Full day cultural and nature tour exploring Punta Arenas, Chile's southernmost city, and its surroundings. We will focus on the places visited by Charles Darwin and Bruce Chatwin, two great personalities who felt fascination about the natural history and culture of Patagonia. Comprehensive visit to Port Famine and San Juan Bay, where we will revisit the history of the HMS 'Beagle' and the explorations carried out by the young Darwin, Fitz Roy and many other famous explorers. Later, we will visit Punta Arenas, the main city of the Magellan Straits, accompanied by the vision of world-famous travel writer Bruce Chatwin. We will study the insights on his foremost work, the travelogue 'In Patagonia, which gave great popularity to this part of the world. Private transportation and naturalist guide services.

Daily departures from Punta Arenas, Chile | Duration: 8-10 hours; available year-round.

On this day trip from Punta Arenas, Chile, we will follow the footsteps of two remarkable explorers who discovered the remote landscapes of Patagonia in different times and pursuing very different goals. Charles Darwin was the young naturalist aboard the HMS Beagle and while in Patagonia, he was about to begin to understand the variety of landscapes of South America and its rich and contrasting wildlife. On the other hand, Bruce Chatwin was the adventurer and writer who supplied with a rucksack and his hiking boots began a true journey of discovery to this part of the world, which ended with the completion of his famed travelogue "In Patagonia", considered by many as a "little masterpiece of travel, history and adventure".

We will visit places south of Punta Arenas which were the setting for some of Darwin's natural history journeys. We will learn here about the difficulties that the Patagonian landscapes and the harsh weather imposed to the "Beagle" expedition while surveying these wild coasts and will try to imagine the grueling climb that Darwin did to the summit of Mount Tarn, in order to collect biological samples and to see the dazzling scenery from an advantaged point. We will feel ourselves like naturalists as we observe the wildlife and discover the richness of plants in a southern beech forest or while watching dolphins, sea lions and seabirds along the coasts of the Straits of Magellan.

FOTO B | PLAZA DE PUNTA ARENAS

Back in Punta Arenas, we will revisit some of the city highlights which were vividly described by Bruce Chatwin on his travel memoir "In Patagonia". We will visit the "Milward Castle", property of his great uncle Charley, who settled here after he survived the wreck of the boat Tautara, while sailing from New Zealand. Places like the Anglian St. James church and the Main Square called the attention to the traveller, who felt an early fascination to Patagonia and its people.

There is no better way to acquire the authentic taste of Patagonia than by revisiting the locations explored by these two fascinating personalities. We trust that at the end of this day and through the reading of their master chronicles, you will appreciate better the landscapes, the wildlife and the people of Patagonia, here at "the end of the world".

'Darwin & Chatwin' Day Tour | Trip Code PUQ02

Activity Program

As part of the trip materials you will receive a signed copy of our book 'Penguins of Patagonia & Antarctic Peninsula' [ISBN 956 8007 09 1] by Enrique Couve & Claudio F. Vidal as well as a Field Checklist.

Departures: Daily departures from Punta Arenas. Available year-round.

Duration: Approximately 8-10 hours, from Punta Arenas, Chile

Prices per person:

What the trip includes / excludes

The trip price includes: Private transportation and naturalist guide services during the tour, park entrance fees, lunch and snacks, and mineral water. VAT of the tour is also included.

The trip price excludes: Tipping, travel insurance, à la carte dishes, alcoholic drinks, and anything else of a purely personal nature.