Pisco, Valleys, and a New Coastline Ahead
Arrival in Coquimbo
We arrive in Coquimbo around 1:00pm and are supposed to meet in the Marina Lounge at 1:30pm for our excursion. We pick up our tickets, and before long they call our group — Bus 8. Outside, the weather is beautiful. After a quick agricultural check at port control, we board the bus and are on our way.
Coquimbo is a major summer resort town, and with school just letting out, the region is gearing up for the season. The area has grown rapidly — something like 50% in the last twenty years — with new condos and infrastructure everywhere. One of the first things we see is a huge American‑style mall that looks like it could’ve been in Miami or Southern California. The whole region feels noticeably wealthier and more developed than much of Central America and northern parts of South America we’d just visited. The landscape and architecture remind us of the American Southwest.
Into the Elqui Valley
We follow the coast for a bit before turning inland from La Serena toward the Elqui Valley, about an hour east and heading toward the Andes. The scenery looks strikingly like Arizona — barren hills, scattered cactus, dry air. A large dam in the area has been hit hard by drought; the reservoir is down about 80%, and the old waterline is clearly visible far above the current level.
The valley is full of vineyards and agricultural fields — likely the source of a lot of the produce we see back home.
Craft Fair Stop
Our destination is a pisco distillery but before the distillery, we stop briefly at a small outdoor craft fair — nothing that catches our interest, but it is a pleasant stretch of the legs.
Capel Pisco Distillery Tour
Pisco is essentially distilled wine, similar to brandy, except brandy is aged in barrels for flavor while pisco is not. This particular distillery is a co‑op, with vineyards from across the region sending their grapes here. The facility is enormous, with huge vats and a full bottling line.
After the tour, we sample several varieties and browse the shop. Prices are shockingly low — bottles of wine for $3.25, and pre‑mixed pisco cocktails for around $3. We purchase a couple of each to bring back, figuring the cocktails will be easier to enjoy in the room since we don’t have mixers.
Vicuña
Afterward, we continue to Vicuña, a charming little town with a large central square, statues, churches, and even a movie theater. Another craft fair is set up there as well.
Lunch at Halley
Lunch is scheduled at a restaurant called Halley — yes, after Halley’s Comet. They serve a sampler of Chilean meats, papaya for dessert, and more pisco to taste. Harrison orders a couple of Chilean beers and even get to practice a bit of Spanish — just enough to get by with words like cerveza and dulce.
The ride back takes over an hour, and we are back on board just before 7:30pm.
Valparaíso, Chile – Street Art, Naval History, and a Vineyard Lunch
A Promising Excursion That Shifted Course
Chile is beautiful — no question — but the preamble to this excursion definitely promised something that never materialized. We are supposed to ride one of the little funicular cars up the hillside in Valparaíso. This never happens. Still, the city delivers in other ways, especially when it comes to photography.
A City of Color and Coastline
We wish we had more chances to stop in Valparaíso. The drive along the seashore is gorgeous, with waves crashing against the rocks and the city climbing the hills in layers of color.
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a major city, commune, seaport and naval base and is the second-most populous metro area in Chile. It played an important role in the second half of the 19th century when it served as a stopover for ships traveling between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The city became known as “Little San Francisco” and the “Jewel of the Pacific”. It boasts Latin America’s oldest stock exchange, the continent’s first volunteer fire department, Chile’s first public library and the oldest Spanish language newspaper in continuous publication in the world. The opening of the Panama Canal in 1914 resulted in a significant reduction in ship traffic which dealt a significant blow to its economy. Valparaíso was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003.
Street Art
The street art is bright, layered, political, whimsical — and we take plenty of photos. Valparaíso wears its creativity openly, every wall a canvas.
Easter Island Statue at the Museum
The Easter Island moai in Valparaíso stands there as a cultural gift from Rapa Nui, honoring the island’s deep historical ties to Chile. Since Easter Island is a Chilean territory, the statue serves as a symbolic bridge between the mainland and one of the world’s most remote and mysterious civilizations.
City Square & Naval History
We stop at the city square where the Chilean Navy headquarters is located. A vendor market has popped up around the plaza, and we browse for a bit, eventually finding a beautifully handcrafted shot glass to add to the collection.
Nearby stands the Statue of the Heroes, a monument tied to the War of the Pacific between Chile, Peru, and Bolivia. We’ve never studied the conflict in depth, but it was wrapped up in the independence era and the struggle to define borders. The monument is striking — solemn and proud.
