The best of Chilean Fjords

Valparaíso is Chile's UNESCO-listed port city of 42 painted hills, Victorian funicular railways, and one of the world's most spectacular street art scenes, where Pablo Neruda built his hill-top home La Sebastiana. Must-dos include riding the historic ascensores, touring Neruda's house, and feasting on Humboldt Current seafood. October through March offers the warmest, driest weather.

Quemchi is a tranquil fishing town on Chile's Chiloé Island, where UNESCO-listed wooden churches, traditional curanto feasts, and over two hundred native potato varieties reflect centuries of island culture. Must-dos include walking to the enchanting island of Aucar, tasting curanto, and exploring the valdivian rainforest. December through March offers the driest weather on this perpetually misty but deeply atmospheric island.

Caleta Tortel is a unique Patagonian village built entirely on wooden boardwalks winding through cypress forest at the confluence of Chile's Baker and Pascua rivers, with no streets or roads within the settlement. Must-dos include walking the eight-kilometre boardwalk network, boat excursions to the Jorge Montt Glacier, and sampling fresh king crab pulled from the fjord. Visit November through March for the driest conditions and longest days along the Carretera Austral.

Pio XI Glacier, Chile is a spectacular maritime passage celebrated for its dramatic natural scenery and wildlife encounters, featured on expedition itineraries by Seabourn. Travelers should position themselves on open decks with quality binoculars for the best viewing experience, and take advantage of Zodiac excursions when conditions permit. The optimal season is November through March, when mild temperatures and long days favor unhurried exploration.

El Brujo (The Sorcerer) Glacier descends from the Northern Patagonian Ice Field into a narrow Chilean fjord, its blue-white face calving icebergs into turquoise waters surrounded by sub-Antarctic beech forest inhabited by Magellanic woodpeckers and the world's smallest deer. Must-do experiences include Zodiac cruising among icebergs, watching glacier calving events, and observing the fog-and-light interplay that inspired the glacier's mystical name. November through March offers the mildest conditions for this remote Patagonian fjord.

Estero las Montañas is a hidden fjord deep in Chilean Patagonia, accessible only by expedition ship, where sheer forested mountains and cascading waterfalls create one of South America's most primally beautiful landscapes. Must-dos include Zodiac cruising beneath the towering waterfalls, watching for Andean condors and the endangered huemul deer, and sipping whisky chilled with ancient glacial ice. Expedition ships visit from October through April, weather permitting.

Alberto de Agostini National Park, Chile is a spectacular maritime passage celebrated for its dramatic natural scenery and wildlife encounters, featured on expedition itineraries by Ponant. Travelers should position themselves on open decks with quality binoculars for the best viewing experience, and take advantage of Zodiac excursions when conditions permit. The optimal season is December through February, when summer months bring the warmest temperatures and longest days.

The Tucker Islets are a wildlife-rich group of islands in Chile's Beagle Channel, home to thousands of breeding Magellanic penguins, imperial cormorant colonies, and South American sea lions against a backdrop of the snow-capped Darwin Range. Must-do experiences include Zodiac wildlife cruising, photographing penguin colonies at close range, and absorbing the severe beauty of the sub-Antarctic landscape. December through February offers peak wildlife activity and the longest daylight hours.

Garibaldi Glacier in Chile's Tierra del Fuego descends into a pristine fjord of subantarctic beech forest, calving icebergs, and Andean condors — one of Patagonia's most spectacular and remote glacial landscapes within the vast Alberto de Agostini National Park. Must-dos include Zodiac cruising to the glacier face, watching calving events, and spotting Magellanic woodpeckers in the ancient beech forest. November through March provides the mildest temperatures and longest days for this wilderness experience.

Cape Horn is South America's southernmost headland, where the Atlantic meets the Pacific in waters that claimed over ten thousand lives during the age of sail, and a solitary Chilean lighthouse keeper endures some of Earth's most extreme conditions. Attempt a landing November through March via Seabourn or Viking — weather permitting — for the albatross memorial walk and the visceral triumph of standing at the end of the Americas in howling Antarctic wind.

Puerto Williams is the world's southernmost city, set beneath the jagged Dientes de Navarino on Chile's Isla Navarino, where the last Yaghan speaker preserved one of humanity's oldest linguistic traditions until 2022. Visit November through March via Seabourn or Silversea for the world's most southerly trekking circuit, Beagle Channel wildlife, and the threshold experience of standing at civilization's furthest southern reach before Antarctica begins.

Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, is a captivating blend of history, vibrant culture, and natural beauty, making it a unique port of call in Argentina. Must-do experiences include savoring local delicacies like centolla and exploring the breathtaking landscapes of nearby Los Glaciares National Park. The best time to visit is during the summer months of December to March, when the weather is mild, and the scenery is at its most stunning.