Ushuaia to Valparaiso

A southerly frontier – on the cusp of wild nature and extraordinary adventures – the excitement in Ushuaia is palpable. Prepare for memorable exploits amid the extremes of this southerly location – as you adventure into the colossal scenery of the fractured Tierra del Fuego and beyond. Known as the ‘End of the World’ Ushuaia looks out across the Beagle Channel, and is surrounded by the Martial Mountains to the north. Despite its remote location, Ushuaia is a surprisingly busy and lively resort, with lots to keep its visitors entertained. View less

For many people, Ushuaia is their last glimpse of anything resembling a city, before they jump off the map into the wilderness, to answer the call of immense national parks or Antarctic expeditions. One of the most dramatic landscapes on the planet – Argentina’s land of fire, National Park Tierra del Fuego, is a place of titanic natural forces and limitless beauty. Snow-covered mountains poke the sky, while glaciers spill down between peaks, and gaping fjords open up. With incredible wildlife – from penguins to whales – the park offers some of South America’s most amazing hiking opportunities and panoramas. When it comes to food in Ushuaia, locals cook up fierce flavours using the freshest ingredients. King crab is one of the most popular dishes, while sea bass – hauled freshly from the waters – and mounds of meaty mussels – known as cholgas – are also on the menu here.

Winding through the vast expanses of the Chilean Fjords will reveal mountains looming on both sides, waterfalls, and the marvel of hardy flora clinging to barren rocks. Seals and dolphins patrol the length of these uninhabited fjords as they have done for millennia. Small fishing-boats come out of Punta Arenas luring fish and trapping for king crab, while terns dip and glide coaxing their own small fish out of the deep, dark fjord waters amongst tiny islands thick with vegetation.

Montanas Fjords & Bernal Glacier are located in the Region of Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica, inside the Alacalufes Chilean National Reserve. Created in 1969, the reserve is filled in every corner by the sea and crowned by snowdrifts – a beautiful place where the impressive scenery of Patagonia can be observed. The five fjords stretch 66 km from north to south and they are flanked by two mountain ranges, the Cordillera Sarmiento – a subrange of the Andes – to the west and the Cordillera Riesco to the east.

English Narrows refers to a narrow passage at the southern end of the Messier Channel in Chile’s Region XI, Aysen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campos. The region is Chile’s least populated and a few kilometers south of English Narrows is Puerto Eden, the only settlement along the entire Chilean Inside Passage. With Wellington Island to the west and surrounded by Chile’s largest national park, Bernardo O’Higgins National Park, the narrow passage is at times 180 meters wide, while the entire length is given as 18 kilometers. Low-lying islands and steep mountains are seen on both sides and the Magellanic subpolar forest with its evergreen trees of the genus Nothofagus has taken hold where possible. The strong currents require to pass English Narrows at slack tide and although most of the Messier Channel leading to English Narrows is quite deep, a shipwreck sitting on a bank some 20 kilometers north of the entrance to English Narrows shows why pilots are required by law in Chile.

Tortel is a commune located in Southern Patagonia, a spectacular wilderness region of rugged mountains, glaciers, rivers and forests of infinite beauty. The uneven geography of Tortel shapes a unique landscape, characterized by an archipelagic area with numerous islands and channels. View less

Tortel is known as the “footbridge city” for the unique beauty of its wooden walkways that connect the piers and houses of this quaint place through bridges and stairs, built from cypress wood, that run for four and a half miles around the cove and that respect the rich vegetation that grows under them. Even though it is the sixth largest commune in Chile, it has the lowest population of all with roughly 531 people. The history of the town dates back to 1520 when it was inhabited by nomadic Kawesqar, now extinct. Its definitive foundation was in 1955, after numerous attempts to populate the area. In 2001, it was declared by the Chilean government as a Picturesque Zone of National Heritage.

The capital of Chile’s Chiloe Island, Castro is big, bright and boisterous. Colourful wooden huts (called palafitos) teeter on stilts over the city’s waterfront, inviting you into a slice of life that’s sure to brighten any day. Warm welcomes abound, music seeps from street corner and life is celebrated with gusto all over the city. If you are looking for a healthy mix of culture and cosmopolitanism, then you have found it in Castro. The island is renowned for its UNESCO World Heritage Site wooden churches.

