Grey Glacier Cruise with Pickup from Puerto Natales
Description
The Grey Glacier Boat Tour is the only boat excursion within Torres del Paine that takes you across the stunning waters of Lake Grey aboard the GREY III, offering front-row views of one of Patagonia’s most breathtaking natural wonders: the Grey Glacier. Your journey begins with convenient pickup from your hotel in Puerto Natales. After arriving in the national park, you’ll enjoy a scenic 45-minute walk along the shores of Lake Grey, surrounded by breathtaking landscapes. Then, it’s time to board the boat and set off toward the glacier. As you cruise across the lake, you’ll pass icebergs that have calved from the glacier itself—each one uniquely shaped and glowing with shades of blue. The boat will take you right up close to the towering glacier wall, giving you the perfect vantage point to witness the power and beauty of this iconic Patagonian giant. And yes—there’s even a complimentary pisco sour served on board, so you can raise a glass with the glacier as your backdrop.
Tour Options
Itinerary
our guide will pick you up from your accommodation in Puerto Natales at the scheduled time. Together with the rest of the group, you’ll travel by vehicle to Hotel Lago Grey, located inside Torres del Paine National Park. The drive takes approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes. Upon arrival, the group will check in for the boat tour and enjoy around 20 minutes of free time before boarding.
Accompanied by your guide, you’ll take a short transfer before beginning a 30- to 45-minute walk along Grey Beach to reach the GREY III boat. Along the way, you’ll enjoy panoramic views of Grey Lake and the surrounding landscape. **Please note that departure times are subject to availability. During the high season, from October to April, you may be able to skip the walk and take a hotel-operated boat directly to the GREY III. This option depends on weather conditions and can only be confirmed at check-in. During the low season, from May to September, this boat service is not available.
Now it’s time to set sail! You’ll spend approximately three hours cruising across Grey Lake aboard the GREY III, accompanied by a professional guide who will share fascinating insights about the landscape and everything you see along the way. The glacier wall is only one of the highlights. As you approach it, you’ll pass impressive icebergs drifting across the lake, each with its own unique shape and striking shades of blue. To make the experience even more enjoyable, the crew will serve you a complimentary pisco sour or another beverage of your choice on board. At the end of the boat tour, you’ll return to the dock and follow the same scenic path back along Grey Beach to Hotel Lago Grey. Once the group has gathered, you’ll board the shuttle for the return journey to Puerto Natales.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Please keep in mind that sailing on Grey Lake is highly dependent on weather conditions. For your safety, the boat tour may be canceled at any time—even just a few minutes before departure—if conditions are deemed unsafe by the crew. The full experience typically lasts between 6 to 7 hours, including round-trip transfers, check-in, the walk along Grey Beach, the 3-hour boat tour, and free time at Lago Grey Hotel. Because the weather in Patagonia can be unpredictable, we recommend keeping your schedule flexible on the day of the tour. If the boat trip is canceled due to weather, a great alternative is the Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers Boat Tour, which is usually less affected by wind and remains a spectacular way to experience the region’s natural beauty.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick up from your accommodation in Puerto Natales at the selected time (6:00am, 7:00am, 9:30am or 12:30pm) The pick up takes around 30 min.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(6)
I booked three tours with Howlanders while in Patagonia and, although I was initially skeptical since I had never heard of them, I went ahead based on the reviews here and was pleasantly surprised. I booked directly with them, and they were very easy to communicate with, responding quickly to any questions — excellent communication overall. All tours were exactly as advertised, good value for money, and all three I did were in Torres del Paine. The local agency they partnered with, W Circuit Patagonia, was excellent. When booking, make sure to read the briefing and notes carefully, as they provide details on the itinerary, preparation, and what to bring. You can choose to pay the full amount upfront or split the payment, and they also have a solid cancellation policy that allows a full refund if done within the specified time frame.
Hola! Thank you very much for sharing your experience! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your three tours in Torres del Paine and were satisfied with both the excursions and our team’s communication. We also appreciate your recommendations and are glad to know that the information provided was helpful. We hope to accompany you on another adventure in the future! Howlanders team.
AWESOME!!! Do not miss this tour. The scenery is breathtaking. The crew is so nice, and so fun. A good time was had by all.
Anne, Thank you for sharing your feedback! We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed the experience and the guides lived up to your expectations. and we hope to see you again. Best regards, Howlanders Team
One of the best experiences, and a must! The tour operators were not the best in communicating, I had to message them a few times asking them for information, given the cost of the trip, I'd expect more. The rating is still 5 because the actual experience was great and the driver on the day was brilliant very friendly and explained what to expect times and everything we needed to know. He was even giving information and sharing local knowledge, which was a welcomed perk. The glaciers are magnificent! I have not ever seen anything like this so I was blown away.
Thank you for your kind words! We’re glad you loved the Grey Glacier and that our driver enhanced your experience. We appreciate your feedback on communication and will work to improve it for future guests. Safe travels, The Howlanders Team
Beautiful tour, good informative hosts on the boat. Significant lack of instruction to get from drop off spot to boat. It was well over a mile and a half to get to the boat, and no indication that there was a cut off time.
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re glad you enjoyed the Grey Glacier and our informative hosts. We appreciate your feedback regarding the walk and instructions, and we’ll work on providing clearer guidance for future guests. Safe travels, The Howlanders Team
A great excursion. All three tongues of the glacier were able to be viewed in clear weather on the day, so we were very fortunate.
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re glad you had clear weather and could enjoy all three tongues of the Grey Glacier — that’s a truly special sight. We hope to welcome you again soon! Best regards, The Howlanders Team
Very professional, timely pick up, all events were delivered as planned but the weather which no one can control. It is a gorgeous park. Amazing.
Thank you for your review! We’re glad to hear you had such a positive experience — even with the weather doing its own thing. At Howlanders, we always strive to provide professional and timely service, and we’re happy to know everything went as planned. It truly is a gorgeous park!
