Patagonia

Ushuaia to Punta Arenas Cruise - VENTUS AUSTRALIS

5 days | 4 nights
Shared tour
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Ventus Australis

Patagonia Cruises

Cruise Description

Explore Patagonia on an adventurous 5-day, 4-night cruise between Ushuaia (Argentina) to Punta Arenas (Chile) through some of the planet’s most remote places and incredible scenery.

Discover the wild beauty of Patagonia on an Australis cruise that showcases the region’s pristine landscapes, rich wildlife, and fascinating human history aboard an expedition ship that brings an extraordinary level of comfort and service to the uttermost edge of the world.

Leaving the twinkling lights of Ushuaia behind, the vessel calls on fabled spots like Cape Horn and Wulaia Bay before cruising down the Beagle Channel.

Continuing through the maze of islands, we’ll visit a number of glaciers, frozen giants that guard the southern flank of the Fuegian Archipelago, before entering the legendary Strait of Magellan.

The last stop is the Isla Magdalena and its boisterous Patagonia penguin colony before docking at Punta Arenas.

Destinations

Patagonia

Trip at a glance

Visits

ARGENTINIAN PATAGONIA: Cape Horn, Pía Glacier, Aguila Glacier, Condor Glacier, Magdalena Island.

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Trip details

Itinerary

Day 1 Ushuaia, departure

Morning

Check-in between 10 am and 5 pm.

Afternoon

Board the vessel at 6 pm.

After a welcoming toast and introduction of captain and crew, the ship departs for one of the most remote corners of planet Earth.

Evening

During the night we traverse the Beagle Channel and cross from Argentina into Chilean territorial waters. The lights of Ushuaia disappear as we turn into the narrow Murray Channel between Navarino and Hoste islands.

Overnight onboard.

MEALS
  • Dinner onboard

Day 2 Cape Horn, Wulaia Bay

Morning

Around the break of dawn, the Australis cruise crosses Nassau Bay and enters the remote archipelago that comprises Cape Horn National Park. Weather and sea conditions permitting, we shall go ashore on the windswept island that harbors legendary Cape Horn (Cabo de Hornos). Discovered in 1616 by a Dutch maritime expedition -- and named after the town of Hoorn in West Friesland -- Cape Horn is a sheer 425-meter (1,394-foot) high rocky promontory overlooking the turbulent waters of the Drake Passage. For many years it was the only navigation route between the Pacific and Atlantic, and was often referred to as the "End of the Earth." The park was declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2005.

The Chilean navy maintains a permanent lighthouse on the island, staffed by a lightkeeper and his family, as well as the tiny Stella Maris Chapel and modern Cape Horn Monument (currently awaiting repair after being damaged by fierce winds).

Afternoon

Sailing back across Nassau Bay, we anchor at fabled Wulaia Bay, one of the few places in the archipelago where the human history is just as compelling as the natural environment. Originally the site of one of the region’s largest Yámana aboriginal settlements, the bay was described by Charles Darwin and sketched by Captain FitzRoy in the 1830s during their voyages on HMS Beagle.

This area is also renowned for its mesmerizing beauty and dramatic geography. After a visit to the Australis-sponsored museum in the old radio station -- which is especially strong on the Yámana people and European missionaries in the area -- passengers have a choice of three hikes (of increasing degrees of difficulty) that ascend the heavily wooded mountain behind the bay. On all of these you stroll through an enchanted Magellanic forest of lengas, coigües, canelos and ferns to reach panoramic viewpoints overlooking the bay.

Evening

Overnight onboard.

MEALS
  • Breakfast onboard
  • Lunch onboard
  • Dinner onboard

Day 3 Pia Glacier, Garibaldi Glacier

Morning

Overnight we continue our Patagonia glacier tour 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, the Australis cruise 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.

Afternoon

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.

Evening

Overnight onboard.

MEALS
  • Breakfast onboard
  • Lunch onboard
  • Dinner onboard

Day 4 Condor Glacier, Aguila Glacier

Morning

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.

Afternoon

In the afternoon, we will approach the Condor Glacier via Zodiac -- and hopefully see some of the abundant Andean Condors in the area.

Evening

Overnight onboard.

MEALS
  • Breakfast onboard
  • Lunch onboard
  • Dinner onboard

Day 5 Magdalena Island, Punta Arenas, arrival

In April Magdalena Island Excursion is replaced by Marta Island.

Morning

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.

MEALS
  • Breakfast onboard

Map

Video

Services

What's included

Accommodation

Nights
4 nights onboard Ventus Australis M/V

Meals

Full board plan
4 breakfasts + 3 lunches + 4 dinners

Transportation

Boat
Zodiac boats: air and water exploration inflatable boats
Cruise
Ventus Autralis M/V

Orientation

Guide
Shared English-speaking guide for all excursions mentioned

What's not included

  • Entrance Fees to National Parks
  • Port tax
  • Domestic Flights
  • International Flights
  • Travel Insurance
  • Extra Meals
  • Drinks
  • Tips

Prices


Important notes

When traveling to Patagonia, we recommend you bring:

  • a warm and waterproof jacket (Gore-Tex)
  • a pair of gloves
  • a wool hat, a scarf
  • quality sunglasses
  • sunblock
  • a daily backpack
  • hiking/walking waterproof shoes
  • binoculars
  • a medical kit

The excursions described in the itineraries can usually be carried out without any problems. Nevertheless, the shipowner holds the right to alter, change or skip certain portions of the itinerary without prior notice, whether motivated by the passengers’ well-being and safety, by the appropriate protection of the environment, or in case of any extraordinary event, unforeseeable circumstance or force majeure. For this reason, departures or arrival may be subject to change. Furthermore, the sighting of birds and other species cannot be guaranteed as their exact location is variable by nature.

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