South of Chile: Patagonia on Wheels

The Patagonia is the southernmost piece of land besides the Antartica. It’s a remote destination full of mesmerizing landscapes and vibrant wildlife, but it poses quite a lot of challenges for explorers with reduced mobility. A friend of mine and I, two manual wheelchair users with the ability to stand-up and take a few steps in a pinch, decided to give it a try. We began preparing for the trip more than six months in advance. Here’s a summary of how it went and what we learned (a more in-depth accessibility review of each of the activities can be found on the PDF linked at the end of this article).

Punta Arenas & General Considerations

The first of the two main hubs to explore the region, Punta Arenas is a windy capital with extreme weather in winter and mild to chilly temperatures in summer, when we visited. Be aware that if you go from April to October, you won’t be able to see Magellan penguins, a must while in the area. Also, the colder it gets the more difficult it is to move around because of ice and snow. In summer, streets near the city center towards the sea, although with a slight incline and the occasional rough curb-cut, are quite easy to navigate. The higher parts of the city are another story. For instance, getting to Cerro de la Cruz (a famous viewpoint overlooking it) on a wheelchair requires a very long detour and determination, due to stairs and/or crazy slopes.

Anyway, we got to Punta Arenas by plane from Santiago de Chile. Our experience with LATAM Airlines and disability assistance at the airport was very good, but as soon as exited the terminal things changed. Unfortunately, there are no accessible taxis nor vans in the whole south of Chile, as of January 2025, so here’s one of the essential conditions for any travelers that wish to visit: you (and your wheelchair) should be able to climb steps up and down in a regular basis or have a means to do so, either by yourselves or with help from others, as you will encounter many steps to go up and down all means of transportation (mainly buses, taxis, vans and boats).

Another important point to consider is that most accessible toilets that we found in the Patagonia only take into account that a wheelchair can fit in it. Grab bars are non-existent or not in the right place, levers to flush, toilet paper and light switches may be unreachable, sinks tend to be low, but sometimes they are not… you get the idea.

One good bit, though, is that Chileans are the most helpful people that we’ve ever found while traveling. They’ve got a kind and respectful demeanor when it comes to disability and they are always ready to give a hand even without having to ask.

Back to the trip, after disassembling our wheelchairs, we took a taxi to the hotel, another issue in the region. The best that we could do regarding accommodation was find a step-free hotel from the street to the room, but without any further consideration for accessibility. The next three days we had a couple of group tours, so after exploring the surrounding streets and getting to the sea front, we went to sleep. By the way, sunsets at 10pm in Punta Arenas are amazing.

Penguins

Being able to observe penguins in their natural habitat in a respectful way, was one of the main reasons behind visiting the south of Chile. Near Punta Arenas, you can get to see two main types of penguins, Magellan penguins, smaller and energetic, and King penguins, bigger and regal. Of the two, if you had to choose (especially, if you don’t have a private vehicle more fit to your accessibility needs), we recommend going for Magellan penguins at Magdalena island, as the tour is way shorter and you get to experience them from way closer. Unfortunately, none of them has good accessibility.

All in all, the activity to Magdalena island is 4 to 5 hours long. Up until disembarking on the island, we were quite upset with accessibility. We had been told by the operator that the tour was accessible; again, accessible if you don’t mind being carried in awkward positions and dangerous places or, otherwise, if you can somehow crawl or walk for 10 to 20 meter stretches. So, as you can imagine, there were no provisions in place to board the van nor the ship (with a really steep and narrow plank on top of it). Afterwards, we were told there was a ship from another company with a better boarding point and a wider plank, so look into it before booking. The interior of the cabin was not accessible either, as there weren’t any specific wheelchair spaces and toilets were small and had narrow doors, so the first half of the experience was discouraging.

Then, we got to the island and everything changed (spoiler: not accessibility). As the path around the island and up to the lighthouse was uneven and full of small rocks, we couldn’t go with the rest of the group and were left along the way, with a member of the staff that came and went to check on us. My friend right at the beach next to the boat and I, near the first viewpoint, 200 meters further away. Lucky us. It was one of the best hours of our lives. Penguins came and went, alone, in pairs, in trios or in flocks of a dozen members. We stayed still, watching, blending with nature. Despite they being extremely close to us, as instructed, we didn’t touch them. It was a once in a lifetime experience. Magellan penguins are curious creatures, so they even stopped by, looking at us wondering who were these two new specimens on the island. So, if you can somehow manage to set your feet or your wheels on Magdalena, all the hassle will be totally worth it.

The next day, I did the King penguin tour to Tierra del Fuego. I went alone as my friend was very tired and in pain from the previous excursion. I was out from 7am in the morning to 11pm at night. The whole activity entailed getting on and off a van many times -there were about 10 stops in total-, steps or uneven terrain at most of them -I only did about half of them, as I was also in pain-, boarding a couple of inaccessible ferries and many hours on the road.

The good bits were that, once there, the King Penguin Park has a beach wheelchair that someone can push to help you get to the viewpoints -although penguins are 50 meters away and you need binoculars to properly see them- and that, if you manage to get to the passenger deck of the longer ferry that crosses Magellan’s strait and you don’t mind the cold too much, the outer deck is accessible and you will feel like a true 16th century sailor cruising the wind and the waves. You can also count on beautiful scenery at the penguin park, during the long hours in the van or while crossing the strait.

Puerto Natales & Torres del Paine

After four nights in Punta Arenas, by a regular highway bus, we headed to Puerto Natales towards the north, right in the middle of the Chilean fjords. In Puerto Natales, we stayed next to Plaza de Armas, the place to be, as the streets around it are the most accessible and flat in the city. The further you get from it, the rougher that sidewalks and curb-cuts get. The area around Plaza de Armas is full of restaurants and shops, so even if many have one or two steps to access, there are also many who don’t. Puerto Natales is a good place to try many Chilean specialties, like the King Crab.

