Top 5 Punta Arenas Helicopter Tours: Reviews & Recommendations

Looking to experience Patagonia from a completely new angle? You know, you really ought to think about hopping into a helicopter in Punta Arenas. Seeing the landscape from above is something else, as you can swoop over glaciers and fjords with such ease, getting views that you simply wouldn’t get otherwise. I mean, it’s a total upgrade from your normal sightseeing gig. Here’s what you should know.

1. Peninsula Flight: Soaring Over History and Natural Wonders

The Peninsula Flight is pretty interesting because it shows you a piece of history alongside amazing views. It goes over the city, then over to the ghostly remains of Puerto del Hambre (Port Famine), which, as you might expect, is a settlement that didn’t do too well back in the day. From up there, it really is a lesson to behold, offering a very special look at the landscape. Of course, you get to see a lot of natural beauty, such as the Strait of Magellan and the Brunswick Peninsula. A tour can cover these iconic locations. The experience overall? Absolutely awesome.

2. Towers Over the Paine Helicopter Expedition: Glimpse the Untamed Beauty

Want to catch Torres del Paine from above? Well, the “Towers Over the Paine” helicopter thing is something that you really have to put on your list. Picture this: You are gliding over the crazy rock formations, turquoise lakes, and huge glaciers. It turns what would usually be a tiring hike into, well, a really thrilling sightseeing moment. Usually these types of tours include all of the heavy-hitter views in the park, like the Towers, Grey Glacier, and Lake Pehoé. In other words, it gives you a really quick yet truly great peek into the untamed beauty that makes this region so well known. Just so that you know.

3. Condor Flight Experience: Adventure High in the Sky

Now, if you want to get very close to the mountains, you really have to try the Condor Flight experience. You start out close to Punta Arenas and soon find yourself over the mountains, which, incidentally, are stunning. Usually, the flight takes you right over places that have great viewpoints of glaciers and those granite peaks that everyone wants to see, offering unbelievable photo opportunities that can be enhanced with a few tips and tricks. That is something that it does pretty well. Plus, is that you might even get to see some of Patagonia’s wild inhabitants along the way, since they’re often frolicking on the lower parts of the hills, very close to town. If the timing’s alright that is.

4. Magellanic Penguin Tour by Helicopter: Encounter Wildlife in Style

Okay, how about a helicopter trip to see some penguins? With the Magellanic Penguin tour by helicopter, you could zoom off to see big colonies of these super cool birds without spending ages traveling by ground. That sounds great doesn’t it? It’s very common to have this flight land you very close to a big rookery, which gives you plenty of time to watch these birds in their natural habitat. This also usually provides time to get some really close-up snapshots of their comical waddles and dives. Seeing so many penguins all in one spot really is unforgettable, turning it into quite the way to check out wildlife in style. It really is!

5. Full Day Glacier Experience: A Close Encounter with Ice Giants

If you’re really serious about glaciers, I would suggest the full-day Glacier experience, so, obviously, this is a bit more of a time commitment. Still, it is so very worth it if you can swing it. It mixes that sweet helicopter ride with time spent on the ground walking on a glacier, which tends to make the entire thing far more immersive. Often, these things start with a scenic flight into glacier country and, usually, you can land somewhere close by. Afterwards, trained guides generally lead groups for a closer look at the ice formations, which offers plenty of chances to take photos and take in the massive size of the ice. Full day immersion indeed.