The Laguna San Rafael catamaran tour leaves from Puerto Chacabuco, lasts 13 hours and starts at CLP 309,000 per person, with breakfast, lunch and a Zodiac ride up to the glacier face, according to Civitatis on 7 November 2026, where it is rated 9.3 from 38 reviews. It is the most direct way to reach the glacier in a day from the Coyhaique area.
In the same region, the Marble Caves on Lake General Carrera can be visited by boat from CLP 25,000. If you are still planning, first check how to get there in our guides to Laguna San Rafael, the Marble Caves and the Carretera Austral road trip.
View the data as a table
| From price per person | CLP 309,000 |
| Hours there and back | 13 h |
| Civitatis rating | 9.3/10 |
| Hectares of national park | 1.742 M |
Laguna San Rafael and Aysén tours compared
In Aysén, Civitatis sells one Laguna San Rafael excursion, three Marble Caves trips and two multi-day bike tours on the Carretera Austral. Neither bike tour goes to the lagoon: if the glacier is your priority, take the catamaran.
Laguna San Rafael by catamaran
A full day by catamaran from Puerto Chacabuco, with a Zodiac ride to the glacier, breakfast and lunch: rated 9.3 from 38 reviews.
- 13 hours
- Catamaran, Zodiac, breakfast and lunch
- Free cancellation up to 5 days before
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Marble caves from Puerto Tranquilo
An hour and a half by boat through the Marble Caves from the Puerto Río Tranquilo pier.
- 1 h 30
- Boat and guide
- Free cancellation up to 24 h before
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Puerto Tranquilo and Puerto Sánchez marble caves
Adds the chapel and cathedral at Puerto Sánchez: 2 h 45, rated 8.7 from 33 reviews.
- 2 h 45
- Boat and guide on board
- Free cancellation up to 24 h before
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10-day bike tour, southern Carretera Austral
Ten days by bike from Coyhaique to Caleta Tortel, with 9 nights, meals and the Marble Caves boat included.
- 10 days
- 9 nights, 9 breakfasts, 8 meals and Marble Caves boat
- Free cancellation up to 15 days before
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| Tour | Duration | Includes | Rating | From | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laguna San Rafael by catamaran | 13 hours | Catamaran, Zodiac, breakfast and lunch | 9.3 (38 reviews) | CLP 309,000 | Book ↗ |
| Marble caves from Puerto Tranquilo | 1 h 30 | Boat and guide | 8 (17) | CLP 25,000 | Book ↗ |
| Puerto Tranquilo and Puerto Sánchez marble caves | 2 h 45 | Boat and guide on board | 8.7 (33) | CLP 40,000 | Book ↗ |
| Marble caves kayak tour | 3 hours | Kayak, paddle, guide and support boat | 9.2 (32) | CLP 60,000 | Book ↗ |
| 10-day bike tour, southern Carretera Austral | 10 days | 9 nights, 9 breakfasts, 8 meals and Marble Caves boat | No reviews | CLP 2,273,730 | Book ↗ |
| 11-day bike tour, northern Carretera Austral | 11 days | 10 nights, 10 breakfasts, 9 meals and boats | No reviews | CLP 2,375,000 | Book ↗ |
Source: each tour page on Civitatis, checked on 7 November 2026. "From" price per person in Chilean pesos; the same price appears in the Spanish, French and Portuguese versions of the site. Bike tour prices may vary by option (with or without bike rental).
| Laguna San Rafael by catamaran | 13 h | 9.3 | 38 | 309,000 |
| Marble caves kayak tour | 3 h | 9.2 | 32 | 60,000 |
| Puerto Tranquilo and Puerto Sánchez marble caves | 2 h 45 | 8.7 | 33 | 40,000 |
| Marble caves from Puerto Tranquilo | 1 h 30 | 8 | 17 | 25,000 |
| 10-day bike tour, southern Carretera Austral | 10 days | No reviews | 0 | 2,273,730 |
| 11-day bike tour, northern Carretera Austral | 11 days | No reviews | 0 | 2,375,000 |
What the Laguna San Rafael tour includes
- Departure: Puerto Oxxean pier in Puerto Chacabuco. The listing does not include transport from Coyhaique.
- Included: catamaran crossing, Spanish-speaking guide, Zodiac ride to the glacier (over-4s only and weather permitting), breakfast, aperitif and lunch, a glass of whisky with glacier ice and bar service on the way back.
