Argentina cruises: Ushuaia

Ushuaia - Punta Arenas

4 days / 3 nights
(departs Wednesday,
arrives Saturday)

Aboard the Mare Australis or Stella Australis

4 days / 3 nights
(departs Saturday,
arrives Tuesday)

Itinerary (Stella Australis)

Day 1
Check in from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 409 San Martín 409, Ushuaia. Cruise ship boarding from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Captain and crew give a welcome cocktail reception on board along with your fellow travelers. Afterwards, the ship departs for “the uttermost part of the earth.” Our excursion will take us through the mythical Beagle Channel to explore Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. We have just embarked on a Great Adventure!

Day 2
We sail through the Murray Channel and Nassau Bay to reach Cape Horn National Park, where we will disembark (weather permitting). The mythical Cape Horn was discovered in 1616, and it is a sheer, 425-meter (1,394-foot) high rocky promontory. For many years it was an important navigation route between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and it is known as the “End of the Earth”. The park was declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in June 2005.

In the afternoon, we go ashore at historic Wulaia Bay, once the site of one of the region’s largest Yamana aboriginal settlements. Charles Darwin landed here on January 23rd, 1833, during the voyage of the HMS Beagle. This area is also renowned for the mesmerizing beauty of its vegetation and geography. We will walk through a Magellanic forest of lengas, Coigües, canelos, ferns, and other native vegetation to reach a look-out point.

Day 3
We will sail through the Brecknock, Ocasión, Cockburn, and Magdalena Channels to enter the spectacular Agostini Sound, in the heart of the Darwin Range, in Tierra del Fuego. Here you can see the glaciers flowing down the mountainside, often all the way to the sea. In the afternoon we will get into the Zodiac boats and head to the Águila Glacier where we will take an easy walk on the shore of a lagoon surrounded by mountains until we reach the base of the glacier. We will learn about Patagonia’s cold rainforest and the forces that molded the landscape.

Day 4
Early in the morning, we go ashore on Magdalena Island (weather permitting). Located in the Strait of Magellan, it was an essential source of supplies for navigators and explorers in the past. The island is inhabited by an immense colony of Magellanic Penguins which can be sighted during our walk to a lighthouse, which guides ships on their way through the strait. In September and April this excursion is replaced by a Zodiac boat ride at Marta Island to observe South American Sea Lions. At the end of our southern adventure, we will disembark at the city of Punta Arenas at 11:30 am.

Itinerary (Via Australis)

Day 2
We sail through the Murray Channel and Nassau Bay to reach Cape Horn National Park, where we will disembark (weather permitting). The mythical Cape Horn was discovered in 1616, and it is an almost vertical 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 by UNESCO in June 2005.

In the afternoon, we go ashore at historic Wulaia Bay, once the site of one of the region’s largest settlements of the Yámana native canoe peoples. Charles Darwin landed here on January 23rd, 1833, during the voyage of the HMS Beagle. This area is also renowned for the mesmerizing beauty of its vegetation and geography. We will walk through a Magellanic forest of lengas, coihues, canelos, ferns, and other native vegetation to reach a vantage point.

Day 3
In the morning we navigate along the northwest arm of the Beagle Channel to enter Pia Fiord where we disembark near Pia Glacier. We take a short hike to a vantage point with a spectacular view of the mountain chain giving origin to this impressive glacier moving slowly down the valley until it falls into the sea.

In the afternoon we enter Garibaldi fiord on the southern coast of Tierra del Fuego, where we will do an incredible excursion through Patagonia’s cold jungle and a hike through the forest up to a waterfall of glacial origin. There is a spectacular view from this spot. For those who stay onboard, our Capitan will point the bow towards the beautiful blue Garibaldi glacier, and the panoramic views may be enjoyed from the outdoor decks.

Day 4
In the morning we sail through Cockburn Channel to anchor in Chico Sound. Our adventure begins in the Zodiac boats to explore Alakaluf Fiord, where we will see beautiful waterfalls and observe the Piloto and Nena Glaciers from the sea. The intense blue color of Piloto Glacier due to its compression and age draws attention. We will learn about the formation of glaciers and their influence on the abrupt geography of the Fuegian-Patagonian channels.

In the afternoon we enter Agostini Sound, a spectacularly beautiful area located in the heart of the Darwin Mountain Range in Tierra del Fuego. Here we can view glaciers descending from the mountains, some of which reach the sea. We will head to Águila Glacier where we will disembark to take an easy walk along a beach bordering a lagoon surrounded by mountains until reaching a spot in front of the glacier. We can get to know Patagonia’s cold rainforest and the movements that molded the region’s geography.

Day 5
Early in the morning, we go ashore on Magdalena Island (weather permitting). Located in the Strait of Magellan, it was an essential source of supplies for navigators and explorers in the past. The island is inhabited by an immense colony of Magellanic Penguins which can be seen during our walk to the lighthouse, which guides ships on their way through the strait. In September and April this adventure is replaced by an excursion to Marta Island where we can observe South American sea lions from the Zodiac boats. After our visit, we sail to Punta Arenas, disembarking at 11:30 a.m.

Please note: We reserve the right to alter, change or skip any part of the schedule, without prior notice, when necessary or advisable for the safety and comfort of our passengers.

Prices

*Single rate applies in B or A category. Single rate in AA or AAA will be 1.5 of the person rate of the category.
*AA Superior and AAA Superior are only available in M/V Stella Australis.

Prices include:

Rates include accommodation, sea transportation, all meals, open bar when on duty (without additional cost for wines, beverages, and liquors), shore excursions, and onboard entertainment.

Prices do not include:

Since September 2009 onwards, port taxes are charged in Punta Arenas (Chile), and Ushuaia (Argentina), and the cost will be additional to the ticket price. Tax rates per passenger are as follows:

Punta Arenas - Ushuaia: US$20.- (U.S. dollars)
Ushuaia - Punta Arenas: US$10.- (U.S. dollars)

These values may vary depending on the amount determined by the port authorities of Punta Arenas and Ushuaia.

Notes

All rates and itineraries are subject to change.

To check availability, or to make a reservation, please contact us.