Patagonia Cruise Ushuaia to Punta Arenas

5 Days/4 Nights

From $1,990 per person

(Dbl. Occupancy, Not Incl. Airfare)

Select Departures from October to March

Overview

This Patagonia cruise begins in Ushuaia, Argentina and continues via the Beagle Channel and the Strait of Magellan to Punta Arenas, Chile. You will disembark in Cape Horn, the southernmost point of the continent, and Wulaia Bay, and important indigenous site, and sail along the Darwin Cordillera to view glaciers flowing into the sea. The last part of the tour takes you to Magdalena Island to walk among an immense colony of Magellanic Penguins.

Lodging and Meals: This tour includes accommodations for 4 nights on the Stella or Ventus Australis, and 11 meals (4 breakfasts, 3 lunches, and 4 dinners).

Best Time to Go: October-March.

Destinations: South America, Argentina, Chile, and Patagonia.

Interests: Adventure, Expedition Cruising, and Wildlife Viewing.

Places Visited: Ushuaia & Tierra del Fuego and Punta Arenas.

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Ushuaia-Australis Cruise.

Check in at 409 San Martín Ave. in downtown Ushuaia from 10:00am to 5:00pm. Board at 6:00pm. After a welcoming toast and introduction of captain and crew, the ship departs for one of the most remote corners of planet Earth. 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 aboard the ship. (D)

Day 2: Australis Cruise-Cape Horn-Wulaia Bay.

Around the break of dawn, the ship 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).

Sailing back across Nassau Bay, you 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. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)

Day 3: Australis Cruise-Pia Glacier-Garibaldi Glacier.

Overnight you continue your 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 you are entering Pia Fjord and boarding the Zodiacs for a shore excursion to Pia Glacier. After disembarking you 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 way further west along the Beagle Channel, you 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 you 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, the captain will point the bow towards the beautiful sky blue Garibaldi Glacier so everyone can enjoy the panoramic view from the upper decks. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Australis Cruise-Agostini Sound-Águila Glacier-Cóndor Glacier.

Early in the morning, you 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 Cordillera — some of them reaching the water. This morning, you will disembark and go for an easy walk around a lagoon, which was formed by the melting of the Águila Glacier. You will reach a spot right in front of that glacier with stunning views. In the afternoon, you will approach the Condor Glacier via Zodiac — and hopefully see some of the abundant Andean Condors in the area. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)

Day 5: Australis Cruise-Magdalena Island-Punta Arenas.

After an overnight cruise through Magdalena Channel and back into the Strait of Magellan, you 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, you 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. (B)

B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

Itinerary Map

Prices & Dates

Price per Person

Category	Single	Double	Triple
B Cabins	$2,985	$1,990	$1,990
A Cabins	$4,005	$2,670	$2,670
AA Cabins	$4,185	$2,790	$2,790
AAA Cabins	$4,485	$2,990	n/a
AA Superior Cabins	$5,211	$3,474	n/a
AAA Superior Cabins	$5,442	$3,628	n/a

** The prices shown above are in U.S. Dollars. See the cost of this tour in your currency at xe.com.

Notes:

The above prices are based on Low Season departures. Call for the prices of High Season departures.
A limited amount of triples can be accommodated.

Departure Dates

Promotional Departures: Sep 29, 2021; April 9, 2022 (20% Discount).
Cruise Low Season: Oct 7, 15, 23, 27, and 31, 2021; Mar 20, 24, and 28; April 1, 2022.
Cruise High Season: Nov 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, and 28; Dec 2, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, and 30, 2021; Jan 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, and 31; Feb 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, and 28; Mar 4, 8, 12, and 16, 2022.

What's Included

Price Includes

South American Vacations’ expert pre-departure planning services and documentation.
Accommodations on board the M/V Stella Australis or M/V Ventus Australis.
All meals scheduled on board including alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Shore excursions.
On-board entertainment.
Local, English-speaking tour guides.

Price Does Not Include

International airfare.
Domestic airfare.
Transfer from the airport to the Cruceros Australis office in Punta Arenas, Chile, and then to the pier at the beginning of the cruise, and from the pier in Ushuaia, Argentina to the airport at the end of the cruise.
Hotel nights before/after the cruise.
Port tax in Punta Arenas, Chile ($65).
Gratuities to ship crew and guides (suggested $15/passenger/day).
Gifts and personal items.
Travel insurance.

We will be happy to quote the cost of airfare, hotels, land services, and travel insurance, and to make these arrangements for you.

Accommodations

Patagonia

Ventus Australis

Additional Details

Group/Private: All services included in this tour are operated on a group basis.

Elevations: N/a.

Passport/Visa: For Chile, U.S., Australian, Canadian, and EU citizens (except Greece) require a valid passport (for the duration of your visit) and return ticket for stays of up to 90 days. Greek citizens can stay for up to 60 days. Australian, and Canadian citizens are required to pay a reciprocity fee (considered a multiple entry visa) of $95 and $132 respectively upon arrival (subject to change without notice due to currency fluctuations or other reasons). Citizens of other countries are advised to contact the Chilean embassy in their country before traveling. For Argentina, U.S., Australian, Canadian, and EU citizens require a valid passport (for the duration of your visit) and return ticket for stays of up to 90 days. Australian and Canadian citizens are required to pay a reciprocity fee of $100 and $75 respectively (subject to change without notice due to currency fluctuations or other reasons) online, and must show proof of payment prior to arrival. The reciprocity fee for U.S. citizens has been suspended until further notice. For citizens of Australia, this fee covers unlimited entries to Argentina for 10 years, while citizens of Canada are charged the fee every time they enter the country (or $150 for multiple visits within five years). The fee can be paid online at ProvinciaNet.com.ar. You will need to register in order to make the payment. Citizens of other countries are advised to contact the embassy of Argentina in their country before traveling.

Travel Insurance: In order to protect your travel investment from unforeseen circumstances that may arise before or during your trip, we strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance. We offer Allianz Global Assistance’s Classic Comprehensive and other plans. The Benefits and Coverage Limits are summarized on our Travel Insurance page. Call your travel counselor if you have any questions or to purchase a plan.

To Book This Trip: We require a non-refundable deposit of $800 per person plus the cost of the airfare (if we make the arrangements for you).