Day 1: Punta Arenas
Penguin Colony
Your first day starts when you check in at 990 Magallanes St. from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. After checking in, you will board the cruise ship at 6:00 pm. A welcome cocktail reception offered by the Captain and his crew will start of the journey and the ship will depart for “the uttermost part of the earth”. Our trip takes us through the Strait of Magellan and Beagle Channel to explore one of the most breathtaking wilderness regions in the world: Southern Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego.
Day 2: Ainsworth Bay & Tuckers Islets
At dawn, we will be navigating through Almirantazgo Sound, arriving at Ainsworth Bay, within Alberto De Agostini National Park. From the distance we will see Marinelli Glacier descending from Darwin Mountain Range, and appreciate how the land comes back to life after ice retreat. We will also take a walk to discover a beaver dam in the stunning sub-polar Magellan forest. On the beach, we might enjoy the view of Southern Elephant Seals, although a sighting cannot be guaranteed due to colony’s unpredictable location. Later, we will be sailing to Tuckers Islets, and after lunch, onboard Zodiac boats, we will be sailing to get close to a colony of Magellan Penguins (endemic 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.
Day 3: Pia Glacier
Icebergs and Glaciers in Chilean Patagonia
We will be navigating along the Northwest arm of the Beagle Channel to reach Pia Fjord, where disembarking is scheduled. We will take a short hike to a panoramic viewpoint from which we can appreciate thespectacular Pia Glacier whose main tongue extends from the mountain tops down to the sea. After this unforgettable experience, our sailing will continue along the Beagle Channel through the majestic “Glacier Alley”.
Day 4: Cape Horn & Wulaia Bay
Magdalena Island
We will be sailing through Murray Channel and Nassau Bay to reach Cape Horn National Park, where disembarking is schedule (weather permitting). The mythical 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 for sailboats between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and it is known as the “End of the Earth”. The park was declared a World Biosphere Reserve 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 settlement. 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 walk through a Magellan forest of lengas, coigües, canelos, ferns, and other endemic vegetation to reach a panoramic viewpoint. Day 5: Ushuaia Arrival in Ushuaia, Argentina’s most important city in Tierra del Fuego, and the southernmost city in the world. Disembarking is scheduled at 8:00 a.m.
Note: This journey can also be done in reverse from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas
Rate Per Person: From USD $2,410 per person.
Departure Dates 2013 -2014 on the M/V Via Australis:
October 2013: 22nd, 30th
November 2013: 7th, 14th, 22nd
December 2013: 1st, 9th, 17th, 25th
January 2014: 2nd, 10th, 17th, 26th
February 2014: 3rd, 10th, 18th, 26th
March 2014: 6th, 13th, 21st
