Amalia Glacier
Located in the central part of the Southern Patagonian Ice Fields, the Amalia Glacier descends from the Andes Mountains and sits towering above the sea. Because of the glacier's immense weight, the oxygen has been pressed out of the ice, giving it an amazingly beautiful crystalline appearance.
Antofagasta
Antofagasta is a port city and episcopal see in northern Chile, about 700 miles north of Santiago. It is the capital of both Antofagasta Province and Antofagasta Region, and, according to the 2002 census, has a population of 318,779. The city's name comes from either a Quechua or Aymara word for "town of the great saltpeter bed".
Arica
This seaside oasis among golden sand dunes is Chile’s northernmost gateway; it is also a rapidly developing resort. Located just 30 miles from the border of Peru and linked to Bolivia by land and air, Arica enjoys an interesting cultural exchange.The city lies at the foot of El Morro headland with the Andes as a distant backdrop. A mild climate, with year-round temperatures of 70-75 degrees, gardens and parks brimming with luxuriant flora have earned Arica the name “City of Eternal Spring.”
During the colonial period, Arica was important as the Pacific end of the silver route from Potosi.The rerouting of Bolivian trade through Cobija led to a decline from which the city recovered with the building of rail links with Tacna and La Paz.
Arica’s most prominent site is the Morro, rising steeply above the city. It was the scene of a great victory by Chile over Peru in the War of the Pacific on June 7, 1880. At the foot of the Morro is the Plaza Colon with the cathedral of San Marcos, built in iron by Gustave Eiffel. He also designed the nearby Customs House.
Some 10 miles out of Arica is the Azapa Valley and the Archaeological Museum of San Miguel.The museum is part of the University of Tarapaca and contains an important collection of fine Andean and coastal woven fabrics, baskets and pottery. It is also known for its exhibits of Chinchorro mummies, the world’s oldest, mummified by using a peculiar sand technique.
Cape Horn
As the ship sails through Cape Horn, you'll see spectacular sites of both land and sea. If you're lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the plentiful wildlife in the region, known as a hot spot for windsurfers and sailors.
Castro (Chiloe Island)
Dolphins and seals abound along the Chiloe Archipelago, a rugged and unspoiled island chain that parallels Chile's mountainous coast of snow-capped peaks. The capital of Castro is set on a beautiful natural harbor on the Isla Grande de Chiloe.
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Chilean Fjords (Cruising)
Sail through some of the world's narrowest and most scenic waterways. Near the serrated southern tip of Chile, the Southern Andes plunge into icy waters, leaving a region so wild and remote that it has been virtually untouched since the beginning of time. It is here in Chile's fjords that ancient glaciers sliced their way between the mountains, leaving isolated islands and hidden coves upon their retreat.
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Coquimbo
One of Chile’s regional capitals, this charming town, with its distinctive and historic wooden buildings, is an oasis between the high Atacama Desert and the marvelously fertile agricultural valleys that produce the nation’s abundant fruit harvests and also harbor Chile’s impressive vineyards. Visit a vineyard and sample its wines or spend the day on a magnificent Pacific beach. Adventurous souls may enjoy seeing petroglyphs created by the area’s ancient inhabitants.
Easter Island
Easter Island is an island in the south Pacific Ocean belonging to Chile. The island is famous for its numerous moai, the stone statues located along the coastlines.
Iquique
The capital of Region I (Chile is divided into 15 Regions) is also one of the country's main northern ports and a free port. The name Iquique is derived from the Aymara word ique-ique, meaning "place of rest and tranquility." Founded in the 16th century on a rocky peninsula at the foot of the high Atacama pampa, the city was partly destroyed by an earthquake in 1877. After its transfer from Peru to Chile at the end of the War of the Pacific, Iquique became the center of the nitrate trade.
For Chileans the city has a special meaning. Here at the beginning of the War of the Pacific in 1879 Captain Arturo Prat put up a heroic fight in a battle with the Peruvian navy which he did not win; his courageous action inspired the whole country to continue fighting until the war ended in victory for Chile.
No longer of great importance as a nitrate seaport, Iquique is now the center of the country's rapidly growing fishing industry. The tax-free status granted in 1975 has greatly boosted trade and established a significant number of exporting industries. This brought about vigorous urban growth, with special attention given to the restoration of the historical center. Today the city offers the visitor much local color. Many plazas seem to defy the desert with their pretty landscaping of flowers and trees. The main square is Plaza Arturo Prat, with the famous clock tower and the Centro Espanol, an artistic imitation of the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain.
La Serena
La Serena ("the serene one") is the second oldest city in Chile.
