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Zodiac trip to see penguins.

Darwin's Route from Punta Arenas

Example 9 Day Cruise aboard MV Stella Australis
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The end of the world awaits you on the expedition cruise ship MV Stella Australis on a journey that retraces much of Darwin’s route through the Fuegian Archipelago aboard HMS Beagle. This eight-day Punta Arenas excursion features the legendary Cape Horn, historic Wulaia Bay, spectacular Glacier Alley, and the penguins of Magdalena and Tucker Islands, as well as ice fields, fjords, sub-polar forests and secluded beaches at the southernmost extreme of South America.
Various types of birds in South America.Wulaia Bay view.Take a walk to the Cape Horn Albatross Monument.Travelers looking out on the bay.Zodiac trip to see penguins.
Highlights
  • Explore on your own the world's southernmost city, Ushuaia, founded in 1884
  • Spend two days in Wulaia Bay and Cape Horn, a legendary geographic feature
  • Learn about the famous navigators & naturalists exploring in the 16-19th c.
  • Understand how glaciation shaped the spectacular landscape
Activity Level: Relaxed
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Embark in Punta Arenas

Check in at the Australis pier at 1385 O’Higgins Street (Arturo Prat Port) in Punta Arenas between 1-5 PM on the day of your cruise departure. Board the MV Stella Australis at 6 PM. After a welcoming cocktail reception hosted by the captain and his crew, the ship departs for one of the most remote corners of planet Earth. During the night cross the Strait of Magellan and enter the labyrinth of channels that define the southern extreme of Patagonia. The twinkling lights of Punta Arenas gradually fade into the distance as the ship enters the Whiteside Canal between Darwin Island and Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego.

Day 2: Ainsworth Bay | Tucker Islet

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
By dawn the ship sails 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. 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, sail west along the sound to the Tucker Islets. After lunch, 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.

Day 3: Pia Glacier | Glacier Alley

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Overnight 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, Stella Australis tacks eastward and enters the Beagle Channel again. By morning enter Pia Fjord and board the Zodiacs for a shore excursion to Pia Glacier. After disembarking 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 Stella Australis, 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 are named after European countries - Holland, Italy, Germany, Spain, and France.

Day 4: Cape Horn | Wulaia Bay

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
During the early morning sail down the narrow Murray Channel between Navarino and Hoste islands and drop anchor at historic Wulaia Bay. Wulaia Bay is 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 the mesmerizing beauty and dramatic geography. After a visit to the small 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 can stroll through an enchanted Magellan forest of lengas, coigües, canelos, Ñirres 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 cruise across Nassau Bay into the remote archipelago that includes Cape Horn National Park. Weather and sea conditions permitting, 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.

Day 5: Ushuaia

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
The following morning sail into Argentine waters and dock in Ushuaia, the world's southernmost city. Disembarkation is scheduled at 8 AM. You 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. Its name derives from the Yámana word for ‘penetrating bay’ and it’s surrounded by the southernmost Andes peaks. With around 65,000 inhabitants, Ushuaia is the second largest city in Tierra del Fuego (after Rio Grande). Among its highlights is the Prison at the End of the World, a former penitentiary that is now a maritime museum, Antarctic collection, and memorial to those once incarcerated there. The city is also good for shopping (especially locally made chocolate) or hanging out in its many cafes.

Passengers are required to reboard Stella Australis at 5:30 PM. After a welcoming cocktail reception hosted by the captain and his crew, the ship departs for more adventures in Tierra del Fuego. During the night 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 | Wulaia Bay

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
By early morning, Stella Australis is once again cruising across Nassau Bay to Cape Horn.Your itinerary repeats the shore landings and other activities from Day 4. However, second landings at some of the more iconic spots along the route can sometimes be more rewarding than the first time around and give you more time to explore each place in depth. At Cape Horn you have a second 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 much more depth, strike out on a longer walk than last time, bird watch along the shore, or sort through the mail barrel to see if anyone lives close to your own home. This second approach also increases your chances of landing on Cape Horn Island.

