Punta Arenas – Ushuaia Route (4 nights)

Check in at 990 Magallanes St. from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Board cruise ship at 6:00 pm. After a welcome cocktail reception offered by the Captain and his crew the ship will depart for “the uttermost part of the earth”. Our trip takes us through the Strait of Magellan and Beagle Channel to explore one of the most breathtaking wilderness regions in the world: Southern Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego.

At dawn, we will be navigating through Almirantazgo Sound, arriving at Ainsworth Bay, within Alberto De Agostini National Park. From the distance we will see Marinelli Glacier descending from Darwin Mountain Range, and appreciate how the land comes back to life after ice retreat. We will also take a walk to discover a beaver dam in the stunning sub-polar Magellan forest. On the beach, we might enjoy the view of Southern Elephant Seals, although sighting cannot be guaranteed due to colony’s unpredictable location.

Later, we will be sailing to Tuckers Islets, and after lunch, onboard Zodiac boats, we will be sailing to get close to a colony of Magellan Penguins (endemic to the Southern Hemisphere) and Cormorants. In September and April this excursion is replaced by a short walk to a nearby glacier at Brookes Bay.

We will be navigating along the Northwest arm of the Beagle Channel to reach Pia Fjord, where disembarking is scheduled. We will take a short hike to a panoramic viewpoint from which we can appreciate the spectacular Pia Glacier whose main tongue extends from the mountain tops down to the sea. After this unforgettable experience, our sailing will continue along the Beagle Channel through the majestic “Glacier Alley”.

We will be sailing through Murray Channel and Nassau Bay to reach Cape Horn National Park, where disembarking is schedule (weather permitting). The mythical Cape Horn was discovered in 1616 and is a sheer 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 in 2005.

In the afternoon, we will go ashore at historical Wulaia Bay, originally the site of one of the region’s largest Yamana aboriginal settlement. Charles Darwin landed there in 1833, during his voyage on the HMS Beagle. This area is also renowned for the mesmerizing beauty of its vegetation and geography. We will walk through a Magellan forest of lengas, coigües, canelos, ferns, and other endemic vegetation to reach a panoramic viewpoint.

Arrival in Ushuaia, Argentina’s most important city in Tierra del Fuego, and the southernmost city in the world. Disembarking is scheduled at 8:00 a.m.

Note: On December 13th 2013, February 7th 2014 and February 14th 2014, the arrival time in Ushuaia will be at 9:30 a.m.

* "The companies" reserve the right to modify the cruise rates and departure dates published, without prior notice. Optional tours and transportation are not included in the cruise rate.

* Rate does not include port tax, migration fee, and national park fee. The cost per person is the following:

- Punta Arenas to Ushuaia route: US$30.- (dollars)

- Ushuaia to Punta Arenas route: US$30.- (dollars)

The cost may be modified by the port authorities of each country.

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

*  The above rates are from rates, and only for a limited cabin stock per departure.

* Sigle rates apply in B or A category only. Sigle rate in AA, AAA, AA Sup or AAA Sup wil be 1.5 of the category rate.

* Activity Index refers to the ratio of excursion per navigation day: Between 1-1.5: MEDIUM. More than 1.5: HIGH.

*  This information replaces and voids all previous communications and is valid from February 27th, 2013.

Discovering Tierra del Fuego This lecture gives an interesting vision regarding the sailors who explored this territory, their adventures and encounters with the southernmost natives of the world. The British Phillip Parker King, Pringle Stokes, Charles Darwin, Francis Drake, the Dutch Wilhem Schouten and Jacob LeMaire, the French Bouganville, the Spaniards Ferdinand Magellan, Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa, the Nodal brothers and their encounters with the local Patagones (Aonikenk), Onas (Selknams), Yamanas (Yaghans), Alacalufes (Kaweskars) and Haush (Manekenk)

A lecture that shows important aspects of the most special excursion of the route, Cape Horn. A little of its history and discovery as well as precise instructions for the next day´s probable onshore excursion.

Information from the day’s excursions and observations will be reviewed depending upon what we see: birds, insects, dolphins, penguins, sea lions, elephant seals or whales.

This is a historical review of the great navigators and explorers that dared to sail in the southern seas, analyzing the contemporary facts during the explorations period, the reasons why and finally the results of the discoveries that happened to change the maps of the world. The lecture is based upon an important number of old navigation charts from Greece up to 1900´s: Marco Polo, Bartolomé Dias, Christopher Columbus, Vasco Nuñez de Balboa, Ferdinand Magellan and the ones that followed them discovering the planet most important ocean passages.

From the landscape´s perspective we talk about Glaciology in Patagonia as a way to explain the natural process that shaped the Planet´s Landscape, Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, we explain the glaciers origin, forms, colors and the former/current conditions, giving an important message regarding care for the environment and the planet.

Detailed information on next day activities, with maps of the route and pictures we pretend to inform the passengers of activities for the following day.

It is the first lecture that is given to passengers and its objective is to present the region and Patagonia to the world, showing where we are and where we will be going day-to-day on our cruise, places we will visit, climate, suggested clothes for excursions, possible sightings, etc.