Day 1: Punta Arenas
Your gateway to the far reaches of Patagonia is Punta Arenas, where you'll find the Australis cruise ships moored and raring to go. Check-in is between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., so you can depart by 6:00 p.m. and enjoy your first leisurely evening in the full light to take in the exciting sights, enjoy a welcome drink, presentation and, of course, a gourmet meal in our restaurant.
Day 2: Ainsworth Bay - Tuckers Islets
The start of the journey involves an interesting sail through the Admiralty Sound, a spectacular branch of the Strait of Magellan that stretches almost halfway across Tierra del Fuego to Ainsworth Bay and the Marinelli Glacier. The imposing mountains of Karukinka Nature Park dominate the northern side of the Sound, while the southern coast of Admiralty is defined by deep fjords and wide inlets. Our first stop will be at Alberto de Agostini National Park and Ainsworth Bay, where you can board our fleet of agile Zodiac boats and begin exploring the coast, before choosing between two interesting excursions. One is a pleasant hike to remote beaver habitats and a hidden waterfall, while the other, somewhat more challenging, will take you up to the crest of a glacial moraine.
Later, after you have fully admired the Marinelli Glacier and the Darwin Mountains during your excursion, the Zodiac boats will take you, after lunchtime, to discover the Tuckers Islets, where your guide will explain how life began to emerge and adapt throughout the region when the polar ice caps retreated many millennia ago. The Tuckers Islets are a great place to witness this evolution first-hand, and are also home to huge colonies of Magellanic penguins and cormorants, which can be admired throughout the afternoon, as well as wading birds, Chilean skuas, dolphin gulls, eagles and even the occasional Andean condor.
NOTE: In September and April this excursion is replaced by a glacier walk in Brookes Bay.
Day 3: Pía Glacier - Alley Glacier
Day three is truly a highlight of any Tierra del Fuego cruise, as you hike through a spectacular setting to a viewing point overlooking the Pía Glacier, a 20km-long block of solid ice that is best admired up close. Overnight, you will sail around the western end of Tierra del Fuego through the narrow Gabrial, Magdalena and Cockburn channels, arriving shortly after breakfast at the Pía Fjord aboard a Zodiac boat. There you will disembark for an unforgettable excursion. The hike itself can be done at a leisurely pace, although there are some physically demanding stretches. However, any effort will be more than rewarded once you reach the viewing point and delight in the spectacular panoramic views of the Pía Glacier.
This afternoon you will enjoy a well-deserved rest, as you return to the main ship, while enjoying one of the most impressive views in all of Patagonia, as you sail through Glacier Alley. You will be able to fully admire the views from the ship's observation deck, from the Australis lounge or even from the library, as you sail between enormous ice sheets, the Darwin Mountains and also between several sizable glaciers.
Day 4: Cape Horn - Wulaia Bay
After cruising through Murray Channel and Nassau Bay this morning, your next long-awaited destination is Cape Horn National Park, a region listed as a UNESCO biosphere reserve and known for both its remote hiking trails and unstable weather. Cape Horn is a wild landscape, a rock formation situated roughly at the point where the Atlantic and Pacific oceans meet, meaning that not only is it a totally isolated and uninhabitable place, but the surrounding seas are also notoriously unforgiving, due to conflicting ocean currents. However, when the weather is calm, Australis is the only expedition cruise to land at Cape Horn, where you can experience the wildlife of its inhabitants, as well as enjoy unparalleled views. It's a thrilling and truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.
From here we will move on to the historic Wulaia Bay, where one of the largest populations of native Yamana people once thrived – even Charles Darwin and Captain FitzRoy visited this exact spot in the early 19th century. There is an old radio building here that has been transformed (by Australis) into an interesting museum, displaying the turbulent history of the native Yamana inhabitants of Wulaia, as well as that of their more recent settlers, and also the geographical features of the area. Wulaia Bay is an impressive sight to behold, with unique vegetation, as well as interesting geology and picturesque trails, filled with various floral species, such as lenga or Tierra del Fuego oak, coigue, cinnamon and ferns. After reaching land you can choose from three tempting excursions.
Day 5: Ushuaia
With the arrival of the fifth day your exclusive Patagonian cruise comes to an end after reaching Ushuaia, the capital of Tierra del Fuego and the southernmost city in the world. Disembarkation is around 8.30am, from then on you can enjoy some leisure time in Ushuaia until your flight or your next itinerary.
NOTE: It is generally possible to carry out the expeditions described in the itineraries. However, the company reserves the right to modify, modify or omit part of these routes without prior notice, in order to preserve the well-being and safety of passengers, protect the environment or due to any extraordinary circumstances, force majeure or accident, forcing them to make such changes. For the same reasons, there may be possible changes in the departure or arrival of the ships. Likewise, it is impossible to guarantee the observation of birds and animals due to their permanent movement.