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Discover a land of giants
A vast land at the southern end of South America, Patagonia spans national boundaries but has no precise borders of its own. Embark on a South America expedition and discover massive snow-covered Andean peaks, steppes, fjords, glaciers, forests, rivers, lakes, and valleys—inhabited by exceptionally interesting wildlife that is marvelously adapted to living here. Fall under the spell of this mythic land, exploring its national parks, its privately held parklands, and the seldom-seen Isla de los Estados, which has been closed to the world for decades and is overrun with wildness. Lars-Eric Lindblad led the first travelers to the region in 1967, and we’ve been pioneering expedition-style travel here since.
Antarctica and Patagonia: Legendary Ice and Epic Fjords
Duration
18 days
Nov
Dec
From
$17,070
Top Highlights
Seek out Antarctica’s iconic wildlife—including penguins, seals, and killer whales—and marvel at incandescent icebergs using our fleet of kayaks and Zodiacs
Navigate Chile’s coastal fjords and explore spectacular Glacier Alley, where monumental glaciers calve into the sea
Hike among the snowcapped “horns” of Torres del Paine National Park and enjoy special access to Karukinka Natural Park, the largest protected land area in Tierra del Fuego
Cruise the waters of Francisco Coloane Marine Park, searching for the humpback whales and dolphins that inhabit this vast marine reserve
Best of Chilean Patagonia: From Torres del Paine to Cape Horn
Duration
14 days
Mar
Nov
From
$20,550
Top Highlights
Venture inland to explore the wildlife-rich, iconic landscapes of Torres del Paine, Patagonia’s jewel, with either the Tierra Patagonia Hotel or the Explora Patagonia Hotel as your base camp
Explore wild, windswept Isla de los Estados (Staten Island), located at the extreme end of South America and largely off limits to travelers since 1923
Transit the legendary Beagle Channel and see storied Cape Horn
Venture through wildlife reserves not easily accessible to the public, including Karukinka Natural Park in Tierra del Fuego
Zodiac cruise and kayak through the breathtaking Chilean fjords
Patagonia: Chilean Fjords and Argentina's Staten Island
Duration
10 days
Mar
Nov
From
$11,310
Top Highlights
Venture through wildlife reserves not easily accessible to the public, including Karukinka Natural Park in Tierra del Fuego
Kayak and Zodiac cruise the breathtaking Chilean fjords that are only accessible by expedition ship
See massive glaciers, dramatic fjords, and soaring snow-covered peaks and spot Magellanic penguins, Andean condors, Austral parakeets, foxes, sea lions, elephant seals, and more
Transit the legendary Beagle Channel and take in the view of Cape Horn
By special permission, be one of the few people ever to explore Isla de los Estados (Staten Island), located at the extreme end of South America
Aboard National Geographic Endurance, glide into Patagonia’s “Glacier Alley” to explore three stunning glaciers over two days and navigate among floating icebergs by Zodiac and kayak
Explore iconic Torres del Paine National Park to search for foxes, rheas, and guanacos in the shadow of the famous saw-toothed peaks
Spend a day at Francisco Coloane Marine Park, where humpback whales and dolphins gather
Get up close to a vast Magellanic penguin colony on Isla Magdelena, and hike in search of the Andean fox and the Chilean flamingo
By special permission, explore the private reserve of Karukinka and the untouched, wildlife-filled landscapes of remote Isla de los Estados
Embark on an active, immersive adventure in the iconic wildness of Patagonia aboard National Geographic Endurance, National Geographic Explorer, or National Geographic Resolution. This region, isolated by jagged peaks amd vast steppes and carved with fjords and channels, was once only the domain of hearty backpackers. Today, aboard our specially equipped expedition ships, we are able to explore its wildest places with the luxury of comfort. Zodiac cruise, kayak, hike, and walk in the wilderness. See Magellanic penguins, massive elephant seals, which can reach up to 20 feet in length and weigh up to nearly 9,000 pounds, and birdlife of incredible diversity. Discover cerulean glaciers, deep fjords, and cliffs carved into shape by Patagonia’s powerful environment.
See, do, and learn more by going with engaging experts who have been exploring this region for decades.