During the five days that we stayed in the city, we had booked one private and a couple of group activities. The private one was a tour of the viewpoints of Torres del Paine National Park. It is a must for its stunning landscapes, crowned by spiky mountains and the vastness of it all. For the tour, we managed to secure a partially accessible van with Torres del Paine Adventure tour operator. The van had a ramp to access, although it was very steep and at the end of it there was still a step to board. The good part, even if we ended up not using the ramp, is that the interior of the van had space enough to fit our wheelchairs without having to disassemble them. Rosario, our guide and driver, was also a blast.

After a 2-hour ride to the park, we spent the following 4 going from viewpoint to viewpoint, each of them singular on their own way: turquoise lakes, sinuous rivers, vast valleys, all of them with the every present Torres and Cuernos del Paine mountain formations. A couple of the viewpoints were not really accessible, as you had to go up or down uneven rocky ground to get the best view, but the rest of them had flat compact terrain of dirt with loose pebbles. On the way there, our first stop was Milodon’s Cave. While the rest of the tour is extremely recommended for its out of the world scenery reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings, if you’re a wheelchair user, you can skip Milodon’s Cave as, with effort, you will only be able to reach the entrance.

Glaciers

The mountains separating Chile from Argentina in the south are also known for its glaciers. Without having to hike, there are three that are reachable either by road or by boat. The largest of them is Perito Moreno, located in Argentina, also the biggest mass of ice outside Antarctica or The Arctic. It is a sight to behold and one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.

After a day of rest in Puerto Natales, I went there on my own, as the trip would be nearly 12 hours long and we dreaded that the physical toll would be to high for my friend. Truth is the way there is complicated, as the highway bus is not accessible and you have to get on and off it twice each way at the border between Chile and Argentina. Furthermore, at both controls the terrain outside is extremely rough with small loose rocks and ramps to access the buildings are in such a state that they are unusable for most wheelchairs. Having said that, it’s true that once at Perito Moreno, a good part of the walkways that let you see the glacier from above are, surprisingly, accessible. There’s even an “accessible” toilet near the cafeteria.

Another must is the 1-hour navigation in front of the glacier to better take in the 50 meter high ice wall, but here you need to go down a couple of flights of stairs -with a total of more than 15 steps- and a very steep incline to access the boat. Nevertheless, if you do go, you won’t regret it. While staff and guides helped me carry the wheelchair and the add-on power assist, I kept climbing all the stairs of the tour (bus and boat) on my fours. It’s true that it may not be for everyone, but for me, if my body allows it, it gets to a point where I barely care about other people’s stares. All for an unforgettable journey.

A couple of days later, the other glacier activity, which this time the both of us did, was the navigation tour to Balmaceda and Serrano’s glaciers. Of all the boat experiences in the south of Chile, it was the most “accessible” as the plank to board the boat had only one step on each side and was wide enough for a wheelchair. Along the way, you get to see the fjords and, if you’re lucky, besides cormorants that you will surely encounter, you may spot majestic condors and maybe seals. On the tour, if you enjoy red meat, you will also get to taste traditional Chilean lamb for lunch. For the rest of us, there was either chicken or a vegetarian option.

4-Day Ferry through the Fjords

A good way to end our vacation at the Patagonia and rest a bit, was to take the NaviMag ferry from Puerto Natales to Puerto Montt, a 4-day journey with barely any signal, perfect to immerse ourselves even more in the magical landscapes of the fjords. In our case, due to bad weather, the ferry’s departure got delayed a day and a half -apparently it happens quite often-, so it is better if you leave it for the later days of your trip. Otherwise, you may have to reschedule everything… Anyway, it gave us a few headaches, but in the end the time finally came to get on board.

The ferry is a cargo ship used by local truck drivers and laidback travelers alike, that has space for a total of 160 passengers, including both tourists and professionals. There are cabins for two, four, six or eight people. Cabin 515 is wheelchair accessible. Unfortunately, as it had a bunk bed -thus only one low bed, as it was designed for a wheelchair user and an abled companion-, we couldn’t sleep in it. To make up for it, NaviMag, giving us great service, blocked the accessible room for us and let us use it to shower, while we stayed at a 2 bunk-bed cabin.

All in all, our experience was fantastic. Again, I can’t stress enough how beautiful the fjords were. Misty and mysterious when it rained -you should always bring your raincoat to the Patagonia- and a dance of cliffs and shadows under the sun, ranging from lush forests dotted with small waterfalls, to ancient rocks and barren land. And, weather permitting, the shining starry nights where you can observe the unique southern sky and the glow of the Milky Way. The best accessible viewing spot is on the rear deck of level 6.

It’s true that there were a few accessibility issues, as always the boarding process, for instance, the extremely heavy doors common to most ships or a 2-inch lip to access the elevator on deck 5, but the aforementioned beauty of the surroundings, the long and friendly talks with our fellow passengers and the great effort and helpfulness of the staff to make our stay the most comfortable as possible, more than compensated for it all.

And like that our trip through the Patagonia on wheels got to an end. Again, a reminder, if you plan on visiting the region, you should check the PDF linked below with a more detailed accessibility review of the activities that we did and the cities that we visited. And, if you still want to know more about other areas in Chile, you may check my articles on The World is Accessible website and on Travel without Limits magazine. Safe travels!

Read more:

• PDF with the full accessibility review on the Patagonia activities.
• Joan’s post about the North of Chile on The World is Accessible.

Follow along with Joan’s travels by following him on Instagram @joan_pahisa, or on tabifolk @joanp

If you have any questions, be sure to ask in our South America group and Joan will be there to answer you!