- Cancellation: free up to 5 days before; no refund after that. You can book up to 5 days ahead if there are seats.
- Accessibility: the listing says it is not wheelchair accessible.
A tip from the reviews: one traveller wrote on Civitatis that on arrival they were told the boarding pier had changed. Confirm the pier with the operator the day before.
Laguna San Rafael National Park in numbers
| Fact | Laguna San Rafael |
|---|---|
| Area | 1,742,000 hectares |
| Created | 17 June 1959 |
| UNESCO | Biosphere Reserve since 1979 |
| By sea | From Puerto Chacabuco, via the Témpanos river to the glacier face |
| By land and sea | From Puerto Río Tranquilo through the Exploradores valley to Puerto Grosse |
| By air | Flights from Coyhaique |
| Visits in 2025 | 8,348 |
Sources: Conaf, park page, and the 2025 protected-area visitor spreadsheet. Park fees and hours are published on Pases Parques; the tour listing does not say whether the entry fee is included, so ask when booking. Conaf says the Glacier trail closes from May to August.
Marble Caves: three ways to see them
The Marble Caves are on Lake General Carrera and were declared a Nature Sanctuary in 1994, according to the Civitatis listing. The basic boat trip from the Puerto Río Tranquilo pier takes an hour and a half, covers about 500 metres of caves and takes the boat inside them. To add the chapel and cathedral at Puerto Sánchez, the combined trip lasts 2 hours 45 minutes. The 3-hour kayak tour does not accept children under 10.
- Cancellation: all three trips have free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
- Language: Spanish-speaking guide; the basic trip and the kayak tour are listed with Spanish and English.
- Weather: lake departures depend on the wind; allow a spare day in Puerto Río Tranquilo.
The Carretera Austral by bike: 10 or 11 days
For more than a day, Civitatis sells two guided bike trips. The southern Carretera Austral tour leaves Coyhaique at 16:00 on day one, rides to Caleta Tortel and includes the Marble Caves boat trip. The northern tour starts at Hotel Germania in Puerto Varas and ends in Coyhaique, through Pumalín and Queulat parks. Both are for over-18s and have free cancellation up to 15 days before (70% refund if you cancel more than 10 days ahead).
- Day 1CoyhaiqueMeet at 16:00 at the hostel and get the bikes ready.
- Day 2Villa Cerro CastilloRoute 7 alongside Cerro Castillo National Park.
- Day 3Murta ValleyFirst gravel stretch; night at a campsite.
- Day 4Puerto Río TranquiloThe boat trip to the marble caves is included in the tour.
- Day 5Puerto Bertrand
- Day 6Cochrane
- Day 7Los Ñadis
- Day 8Caleta Tortel
- Day 9Coyhaique
- Day 10End of the tourBreakfast in Coyhaique.
The northern trip does not include entry to the Ventisquero hot springs (CLP 27,000 per person) or the return to Puerto Montt from Coyhaique, according to the listing. If you start in Puerto Varas, see also our guide to Puerto Varas tours.
View the data as a table
| Puerto Chacabuco | Catamaran to the lagoon | |
| San Rafael Glacier | Destination | |
| Puerto Río Tranquilo | Marble caves | |
| Coyhaique | Bike: southern Carretera Austral | |
| Caleta Tortel | Bike: southern Carretera Austral | |
| Puerto Varas | Bike: northern Carretera Austral |
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Laguna San Rafael tour?
From CLP 309,000 per person for the catamaran trip from Puerto Chacabuco on Civitatis on 7 November 2026, with breakfast, aperitif and lunch.
Where does the Laguna San Rafael tour leave from?
The catamaran leaves from the Puerto Oxxean pier in Puerto Chacabuco. Conaf also describes access from Puerto Río Tranquilo through the Exploradores valley and flights from Coyhaique.
How much does it cost to see the Marble Caves?
From CLP 25,000 per person for the 90-minute boat trip from Puerto Río Tranquilo; CLP 40,000 for the one that adds Puerto Sánchez and CLP 60,000 for the kayak, according to Civitatis on 7 November 2026.
Can I do Laguna San Rafael and the Marble Caves on the same trip?
Yes, but on different days: the catamaran leaves from Puerto Chacabuco, west of Coyhaique, while Puerto Río Tranquilo is about 223 km south of Coyhaique on the Carretera Austral.