The Funiculars We Didn’t Ride
On the way out of the city, we pass several of the old cliffside sprocket trains (aka funiculars). At one point the guide said we’d ride one, but we only see them from the outside. There used to be 36 of them; now only a handful still operate. There’s talk of restoring more, which would be a gift to both locals and visitors.
Into the Casablanca Valley
Leaving Valparaíso, we drive into the Casablanca Valley, a region filled with vineyards and rolling hills. The scenery is peaceful and green — a contrast to the dense, colorful chaos of the port city.
Lunch & Wine at Casas del Bosque
Our final stop is the Casas del Bosque winery. According to our guide, it’s supposedly in the top 42 wineries in the world — or top 50, depending on which version of the story he is telling at the moment. Either way, the experience is excellent. We start with a tour of the vineyards that includes a different wine tasting about every 50 yards.
Our 2.5 hour lunch is exquisite, and they pour at least five different wines for us to sample. We buy a few bottles to bring back, knowing they’ll be perfect for quiet evenings on the ship. One of our favorites, new to us -is Carménère. The red grape is one of the original 6 from Bordeaux France but is now rarely found in France. Chile now has the world’s largest area planted with them and is the world’s largest producer.
Puerto Montt, Chile – Volcano Views, German Towns, and Lakeside Beauty
This part of the journey marks the official start of the 2nd cruise of this back-to-back 3 cruise adventure. It feels like there are far more passengers aboard now; at some point we learn they are at capacity with 1250 passengers (just over 1000 on the 1st cruise).
A Small Group and a Great Guide
Nancy has connected with a group of travelers prior to our cruise. The group came together to find tours not offered by the cruise ship. We were leery to use outside tours, since there’s a slightly higher risk of missing the ship – but we decided to try one with the group at a non-remote port stop. There are eight of us on the tour: Roberta and Frank (the organizers), Michelle and Roger, Susan and Mike, and the two of us. Our guide is Ignacio — a skinny guy with stretched earlobes, several tattoos, and an easygoing energy. He turns out to be an excellent guide, knowledgeable and fun without ever feeling scripted.
Petrohué Falls & Osorno Volcano
Our first stop is Parque Nacional Vicente Pérez Rosales, where we get a great view of the Petrohué Falls — powerful cascades framed by the looming presence of Osorno Volcano. At first the volcano is mostly hidden by clouds, but by the end of our visit we catch glimpses of everything except the very top — snow‑capped, massive, and unmistakably dramatic.
Lunch at All Saints Lake
About twenty minutes later we reach All Saints Lake, a huge, serene body of water surrounded by mountains. Lunch is simple but delicious: empanada pino — homemade meat‑and‑onion hand pies with a hard‑boiled egg tucked inside. The tour company also offers three local wines. We both prefer the red Cabernet Sauvignon over the two sweeter whites. We also have a traditional pastry dessert, which unfortunately, we don’t take notes about.
We take more photos and soak in the scenery before heading into the nearby German‑influenced towns.
German Heritage in Southern Chile
This part of Chile was settled by German immigrants in the mid‑1800s, and the cultural traces are still visible — architecture, bakeries, even a German‑speaking school (though the language isn’t widely spoken anymore).
Puerto Varas
Our first town stop is Puerto Varas, an upscale lakeside resort area with beautiful homes and a lively town square. The streets are full of people doing last‑minute Christmas shopping, and we wander through a small Christmas market before moving on.
Frutillar
Next is Frutillar, a much smaller lakeside town with a striking theater built right over the water. Ignacio tells us it hosts classical music and other performances. The German influence is clear in the buildings, though the town itself has the feel of a tiny summer resort. Nancy ducks into a German bakery looking for the pastry we had at lunch but doesn’t end up buying anything. Harrison walks along the waterfront taking photos of the houses, hotels, and shoreline.
Back to the Ship
Afterward it is a 30‑minute drive back to the tender dock but before we get back on board, we peruse the harbor area. Not long after we get back on board the ship departs and we enjoy the beauty of this area from the water as we sail away.
Castro, Chile: Chonchi– Wooden Churches, Coffin Condos, and Christmas Eve Crowds
Castro Chile is a city and commune on town on Chiloé Island. It is the third oldest city in continuous existence in Chile.
The Drive to Chonchi
Our first stop is Chonchi, about a 30‑minute drive from the port. The countryside along the way is beautiful — rolling hills, scattered farms, and that unmistakable island feel that sets Chonchi apart from mainland Chile.
Chonchi
Chonchi is a small, charming town on Chiloé Island, known for its colorful waterfront and its beautifully preserved wooden architecture.
