Navimag Ferry Review from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales – What’s It Really Like?

I’d read plenty of mixed reviews before taking the Navimag ferry from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales. Some made it sound uncomfortable, others like a budget cruise through Patagonia. In reality, it was neither.

I travelled on the Esperanza in December with my partner, and I enjoyed it far more than I expected. It’s still a ferry. The cabins are compact, the routine is simple, and you spend a lot of time doing not very much. But that’s also why I liked it.

The scenery was beautiful in a slow, moody, understated way. The atmosphere on board was relaxed and sociable. It felt like a proper adventure, not just a way to get from A to B.

Here’s my honest review of the Navimag ferry – the cabin, the food, the scenery, and what life on board is actually like.

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Quick Answer – Is the Navimag Worth It?

Yes, I think the Navimag ferry is worth it, but only for the right kind of trip. If your priority is getting to Puerto Natales quickly, fly. It’s much faster and simpler.

But if you like slow travel, don’t mind being offline for a few days and want to experience Patagonia from the water, the ferry is a brilliant option.

I went in expecting something fairly rough and functional. Instead, I found it comfortable, sociable, and very relaxing.

The private cabin made a big difference. So did the food, which was much better than I’d expected.

The Route I Took

I took the Navimag ferry south from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales. The crossing took three days and three nights. I boarded at midday on Friday and disembarked at 1pm on Monday.

Once you’re on board, you’re on the ship until it reaches Puerto Natales. That’s worth thinking about before you book.

This isn’t a boat trip where you can hop off halfway. There aren’t any excursions ashore. It’s a slow, fixed journey through southern Chile’s channels and fjords.

Most of the route passes through sheltered water, with mountains, forest, islands and misty coastline on either side.

The roughest section is usually the Golfo de Penas, where the ship moves into the open Pacific Ocean.

What Kind of Trip the Navimag Actually Is

The Navimag is not a cruise. That’s probably the most important thing to understand before booking.

It’s a working ferry that carries cargo, vehicles and passengers between Puerto Montt and Puerto Natales. You get a cabin, meals, communal spaces, large open decks and a lot of time to enjoy the scenery.

You don’t get polished service, cocktails or a full entertainment programme.

The whole experience felt very relaxed. People chatted because there wasn’t much else to do. The days had a simple rhythm built around meals, deck time, reading and watching the landscape change.

It’s the kind of trip where you need to be happy slowing down. If you need constant activity, reliable wifi or total control over your day, you may find it frustrating.

If you enjoy slow, slightly unusual ways of travelling, you’ll probably love it.

What I Expected Before Boarding

Before boarding, I wasn’t completely sure what to expect. I’d read reviews complaining about basic cabins, bad food, rough seas and not much to do, so I went in with fairly measured expectations. That probably helped.

I expected the ferry to be useful and maybe interesting, but not especially comfortable. I also thought it might feel like a long transport slog – memorable mainly because it was unusual rather than genuinely enjoyable.

Within a few hours of boarding, that changed. The cabin was comfortable, the food was decent, and the atmosphere was far more sociable than I’d imagined.

Different Classes of Cabin

The Navimag has several different classes of cabin:

• Premium Suite: Sleeps 2 passengers in 1 queen-size bed. These tend to sell out fast.
• Superior Cabin with Window (AA): Private, sleeps 4 passengers in 4 single beds.
• Superior Cabin without Window (A): Private, sleeps 4 passengers in 4 single beds.
• Shared Cabin (C): Shared with others (dorm style), sleeps 8 passengers in 8 single beds.
• Reduced Mobility Cabin (Dis): Private, sleeps 2 passengers in 2 single beds.

Each cabin has its own ensuite bathroom, lockers to store luggage, and bed linen and towels are provided.

Inside my Private AA Cabin

My partner and I booked a private AA cabin with a window, and I’d make the same choice again. It wasn’t huge, but it was noticeably more spacious than most cross-channel ferries I’ve taken between England and France.

It was clean, quiet, and modern enough.

The beds are single bunks, but the mattresses and bedding were new, cozy, and genuinely super comfy. I slept well every night.

I appreciated having a private bathroom. There’s a shower, toilet and sink. It’s fairly small and no-frills, but the shower was hot and powerful.

