Australis Cruise: Ushuaia / Punta Arenas

Check in between 10:00 and 16:00 at 409 San Martín Street. Board the M/V Via Australis cruise ship at 17:30. After a welcoming cocktail reception hosted by the Captain and his crew, the M/V Via Australis will depart for one of the remotest parts of the planet. Our voyage will take us through the Strait of Magellan and Beagle Channel to explore one of the most breathtaking wilderness regions in the world: Southern Patagonia, which includes the Tierra del Fuego archipelago.

We sail through Murray Channel and Nassau Bay to reach Cape Horn National Park, where, weather permitting, we shall go ashore. The legendary Cape Horn was discovered in 1616 and is a sheer 425-meter (1,394-foot) high rocky promontory. For many years it was an important navigation route between the Pacific and the Atlantic, and is referred to as the ‘End of the Earth’. The park was declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2005. In the afternoon, we will go ashore at historic Wulaia Bay, originally the site of one of the region’s largest Yamana aboriginal settlements. Charles Darwin landed there in 1833 during his voyage on the HMS Beagle. This area is also renowned for the mesmerizing beauty of its vegetation and geography. We will take an enchanted walk through the Magellan Forest of lengas, coigües, canelos, ferns, and other endemic vegetation, to reach a panoramic viewpoint.

We navigate along the Northwest arm of the Beagle Channel to reach Pia Fjord, where we disembark. We will then take a short hike to gain a panoramic view of the spectacular Pia Glacier, which extends from the mountaintops down to the sea. In the afternoon, we will enter Garibaldi Fjord where we will disembark for a hike through the forest up to a glacial waterfall to enjoy the spectacular views. For those who choose to stay onboard, our Captain will point the bow towards the beautiful blue Garibaldi Glacier so that they can enjoy the panoramic view from the upper decks.

In the morning, we will be sailing through Cockburn Channel to anchor in Chico Sound. Traveling in well-equipped Zodiac boats, we will explore Alakaluf Fjord and enjoy the view of Piloto and Nena Glaciers from the sea. You will find yourself being drawn to the intense blue color of Piloto Glacier, which is due to its compression and age. We will learn about the formation of glaciers and their influence on the unexpected topography of the Fuegian-Patagonian channels. In the afternoon, we will enter the spectacular De Agostini Sound, right in the heart of the Darwin Mountain Range – the perfect viewing point to appreciate glaciers that make their way down to the sea from the upper ice field. Later that afternoon, we will travel aboard Zodiacs to the Águila Glacier where we will embark upon an easy walk to its base. It’s the perfect opportunity to experience the beauty of Patagonia’s cold rainforest and to see how the power of nature has molded the spectacular landscape.

Early in the morning, weather permitting, we will go ashore on Magdalena Island, located in the middle of the Strait of Magellan. The island used to be an essential source of supplies for navigators and explorers and is inhabited by an immense colony of Magellan Penguins that we will be able to see during our walk to the lighthouse. In September and April, this excursion is replaced by a ride aboard Zodiacs to Marta Island to observe South American Sea Lions.

Finally, disembarkation at Punta Arenas is scheduled for 11:30.

**End of our services**