Expedition Leader
Every Patagonia expedition sails with a veteran expedition leader and a team of naturalists with a variety of specialties: zoology, biology, ornithology, geology, history, and more. Other members of the team include a National Geographic photographer, plus a Lindblad-National Geographic certified photo instructor, an undersea specialist, a wellness specialist, and a video chronicler. A generous 10-to-1 ratio of guest-to-staff ensures access and personal attention.
Veteran expedition leaders are the orchestrators of your experience. Many have advanced degrees and have conducted research or taught for years. They have achieved expedition leader status because they possess the skills, the experience, and the depth of knowledge necessary to continually craft the best expedition possible for our guests.
Explore Patagonia with a team of naturalists who have a variety of specialties: zoology, biology, ornithology, geology, history, and more. Our guests consistently cite the expertise and engaging company of our staff as key reasons to repeatedly travel with us.
Discover what lies beneath the waves with an onboard undersea specialist who can dive into the cold waters to shoot video of what lies beneath the waves or deploy an ROV to depths of 1,000 feet to explore rarely seen regions.
Travel and shoot with a top photography pro at your side and at your service—providing advice, tips, and slideshows. Access to photographers of this caliber will help you improve your skills and ensure you go home with incredible photos.
Certified Photo Instructor
Every Patagonia expedition also offers an exclusive service—a certified photo instructor. This naturalist is specially trained to help you become a better, more confident photographer—and to help you understand the movements of wildlife so you can create top shots.
Video Chronicler
Video chroniclers accompany every expedition and shoot vivid HD footage—with no recycled footage ever—to provide you with a professionally edited and completely authentic memento of your expedition. Working during the day and editing into the night, they have your DVD ready for preview prior to—and available to purchase at—disembarkation.
Our wellness program embodies the belief that nature is vitalizing and that wildness, as Thoreau famously said, supplies a tonic. Wellness Specialists are fully accredited and experienced licensed massage therapists and are aboard every ship in the National Geographic-flagged fleet. They lead morning stretch class, aerobic walks ashore, kayak outings, and more.
When you travel with Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic, you'll enjoy exclusive experiences on every departure featuring renowned individuals from the worlds of science, exploration, literature, music, photography, culture, and more, thoughtfully curated to enrich your expedition.
Browse our team directory to discover the full cast of expedition staff
Visit itinerary dates to view additional staff and guests
Kike Calvo
Award-winning photographer, journalist, and author Kike Calvo (pronounced Kee-Keh) specializes in culture and environment. His images have been published in National Geographic Magazine, The New York Times, Time, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, New York Magazine, Rolling Stone, and Vanity Fair, among others.
Rob Edwards has worked on a variety of ecological research projects, including studying the impacts of the oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska; crawling through mountain streams to count salmon fry; climbing the Continental Divide to elucidate air pollution effects on mountain ecosystems; and more than a decade working with projects to study the ice and ecology of Antarctica.
Jacqueline Windh is a PhD scientist, best-selling author, and photographer, and an elected Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Her photographs and words have been published worldwide, and she has written and presented radio documentaries for both the CBC and the ABC.
Since 2000, Sheri Bluestein has been migrating far south during northern hemisphere winters. She worked eight seasons in Logistics for the U.S. Antarctic Program at McMurdo Station and one austral summer on the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia. She now loves to share those unique experiences with guests onboard Lindblad's blue water vessels.
Krista Rossow began her career as a photo editor at National Geographic Traveler magazine. She has shot feature stories as a contributing photographer for Traveler in Japan, South Africa, Morocco, Costa Rica, New Zealand, and various U.S. cities. She regularly judges Instagram contests for @NatGeoTravel and photo edits for National Geographic Books.
Todd Gipstein has worked with National Geographic since 1987. His photographs have been published in National Geographic and Traveler magazines and in many books. His award-winning documentaries have dealt with a diverse range of topics, including photography, nature, the environment, history, exploration, travel, and National Geographic itself.
It is a privilege to sail among the fjords and secluded coasts of Patagonia, a richly diverse and vibrant region, and to this privilege our ships add the luxury of comfort—a quality of shipboard life and a philosophy of wellness designed to relax and rejuvenate body, mind, and spirit.
Wild Personalities: Guanaco
As synonymous with Patagonia as the jagged peaks of Torres del Paine, guanacos can be found roaming the terrain’s wild, windswept steppes, grazing on grassy patches, and bolting across the slopes in herds of up to 50.