Day 7: Pia Glacier | Garibaldi Glacier

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
In the morning, navigate across the northeast arm of Beagle Channel to disembark at Pía fjord. During the afternoon you will enter the Garibaldi fjord to appreciate the glacier bearing the same name from the ship.

Day 8: De Agostini Sound | Águila Glacier

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
After nightfall reenter the Beagle Channel and sail westward along the southern edge of Tierra del Fuego into watery wonderland protected within the confines of Alberto de Agostini National Park. Rounding the Brecknock Peninsula at the western extreme of Tierra del Fuego, Stella Australis is for a brief time exposed to the open Pacific. Navigate a zigzag route through the Cockburn Channel, Magdalena Channel, and Keats Fjord to reach scenic De Agostini Sound.

Named after an Italian Salesian priest who worked among the region's indigenous people during the first half of the 20th century, De Agostini Sound is flanked by numerous glaciers and sheer saw-toothed peaks reminiscent of Torres del Paine. Your shore excursion this morning is Águila ("Eagle") Glacier, which hovers above a placid glacial lagoon surrounded by primeval forest. After a Zodiac landing on the beach, passengers hike around the edge of the lagoon to a spot near the base of the frozen facade. Condors can sometimes be seen winging high above, but there is always abundant bird life around the lagoon. This landing provides the perfect opportunity to experience the beauty of Patagonia’s sub-Antarctic rainforest and to see how the power of nature has molded the spectacular landscape.

Day 9: Magdalena Island | Disembark in Punta Arenas

  • 1 Breakfast
Early in the morning, weather permitting, anchor off Magdalena Island, which lies about halfway between Tierra del Fuego and the Chilean mainland (camera extension poles are prohibited on Magdalena Island). 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, 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, disembark at Punta Arenas.

Ship/Hotel

MV Stella Australis

Stella Australis ship
Stella Australis ship
Stella Australis' Patagonia Dining Room.

Dates & Prices

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Early Penguin Discount
Book your Patagonia 2023–2024 cruise and enjoy a $500 discount per passenger. Promotion valid for new bookings made between March 15, 2023, and April 30, 2023. Bookings must be paid in full no later than May 15, 2023, and this applies to all category cabins, except category B cabins. Additional restrictions may apply. Please contact us for details.
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Per person starting at
$3,996
Stella Australis' Category A Twin
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Category B
Magallanes Deck, 16.5 m2. Private facilities, picture window, climate control, satellite phone.
Stella Australis' Category A Matrimonial
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Category A
Magallanes Deck, 16.5 m2. Private facilities, picture window, climate control, satellite phone.
Stella Australis' Category AA Twin
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Category AA
Terra Del Fuego Deck, 16.5 m2. Private facilities, picture window, climate control, satellite phone.
Stella Australis' Category AAA Twin
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Category AAA
Cabo de Hornos Deck, 16.5 m2. Private facilities, picture window, climate control, satellite phone.
Stella Australis' Category AA Superior
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Category AA Superior
Terra Del Fuego Deck, 20.5 m2. Private facilities, picture window, climate control, satellite phone.
Stella Australis' Category AAA Superior
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Category AAA Superior
Cabo de Hornos Deck, 20.5 m2. Private facilities, picture window, climate control, satellite phone.
Included
  • 7 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches, 7 Dinners
  • 7 Nights Accommodations
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Activities as listed
  • Meals as listed
  • Open bar when the bartender is on duty
Excluded
  • Gratuities
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Flight costs (please request a quote)
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
  • All National Park and Conservation Area Entrance Fees
  • Port Fees

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The trip was terrific with great planning on your part. Most of the adventures were not mainstream and somewhat off the beaten path which made it especially enjoyable!! We felt taken care of and you all were readily available to respond to questions and issues. I would highly recommend your company and friends have already expressed interest based on our pictures and excitement.
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