San Rafael Glacier tour from Patagonia: Boat to blue ice

Boat through remote delta to a glacier's towering blue ice face

This 12-hour tour from Patagonia takes you by boat through the Exploradores River delta to San Rafael Glacier's imposing blue ice wall inside Laguna San Rafael National Park. You navigate the river's final stretch, walk a short interpretive trail to the ruins of the historic Ofqui Hotel, then continue toward the glacier itself. Homemade lunch overlooking the ice, breakfast during navigation, whisky served with ancient glacial ice, and a professional Spanish-speaking guide are included. Pickup is arranged at kilometer 91 of Route X-728.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore San Rafael Glacier and surroundings

• Meet crew at Route X-728 km 91
• Safety briefing and board boat
• Navigate Exploradores River and delta
• Disembark at CONAF pier
• Walk interpretive trail to Ofqui Hotel ruins
• Return to boat
• Navigate to San Rafael Glacier wall
• Admire glacier and surroundings
• Return navigation through Exploradores River

The experience

You start at the end of the road through Exploradores Valley, where the crew meets you at kilometer 91 of Route X-728. After a safety briefing, you board the boat and navigate through the final stretch of the Exploradores River, passing the remote landscapes that shape this corner of Chilean Patagonia. The delta opens onto water surrounded by untouched terrain: the kind of place most travelers never reach because there is no highway to it.

At the CONAF pier, you disembark for a 30-minute round-trip walk along an interpretive trail to the ruins of the Ofqui Hotel, a reminder of the region's sparse human history. Then you return to the boat and continue navigating toward San Rafael Glacier itself. The blue ice wall rises as you approach, and you spend time taking in the scale of it: the striking formations, the color, the sound of the water around you. Breakfast arrives during the navigation. Homemade lunch comes later, served while you're still on the water with the glacier in view. Whisky is poured over ice that fell from the glacier itself, centuries old.

The return journey retraces the Exploradores River, giving you a second pass through the delta and the valley landscapes. The whole day runs 12 hours from pickup to drop-off, which accounts for the drive to kilometer 91, the boat time, the walk, and the return. The tour suits all fitness levels. The walk is short and the boat does the heavy work of getting you there.

What’s included

• Round-trip boat navigation through the Exploradores River delta to San Rafael Glacier.
• breakfast during the navigation and homemade lunch overlooking the glacier.
• whisky served with ancient glacial ice.
• a 30-minute interpretive walk to the Ofqui Hotel ruins.
• professional guide in Spanish.
• pickup at kilometer 91 of Route X-728.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:00

GroupUp to 20

Live guideSpanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 5 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Tangol

Is this one for you?Book this if you have a full day free and need transportation to the remote trailhead at kilometer 91. The pickup handles access to Exploradores Valley where no road reaches.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. No refund if you cancel.

How far is the walk to the Ofqui Hotel ruins?

The interpretive trail to the Ofqui Hotel ruins is approximately 30 minutes round trip from where you disembark at the CONAF pier.

What meals are included on the San Rafael Glacier tour?

Breakfast is served during the boat navigation, and homemade lunch is provided while you're on the water with views of the glacier.

Where does the pickup happen for this tour?

Pickup is at kilometer 91 of Route X-728, at the end of the road through Exploradores Valley, where you meet the crew before boarding the boat.

What is the Exploradores River delta like?

The delta is a remote, scenic stretch of water where the Exploradores River meets the larger waterway, surrounded by untouched Patagonian landscapes and shaped by the region's waterways.

Is the tour suitable for people with limited fitness?

Yes, the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. The boat handles most of the journey, and the only walk is a short 30-minute interpretive trail.