The town has retained its historic architecture and this, along with a selection of beaches (known as Avenida del Mar, "Sea Avenue"), has caused the city to become a significant tourist centre, attracting many foreigners (most of them Argentines from San Juan and Mendoza provinces) during January, and later Santiago residents fleeing February heat.
Laguna San Rafael
Some 150 nautical miles south of Puerto Chacabuco lies Laguna San Rafael. Getting there is in itself a wonderful experience. The ship cruises through waterways, fjords and estuaries that offer the most stunning scenery.
Ships have to anchor some distance from the lagoon. Silversea has chartered a comfortable 90-passenger catamaran that will come alongside the ship, taking guests the last stretch to the laguna. Only smaller vessels can enter the narrow mouth of the 27-mile-long Laguna San Rafael. In addition to a ring of green-clad mountains, the premier attraction is the majestic glacier. It originates at San Valentín Mountain and makes its way gradually toward the water. The jagged ice field of the glacier is part of the Laguna San Rafael National Park, accessible only by air or sea.
Puerto Chacabuco
Don't bother looking: you won't find this port in your atlas! And that's good news if you're seeking a pristine patch of earth that still deserves the name "frontier." Here, in the heart of the Chilean archipelago, where the spine of the Andes seems to break into a million jagged pieces, discover a maze of islands, fjords, lush river valleys and dense jungles bordered by glistening glaciers—a place virtually untouched by man. Look up and you may see a rare Andean condor, its wingspan reaching ten feet, riding ancient Patagonian winds.
Puerto Montt
Located on the northern tip of vast Reloncavi Bay, Puerto Montt is the gateway to the Chilean Lake District. Crowding the harbor are vessels that ply the route between Cape Horn and Puerto Montt, finding shelter here from the storms of the Pacific.
The first German colonists arrived in this area in 1852; their descendants have remained a small but influential percentage of the 130,000 inhabitants. The town spreads along a narrow seaboard and climbs the slopes that enclose Puerto Montt to the north. Since 1985, the city has experienced considerable growth and development; there are more than 30 salmon farms, in addition to forestry, fishing industries and service companies, new hotels, restaurants, cafés and shops have opened. Puerto Montt itself offers scant attractions for visitors apart from shingle-roofed houses around a flowered central square. The main draw here is the proximity to the lake and mountain region, and spectacular fjord cruising.
A short distance from the pier is the small fishing port of Angelmo. Its row of stalls lining both sides of the street offers a wide variety of regional handicrafts and souvenir items.
Puerto Natales
The highlight here is the fabulous Torres del Paine National Park, with its soaring “towers” peaks reflected in the lake below. The area is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and Chile’s most famous national park.
Punta Arenas
A voyage to this part of the world is an exhilarating experience, offering the traveler extraordinary sights of untamed natural beauty and the intrigue of the Antarctic. Located on the western side of the Strait of Magellan, Punta Arenas is the capital of Chile's Magallanes Region and the bustling center of one of the world's largest sheep farming areas. Its free-port facilities have promoted local commerce and encouraged immigration from central Chile. The best and largest port for thousands of miles, it provides a base for South Atlantic fishing boats and Antarctic research vessels.
The city center features impressive mansions dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Founded in 1848, Punta Arenas was originally a military garrison and penal settlement. It also provided a convenient stopover for vessels en route to California during the Gold Rush. The local economy improved when the government authorized the purchase of 300 purebred sheep from the Falkland Islands; the success of this experiment encouraged further investment in sheep. By the turn of the last century, there were nearly two million in the territory.
Today, Punta Arenas numbers over 100,000 inhabitants. It has the look of a bustling city, with a fine cathedral and an attractive central square. It is also a major base for the Chilean navy. A statue of the explorer Magellan salutes present-day navigators.
Visitors to this southern-most part of the world should keep in mind that this is frontie
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Seno Eyre Fjord (Cruise)
The Chilean Fjords stretch from the Strait of Magellan to Puerto Montt and offer once-in-a-lifetime vistas. Seno Eyre Fjord is one of the most beautiful of the submerged valleys of the Chilean Fjords with its jagged walls and huge glaciers that are reminiscent of those found in Alaska. These waters are abundant with wildlife including whales, dolphins, seals and albatross.
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Straits of Magellan
Enjoy magnificent views from the ship's deck as you cruise through the Strait of Magellan. This majestic waterway separates the archipelago of Tierra del Fuego from mainland South America and will delight visitors with incredible snapshots of nature.
Valparaiso
Valparaíso sits on a perfect bay harbor, ringed by the port's 17 cerros (hills) with the snow-covered Cordillera peaks in the distance. It is hard to decide which provides the more spectacular view of Valparaíso -- sailing into it or looking down on the city from atop one of the cerros. Valparaíso was designed as the key port city for Chile's nearby capital, Santiago, and is now the new home to the Chilean congress.