Chonchi Museum & Early Island Life
Our first stop in town is the Museum of Chonchi that provides a small but interesting look at early island life. The preserved home includes a built‑in smokehouse for fish tucked into one of its side rooms — a reminder of how central fishing has always been to this region.
Touring the Chonchi Iglesia de Chonchi Church
From there, we walk up the hill to the town’s wooden church — one of Chiloé’s iconic UNESCO‑recognized structures — and spend about 30 minutes touring the interior. The craftsmanship, the colors, and the quiet simplicity of the space make it one of the more memorable church visits of the trip.
Church of Nercón & “Coffin Condos”
On the drive back, we visit another wooden church — the Church of Nercón — along with one of those unusual Chilean cemeteries we’ve started calling “coffin condos.” They stack the crypts in vertical structures, almost like little apartment blocks for the departed. Fascinating and a bit surreal.
Castro’s Stilt Houses
Next, we stop at a viewpoint overlooking the famous Castro stilt houses. Unfortunately, the tide is out, so the photo op isn’t exactly postcard‑worthy, but we hop out and take pictures anyway before heading into town.
Christmas Eve in Castro
Castro itself is absolutely packed — everyone out doing last‑minute Christmas Eve shopping. We told our tour operator we want to get off at the end and walk back on our own, so after a loop through the streets we are dropped near the town square.
Castro City Square
San Francisco Church
We stepp inside the San Francisco Church for a moment but don’t linger, then set off on a mission to find a shot glass. No luck. At one point Nancy almost buys a pair of leggings for the upcoming sea days on the ship — but with no fitting room to try them on, confusing sizes unlike those in the US and the language barrier, it isn’t worth the effort.
We wander another block and suddenly find ourselves inside a mall that looks like it could’ve been in Virginia — same layout, same stores, same everything.
Lunch at LA Brujula
We browse a bit, still no shot glass, and eventually decide to grab lunch at a place called La Brujula. It turns out to be excellent. Harrison has a beef sandwich with peppers, cheese, and even a green bean salad tucked inside — really good. Nancy’s chicken sandwich is just okay, not something she’d order again. We triy a couple of local Chilean beers, which hit the spot, while we enjoy people watching for a while.
The Shot Glass Quest (Finally Successful)
Around 2:30pm we start walking back toward the ship and stumble on a number of wooden carvings on the street. Halfway down the hill, almost at the port, Harrison spots a tiny souvenir shop — and finally, success! We manage to buy our shot glass for the grand price of $1, communicating with the shopkeeper through gestures and smiles.
Nancy needs to use a restroom and can’t wait until we get back to the ship. She has to pay 50 cents to use the public restroom – she gives the attendant a US $1 bill (in exchange for toilet paper) and they give her change in Chilean pesos. FYI – in most of South America, their plumbing can’t support flushing even toilet paper and it takes getting used to disposing of soiled toilet paper in the trash can.
Back on the ship, we dress for dinner and go to the Grand Dining Room for a traditional Christmas dinner, complete with goose. Then we go to the ship’s Christmas Show filled with lights, dance, music and song. It is surprisingly well done for a one-off show.
Puerto Chacabuco, Chile – A Quiet Christmas in Patagonia
A Christmas Morning in the Fjords
We wake up around 7:30am this morning and immediately notice through the window that we are tucked in close to the mountains. That gets us moving. We get dressed, head up for a cup of coffee, and watch the ship glide through a narrow channel toward the tiny village of Puerto Chacabuco. We’re scheduled to go ashore around lunchtime for a Patagonia nature experience, which feels perfect for Christmas Day since the town is so small — only about 1,200 people — and almost nothing is open.
It’s Christmas Day and we spend the morning calling our children and their families. Once we get on shore we are greeted at the terminal with refreshments from the locals including a traditional smoked pork slider!
Patagonian Nature Hike
Our destination is about 20 minutes away where we will do a Patagonian hike at Aiken del Sur Nature Preserve. It is a good outing — slow at times, but peaceful. We spend about two and a half hours walking through the forest while our guide shares facts about the local ecosystem. There is a species of myrtle that looks surprisingly similar to the crepe myrtles back home. Eventually we reach Old Man’s Beard Waterfall, which is lovely, and from there continues on to what looks like a custom‑built event venue.
Christmas Lunch
We enter a round wooden building with a central spit fireplace where two lambs are roasting. They greet us with pisco sours, sit bottles of wine on the tables, and serve an exceptional lunch. We end up having a great conversation with a number of couples — who are delightful company.
