Half-Day Boat Trip to Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers
This is a half-day catamaran trip from Puerto Natales through the Última Esperanza fjord to two glaciers in Bernardo O'Higgins National Park — Balmaceda, seen from the deck, and Serrano, reached on a short walk ashore. It suits people who want a glacier morning without a long drive or a demanding hike, and it runs from €104 (checked August 2026 — the current price is always in the booking box below).
Catamaran cruise through the Última Esperanza fjord, departing from the pier in Puerto Natales
Views of the Balmaceda Glacier from the deck, inside Bernardo O'Higgins National Park
Short, low-intensity walk to a vantage point over the Serrano Glacier
Whisky served over glacier ice on board, with a return to Puerto Natales before 1 pm per the operator
About this tour
The boat leaves from Muelle Prat, the pier in the centre of Puerto Natales, so there is no long transfer before the trip even starts — you walk or taxi to the waterfront and board. The operator describes an early-morning departure and a return before 1 pm, which leaves the afternoon free for the town, a bus onward, or an early night before a trek. Note that the listing does not include transport to and from the wharf, so getting to the pier is on you.
## What the morning actually looks like
The route runs the length of the Última Esperanza fjord towards Bernardo O'Higgins National Park, which the operator notes is Chile's largest national park and reachable only by sea. Along the way the operator lists views of the buildings of the old Frigorífico Bories cold-storage plant, small ranches, waterfalls and glaciers on the fjord walls. The first named stop is the Balmaceda Glacier, viewed from the ship; the operator serves a whisky poured over glacier ice at this point, and coffee or tea with a sweet snack earlier in the morning.
## The walk to the Serrano Glacier
The one section on foot is a hike the operator describes as low-intensity, from the landing to a vantage point over the Serrano Glacier. It is short, but it is a real walk on Patagonian ground: the operator's own conditions say you must come with appropriate clothing and be able to move around on your own. The same listing marks the trip as not suitable for wheelchair users, and the shore section is the reason.
## Who this is for — and who it is not
It works well if you want to see tidewater glaciers without trekking: families, older travellers who are steady on their feet, and anyone using Puerto Natales as a base before or after the W. It is the wrong choice if you are prone to seasickness — the operator says so explicitly, and this is open fjord water in a windy region, not a lake crossing. It is also not a substitute for going into Torres del Paine itself: you will not see the towers or the Paine massif from this boat.
## How it compares with the Grey Glacier boat tour
The closest alternative is the scenic navigation to Grey Glacier, which sails on a lake inside Torres del Paine National Park. Grey gets you close to the ice with the Paine scenery around you, but you first have to get deep into the park, which usually means a long day or a night inside it, plus a Torres del Paine entrance ticket. The Balmaceda and Serrano trip starts and ends at the town pier, needs no park transfer, and per the listing has the Bernardo O'Higgins entrance fee already included. If your itinerary already takes you into Torres del Paine, Grey is the more direct glacier experience; if you are based in Puerto Natales and short on days, this trip is the simpler half-day.
Weather is the honest caveat for any fjord navigation here. Wind is a defining feature of this region — the Chilean weather service (DMC) regularly issues warnings for ten-minute average winds measured at up to 74 km/h (gusts higher) in the Puerto Natales area — and sailings can be delayed, rerouted or cancelled at short notice when conditions demand it. Build a spare day into your plans if seeing the glaciers matters to you, and check the cancellation terms when you book.
Itinerary
Typical itinerary for this tour — in Torres del Paine the weather is the itinerary: Patagonian wind, rain or snow regularly close a trail or a boat crossing without notice, so no viewpoint and no sailing is promised. Check the booking box for the day-by-day details.
Early-morning departure from Muelle Prat, Puerto Natales
Board the catamaran at the town pier (the operator describes an early-morning start from Muelle Prat) and settle in with coffee or tea and a sweet snack as the boat heads out into the fjord.
Sailing the Última Esperanza fjord
The route runs towards Bernardo O'Higgins National Park; the operator lists views of the old Frigorífico Bories buildings, small ranches, waterfalls and glaciers along the fjord.
Balmaceda Glacier from the ship
The boat pauses in view of the Balmaceda Glacier, which is seen from the deck — this stop is where the operator serves a whisky poured over glacier ice.
Walk to the Serrano Glacier viewpoint
Go ashore for the walk the operator describes as low-intensity, up to a vantage point over the Serrano Glacier. Appropriate clothing and the ability to move around on your own are required by the operator.
Return to Puerto Natales
The catamaran sails back down the fjord, arriving at the pier before 1 pm according to the operator, so the afternoon is free.
Essential information
Included
- Coffee or tea with a sweet snack in the morning
- Whisky with glacier ice
- Bernardo O'Higgins National Park entrance fees
- Port taxes
Not included
- Extra food and drinks on board
- Gratuities
- Transport to and from the wharf (Muelle Prat)
- Lunch — the trip returns before 1 pm and the listing only mentions a morning snack
What to bring
- A windproof, waterproof outer layer, whatever the month. The park's official advice is to carry layers of clothing "to withstand rain, wind and/or snow" in any season, and Chile's meteorological service (DMC) records a predominant wind of about 28 km/h at Puerto Natales, with ten-minute average winds — not gusts — measured at up to 74 km/h.
