No, ours is not a cruise service, but of ferries.
A ferry is a merchant vessel adapted to carry passengers. Loaded cargo includes vehicles, camping motorcars, motorcycles, bicycles, heavy machinery, animals and loading trucks in general.
Our Ferry Esperanza has the capacity for 244 passengers. It has an extension to transport 1,800 linear meters..
The Esperanza ferry has a cafeteria, dining room, activity room, infirmary, exterior decks with panoramic views and a cabin for passengers with different capacities..
Yes, our Esperanza ferry has an elevator service.
Our Ferry Esperanza offers a cargo and passenger transportation service, on a route that navigates through remote places and uninhabited landscapes, heading to the heart of Patagonia.
It is a trip designed for those with an adventurous spirit, who seek to travel at a different pace, with the spectacle of a unique nature as a backdrop.
In it you can enjoy a moment of disconnection, share with different people, rest and recharge your batteries to start your next adventure.
In our routes you will be able to meet a great variety of people: travelers of different nationalities, locals and carriers.
Our trip is ideal for all those who want to arrive or return from Patagonia in a different way from the traditional trips by land or plane; for those who enjoy both being in contact with nature and the comfort of a boat.
For those who want to meet and share with people from different parts of the world.
For those who are traveling by car, motorhome, bicycle or motorcycle.
For those looking to disconnect and / or recharge.
And also for those who have a flexible itinerary, since the weather in Patagonia is unpredictable.
Our travel price it’s all inclusive, meaning, in addition to transportation, the rate includes accommodation and meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). The fare excludes shopping in the store, cafeteria expenses and tips.
Traveling by ship across Patagonia is an adventure, yet the vessel’s movement will highly depend on climatic conditions. However, during the Summer the climatic conditions are very good, and the sailing through the channels is very gentle. An area where climatic conditions are rough every time of the year is the Golfo de Penas (gulf of sorrows). This leg of the trip lasts about half day, so we recommend taking pills for motion sickness if you’re sensitive to the tide. Nonetheless, our paramedic on board will assist to make you feel as comfortable as possible.
At the moment, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, shared cabins are not being reserved, that is, each reservation has a private cabin with their companions according to allowed capacity.
All accommodations include bed linen and a bath towel.
Bilingual guides are available only during the Patagonia Fjords route in high season (October to April), who will attend and entertain you with different talks, karaoke and bingo. Our guides are experienced in naturalism and in working for cruise services in Patagonia.
We have an entertainment system to which you may connect with our smartphone or tablet to watch movies. In addition, you can order different board games to share with other travelers. If photography is your thing, you can take the opportunity to shoot birds and whales found in the area. We also recommend you take with you that book that you’ve been wanting to finish for some time now.
The onboard voltage is 220 volts and 60 Hz.
Patagonia is a remote region so there’s no Internet connection available to our passengers. We recommend you take this opportunity to disconnect and talk with other people.
No, only at the ports.
Smoking is only allowed on the outside decks of the ship, in compliance with Chilean Law 20,105, which states that it is forbidden to smoke inside closed areas.
No, we do not.
Yes, water dispensers are available at all times, so there is no need for you to bring additional water bottles.
Please inform if you have a food allergy or if you are a vegetarian when you book your trip with us.
At our bar you’ll be able to buy drinks, tea, coffee, biscuits and chocolates..
Purchases on board our ferries may be paid in US dollars or Chilean pesos. We accept the following means of payment:
International Passengers: cash (US dolars) and credit cards
National Passengers: cash, credit and debit card.
Each passenger may carry up to 1 suitcase and a hand luggage. We suggest to take only indispensable baggage because the space inside the cabins is reduced. Beds in our Ferry Evangelistas only have a locker with a key with the following dimensions: 71.20 centimeters deep, 41 centimeters wide and 73.50 centimeters high. Locker space is enough for a backpack of approximately 60 liters.
You may bring your pet in a portable kennel and leave it in the cargo area of the ship. Pets are not allowed in the cabins or in any other passengers common areas. Passengers may check the status of their pet occasionally only with the authorization of a member of the crew. There is no additional charge for traveling with pets..
All our ferries have safety deposit boxes available for passengers. These units are left under the care of the ferry’s captain. Navimag WILL NOT respond for damaged or lost objects of value that were not declared prior to travel.
Your safety is our first priority. Navimag Ferries vessels are certified under the International Safety Management (ISM) Code, regarding SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) for the protection of human life at sea, and accredited under ISO 9001-2000. This certifications allow our company to guarantee the highest standards of quality and safety in all our operations.
In addition, our ferries are equipped with rafts and life vests for 730 people (double its maximum capacity) and with 3 rescue boats.
The vessel has a basic nursing unit with a professional paramedic in charge. In addition, the crew has first-aid training in compliance with ISO standards. Officers have advanced first aid training.
Patagonia is a region of extremes, where weather conditions change constantly, so there could be storms or strong winds at any time of the year, which could affect the vessel’s schedules of departure and arrival. In addition, crossing the Patagonian channels is highly regulated by the maritime authorities, so specific tide and light conditions must be met for the vessels to sail. Also, since hour ships also transport cargo, any slight change in operation and climatic conditions can influence itineraries. We understand that these modifications could be a drawback for our passengers, this is why we work every day to improve our service.
Given Chile’s geography, the far south is disconnected by land from the rest of the country, therefore it can be accessed only by sea, air or land through the Argentinean territory. This is why our transportation service was born from the need to connect Magallanes region with the rest of the country. For all practical purposes, our company is a "highway" that provides continuity and connectivity to different cargos that require transit into extreme regions.
The transport of livestock is not exempt from this modality. Livestock transport companies that cater to this important sector are also our clients, using equipment designed and authorized for this purpose, allowing the movement to and sale of livestock from Magallanes region in the rest of the country. There is no existing commercial link between the livestock producers and our company, but there is a business relation between our company and the transportation company.
Nonetheless the above mentioned, and in accordance with our commitment to the community, in January 2015 we began a program with Chile’s Agricultural Service (SAG) in order to improve our transport of livestock. The state agency issued Decree No. 240 of Law 19,162 that establishes new regulations regarding the animal transport, including the resting period, period of rest, water requirements, sanitary conditions, lighting and ventilation, among others.
As a company we take measures that go beyond regulation, that is why in the second half of 2016 we incorporated to our onboard staff an animal expert, in an aim to ensure compliance with the law and the appropriate animal transportation. In addition, all of our officers and captains were trained at Universidad Austral in Animal Care, a course taught by Dr. Carmen Gallo, Phd, from University of Liverpool and director of Animal Sciences at Universidad Austral de Chile and Researcher in Animal Welfare, Antemortem, etc.
These measures have helped to reduce animal mortality, so much that in 2015 our company carried 24,673 head of cattle, recording a mortality rate of 50 animals (0.20%). During 2016 we transported 23,468 head with a mortality rate of 22 animals (0.1%).
We understand that there are still pending actions at the government level as well as transportation companies and livestock producers. In this regard, our company will always seek to add value to any solution that is implemented and within our reach.
Mainly in in the Fall, at the beginning in April, given grasslands in Patagonia are frozen, therefore cattle owners must transport the animals to the north to feed them. Notwithstanding, it animals may be transported at other times of the year, although there’s a lower probability.
Want to live Patagonia at its fullest on your next trip? Then, go local.
All cities and destinations in Chilean Patagonia have hidden secrets. You could be one of the few lucky tourists to discover them.