Carols Back on the Ship
The ride back to the ship is only about 30 minutes. When we climb the stairs from the tender dock, we walk straight into a crowd of several hundred people gathered around a giant Christmas tree in the lobby, all singing carols. It is a surprisingly touching moment. We ascend the stairs to have a view from above and run into Santa and Mrs. Claus who are about to join the celebration.
By evening, both of us are tired, so around 7:00pm we wander to the Terrace Café, grab a few small bites, and head back to the room. We crash early after a full day.
The Chilean Fjords – A Quiet, Misty Passage
Days in the Fjords
We spend several days going through the fjords of Chile as we head south toward the end of South America — and eventually on to Antarctica. Most of the time it is misty and cloudy. We catch glimpses of snow‑capped mountains in the distance, and occasionally some glaciers. We pass along the magnificent Southern Patagonian Ice Field, the 2nd largest non-polar ice field in the world, second only to the Wrangell Glacier Field in Alaska & Canada. We certainly see lots of waterfalls, and for the most part, it is beautiful in its own way.
The Wreck of the Santa Leonor
Toward the end of this part of the journey, we encounter the shipwreck of the Santa Leonor.
The Santa Leonor was a former U.S. Navy transport ship that ran aground on March 31, 1968, near Isabel Island in the Strait of Magellan due to a navigational error. Abandoned after striking a reef, she later sank and now lies as a wreck in the remote Chilean channels.
A 3:30am Glacier Wake‑Up
As we end this trip through the fjords, the ship’s captain makes an announcement that around 3:30 in the morning, we will be able to get very close to several glaciers as we approach Punta Arenas, Argentina.
So we set the alarm and, lo and behold, Harrison is able to actually get some photography — a little dark, but some sunrise stuff too. This far south, in late December, we are nearing 24 hours of daylight. It is a fitting end to our journey down the Chilean coast.
Punta Arenas, Chile
Punta Arenas, located in the southernmost region of Chile and is a gateway to both the nearby Patagonian wilderness and to Antarctica. It was founded in 1848 as a strategic Chilean settlement on the Strait of Magellan because it had excellent access to fresh water and firewood, essential for surviving Patagonia’s harsh climate. By the late 19th century, it became a major port of call for ships navigating between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The opening of the Panama Canal in 1914 dramatically reduced traffic until sheep farming boomed making Punta Arenas a major exporter with Europeans.
At the pier we are greeted by the ship Antarctic Explorer and see the marker for the strait of Magellan.
El Ovejero Monument
As we walk around town, one of our first stops is the El Ovejero Monument. The bronze sculpture honors Patagonian shepherds and their resilience.
Salesian Museum
Next, we get a tour of the Maggiorino Borgatello Salesian Museum, which was established by Salesian missionaries in 1893. It showcases a rich collection of ethnological, historical, and biological artifacts from the Strait of Magellan region. The museum also features exhibits on the gold rush era, pioneer life, and notable explorers like Father Alberto De Agostini.
Punta Arenas
From the museum we walk around and explor the downtown area.
Magellan Monument in the Town Square
In Punta Arenas’ Plaza Muñoz Gamero, we see the Monumento a Hernando de Magallanes which a prominent bronze statue dedicated to the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. It was unveiled in 1920 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Magellan’s expedition through the strait.
La Crus Hill and Cafe Sarmiento
Next, we walk up from the city square to La Cruze Hill which offers sweeping views of the city and Harbor. We stop at Cafe Sarmiento for a quick snack.
Lunch at Lomito’s
We wander and explore the town for a bit more before settling on Lomitos for a late Lunch.
Punta Arenas Monuments and Street Art
After lunch we wander the streets down to the harbor area admiring all of the monuments and street art before heading back to the ship for our next destination.
All-in-all, Punta Arenas doesn’t offer much in terms of hotels, restaurants or shops; it’s not a place to stay and then explore Patagonia. We hear Ushuaia, Argentina (our next stop) is better suited for that.
What Comes Next
This blog will now continue with our port stop in Ushuaia, Argentina, and then continue into Antarctica, before looping back north through The Falkland Islands and more of Argentina.
The Complete Series can be found here:
Part I — Central America & the Panama Canal: The Journey Begins
Part II – Across Ecuador & Peru: Markets, Monasteries, and Lost Civilizations
Part III — Chile: Ten Days Along the Edge of the Andes
Part IV — Argentina, The Falkland Islands & Antarctica: To the End of the World
Part V — Uruguay Beach Resorts and Wineries
Part VI— Brazil: The Final Stretch North
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