South & Central America, Patagonia
Fjords of Tierra del Fuego
Our cruise to Patagonia follow the fjords of the southern edge of Tierra del Fuego highlights the stunning, natural beauty of Patagonia and several of its most important historical sites.
This four-day journey includes visits to wildlife rich Ainsworth Bay, massive Pia Glacier and Glacier Alley, as well as mystical Wulaia Bay and the legendary Cape Horn.
• Discover one of the remotest corners of planet Earth
• Go ashore at Ainsworth Bay, which harbors copious bird life and a colony of southern elephant seals
• Enjoy a shore excursion to Pia Glacier
• Explore historic Wulaia Bay, one of the few places in the archipelago where the human history is just as compelling as the natural environment
This four-day journey includes visits to wildlife rich Ainsworth Bay, massive Pia Glacier and Glacier Alley, as well as mystical Wulaia Bay and the legendary Cape Horn.
Highlights
• Discover one of the remotest corners of planet Earth
• Go ashore at Ainsworth Bay, which harbors copious bird life and a colony of southern elephant seals
• Enjoy a shore excursion to Pia Glacier
• Explore historic Wulaia Bay, one of the few places in the archipelago where the human history is just as compelling as the natural environment
Check in at 1385 O’Higgins Street (Arturo Prat Port) in Punta Arenas between 13:00 and 17:00 (1-5 PM) on the day of your cruise departure. Board your ship. After a welcoming toast and introduction of captain and crew, the ship departs for one of the remotest corners of planet Earth. During the night we cross the Strait of Magellan and enter the labyrinth of channels that define the southern extreme of Patagonian. The twinkling lights of Punta Arenas gradually fade into the distance as we enter the Whiteside Canal between Darwin Island and Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego.
By dawn the ship is sailing up Admiralty Sound (Seno Almirantazgo), a spectacular offshoot of the Strait of Magellan that stretches nearly halfway across Tierra del Fuego. The snowcapped peaks of Karukinka Natural Park stretch along the north side of the sound, while the south shore is defined by the deep fjords and broad bays of Alberto de Agostini National Park. We go ashore at Ainsworth Bay, which harbors copious bird life and a colony of southern elephant seals which can sometimes be spotted from the Zodiacs. Two guided excursions are available: one is along the edge of a stream, peat bog and beaver habitat to a waterfall-and-moss-covered rock face tucked deep inside a pristine sub-polar forest; the other is a more strenuous hike along the crest of a glacial moraine. Both afford views of Marinelli Glacier and the Darwin Mountains.
Leaving Ainsworth Bay behind, we sail west along the sound to the Tucker Islets. After lunch, we board the Zodiacs again for a close-up view of the Magellan penguins that inhabit the tiny islands. More than 4,000 penguins use Tucker as a place to nest, give birth and nurture their chicks. Many other bird species also frequent the area including king cormorants, oystercatchers, Chilean skuas, kelp geese, dolphin gulls, eagles and even the occasional Andean condor. In September and April -- when the penguins live elsewhere -- this excursion is replaced by a short walk to a glacier at nearby stunning Brookes Bay.
Overnight we sail 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, your ship 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.
Back onboard the ship, we continue east along the Beagle Channel through an area called Glacier Alley. Living up to its name, the passage features a number of impressive tidewater glaciers flowing down from the Darwin Mountains and Darwin Ice Sheet on the north shore. Most of them named after European countries -- Holland, Italy, Germany, Spain and France.
During the early morning we navigate the narrow Murray Channel between Navarino and Hoste islands and drop anchor at historic 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 the 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 wooden mountain behind the bay. On all of these you will be strolling through an enchanted Magellan forest of lengas, coigües, canelos, ferns, and other endemic fauna to reach a panoramic viewpoint overlooking the bay. Before leaving Wulaia Bay, drop something into the wooden mail barrel inside the museum – letters or postcards meant to be hand delivered by future travelers – an ancient mariner tradition revived by Australis.
In the afternoon we cruise across Nassau Bay into the remote archipelago that includes 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.
The following morning we sail into Argentine waters and dock in Ushuaia, the world's southernmost city.
Arrival at 08:30 a.m. and 9:30 am according to date of departure.
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, sighting of birds and other species cannot be guaranteed as their exact location is variable by nature.
