314 - Australis Cruise: Darwin´s Route

Day 1

Punta Arenas

Check in at the Australis pier at 1398 Costanera del Estrecho Ave. (Arturo Prat Port) in Punta Arenas between 13:00 and 17:00 (1-5 PM) on the day of your cruise departure.

Board the Australis cruise at 18:00 (6 PM). After a welcoming cocktail with the captain and crew, the ship will set sail for one of the remotest corners of the Earth. During the night, we will cross the Strait of Magellan and enter the labyrinth of channels that mark the southern tip of Patagonia. The twinkling lights of Punta Arenas will gradually fade as we navigate the Whiteside Canal between Darwin Island and Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego.

Day 2

Ainsworth Bay & Tuckers Islets

By dawn, the ship will be sailing up Admiralty Sound (Seno Almirantazgo), a stunning offshoot of the Strait of Magellan that extends nearly halfway across Tierra del Fuego. The snow-capped peaks of Karukinka Natural Park will rise 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 will go ashore at Ainsworth Bay, home to abundant birdlife and a colony of southern elephant seals that can sometimes be spotted from the Zodiacs.

You can choose between two guided excursions:

• A walk along the edge of a stream, peat bog, and beaver habitat to a waterfall and a moss-covered rock face deep in a pristine sub-polar forest.
• A more strenuous hike along the crest of a glacial moraine.

Both offer views of Marinelli Glacier and the Darwin Mountains. After leaving Ainsworth Bay, we will sail west along the sound to the Tucker Islets. After lunch, we will board the Zodiacs for a close-up view of the Magellanic penguins that inhabit these tiny islands. Over 4,000 penguins nest, give birth, and nurture their chicks here. 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 are elsewhere, this excursion will be replaced by a short walk to a glacier at nearby Brookes Bay.

Day 3

Pia and Alley Glaciers

Overnight, we will sail around the western end of Tierra del Fuego via the narrow Gabrial, Magdalena, and Cockburn channels. After rounding the remote Brecknock Peninsula, the Australis cruise will tack eastward and re-enter the Beagle Channel. By morning, we will enter Pia Fjord and board the Zodiacs for a shore excursion to Pia Glacier.

After disembarking, you can choose between:

• A short hike for a panoramic view of the glacier, which extends from the mountaintops down to the sea.
• A longer, more strenuous hike up a lateral moraine of the old Pia Glacier.

The glacier’s feminine name is thought to honor Princess Maria Pia of Savoy (1847-1911), daughter of the Italian king. Back on the Australis vessel, we will continue east along the Beagle Channel through an area known as Glacier Alley. True to its name, the passage features impressive tidewater glaciers flowing from the Darwin Mountains and Darwin Ice Sheet on the north shore. Most of these glaciers are named after European countries—Holland, Italy, Germany, Spain, and France.

Day 4

Cape Horn and Wulaia Bay

Wulaia Bay is one of the few places in the archipelago where human history is as compelling as the natural environment. Once the site of one of the region’s largest Yámana aboriginal settlements, the bay was described by Charles Darwin and sketched by Captain FitzRoy during their 1830s voyages on the HMS Beagle. The area is renowned for its mesmerizing beauty and dramatic geography.

After visiting the small Australis-sponsored museum in the old radio station—highlighting the Yámana people and European missionaries—you can choose from three hikes of increasing difficulty that ascend the heavily wooded mountain behind the bay. All hikes take you through an enchanting Magellan forest of lengas, coigües, canelos, Ñirres ferns, and other endemic flora to 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—a mariner tradition revived by Australis.

In the afternoon, we will cruise across Nassau Bay into the remote archipelago that includes Cape Horn National Park. Weather and sea conditions permitting, we will go ashore on the windswept island featuring 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, along with the tiny Stella Maris Chapel and the modern Cape Horn Monument.