In his striking book Staten Island: Isla de los Estados, award-winning National Geographic photographer Kike Calvo captures the spirit of Tierra del Fuego’s remote and magical island.
Of all the remarkable landscapes throughout Chilean Patagonia, there are few that match the glacially polished, cloud-studded, crenulated skyline of Torres del Paine.
Eric Guth, Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor, November 7, 2021
Incredible journey and experience! Very well organized and absolutely professional. Ship was extremely comfortable and expeditions were full of wonder!
We returned a day early to Ushuaia to take refuge at the port before a storm arrived. The storm could have potentially delayed our port call, causing people to miss flights back to the United States. We took full advantage of the extra time in port and explored the beautiful surroundings of Ushuaia. In the morning, we ventured out to Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego. We went on a few walks through the southern beech forests, saw the post office at the end of the world, and visited the Pan-American Highway, which ends in the national park and begins all the way up in Alaska. In the afternoon, we had another excursion to the opposite end of the town, up through Garibaldi Pass, and ending with a walk down to Lake Escondido. We wrapped up the day with farewell cocktails with the Captain.
Saturday morning began with National Geographic Endurance exploring Isla de los Estados off the eastern coast of Tierra del Fuego. First up for the daily adventures was a Zodiac cruise around Observatory Island. Wildlife abounds here, and there was a chance to see cormorants and fur seals. In the afternoon, everyone went ashore for a fun hike to see the Lighthouse at the End of the World, which was the location of the novel by Jules Verne. While the hikers explored on land, the divers explored the kelp forests just offshore. Another great day!
Change of plans? We’re used to that onboard National Geographic Endurance ! Instead of arriving at Garibaldi Fjord in the afternoon, we cruised up this glacially-carved fjord in the morning. And what a morning it was, with clearing skies, no wind, and fantastic views of the glacial features all around us. Plus, we learned of the discovery of Shackleton’s sunken ship Endurance, the namesake of our ship. In 1915, Shackleton’s ship was crushed by ice in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica, about 1000 miles away. Several expeditions tried to locate the wreck on the seafloor without success, mainly because of the thickness of the shelf ice and the extreme depth (about 10,000 feet). It was a great honor to be onboard National Geographic Endurance on the day the news announced the discovery of Shackleton’s Endurance. Meanwhile, here in the Chilean fjords, the presence of floating icebergs indicated that a tidewater glacier was close by, this time at the very head of this 20-mile long and 1-mile wide bay. Our ship cruised through the brash ice, and we saw South American sea lions sheltering in a cave. We moved up the fjord and came face-to-face with the Garibaldi Glacier, where we observed several calving episodes. This glacier is one of the few in the world that advanced in the past few decades, but there were indications that it has recently receded. We all admired the glacier, steep cliffs, waterfalls, and the high mountains above. Then we boarded Zodiacs and inspected the nooks and crannies of the fjord. During lunch, we maneuvered out of the bay and arrived back at West Seno (Sound = Fjord) Pía, which we visited on our first day in Patagonia. Here we were able to kayak in a sheltered bay, and we all felt really tiny in the gigantic scenery. On the way out of the fjord, naturalist Santiago Imberti gave a presentation about Karukinka Natural Park and the Wildlife Conservation Society. During happy hour, we enjoyed recap and reflected on a wonderful day in Patagonia as the ship cruised east along Glacier Alley with its spectacular glaciers.
Today we had dark skies and a bit of a drizzle but no wind at all—just the right weather for our adventures in Admiralty Sound. We made a very early arrival to the head of Jackson Bay in Karukinka Natural Park, where we were surrounded by the echoing vocalizations of the elephant seals bouncing off the walls of this deep fjord. Later in the morning we visited Albatross Island, the only ‘inland’ albatross colony in the world, to check on the chicks. They’re almost ready to leave their nests; it’s been a successful season which is an incredible feat, in no small proportion due to the care and efforts of the Wildlife Conservation Society. Finally, a rainy afternoon saw as wandering through a magical forest full of birds, lichens, moss, mushrooms, and evergreen trees.
You may share my belief that exploring the world is always a privilege. If so, this expedition takes that up a notch—as it provides exclusive access to wildernesses that are in private hands. The term seldom seen has seldom been more appropriate.
