The Navimag company has, for all practical purposes, a monopoly on schlepping tourists and other passengers
up and down from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales [v.v.]. They also run a ferry between Porvenir and Punta Arenas,
and across the Strait at Punta Delgada to Tierra del Fuego. And who knows where else.
I hope they do. What everybody knows is, they're always behind schedule.


departing from Puerto Montt
the ship is loaded so it lists against the eternal western wind
which is from the left starboard here.
Doesn't really help, does it?



If you want a cheap trip between those two places, don't book there. They're horribly expensive. Better try LAN.
If you want to have a look at the fjords, though, you have no other choice.
buy a return trip, even if you need one way, on the Spanish LAN-site
- it often comes out much cheaper.

I gotta tell you, for me it was a horrible trip. Got a nice fat salmonella infection by eating an "American Breakfast" in a quite upfront-looking Puerto Montt shopping gallery (U-Canned-Win). Knocked me out for some days. Thank the loid Natasha was there, who told the ship's doctor what to do about it.
Had to ran to the toilet to puke and shit all over All Day, And All of the Night - when the Good Doctor put his (filthy, unwashed) stethoscope on my chest I almost vomited all over him. Would have served him right, too: next day, after my recuperation, he started giggling when I stumbled over one of those ridiculous thresholds they use aboard them ships. But we figured out he wasn't really drunk - just his way.
And then, the food. It had been described to me as "not bad, but bland." To me, leaving aside burnt offerings, that's the worst sin: my favorite cuisines are Japanese and French.

All-too-typical view from the ferry:
Mostly the light is just rotten.


it's only that I also happen to like it that way...




they make a long detour just to show you some glaciers
...ho-hum...


then they pass by Puerto Eden
if the weather's fine you can take this sight-seeing boat there



when we finally approached Puerto Natales, the wind was so strong
we just cruised around for hours before the captain dared to moor

Navimag Tips

There are several types of cabins to book. There is very little to say in favor of any of them; they're all cramped, dark and claustrophobic. The only thing that's better for two types is somewhat more privacy, which is counterbalanced by even more claustrophobia. Take your pick and spend less or more money ("save" isn't le mot juste here.)

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