The 11 Best Boat Trips in Chile

1.3-Hour Scenic Boat Tour to Grey Glacier

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 283 reviews · 4 hours · from $120Our pick

Cruise Grey Lake for about three hours to the towering Grey Glacier, with English or Spanish guidance, mountain views, floating ice, and a pisco sour. Allow extra time for the 3-kilometer beach walk between the car park and catamaran. The boat has seating for 98 people and an outdoor deck.

“It was an amazing experience! Be prepared for a 1.4 mile (2.2km) walk on beach and rocks to get to the boat (and the same distance back). Our day was super windy so it made the walk more difficult. They plan for that in the timing of everything. 100% worth it though! The Calafate Sour was a nice treat too”

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2.Magdalena Island Penguin Tour by Boat from Punta Arenas

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 107 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $160

Meet at 6:30 a.m. in Punta Arenas for a minivan transfer and boat ride to Magdalena Island. Walk a marked trail among wild Magellanic penguins, visit the lighthouse, and look for dolphins. Weather permitting, the boat also passes Isla Marta for sea lions and elephant seals. Guides such as Rodrigo and Sebastian lead the wildlife walk.

“Good excursion on Magdelena Island. Plenty of time for pics. Marta island is really a bust as you are too far from the island to get an idea of the size of the sea lions. Plus between the boat rocking, and everyone jockeying for position, pics are dismal. Strongly suggest you ask people to stay in their first seat throughout the boat excursion. I don't want to fight for my place to sit everytime on the boat....some people lack basic courtesy.”

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3.Balmaceda & Serrano Glaciers Boat Tour and traditional lunch.

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 95 reviews · 10 to 11 hours (approx.) · from $256

Leave central Puerto Natales at 7:00 a.m. for a full-day catamaran trip through Ultima Esperanza Fjord to Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers. Expect wildlife, waterfalls, a 40-minute forest walk, glacier ice whisky, and a traditional ranch lunch with lamb, chicken, or vegetarian choices.

“The day tour was really great! Beautiful sights glaciers wild animals waterfalls staff on board really nice and helpful good lunch with barbecue in a remote place! However I was shocked to realize that Viator cashed TWICE the price for the tour. A commission on the price is understandable but a 50% is outrageous . I strongly advise people to book their tours on site with locals there are lots of options. I will NEVER use Viator again it was not commercial and it was abusive.”

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4.Magdalena Island Penguin Tour by Boat from Punta Arenas

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 62 reviews · 5 hours · from $160

Travel from Punta Arenas to Magdalena Island by coach and catamaran, then walk for about an hour among Magellanic penguins. A guide speaks Spanish and English, and the visit includes the lighthouse, an interpretation center, island access, and tea or coffee. Bring ID, warm layers, sunglasses, and a camera.

“bereits im Bus ein paar Informationen zu Land und Leuten wäre sehr interessant gewesen. Auch auf dem Katamaran gab es nur wiederkehrende Verhaltensregeln bei den Pinguinen.”

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5.Private Cruise Transfer : Santiago → Valparaiso or San Antonio

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 51 reviews · 1 to 2 hours (approx.)

Book a private, air-conditioned ride from your Santiago hotel or airport hotel to the cruise terminals at Valparaiso or San Antonio. Drivers such as Luis, Mauricio, Mario, and Roberto have handled this route. Choose a vehicle that fits your party and luggage, then confirm the pickup time in advance.

“Clean Mercedes Benz with lots of room for 4 people and lots of luggage for our 4 week cruise. We were traveling with our two older parents + 85 years old and they were great!”

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6.Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers Sightseeing Cruise from Puerto Natales

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 48 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $271

Set out from Puerto Natales on a catamaran through Ultima Esperanza Fjord to Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers. Expect about three hours on the water, wildlife sightings, a guided forest walk in Bernardo O’Higgins National Park, glacier views, drinks, and an included lunch. Hotel pickup is not included, and the boat can carry up to 120 people.

“Best tour in Puerto Natales! Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers are more beautiful than any of the other glaciers in the area and can only be accessed via boat. The boat is very comfortable with great service. Includes a very scenic hike to Serrano Glacier and excellent lunch at a local ranch.”

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7.Puerto Tranquilo: Marble Caves Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 32 reviews · 1h 30m · from $27Best value

Join a 90-minute boat ride from Puerto Tranquilo to the marble caves of Lake General Carrera. An English or Spanish guide explains the lake and its white, yellow, and café-colored rock. Expect changing light, possible waves, and reflections rather than solid blue marble.

“really cool thing to do, worth the price and the time. We were grouped with another company as a lot of people didnt show up and went with "rioleone excursions". There was a pilot and a guide whom was speaking spanish and english. there was a lot of waves and the navigation itself was really fun; the pilot was really skilled. The guide had a lot of interesting informations about the marble formations and the lake. Side note, Dont expect the marble itself to be blue, it only has reflections of the lake color if its sunny enough - but the lake colors and the white/yellow/café of the marble and…”

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8.Puerto Tranquilo: Capillas de Mármol + Cathedral Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 30 reviews · 1h 30m · from $52

From Puerto Tranquilo, you’ll board a guided boat for a 90-minute visit to the Marble Chapels, Marble Cathedral, and nearby caves on General Carrera Lake. An English or Spanish-speaking guide explains the water-eroded formations, while you get time for photos. Life jackets are included, but bring warm layers and sun protection.

“Great 👍🏼 Guide was informative of the tour sites he had a great sense of humor”

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9.Torres del Paine & Grey Glacier Full-Day Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 6 reviews · 18 hours · from $294

Travel from Punta Arenas to Torres del Paine with an English or Spanish-speaking guide, then sail Grey Lake by catamaran toward Grey Glacier. You’ll stop at Pehoé, Nordenskjöld, Sarmiento, and Laguna Amarga, with a pisco sour or soft drink on board. Guides Roberto and Jona have led highly praised departures.

“Mesmo com condições climáticas pouco favoráveis, o passeio foi incrível! Barco novo e com toda sua equipe animada e gentil. A experiência foi extraordinária! Paisagem maravilhosa com infinitos tons de azul. A natureza em sua beleza plena. Outro ponto alto foi nosso guia Roberto, que nos levou de Punta Arenas até o Parque. Além de super cuidadoso na direção, Roberto conhece a flora e a fauna local e foi generoso ao compartilhar conosco seu conhecimento. Um profissional acima da média. Recomendo muito o passeio.”

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10.Austral Dolphin & Wildlife Watching Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 3 hours · from $190Top rated

You’ll leave Punta Arenas by shared van for Bahía Agua Fresca, then board a Zodiac for about 75 minutes of coastal wildlife watching. A bilingual guide helps you spot austral dolphins, seabirds, penguins, and perhaps a whale. The tour runs early, depends on weather, and includes snacks, warm drinks, and hotel pickup.

“Die beste Tour die man in Punta Arenas machen kann. Absolut individuell, Delphine direkt am Boot. Toller Capitan, super organisiert. Ein absolut traumhaftes Erlebnis. Egal wie, das ist euer Ausflug.”

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11.Chañaral de Aceituno boat ticket

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 1h 30m · from $44

Meet the Turismo Delfines guide at 9:00 a.m. in Caleta Chañaral de Aceituno, put on your life jacket, and cruise around Chañaral Island in the Humboldt Penguin National Reserve. The 90-minute route can bring whales, dolphins, penguins, and sea lions, with wildlife sightings dependent on weather and nature.

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