Itinerary
The expedition cruise Australis, connecting Argentina and Chile offers a unique and exclusive experience in the fjords and glacier landscapes of Tierra del Fuego. The 4-night cruise takes place from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas and vice versa. Both programs can be combined to an 8-day cruise from/to Ushuaia or from/to Punta Arenas.
Itineary A: “Fjords of Fireland” from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia
Punta Arenas │ Tucker Islands │ Pia Glacier │ Cape Horn │ Ushuaia
The starting point for your expedition cruise is the port city of Punta Arenas. Here the ships of Australis are moored at the quay and awaiting to set sail with you. Your first evening on board will be the ceremonial departure from the port of Punta Arenas, a delicious dinner and a first introductory talk to get to know the crew and the expedition team.
In the early morning of the second day, you will drive through the Almirantazgo Fjord, a branch of the Strait of Magellan. Slowly you approach Ainsworth Bay, the anchorage and starting point for the first land excursion. In the afternoon, you will take the zodiacs to the Tucker Islands. The highlight here is without doubt, the bird life: on a remote penguin colony, you can watch hundreds of Magellan penguins sunbathing, breeding or raising their offspring! Besides penguins, you can also see cormorants, nesting oystercatchers, seagulls, blood-billed gulls, eagles and even the occasional Andean condor.
Overnight you will sail around the western end of Tierra de Fuego through the narrow Gabriel Channel, Magdalena Channel and Cockburn Channel. Shortly after breakfast, you will set off in zodiacs towards the Pia Fjord, where you will go ashore close to the Pia Glacier for a relaxing and spectacular hike. In the afternoon, you can enjoy the drive through the spectacular glacier alley. Within 1 ½ hours you can observe five successive glaciers advancing from the mountains of the Darwin range towards the Beagle Channel.
After driving through the Murray Channel and Nassau Bay, you finally reach Cape Horn National Park! Cape Horn Island is a wild, rocky headland rising out of the sea where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet. If the weather conditions are good, you can go ashore here – a unique, unforgettable experience! From the southernmost point of the voyage, the ship continues its journey to the historically significant and scenic Wulaia Bay, where you can choose between three different hiking routes.
You will reach the Argentinean port of Ushuaia in the early morning. We are happy to help you plan further days in Ushuaia or to other parts of Argentina!
Itineary B: “Experience Patagonia” from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas
Ushuaia │ Cape Horn │ Pia Glacier │ Cóndor Glacier │ Punta Arenas
The starting point for your expedition cruise with Australis through the fjords of Patagonia is the Argentinean port city Ushuaia. On the first evening, you will enjoy a welcome cocktail with the crew, a short presentation of the itinerary and a delicious gourmet dinner. But first, enjoy the festive start of your expedition cruise when you leave the port of Ushuaia!
Overnight you will pass through the Murray Channel and Nassau Bay and reach Cape Horn National Park in the early morning, where you will go ashore in good weather conditions. From the southernmost point of the journey, the ship continues its journey to Wulaia Bay, where you can choose between three different hiking routes.
Today you can admire the Pia Glacier in all its splendor! Close to the glacier, on a rocky promontory on land, you will undertake an unforgettable hike with spectacular panoramic views of the Pia Glacier. In the afternoon, you will reach another wonder of nature, the Garibaldi Glacier. The glacier can be admired either from aboard the ship or during a hike through the sub-Antarctic Magellan forest.
After breakfast, you will go ashore and enjoy a unique hike that ends at a meltwater lagoon of the nearby Águila Glacier. The Águila Glacier pushes itself from the heights of the Darwin range down into the Agostini Fjord – a real highlight! In the afternoon, you will take a trip in the zodiacs to the “Condor Glacier” which has its name due to the Andean condors that live here. With a bit of luck you will spot these magnificent birds as they fly over the southern Patagonia.
Early in the morning, you board the expedition boats and go ashore on the Magdalena Islands in the middle of the Strait of Magellan to visit a large colony of Magellan penguins. So make sure you have your cameras fully loaded! You will arrive in Punta Arenas at around 11:30 am. We will be happy to help you plan the follow-up program!