| 21 September, 2020 to 25 September, 2020 | Book now |
B
$1,590 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$2,162 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$2,253 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$2,371 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$2,794 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$2,915 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 29 September, 2020 to 03 October, 2020 | Book now |
B
$1,590 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$2,162 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$2,253 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$2,371 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$2,794 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$2,915 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 07 October, 2020 to 11 October, 2020 | Book now |
B
$1,990 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$2,670 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$2,790 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$2,990 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$3,474 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$3,628 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 15 October, 2020 to 19 October, 2020 | Book now |
B
$1,990 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$2,670 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$2,790 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$2,990 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$3,474 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$3,628 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 23 October, 2020 to 27 October, 2020 | Book now |
B
$1,990 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$2,670 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$2,790 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$2,990 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$3,474 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$3,628 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 31 October, 2020 to 04 November, 2020 | Book now |
B
$1,990 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$2,670 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$2,790 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$2,990 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$3,474 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$3,628 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 08 November, 2020 to 12 November, 2020 | Book now |
B
$2,590 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$3,499 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$3,720 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$3,989 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$4,485 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$4,750 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 16 November, 2020 to 20 November, 2020 | Book now |
B
$2,590 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$3,499 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$3,720 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$3,989 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$4,485 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$4,750 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 24 November, 2020 to 28 November, 2020 | Book now |
B
$2,590 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$3,499 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$3,720 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$3,989 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$4,485 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$4,750 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 02 December, 2020 to 06 December, 2020 | Book now |
B
$2,590 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$3,499 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$3,720 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$3,989 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$4,485 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$4,750 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 10 December, 2020 to 14 December, 2020 | Book now |
B
$2,590 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$3,499 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$3,720 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$3,989 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$4,485 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$4,750 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 18 December, 2020 to 22 December, 2020 | Book now |
B
$2,590 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$3,499 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$3,720 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$3,989 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$4,485 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$4,750 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 26 December, 2020 to 30 December, 2020 | Book now |
B
$2,590 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$3,499 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$3,720 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$3,989 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$4,485 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$4,750 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 03 January, 2021 to 07 January, 2021 | Book now |
B
$2,590 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$3,499 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$3,720 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$3,989 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$4,485 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$4,750 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 11 January, 2021 to 15 January, 2021 | Book now |
B
$2,590 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$3,499 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$3,720 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$3,989 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$4,485 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$4,750 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 19 January, 2021 to 23 January, 2021 | Book now |
B
$2,590 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$3,499 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$3,720 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$3,989 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$4,485 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$4,750 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 27 January, 2021 to 31 January, 2021 | Book now |
B
$2,590 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$3,499 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$3,720 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$3,989 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$4,485 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$4,750 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 04 February, 2021 to 08 February, 2021 | Book now |
B
$2,590 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$3,499 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$3,720 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$3,989 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$4,485 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$4,750 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 12 February, 2021 to 16 February, 2021 | Book now |
B
$2,590 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$3,499 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$3,720 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$3,989 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$4,485 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$4,750 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 20 February, 2021 to 24 February, 2021 | Book now |
B
$2,590 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$3,499 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$3,720 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$3,989 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$4,485 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$4,750 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 28 February, 2021 to 04 March, 2021 | Book now |
B
$2,590 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$3,499 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$3,720 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$3,989 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$4,485 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$4,750 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 08 March, 2021 to 12 March, 2021 | Book now |
B
$2,590 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$3,499 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$3,720 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$3,989 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$4,485 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$4,750 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 16 March, 2021 to 20 March, 2021 | Book now |
B
$1,990 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$2,670 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$2,790 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$2,990 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$3,474 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$3,628 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 24 March, 2021 to 28 March, 2021 | Book now |
B
$1,990 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$2,670 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$2,790 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$2,990 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$3,474 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$3,628 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
| 01 April, 2021 to 05 April, 2021 | Book now |
B
$1,590 USD pp
Located on the Patagonia Deck
A
$2,162 USD pp
Located on the Mallagenes Deck
AA
$2,253 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA
$2,371 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
AA Superior
$2,794 USD pp
Located on the Tierra Del Fuego Deck
AAA Superior
$2,915 USD pp
Located on the Cabo De Hornos deck
Additional charges:
Port tax, migration fee & national park fee. From: 75 USD pp
Ventus Australis
Vessel Type: Expedition
Passenger Capacity: 210
Built: 2017
Ventus Australis is the name announced for the new state-of-the-art ship being built for Australis Expedition cruise line.
The name – Latin for "Southern Wind" – reflects Tierra del Fuego's distinctive weather, a factor that has long determined the region's socio-cultural development and that so impressed the early mariners who endeavored to explore Patagonia's southernmost waterways.
Tailor-made for exploring the remote southern tip of South America, all aspects of the 210-passenger ship -- including size, length, draft and engine power - are designed to give Ventus Australis the extreme maneuverability necessary to navigate narrow fjords and channels where no other cruise ships can venture.
Ventus Australis will feature the latest regulations regarding safety at sea and protecting the marine environment.
When it goes into service in early 2018, Ventus Australis will give travelers a chance to experience the remoteness of Patagonia and step ashore at fabled Cape Horn.
Inclusions
Voyage on board in selected cabin category
All meals while on board
Non-alcoholic beverages
Open bar during licensed hours (wines, alcoholic drinks and liqueurs)
Selected excursions
On board activities
Exclusions
International and domestic flights
Transfers
Passport and visa costs where applicable
Travel insurance
Optional excursions
Port taxes/fees (USD$75.00 -$85.00 per person depending on the route)
Purchases made at on board store
Phone calls/communication charges incurred while on board
Expedition
5 Days from
$1,590 USD pp
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