Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers
Two glaciers up a fjord from Puerto Natales, one of which no longer reaches the water it used to calve into.
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The day boat from Puerto Natales runs up the Ultima Esperanza fjord past cormorant colonies and sea lions to two glaciers of the Bernardo O'Higgins national park. Balmaceda comes down the flank of Monte Balmaceda and, within living memory, reached the water and calved into it; it has retreated up the slope and now ends well above the fjord, which the boat crews point out directly. Serrano is reached by a short walk from a landing, ending at a small lagoon with the ice at its head. The trip usually includes a stop at an estancia for lamb cooked on a cross over an open fire.
What you actually see
- Two glaciers up one fjord - Balmaceda and Serrano.
- A glacier that left the water - Balmaceda no longer reaches the fjord.
- A short walk to Serrano - from a landing to a lagoon below the ice.
- Cormorants and sea lions - on the way up the fjord.
When to go
October to April; boats run only in the season. A full day.
Honest expectations
Trips are cancelled by wind regularly. The fjord is cold and wet in any month. The glacier retreat is the honest headline of the trip, not a detail. The estancia lunch is usually charged separately.
Nearby
Puerto Natales is down the fjord; Torres del Paine is inland.
What to pack for Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.