- Warm layers under the shell. At the DMC station in Puerto Natales the thirty-year monthly mean is 11.8°C in January, the height of summer, and 1.3°C in July — and the July mean of the monthly minima is -4.5°C. Inside the park, higher and more exposed, it is colder still.
- Proper hiking boots, even on a vehicle-based day. The trail to the Base of the Towers is steep, rough and long enough that CONAF requires a guide on it for a large part of the year, and every viewpoint you step out to is on uneven, wind-blasted ground.
- Your park entry ticket, bought in advance. Unless your listing says entry is included, you buy it yourself on pasesparques.cl, the official CONAF platform, at least 24 hours before entering; a foreign adult pays CLP 32,400 for a single day or CLP 48,500 for two or more days (official 2026 park tariff).
- Sun protection — sunglasses, sunscreen, a hat that stays on in wind. The hours outdoors are long, the light is strong, and there is very little shade at the viewpoints.
- Water and snacks for the day. Where these listings itemise food at all, most exclude it, and inside the park there is nowhere to buy anything between stops.
- Your passport. Tours from El Calafate cross the Argentina–Chile border, and everywhere else it is the document your park ticket and hotel pick-up are checked against.
Inclusions are summarised from the operator listing — always verify the full list in the live booking box.
Important information
Weather is the itinerary. Boat sailings and trails are shortened, swapped or closed without notice for wind: the park's own advice warns that Patagonian weather "changes rapidly" and to expect rain, wind and/or snow in any season, and the DMC has measured ten-minute average winds of up to 74 km/h at Puerto Natales. No stop, no sailing and no view is promised on this site.
CONAF's rules are strict and enforced. Any open flame is banned under Ley 20.653, with fines of up to CLP 2,000,000; recreational drones are banned, and offenders are expelled from the park and reported to the DGAC; hikers must register at every ranger station (guardería) they pass, and walking trails after dark is prohibited (official park regulations).
Winter runs by its own rulebook. An official regulation for winter hiking applies every year from 1 May to 30 September, with accredited guides mandatory on the mountain trails; in 2026 the W circuit is closed from 1 June to 31 July except Base Torres with a certified guide, and the O circuit stays closed until 31 October (park and CONAF announcements).
Daylight swings hard at this latitude. Around the summer solstice the day is roughly 16 h 37 min long; around the winter solstice it is 7 h 59 min — the same tour in winter runs on half the light, and start times shift with it.
Prices shown here are GetYourGuide "from" prices in euros, read in August 2026: the cheapest date and option on the listing at that moment. Your date can cost more, and the price in the booking box is the one that binds.
What the operator says is the operator's claim. Group sizes, durations, pick-up points and inclusions are repeated here from the listing and attributed to it — they are not our own verification. Inclusions, minimum age and cancellation terms are binding only as printed in the booking box for your date.
Sailings are weather-dependent: wind in the Última Esperanza fjord can delay, shorten or cancel the trip at short notice. The Chilean weather service (DMC) routinely issues wind warnings for ten-minute average winds measured at up to 74 km/h (gusts higher) in this part of Magallanes.
The operator lists the trip as not suitable for wheelchair users or for people prone to seasickness.
There is a short walk to the Serrano Glacier viewpoint. The operator requires appropriate clothing and the ability to move around on your own — bring windproof and waterproof layers and closed shoes.
This trip visits Bernardo O'Higgins National Park, not Torres del Paine. The listing includes the O'Higgins entrance fee, and you do not need a Torres del Paine pass for this boat trip.
Transport to and from the wharf is not included in the listing — make your own way to Muelle Prat in Puerto Natales. Only a morning snack is provided; the return is before 1 pm per the operator, so plan lunch back in town.
Check dates & prices
Live availability & pricesFrequently asked questions
How hard is the walk to the Serrano Glacier?
The operator describes it as a low-intensity hike to a vantage point, but it is a real walk on uneven Patagonian ground: their conditions require appropriate clothing and the ability to move around on your own, and the listing marks the trip as not suitable for wheelchair users. If you can manage a short walk in windproof gear and closed shoes, you should be fine.
What happens if it is too windy to sail?
Fjord navigations here are genuinely weather-dependent — the Chilean weather service (DMC) regularly issues warnings for ten-minute average winds measured at up to 74 km/h (gusts higher) in the Puerto Natales area — and trips can be delayed, changed or cancelled at short notice. Check the cancellation terms in the booking box when you reserve, and leave a spare day in your itinerary if seeing the glaciers is a priority.
Do I need a Torres del Paine entrance ticket for this trip?
No. This boat trip goes to Bernardo O'Higgins National Park, a separate protected area reachable only by sea, and the operator lists the O'Higgins entrance fees and port taxes as included. You only need a Torres del Paine pass (sold on pasesparques.cl) for days you actually enter that park.
What should I bring?
Windproof and waterproof layers, warm clothing underneath, and closed shoes for the shore walk — the operator requires appropriate clothing to join the hike. Only coffee or tea with a morning snack is provided; extra food and drinks on board are listed as not included, so bring snacks or money for the bar, and plan lunch back in Puerto Natales after the return.
Is the trip suitable for people prone to seasickness or for children?
The operator explicitly lists the trip as not suitable for people prone to seasickness — this is open fjord water in a windy region. The listing does not state an age limit for children; check the participant options and any child rates directly in the booking box before reserving.