The window was worth it too. You won’t spend all day in your cabin, but being able to look out at the water from bed made the whole thing feel much less boxed in.

If you’re on a tight budget, you could choose a cheaper cabin type and still have a great trip.

But if your budget stretches to a private cabin with a window, I think it’s money well spent.

Food, Meals and Vegetarian Options

I’d read several complaints about the food before travelling, so I wasn’t expecting much.

It turned out to be genuinely decent. Not fancy, not restaurant-level, but tasty, filling and much better than the sad ferry food I’d half prepared myself for.

Meals are served canteen-style at set times, which gives the day a bit of structure. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, then back to reading, chatting or watching the scenery. I happily slipped into that rhythm.

The food was varied enough that I didn’t get bored. Hot mains, sides, salads with every meal, bread and enough options to keep most people happy.

I had no trouble eating well. There were also decent vegetarian options (not always a given in Chile), though I’d still request this in advance to guarantee they have enough.

Meals are also some of the best times to meet people. You sit down on shared tables, and before you know it you’re swapping stories and plans for the next week with strangers you’ll probably end up playing cards with later.

I made a couple of great new friends on the Navimag that way. We spent the following week together in Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine, and have since met up for several weeks in Europe.

Comfort, Sleep and Life on Board

The ferry was far more comfortable than I expected. It wasn’t luxurious, but it also didn’t feel grim or like something to endure.

The communal spaces were simple but perfectly fine, with places to sit, read, play cards and look out at the scenery. Most people drifted between the lounge, the dining area, the deck and their cabins.

The whole routine felt very easy. Eat breakfast, go outside, read for a bit, talk to someone, eat again, watch the mountains appear and disappear through the mist. It sounds uneventful, but that’s kind of the point.

I never felt trapped or bored. The slower pace was actually quite relaxing, especially after a lot of moving around in Chile.

You do need to be comfortable with unstructured time though. There isn’t constant entertainment, and you can’t rely on wifi to fill your time. Bring a book, download anything you want beforehand, and be ready to do very little for a few days.

If that sounds painful, this probably isn’t your sort of trip.

Seasickness and the Rougher Sections

Most of the crossing was calm when I travelled (early December). For most of the way, the ship sails through sheltered channels and fjords, not the open ocean, so the sea is generally pretty flat.

There were a couple of rougher patches though. The main one was the Golfo de Penas, where the ship has to cross a section of open ocean. It wasn’t stormy, but the ship did move about quite a bit.

The sea was also quite rough one night. If you’ve ever taken the ferry from England to Spain across the Bay of Biscay in a gale, it was a bit like that. I was glad to be in bed for that bit.

I didn’t get seasick, but I also don’t really get seasick in general. A few people looked less thrilled during the rougher sections.

I’d bring seasickness tablets just in case. Even if you don’t need them, they take up next to no space, and it’s better than spending part of the trip regretting your life choices.

I wouldn’t let the rough sections put you off unless you get very seasick. For most people, it’s something to prepare for rather than something to worry about.

The Atmosphere on Board

The atmosphere on board was one of the best parts of the whole trip.

I’d expected the ferry to feel fairly quiet and functional. By the second day, I was chatting to people all over the ship.

I think the lack of wifi was a big plus here. People actually spoke to each other, played cards and enjoyed the scenery together.

Everyone was on the same slow journey south, and that made it easy to start conversations. Where are you heading next, how long have you been in Chile, are you doing the W Trek, that sort of thing.

Things to Do During the Voyage

Most of the time, the best thing to do is to be out on deck.

I spent a lot of time outside. Even when it was cold and windy, it was worth wrapping up and heading out.

On my sailing, the captain and crew gave a few talks about navigation, the route and marine life.

This broke up the day nicely and taught me a lot about the places we were passing through.

Another highlight was visiting the bridge.

Seeing how the ship was run and chatting to the crew about what they do was a great experience. It’s easy to forget you’re on a working cargo ship until you see what’s happening behind the scenes.

The rest of the time filled itself. Cards, books, conversations, naps, food, deck time, and long stretches of doing nothing at all. I loved it.

What the Scenery Is Like

The scenery was one of the main reasons I wanted to take the Navimag ferry in the first place, but it wasn’t dramatic all the time. A lot of it was hidden by mist and fog.

