Australis Cruise by La Ruta de Darwin I Tierra del Fuego 9 days / 8 nights

Between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. we wait for you at Prat dock, located at O'Higgins 1385, Punta Arenas, to check in.

6:00 pm: We embark on the cruise. Once aboard the Stella Australis there will be a welcome cocktail to meet the captain and the crew.

At night we start navigation.

We start the day sailing on the Australis cruise through the Almirantzgo sine until we reach Ainsworth Bay, where we are going to disembark to walk and see the Marinelli glacier, a dam of beavers and Magellanic forest. In addition, we can see elephant seals from the beach.

We return to the ship to continue sailing and, after lunch, explore the Tuckers islets aboard zodiacs, from where we can see Magellanic penguins and cormorants.

Tuckers Islets in September and April is replaced by a walk near a glacier in Brookes Bay.

We sail in the Stella Australis by the northeast arm of the Beagle Channel to the Pía fjord, to disembark near the glacier of the same name.

Later on we walk to the viewpoint where we can see the impressive mountain range that originates the glacier. Later we go up to the cruise to navigate the Avenue of the Glaciers.

We cross the Murray Channel and Nassau Bay to the Cabo de Hornos National Park, where we disembark if the weather permits.

Cape Horn was discovered in 1616 and was a navigation route that linked the Pacific with the Atlantic Ocean. Today it is known as the end of the world route and was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in June 2005.

There we will walk to the viewpoint through the Magellan forest where lengas, coigües, cinnamon and ferns grow, among other species of Tierra del Fuego.

In the afternoon we are visiting Wulaia Bay, where we disembark and walk through the Magellan forest of lengas, coigües, canelos and ferns until we reach the viewpoint.

8:30 am: We arrive in Ushuaia, the most important Argentine city of Tierra del Fuego and the southernmost in the world.

We will have free time in Ushuaia to tour the city.

5:30 pm: we board the cruise and set sail to navigate the Beagle Channel and Strait of Magellan.

We cross the Murray Channel and Nassau Bay to the Cabo de Hornos National Park, where we disembark if the weather permits.

Cape Horn was discovered in 1616 and was a navigation route that linked the Pacific with the Atlantic Ocean. Today it is known as the end of the world route and was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in June 2005.

There we will walk to the viewpoint through the Magellan forest where lengas, coigües, cinnamon and ferns grow, among other species of Tierra del Fuego.

In the afternoon we visit Wulaia Bay, where we disembark and walk through the Magellan forest of lengas, coigües, canelos and ferns until we reach the viewpoint.

Overnight we sail around the western end of Tierra del Fuego via the very narrow Gabrial Channel, Magdalena Channel and Cockburn Channel. After rounding the remote Brecknock Peninsula, Ventus Australis tacks eastward and enters the Beagle Channel again. By morning we are entering Pia Fjord and boarding the Zodiacs for a shore excursion to Pia Glacier.After disembarking we take a short hike to gain a panoramic view of the spectacular glacier, which extends from the mountaintops down to the sea or a longer much more difficult walk up a lateral moraine of the old Pia Glacier. No one knows for certain how the hulking mass of snow and ice got its feminine moniker, but one theory says it was named for Princess Maria Pia of Savoy (1847-1911), daughter of the Italian king. Making our way further west along the Beagle Channel, we enter another long fjord and drop anchor near Garibaldi Glacier for another shore excursion. Garibaldi is one of only three glaciers in Patagonia gaining mass rather than staying the same or slowly shrinking. This time we hike through virgin Magellanic forest to a glacial waterfall, a towering wall of ferns and moss, and spectacular viewpoints looking down on the glacier and fjord. The walk is demanding -- very steep, negligible trail, rough footing -- and not for everyone. For those who choose to stay onboard, our captain will point the bow towards the beautiful sky blue Garibaldi Glacier so everyone can enjoy the panoramic view from the upper decks.

Early in the morning, we will sail through the Cockburn Channel and enter Agostini Sound. From there it is possible to see the glaciers that descend from the middle of the Darwin Mountain Range -- some of them reaching the water. This morning, we will disembark and go for an easy walk around a lagoon, which was formed by the melting of the Águila Glacier. We will reach a spot right in front of that glacier with stunning views. In the afternoon, we will approach the Condor Glacier via Zodiac -- and hopefully see some of the abundant Andean Condors in the area.

After an overnight cruise through Magdalena Channel and back into the Strait of Magellan, we anchor off Magdalena Island, which lies about halfway between Tierra del Fuego and the Chilean mainland. Crowned by a distinctive lighthouse, the island used to be an essential source of supplies for navigators and explorers and is inhabited by an immense colony of Magellanic penguins. At the break of dawn, weather permitting, we go ashore and hike a path that leads through thousands of penguins to a small museum lodged inside the vintage 1902 lighthouse. Many other bird species are also found on the island. In September and April -- when the penguins dwell elsewhere -- this excursion is replaced by a ride aboard Zodiacs to Marta Island to observe South American sea lions. After a short cruise south along the strait, disembarkation at Punta Arenas is scheduled for around 11:30 AM. *Camera extension poles are prohibited on Magdalena Island