If the world were flat, the far southern tip of Chile would be just the spot to peer over the edge. The epicenter of this rugged destination is Puerto Williams of Navarino Island, on the nearly pristine Cape Horn archipelago. This frontier locale of 2,000 hearty residents faces Beagle Channel, the narrow waterway named after 19th century British explorer Charles Darwin’s iconic ship. Billed as the world’s southernmost city, Puerto Williams is developing new maritime and airport infrastructure to boost sustainable tourism and restore its legacy as the gateway to Antarctica, a slice of which is part of Chile. The city also aspires to become a hub for scientific research across the UNESCO Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve.
Modern-day explorers will discover a rich, untrampled landscape right around Puerto Williams itself, whether navigating through icy fjords or spotting crimson-headed Magellanic woodpeckers in sub-Antarctic primary forests. Boasting a more laid back, less commercial profile than the Argentinian city of Ushuaia across the channel, Puerto Williams is the ideal destination for intrepid travelers eager for immersion into a raw natural realm.
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Getting there via cruise
For travelers looking for outdoor adventure without ditching creature comforts, small cruises that embark from Chile’s central coast port city of Valparaiso are a posh option. Relying on the local Chilean naval base for logistics, Puerto Williams has long hosted turnarounds of passengers heading into or out of Antarctica. The first phase of a new multipurpose dock now under construction will facilitate the arrival of slightly larger ships with around 200 passengers by the end of the year.
Silversea, a unit of Royal Caribbean, plies Chile’s long coast to Puerto Williams. Silversea offers an indulgent month-long option that reaches the Antarctic Peninsula plus the Falkland Islands and other far-flung South Atlantic islands. Prime your camera for sightings of king penguins, seals and whales wolloping through the frigid seas, while majestic albatross soar overhead and cormorants flap across choppy waters.
