This morning we’ll take a cruise, weather permitting, across the Magellan Strait to Magdalena Island. The Island is protected, and uninhabited by humans, and is home to the largest penguin colony in Southern Chile, with around 60,000 breeding pairs of Magellanic penguins. Alternatively, if the Magellan Strait, which is subject to high swells, is uncrossable, we’ll head instead to Cueva del Milodón (Cave of the Mylodon). In this case, after breakfast, we’ll take a scenic drive through the fertile Patagonian lowlands to Puerto Natales, and on to the cave system. Alongside a local guide, we’ll explore all three caves, spread across an area of a few square kilometers, culminating in the lair of the mystical mylodon – a gigantic, and now an extinct member of the sloth family, which survived in the region up until around 5,000 years ago. You’ll want to get your photo taken next to the life-size replica of this ancient beast at the cave entrance! Afterward, we’ll explore the nearby interpretation center, then head back to Puerto Natales for dinner together.
Hotel Natalino, Puerto Natales (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Hiking: Peguin Colony Hiking Distance: 1.6 kilometers (1 mile), 1-2 hours, elevation +/- 200 (60 feet)
Hiking: Cueva del Milodon Hiking Distance: 3 kilometers (1.8 miles), 2 hours, flat