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Marvel at Patagonia’s marble caves

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Glide by boat through the depths of Chile's silvery limestone marble caves, a natural phenomenon of haunting beauty.

The Carretera Austral, the lonely road carving its way through the wild mountain landscapes of northern and central Chilean Patagonia, is spectacular in its own right but en route you can detour to view some astonishing natural phenomena, such as the Exploradores Glacier, and, equally stunning, the surreal limestone rock formations in the ocean gulf at Puerto Rio Tranquilo.

Travel by motor launch to view, and even enter, pearl white limestone caverns, the dazzling contorted sculptures of which are reflected in the calm turquoise waters. This curiousity of nature has been named the Capilla de Marmol (marble chapel) after the lofty church-like vaults and pinnacles. Chiselled by wind and water, these extraordinary formations are streaked with a ghostly silver and blue, making them appear even more otherworldly.

This is a popular day trip. If you have your own vehicle you can follow a cliff-carved gravelled road to visit another set of similar, equally impressive caves close to the tiny, sleepy port Puerto Sanchez, where you can hire a boat and will probably be the only visitors.

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    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

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    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

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