Patagonian Explorer

Overview:
Australis cruises are a luxury expedition cruise company that navigates through the fjords and channels of Tierra del Fuego, located in the Chilean-Argentinean Patagonia. They have transported passengers to explore one of the most beautiful and remote regions in the world, carrying out a special-interest type of tourism, with expert guides and Zodiac expeditions. They are conscious that navigating through such a pristine ecosystem is a privilege, therefore they conduct our operations in a sustainable way, to preserve the unexplored and natural surroundings.

Annually, between the months of September through April, the ships Stella and Ventus Australis cover a 4-night route between the cities of Punta Arenas in Chile and Ushuaia, in Argentina, going through landmarks in the Patagonia landscape, such as the Beagle Channel and Cape Horn. 

The service on board is all inclusive, with first class gastronomy, open bar and an expedition program led by expert guides, trained in glaciology and Natural History of the Magellan Region and the Chilean Arctic. 

Vessel:
With spacious cabins, all of which overlook the exterior, both ships have been carefully decorated, offering maximum interior comfort and spectacular views from virtually all parts of the ship. 

Floor-to-ceiling windows for scenic cruising bring the outside in to the 100 cabins which are all the same size and thoughtfully designed for maximum use of space. Furniture includes a wooden desk and mirror with brass trim, a leather chair, bedside lamps plus comfortable beds with fluffy pillows and quality linen. Bathrooms have an easy-to-use shower with curtain, vanity bowl, a double cabinet and heated towel rail. 

There are three comfortable lounges where you make your own entertainment. The Darwin Lounge has a bar and is used for socialising and nightly lectures on the next day’s tours. The smaller Sky Lounge offers all-day self-service coffee, tea, hot chocolate, juices and pastries while the forward-facing Yamana Lounge is a quiet, intimate space with two games tables and sofas for reading or enjoying the view. 

Day 1:

Ushuaia

Upon arrival at the port, you will start to check in between 10:00 and 17:00 hrs. Boarding will begin at 18:00. There will be a welcome toast and presentation of the Captain and crew. Subsequently, the ship will sail to the extreme south. Through the mythical Beagle Channel and the Strait of Magellan, you will visit Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego.

NOTE: 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. 

Day 2: Cape Horn - Wulaia Bay

We will navigate the Murray Canal and Nassau Bay arriving at Cabo de Hornos National Park, where we will disembark if the weather conditions allow it.

In the afternoon we will disembark in Wulaia Bay, a historical site that was one of the largest settlements of the native Yámanas canoeists. We will reach a viewpoint, walking through the Magellanic forest where lengas, coigües, cinnamon and ferns grow, among other species.

Day 3: Pía Glacier - Garibaldi Glacier

In the morning we will navigate the Northwest arm of the Beagle Channel to enter and disembark in the Pía fjord. We will make an excursion to the viewpoint from where you can see the homonymous glacier, whose main language extends from the top of the mountain range to the sea.

During the afternoon we will enter the Garibaldi fjord, to take a walk through the cold Patagonian jungle, climbing to the base of a waterfall of glacial origin.

Day 4: Seno Agostini - Águila Glacier - Condor Glacier

In the morning we will navigate the Cockburn channel to enter the bosom of Agostini, where it will be possible to appreciate the glaciers that descend from the center of the Darwin mountain range, some of them reaching the sea. During the morning, we will disembark in Zodiac boats for a gentle walk around a lagoon formed by the melting of the Águila glacier, until which we will come face to face. In the afternoon we will sail in Zodiacs boats to get closer to the Condor glacier. We will learn about the formation of glaciers and their influence on the abrupt geography of the Fuegian channels.

Day 5: Magdalena Island - Punta Arenas

First thing in the morning we will disembark at Isla Magdalena, if the weather conditions allow it. On the island we can appreciate an immense colony of Magellanic penguins. In September and April, this excursion is replaced by a landing on Isla Marta, where South American sea lions can be sighted from the Zodiac boats. Afterwards you will reach Punta Arenas and start disembarking at 11:30 a.m.