PASEO AL FIN DEL MUNDO (5 DÍAS)

We will start our journey with a private transfer from your hotel in Punta Arenas to the ferry docks located at the northern side of Punta Arenas.

At approximately 9AM, we will begin our 2.5-hour crossing through the mythic waters of the Straits of Magellan; these world-famous seaways are very rich in terms of history of exploration.

Magellan, Drake, Cavendish, Bougainville, Fitz Roy and Darwin, among several other sailors and explorers, surveyed this region, most of the times, in really harsh and dangerous conditions.

You will see an interesting array of seabirds, including Black-browed Albatrosses, Southern Giant Petrels, Southern Fulmars, King Cormorants, Dolphin Gulls and South American Terns.

It is very likely to see interesting marine mammals such as pods of Peale’s Dolphin and inquisitive South American Sea Lions.

Upon arrival, we will begin our excursion on bike pedaling through the Baquedano range where we will visit dredges and inland roads taking us to the Laguna de los Cisnes and Lago Verde and on to the Estromatolitos (Stromatolites) Park.

This highly unique and fascinating park displays the natural stromatolites – layered mounds of sedimentary rocks originally formed by the growth of layer upon layer cyanobacteria – single-celled photosynthesizing microbe.

These fossilized stromatolites are records of ancient life that inhabited and helped form this area.

We’ll have plenty of time for photos and to enjoy our box lunch before we return to Porvenir where we arrive to our first accommodation for the night in a local hostel or hotel.

We’ll enjoy dinner and a relaxing end to our first day’s ride.

Today’s excursion begins with a visit to the King Penguin colony – a private nature reserve which aims to preserve the small number of Kings that visit the area and even remain year-round here, taking advantage of the excellent feeding conditions of the surrounding seas.

We will keep a fair distance admiring the penguins from behind the infrastructure, careful not to disturb them or their environment.

After a while, the penguins tend to forget about the visitors (or they might simply not care about our presence) and usually come closer on their own – sometimes as close as 20 meters (65 ft.), sometimes a bit closer, but again: we’ll let them decide! This respectful, close proximity between visitor and penguin makes for a unique experience!

After our time with the penguins, we will transfer to the Cameron village where we will have the possibility to pedal along a dirt road that later turns into a singletrack trail.

Along the way we will cross rivers and ranches and ride between pampas, forests and along coasts.

We will see archaeological sites of the Kawésqar people who first inhabited these lands and who have a rich history of the culture here. Soon after our pedaling journey, we arrive at Estancia Yartou and our destination for the next two nights, Casa Museo Alberto Baeriswyl where we will enjoy dinner by the sea.

Rather than a hotel, Casa Museo Alberto Baeriswyl is a living museum that intertwines the concepts of museum and home, featuring 1920s decor and allowing guests to spend the night in a traditional early 19th Century abode.

Named for Alberto Baeriswyl Pittet, the Swiss pioneer who was instrumental in the region, the house was once the main home at Puerto Yartou, the region’s first timber factory, in a time in which that what was once an extremely lucrative initiative and necessary for heating and housing at the harsh pre-modern end of the world.

At Casa Museo Alberto Baeriswyl bathrooms are shared and there are a number of common areas and dining room to enjoy.

After a delicious breakfast shared together, our third day’s adventure begins! Today we won’t need vehicle support during our pedaling excursion.

From the gate of our base we set off south along a track that enters the forest and looks out onto the coast until we reach our first challenge: the Condor River.

We will have to ford the river crossing as we carry our bikes and once we reach the other side, we will follow animal-made trails to find our forest path which leads us to the mouth of the Almirantazgo Sound in Puerto Arturo.

On this excursion we will feel the pristine nature of Tierra del Fuego’s extreme elements and we will end our day back at Casa Museo Alberto Baeryswil for another evening’s rest and delicious dinner with great company.

Today is ours for the choosing! Pedaling what we wish – up to 60 km. We leave Puerto Yartou and transfer to Estancia San Sebastián – our access point where we will begin today’s cycling.

Along our path we can see the petrified trees among this distinct and extreme landscape.

Our vehicle support allows us to ride as much or little as we want depending on our stamina, the weather conditions, and how we are feeling.

Once we finish with our ride, we will have the opportunity of experiencing life on a living estancia (ranch) where we will also be staying for the evening.

We will have the pleasure of staying at Estancia Kaitien where we will watch unique demonstrations such as sheep shearing & herding and enjoy a traditional asado (Barbeque)! Here we will also have the options to fish, horseback ride, or tour the fields of the ranch by bike before we rest at this wonderful estancia.

In the morning we pedal a relaxing 12 km (7.5 miles) leaving the estancia where we stayed. From here, we will take our transfer to the village of Cerro Sombrero where will we visit the city and its attractions.

Later we will board the Bahía Azul ferry crossing the Strait of Magellan via Primera Angostura – the narrowest passing in the strait.

If we are lucky we will be able to see land and marine fauna during our short ferry ride.

Once back in the continent we will stop at the San Gregorio ranch – once a major regional livestock region – to learn a bit of its history and enjoy some unique photo opportunities.

Our journey ends as we travel 2 more hours arriving back to Punta Arenas in the evening.