The ships we sail on during the ocean cruise portion of this trip are like floating luxury hotels, so you can visit a new destination each day without touching your suitcase once you’ve settled in. Our ships are custom‐designed with a variety of inviting spaces that offer plenty of room for both relaxing and socializing. They’re also vastly smaller than most cruise ships, with up to only 210 passengers.

If you’re new to Backroads active cruise trips, there are a few things you need to know. Our cruises are smaller and much more intimate than a typical cruise. They are also quite lively, social experiences, shaped by both our Backroads group and the larger ship community. Additionally, even with an itinerary subject to fixed nautical schedules that may occasionally limit our time on shore, we get out and explore far beyond the cruise norm. If you love meeting new people, enjoy the ease of unpacking once, and don’t mind a set schedule of port departure times, you’ll love our approach to active river and ocean cruising. Nobody does it like we do.

All meals are served aboard. On-ship meals, though delightful, are meant to appeal to a wide cross section of passengers and may at times feel more conventional for some, and less reflective of the region than on Backroads hotel trips.

Our hikes through Patagonia’s captivating, yet rugged, terrain climb rocky and sometimes uneven paths, many of which are remote and do not intersect with roads. Vehicles or Zodiacs will get us to and from the trailheads, but due to the nature of these trails, we won’t see vehicles along the route. Ample trail support in the form of water and encouragement is provided by your Backroads leaders and local guides.

Most hikes on this itinerary are inside national parks and, unlike other Backroads walking and hiking trips, regulations require a certified local guide to accompany us. We offer flexibility by dividing into several groups of different paces, with each group hiking in the company of a local guide.

To access the most scenic routes and significant points of interest on this trip, strategic shuttles are incorporated into several days. On a few days of the trip you can expect to spend three hours or more in the shuttle.

Trips with a small number of guests may be supported by one Backroads Trip Leader and a team of knowledgeable local guides. There will always be at least two people hiking on the trail with you.

Because of Patagonia’s extreme weather conditions and strong winds, mid-trip itinerary changes are possible. If severe weather affects our planned activities, your Trip Leaders will find alternative activities that you’re sure to enjoy.