Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers Sightseeing Cruise from Puerto Natales
Overview
Available languages
10 hours
Mobile ticket
Cruise through Ultima Esperanza Fjord and explore Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers on this full-day tour from Puerto Natales. Admire the Patagonian landscape while you’re on board sipping a glass of whiskey rattling with glacier ice, and pass by craggy peaks, waterfalls, cormorants and sea elephants. Hike with your guide through Bernardo O'Higgins National Park for close-up views of both glaciers.
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Minimum age to drink alcohol is 18 years
It is recommended that your wear comfortable clothes and trekking shoes and bring a jacket or windbreaker, a hat, sunscreen and sunglasses
Passport name, number, expiry and country is required at time of booking and at time of travel for all participants
Please note: Passport information must be provided at least 48 hours prior to the tour. This information is required to submit the passenger list to the Port Authority; without it, departure authorization will not be granted. If the passport details are not received within this timeframe, the booking will be considered a no-show and charged at 100%.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Your experience begins meeting us at our meeting point in Puerto Natales. After, we will begin to board our navigation to meet incredible landscapes from the Patagonia, glaciers, fjords and amazing wildlife we can appreciate during our trip to Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers. Climb aboard the boat and begin your cruise northwest through Ultima Esperanza Fjord, or ‘Final Hope Fjord,' an inlet bridging Eberhard Fjord and Balmaceda Mountain. The fjord was named by Spanish explorer Juan Ladrillero, who hoped that crossing the sound would take him to the Strait of Magellan. Instead he arrived to find sheer walls of ice blocking his path.
Today, your captain is at the helm for three hours to reach the same glaciers that thwarted Ladrillero. Enjoy a cup of coffee, tea or juice on deck. For something with an extra kick, sip a glass of whiskey or pisco sour mixed with ice broken off from Serrano glacier. Pass by forests and waterfalls trickling down green hills, and scan the sky for condors. As the boat hugs the coastline, spot dozens of cormorants on rocky outcrops that might be spreading their wings or stretching their slim graceful necks to a soundtrack of ducks and geese squawking nearby. Sea elephants may even lumber out of caves to lounge under the sun. When you reach the eastern face of Balmaceda Mountain, 6,676 feet (2,035 meters) high, see mists swirling around the ice-capped summit. Disembark for an easy hour-long hike through the forests of Bernardo O'Higgins National Park. Follow your guide to an overlook mere steps away from Serrano glacier — a wide frozen river of ice cascading down a crevice between hills. Then trek to the western side of Balmaceda Mountain and capture views of the massive hanging glacier. Here, sapphire- and turquoise-tinted floes deluge the rocky terrain and end at a lake.
What‘s Included
Professional guide
Lunch
Boat tour
Coffee/tea, juice, whiskey or pisco sour
Bernardo O'Higgins National Park entrance fee
Gratuities
Hotel pick up and drop off
Options
Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers Sightseeing Cruise from Puerto Natales
Reviews
47 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Glacier Trip in Patagonia
U6758PVemmam,,Oct 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent tour to a beautiful part of Patagonia - stunning glacier and mountain views. Condors and sea lions were an added bonus.
Top attraction in Puerto Natales
Parul N,,Mar 7, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Best 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.
Perfect day out
Santhosh V,,Feb 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Good day out The sea was calm and not much windy The walking trail gave breathtaking views Great experience Lunch was very good Overall good experience
A brilliant day on the Ultima Esperanza Sound
Samantha M,,Jan 22, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00This was a wonderful experience, cruising in comfort with opportunities to admire elephant seals sunning themselves on rock ledges, a colony of cormorants, and of course spectacular waterfalls and stunning glaciers. A walk through beautiful forest to the Serrano Glacier was the highlight, followed by a delicious three course meal at Estancia Perales. The crew were helpful and professional and friendly, and we thoroughly enjoyed the day from beginning to end.
One of the world's greatest wonders!!
Denise Z,,Jan 7, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00The scenery was magnificent, we were speechless. Tasty genuine lunch with a three course meal highly recommended.
Wordh it
JORGEARTUROC,,Jan 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was worth it , the ship was in good conditions, I expected to be able to reach and walk in the glaciar but since it has reatreated we couldn´t get that cloese but the experience was good and the food in lunch was good
While the glaciers were...
Alyssa D,,Dec 3, 2024
- Review from Viator
3.00While the glaciers were cool to see, and no specific complaints about the overall experience, it was definitely overpriced for what we got. Having ~100 people on a boat that offered one snack, a decent lunch (that took a long time), and tea/coffee did not seem worth the high price tag (and we never even got our pisco sour!) The crew were very professional and helpful, but the low rating is due to it being overpriced.
A must!
Sebastian C,,Nov 28, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00Great service . Great communication with touring company and made it very easy and enjoyable along with stress free. I thank you!
Good trip.
K9633YOelizabethg,,Nov 12, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Nice trip. Beautiful glaciers and we got to see Andean Condors. The guide was difficult to hear over the intercoms and on the walk to the glacier base. Overall, it was worthwhile
You won't wanna miss this one.
Fernanda T,,Sep 14, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00I was not understanding why this tour wouldn't pick me up unlike the one I had done the day before, but then I understood that there are many people joining the boat and they can definitely no go an pick each of them, also the meeting point is great and they do take by bus to the port. The whole trip was amazing, even the extreme weather made its part of a great experience. The crew were all very nice, attentive and patient and at no time did I ever felt unsecured. My only recommendation is to make it a highlight for people to bring extra clothes, specially if you really never know how the weather is going to be. Everyone in the boat was soaking wet after the walk to the glaciers and yes we were going to a glacier but waterproof clothes were not a 'demand' and i probably would want people.
From US$271.00
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Operated by Gray Line Chile