Around 70 churches were built in the 17th and 18th centuries, embodying the intangible richness of the Chiloé Archipelago, and bear witness to a successful fusion of indigenous and European culture. Just 16 of the churches are classified by UNESCO, prime examples of the full integration of the architecture in the landscape and environment, as well as to the spiritual values of the communities. The city is Chile’s third oldest city in existence, founded in 1576. Castro lived peaceably – bar a few attacks from Dutch pirates – until 1837, when it was destroyed by an earthquake, wiping oput most of the population. By 1912 the railway had arrived, allowing the town to develop again. Tragically, the city was once again destroyed in 1960 by a series of earthquakes, tsunamis and fires. History lovers will definitely enjoy The Regional Museum of Castro. Not only does the small museum house an interesting array of Huilliche relics, but a series of photographs depicting Castro pre-1960 is on display.

Nice’s sweeping bend of brilliant-blue seawater – which once tempted the aristocracies of Europe – continues to entice and entrance visitors to these sun-soaked shores. A refined city of airy ocean boulevards, grandiose buildings and open spaces, fountain-sprinkled parks and colourful floral displays add to the city’s timeless appeal. Nice has lost none of its old-world lustre, and there remains something of the divine in the Bay of Angels’ endless sparkling waterfront. View less

The vast, open Promenade des Anglais remains Nice’s magnificent crowning glory, inviting the city out to jog, wander and glide along the Mediterranean’s most spectacular curve of seafront promenade. Dotted with sun worshippers and swimmers, it’s an ode to the rejuvenating character of that unbeatable duo – the rich blue sea and endless sunshine. The crisp, clear, golden light also continues to make Nice a destination of creative pilgrimage, and Matisse, Picasso and Renoir are among the many artists to lavish in the city’s eternal beauty. Drag yourself away from the waterfront to discover the old town, punctuated with Baroque churches rising, and the wafting scents of baking pastries, and lavender bundles. Follow the floral odours to Nice’s famous flower market, which spills gorgeous colourful displays along Cours Saleya. There’s a strong hint of Italy, explained by the fact that Nice only aligned with France in 1860 – following 500 years under the House of Savoy. A gorgeous Orthodox Russian church also rises incongruously with colourful onion domes, forming one of the city’s unusual sights, and one of the largest such cathedrals outside of Russia. Walk in Nietzsche’s footsteps and climb up to Colline du Château’s charming green park and cascading waterfalls, to relish the views down over the city and sparkling sea expanse. Not without challenges over recent years, Nice continues to bloom and inspire its visitors with an intoxicating allure of sun, sea and sophistication.

Since time immemorial Valparaiso has inspired writers, poets, musicians and artists alike. If the city is still a little rough around the edges, this only adds to its bohemian ambience; the architecture, style, street art, nightlife, and live music scenes of Valparaiso are some of the best in the world. Add colourful clifftop homes to the mix and you’ll soon see why Valpariaso is many people’s favourite Chilean city. The city was founded in 1536 by Spanish conquistador Juan de Saavedra, who named the city after his birthplace. View less

Many of the colonial buildings he implemented are still standing today, despite the rain, wind, fire and several earthquakes (one of which almost levelled the city in 1906). Quirky architecture also abounds; poetry lovers and amateur architects will no doubt want to make the 45 km trip south to Chilean poet laureate (and Nobel Prize winner) Pablo Neruda’s ship-shaped house and museum for a taste of the extraordinary. The city and region are also extremely well known for their love of good food and wine. The vineyards of the nearby Casablanca Valley – first planted in the early 1980s – have earned worldwide recognition in a relatively short space of time. However, Chile’s viticulture history does date back much farther than that. De Saavedra brought grape vines on his voyage to South America in order to make his own wine and this led to a new grape brandy being created, Pisco. Today give any Chilean a Pisco and wherever they are in the world, they will be home.