Australis Cruise: Punta Arenas / Ushuaia

Check in at 990 Magallanes Street between 13:00 and 17:00. Board the M/V Via Australis or M/V Stella Australis cruise ship at 18:00. After a welcoming cocktail reception hosted by the Captain and his crew, the ship will depart for one of the remotest parts of the planet. Our trip 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.

At dawn, we will navigate our way through Almirantazgo Sound, arriving at Ainsworth Bay which is sited within Alberto De Agostini National Park. It’s the perfect spot from which to see the Marinelli Glacier descending from Darwin Mountain Range in the distance; and to appreciate how the land returns to life after glacial retreat. We will also take a walk to a beaver dam in the stunning sub-polar Magellan Forest. Whether on the beach or the island, there’s a good chance of sighting Southern Elephant Seals. But do bear in mind the fact that sightings cannot be guaranteed due to the colony’s unpredictable movements. Later, we will be sailing to Tuckers Islets, and after lunch, we will board well-equipped Zodiac boats to get close to a colony of Magellan Penguins (indigenous to the Southern Hemisphere) and cormorants. In September and April, this excursion is replaced by a short walk to a nearby glacier at Brookes Bay.

We will navigate along the northwest arm of the Beagle Channel before disembarking at Pia Fjord. From there, we’ll take a short hike to a panoramic viewpoint from where we can enjoy spectacular views of the awe-inspiring Pia Glacier whose main tongue extends from the mountaintops down to the sea. After this memorable experience, we will continue our voyage along the Beagle Channel through the majestic Glacier Alley.

We will be sailing 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 historical 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.

In Via Australis, for 2014 – 2015 season, the excursion to Wulaia Bay will be in the morning and to Cape Horn in the afternoon.

Acknowledged as the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia was founded in 1884 and was one of the original points of encounter between the Yamana and Anglican cultures. Its name derives from the Yamana word for ‘penetrating bay’ and it’s surrounded by the last high peaks of the Andes. Today, it is one of the largest cities on Tierra del Fuego Island, with around 65,000 inhabitants. The perfect opportunity to enjoy the city and its spectacular scenery.

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Disembarkation 2014 – 2015 Season: Stella Australis at 08:00 and Via Australis at 09:30.