Don’t expect constant jaw-dropping views. You pass through narrow channels and fjords, past islands, forested mountains, waterfalls, and long stretches of grey water where the land fades in and out through cloud.

Most of the time it was beautiful in a quiet, moody way. Low cloud sat over the hills, rain moved across the water, and the coastline appeared and disappeared as the ship moved south.

Then, all of a sudden the light shifted, the cloud lifted, or the ship moved into a narrower channel, and suddenly everyone would be out on deck.

The Downsides and Annoyances

There are a few things worth knowing before you book.

The first is that the ferry is simple. I enjoyed it, but it’s still a working transport ship rather than a polished cruise. The cabins are small, the routine is basic, and there isn’t loads to do once you’ve wandered the deck a few times.

Wifi was basically useless when I travelled. They’d only just installed it on my sailing, but it barely worked. Honestly, I didn’t mind. It definitely made the trip more sociable. But don’t plan to work online, upload photos or sort out complicated travel admin during the crossing.

The no alcohol rule is also a bit of a shame. Navimag doesn’t sell alcohol on board, and passengers aren’t supposed to bring it either.

The rougher open-water section could be unpleasant if you get badly seasick. Most of my crossing was calm, but bring tablets, even just as backup.

Three days (or four, depending on the conditions) can also feel like a long time. I loved the slow pace, but I can see how someone else might start climbing the walls by day two.

This is the kind of trip where your expectations really matter. Come for comfort, simplicity, scenery and a few days offline. Don’t come expecting a cruise.

Things I’d Want to Know Before Booking

Book a private cabin if your budget allows. You don’t need luxury, but having your own space makes the journey much nicer. I was very glad to have a private AA cabin with a window.

Choose your cabin carefully when you book, and request vegetarian meals in advance if you need them.

Assume you’ll be offline most (if not all) of the time. Download maps, podcasts, books and anything else you want before boarding.

Bring seasickness tablets. You may not need them, but the open-water sections can be rough. I’d rather have them and not use them than spend part of the trip feeling awful.

Bring layers for the deck. Even in December, it got properly cold outside, especially when the wind picked up.

Don’t expect alcohol on board. Navimag doesn’t sell it, and passengers aren’t officially allowed to bring it.

Navimag Ferry vs Flying to Puerto Natales

Flying is the sensible option if you have limited time. You can fly direct from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales, and for most Chile itineraries, that’s probably the practical choice.

The ferry takes between three and four days, depending on conditions at sea. That’s a big chunk of time, especially if you only have two weeks in Chile. You need to want the journey itself.

I’d also recommend building in an extra buffer day in Puerto Natales before anything fixed, like the W Trek. You really don’t want a delayed arrival to derail the rest of your trip.

I also wouldn’t take the ferry if I were trying to maximise every day. In that situation, I’d fly and use the saved time in Torres del Paine or elsewhere in Patagonia.

But the ferry gives you something flying doesn’t. You travel slowly through channels and fjords, spend a few days away from normal travel admin, and arrive in Puerto Natales feeling like you’ve actually crossed into Patagonia rather than just appeared there after another airport day.

Who Should Take the Navimag Ferry

I’d recommend the Navimag ferry if you like slow travel and want the journey south to feel like a major part of your Patagonia trip. It’s great if you enjoy scenery, downtime, chatting to other travellers and being offline for a few days.

It suits people who enjoy unusual transport experiences too. Not in a hardcore, suffer-for-the-story kind of way. More in the sense that you’re happy trading speed for something more interesting.

If you’re already planning a longer Chile trip and can spare the time, it’s a brilliant way to connect the Chilean Lake District with Southern Patagonia.

Final Thoughts

I’d definitely take the Navimag ferry again. It was far more comfortable and enjoyable than I expected, and it gave the journey to Patagonia a sense of occasion that flying never would have.

The AA cabin was worth it, the food was decent, and the slower pace ended up being one of the things I liked most.

If you’ve got the time, it’s one of the most unusual and enjoyable ways to travel south in Chile.

But it only makes sense if the rest of your trip has enough breathing room. If adding it means rushing Torres del Paine or cutting out somewhere else you really care about, I’d fly instead.

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