Day 5

Ushuaia

The following morning, we will sail into Argentine waters and dock in Ushuaia, the world’s southernmost city. Disembarkation is scheduled for 8 AM. You will have almost a full day to explore Ushuaia, founded in 1884 and one of the original points of contact between the indigenous Yámana and European cultures. The city’s name comes from the Yámana word for ‘penetrating bay.’ With around 65,000 inhabitants, Ushuaia is the second-largest city in Tierra del Fuego (after Rio Grande) and is surrounded by the Southernmost Andes peaks. Highlights include the Prison at the End of the World, a former penitentiary now serving as a maritime museum with an Antarctic collection and a memorial to former inmates. The city is also great for shopping, especially for locally made chocolate, or relaxing in its many cafes.

Passengers are required to reboard the vessel at 17:30 (5:30 PM). After a welcoming toast and introduction of the captain and crew to new passengers, the ship will depart for more adventures in Tierra del Fuego. During the night, we will traverse the Beagle Channel, cross back into Chilean territorial waters, and turn into the narrow Murray Channel between Navarino and Hoste islands.

Day 6

Cape Horn and Wulaia Bay

By early morning, the Australis cruise will once again be crossing Nassau Bay to Cape Horn. Our itinerary will repeat the shore landings and activities from Day 4. However, a second visit to some of the iconic spots can often be more rewarding, allowing more time to explore each location in depth.

At Cape Horn, you will have another chance to visit the Stella Maris Chapel, chat with the lighthouse keeper and his family, or photograph the unusual sub-polar flora that covers the heights.

At Wulaia Bay, explore the museum in greater depth, embark on a longer hike, bird watch along the shore, or sift through the mail barrel to see if a past visitor lives close to your own home. This second visit also increases your chances of landing on Cape Horn Island.

Day 7

Pia & Garibaldi Glaciers

After nightfall, we will re-enter the Beagle Channel and sail westward along the southern edge of Tierra del Fuego into a watery wonderland protected within Alberto de Agostini National Park. By morning, we will enter Pia Fjord again for another chance to hike beside its famous glacier.

Continuing west along the Beagle Channel, we will enter another long fjord and anchor near Garibaldi Glacier for another shore excursion. Garibaldi is one of only three glaciers in Patagonia gaining mass rather than remaining static or shrinking. This time, we will hike through virgin Magellanic forest to a glacial waterfall, a towering wall of ferns and moss, and spectacular viewpoints overlooking the glacier and fjord. The walk is demanding—very steep, with minimal trail and rough footing—and may not be suitable for everyone. For those who prefer to stay onboard, our captain will point the bow toward the beautiful sky-blue Garibaldi Glacier so everyone can enjoy the panoramic view from the upper decks.

Day 8

Agostini sound, Aguila and Condor Glaciers

Early in the morning, we will sail through Cockburn Channel and enter Agostini Sound, where it’s possible to see glaciers descending from the middle of the Darwin Mountain Range, some reaching the water.

We will disembark for an easy walk around a lagoon formed by the melting Águila Glacier, eventually reaching a stunning viewpoint in front of the glacier. In the afternoon, we will approach Condor Glacier via Zodiac and hopefully see some of the abundant Andean Condors in the area.

Day 9

Magdalena Penguin Reserve & Disembarkation in Punta Arenas

After an overnight cruise through Magdalena Channel and back into the Strait of Magellan, we will anchor off Magdalena Island, located about halfway between Tierra del Fuego and the Chilean mainland. Crowned by a distinctive lighthouse, the island was once an essential supply point for navigators and explorers and is home to a vast colony of Magellanic penguins.

At dawn, weather permitting, we will go ashore and hike a path through thousands of penguins to a small museum inside the vintage 1902 lighthouse. Many other bird species are also found on the island. In September and April, when the penguins are elsewhere, this excursion will be replaced by a Zodiac ride 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.

Camera extension poles (tripods) are prohibited on Magdalena Island.