PLEASURE ON CHILEAN WATERS
The NAVIMAG boat trip is an awesome introduction to Patagonia. As the brochure summarizes: “Embark upon this sailing adventure through fjords, coves, and bays between Puerto Montt and Puerto Natales…cruise through the numerous archipelagos of the Aisin region and Magallanes…become immersed in the unequalled beauty of the Patagonian channels and its countless islands, many of which are practically unexplored.” So, are they exaggerating? Well, the answer is simply, no. It’s a great trip. If the weather is good it’s a spectacular trip, but even if it’s not, the voyage itself is still great fun. The atmosphere on board is mixed as it’s not the typical backpacker’s trip. There are elderly people, families and the rest of us, and at night the last category tends to party the night away in the bar or the deck area behind the bar. If it’s raining during the day you can always catch a movie, or one of the many free lectures on the region. A personal feeling is that even with the rain you can’t beat the low-lying mist and rain-shrouded mountain peaks which are just tantalizingly beyond reach. Recent additions to the cruise include a stop at the small fishing village of Puerto Eden (an extra CHP$3,000 to take the tour) with its colorful wooden houses. On the northern route, from Puerto Natales to Puerto Montt, the ship makes a small detour to visit the Amalia glacier. The food has improved a lot! It’s still not gourmet quality, but then again, neither are the prices of the trip. It’s good grub now, and the portions are huge, if you can keep it down. We don’t mean to say that it’s bad, rather, the weather can get a tad rough and we clearly remember all the clandestine puking going on. Then there’s the booze. Each backpacker boarding the boat appears to be travelling like a 5 star hotel tourist. It’s not the clothing but the quantity of luggage that gives this impression, as most turn up with at least their own body weight in beer, wine, and food for the trip. The least employed person on the boat must have been the barman, who spent the entire trip watching everyone get plastered. Prices are about CHP$1,500 for a pisco sour and during happy hour CHP$1,000. Cans of beer sell for CHP$800. For accommodation pay for the lower deck bunk dorms, it’s the best value for your money. Beds 8 and 9 in each dorm room are the best as they’re partitioned as a double rather than a quad. If you want security for your belongings and privacy you can opt for “A” class for USD$80 more. In this category only two of the cabins have external windows (cabins 217 and 218 on the stern). For bookings, just log onto the NAVIMAG website and pull out your credit card, or head off to a tour agency. The cruise takes three days with the cheapest bunks selling for USD$275 during the summer season, all meals included. Note that there are a few agencies in Argentina which sell NAVIMAG passages which give you a 10% discount if you have a student card. The Guru Team |
