A Full Day Across the Fjord · Puerto Natales
The Rhythm of the Estancia
The day most couples end up calling the best of their trip: a pioneer family's estancia on the far shore, ranching this territory for four generations, a table shared with a handful of other couples, and a day where the horses and the 4×4 do the walking — so a hard week in the park is a reason to come, not to stay behind.
Full day · 9:00 AM–4:30 PM · Three ways to explore
At a Glance
A full day at Estancia La Península, in short.
Duration
Full day, 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Meeting point
MacLean Pier, Puerto Natales — how to get there below
Access
A private crossing, roughly 40 minutes out and slightly less coming back
Group size
Sixteen guests, the capacity of the boat
Activity
Horseback riding, trekking or 4×4 — about two hours, you choose one
Effort
Gentle. No riding experience needed, and the 4×4 reaches the same viewpoints
Included
Private crossing, welcome snack, your activity, lunch with drinks, sheepdogs and shearing
From
US$276 per person
Reached Only by Boat
Eighteen thousand hectares on the opposite shore of the Last Hope Fjord.
On the estancia, the hours are still kept by the sheep, the dogs and the fire, and the beach sees more birds in a week than visitors. You cross the fjord in the morning, spend two hours in the landscape however you prefer to travel through it, and sit down at midday to lamb that was raised here.
Gallery
From the pier to the fire.
Departure from MacLean Pier
Across the Last Hope Fjord
A warm welcome
No Road Leads Here
The Antonio Varas peninsula is visible from Puerto Natales. Very few travelers ever set foot on it.
The family has ranched this territory for generations, and restored the main house with their own hands. Long before them, these shores belonged to the Kawésqar, the canoe navigators of the southern channels, and the crossing is where that history gets told.
Nothing about the day is rushed. You arrive by private boat. Your lunch has been over the fire for more than four hours by the time you reach it. And a good part of what you take home is simply what the people who live and work here tell you along the way.
Choose Your Adventure
Three ways in. You pick one.
The three activities run simultaneously, so each guest takes one. Riding and trekking can wait until you are standing at the estancia and know how you feel; the 4×4 has to be arranged when you book, so the vehicle is there.
Please select yours when booking. Horseback riding and trekking can still be swapped once you are at the estancia; the 4×4 route must be arranged in advance.
In the saddle
Horseback riding
Well-trained, even-tempered horses, sure enough for a first-time rider. Previous experience is not necessary. They live out on the estancia the whole year and are brought in only on the days guests come, which is part of why they are this calm.
Our suggestion
On foot
Trekking
A loop around the wetland at an unhurried pace, skirting the evergreen forest, with the fjord shore that birds tend to favor.
By vehicle
4×4 Exploration
The same viewpoints without riding or walking to them. Worth choosing if mobility is a concern, or if you would rather keep your hands free for a camera.
The request must be made at the time of booking · additional cost
How You Live the Day
Lunch, a flock worked by dogs, and an afternoon with nothing scheduled.
Lamb from the fire
Lamb raised on the estancia, roasted slowly over the fire, with golden potatoes, salads and a dessert made in the house. Wine, beer, juices and soft drinks are poured freely.*
A craft still in use
The dogs read the gaucho at a distance, gathering and moving the flock on his word alone. These are working dogs, not pets: you watch them do their job and leave them to it. Then the shearing, close enough to see how it is done, and why wool once mattered enough to build this part of the world.
Free time
The last stretch of the afternoon is yours. Walk out to the wetland, look at the house, take photographs, or stay at the table with your glass. There is a saying here: whoever hurries wastes time in Patagonia.
*One alternative menu covers vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free requirements. Please request it in advance.
How to Get There
Departure and return both take place at MacLean Pier.
Locally, it is Muelle MacLean, and it is neither the public pier in town nor the one by the square in Puerto Bories. Mixing them up is how people miss the boat.
Remember the name
“Muelle MacLean”
Tell your driver Muelle MacLean, and that the way in is through Hotel Simple Patagonia. We leave at nine; ten minutes early is a comfortable margin.
Driving directions from Puerto Natales
Take the coastal road out of town. Just before it begins to climb at the bend by Muelle Kochifas, turn onto the access road signed for Hotel Simple Patagonia and follow it about 500 meters to the end. The pier is there, past the hotel's guest-room building and just short of Hotel Singular, at its beach entrance.
Ten minutes from the center of Puerto Natales, about 4 km — 2.4 miles.
Open in Google MapsTransport to the pier is not included. You can add a private transfer with us when you book, or take a local taxi and handle it yourself. Either way, we'll include the details with your confirmation.
Before You Book
The questions we are asked most.
What is included?
What is not included?
How many people are in the group?
When does this experience run?
Who will be with me after I book?
How do I get to MacLean Pier?
What if the weather changes?
I am tired from the park. Should I rest instead?
What should I bring?
What is the cancellation policy?
From Our Guests
What guests bring up first.
Almost always the horses: how calm they are, and how safe people felt on them, having never ridden before. After that, the guides, usually by name, for the way they hand over the history of the place.
More than a few call it the best day of their trip.
Download the brochure
Information about the experience
The itinerary, the three activities, what lunch involves, and how to find MacLean Pier.
Concierge Service
Your local connection, throughout your stay
When you travel with Hub Patagonia, our support extends beyond the experience itself. Throughout your time in Puerto Natales you can reach us directly for considered local recommendations — where to have dinner, where to find wool worth taking home, how to spend a windy afternoon.
Ready to spend a day across the fjord?
If something is still unclear, ask us before you book.
Want something longer, or shaped differently? We design journeys of four nights or more around how you travel.
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