11 days - 10 nights

Day 1 - Ushuaia: Embarkation

In the early afternoon, we will check in at the city of Ushuaia to then embark on one of Australis expedition ships: Mare, Via, or Stella. We will depart from the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia, sailing through the famous Beagle Channel, passing Cape Horn, and navigating the Strait of Magellan to finally reach our destination port: Punta Arenas.

The Beagle Channel is a marine passage formed through various stages of the Quaternary glaciations, which were later dominated by the sea. It is bordered to the north by Ushuaia, and at its other ends by various islands such as Stewart, O'Brien, Gordon, Navarino, and Nueva, among others. The southernmost area of the South American continent, bordered to the north by the Drake Passage, also known as the Sea of Hoces, is the renowned Cape Horn. This sea is distinguished for separating the American continent from the Antarctic Peninsula. The well-known passage that connects the two largest water masses on Earth (Pacific and Atlantic Oceans) is the famous Strait of Magellan. Located between the Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego and various islands of the Pacific Ocean and Chilean Patagonia, it holds a strategic position at the southern edge of South America.

Day 2 - Cape Horn (Chile) & Wulaia Bay

Following our planned itinerary, we will continue sailing through the Beagle Channel and the Murray Channel, then attempt to disembark (weather permitting) to appreciate the natural beauty of Cape Horn National Park. We will know we have arrived at this southern point when we encounter a hill over 400 meters tall. This place marks the farthest limit of the Fuegian islands group, being the southernmost point of South America. It also marks the northern boundary of the Drake Passage, the sea that divides the American continent from the Antarctic Peninsula.

The national park located at the "End of the World" was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2005. At sunset, we will disembark at Wulaia Bay, an archaeological site that once sheltered one of the largest tribes in the region, the Yámanas. In this bay, Fitz Roy himself, who discovered the Beagle Channel, founded during his second expedition the main Anglican mission, accompanied by the famous English naturalist Charles Darwin. During the tour of the bay, we will have the chance to appreciate its exquisite flora and geography. We will trek through the Magellanic forest that awaits us with numerous floral species such as lenga, coihue, and ferns, among others, before arriving at a viewpoint with an unparalleled view.

Day 3 - Garibaldi & Pía Glaciers

In the morning, we enter Garibaldi Fjord, disembark to trek through the southern Patagonian forest, ascending to the base of a waterfall dating from the glacial era. Those who prefer not to hike will take a boat to Garibaldi Glacier to appreciate it up close. The Australis cruise route will guide us along the main artery of the Beagle Channel; we will venture northwest into Pía Bay to later disembark at the glacier of the same name. This glacier extends into the Darwin mountain range before flowing into the waters of its bay.

Day 4 - Agostini Sound & Aguila Glacier - Piloto and Nena Glaciers

We will navigate the deserted arms of the Brecknock, Ocasión, and Cockburn channels to reach our first destination: Seno Chico. Brecknock Pass is a short channel but inhabited by considerable waves and currents visible among its numerous islands. We will leave this route to enter Cockburn Pass, avoiding the immense waves of the previous channel. Finally, we will arrive at Seno Chico to disembark via zodiac boats through the Alakaluf Fjord. This fjord is named after the ancient nomadic canoeist groups who formed the Alakaluf ethnic group, also known as Kaweskar, in recent centuries. These fishermen and marine hunters inhabited the archipelagos, fjords, and channels around the Gulf of Penas and the Brecknock Peninsula. We will head through beautiful waterfalls to the expected Piloto and Nena Glaciers, where we can learn about the origin of glaciers and their impact on the Patagonian channels region. We will navigate waters of various channels such as Brecknock, Ocasión, Cockburn, and Magdalena, aiming to reach Agostini Sound. This fjord, located in the Magallanes region and Chilean Antarctic territory, is long and narrow with steep walls over deep waters. It divides two sectors of the Darwin Mountain Range, the Navarro area to the southwest with predominant eternal ice and the mountain range that includes Monte Buckland at the northern end, named after the exceptional Italian explorer Alberto de Agostini. The northwest sector has the steepest mountains. Thanks to Keats Sound, it connects to Magdalena Channel. It is a strategic point for the best views of glaciers descending to the sea from the Darwin Range. Around midday, we head to Aguila Glacier for a dry landing and a walk through the extremely wet and cold Antarctic-Patagonian forest, which will guide us to finally face Aguila Glacier, located in the Alberto de Agostini National Park. This glacier is worth the prior trekking path to stand at its base. A moment to feel insignificant before such a grand natural work, like Friedrich’s "Wanderer above the Sea of Fog."

Day 5 - Magdalena Island & Punta Arenas

On our last day of navigation, we will head to Magdalena Island to try a landing at dawn. This natural spot, together with Marta Islet, forms the Los Pingüinos Natural Monument, one of the most notable penguin colonies in Chilean Patagonia. Another important attraction is its lighthouse, an old lighthouse declared a National Historic Monument that guides sailors crossing the Strait of Magellan. We will trek to this elevated illuminated tower to appreciate the diverse natural charms of the region, including the prestigious Magellanic penguin colony. If this expedition takes place between September and April, we will replace this experience with a landing on Marta Island to enjoy the sea lions visible from our zodiac boats. This substitution is because penguin breeding colonies only remain on the island from October to the end of March each year. We will end our maritime expedition by disembarking in Punta Arenas city. Transfer to the hotel in Punta Arenas.

Day 6 - Exploring Punta Arenas

Today we will discover the beautiful city of Punta Arenas, its history, and its most emblematic spots. We start the tour visiting Cerro de la Cruz, a unique viewpoint offering panoramic views of the port city, the Strait of Magellan, and Tierra del Fuego. Next, we head to Plaza de Armas Muñoz Gamero, the city’s central square since the late 19th century, dominated by neoclassical architecture. We will see the Monument to Hernando de Magallanes and optionally visit a museum. We will see monuments located north of the city such as the Shepherd Monument, the Croatian Immigrant Monument, and the Oil Monument, which are part of the city’s rich history with Portuguese colonial style. Transfer from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales.

Day 7 - Milodon Cave & Torres del Paine

Today we will visit Torres del Paine National Park. This park is famous for its massif that gives it its name, monumental granite formations shaped by glacial ice. The tour begins with a trip to Milodon Cave, a 200-meter-long cavern located very close to the city of Puerto Natales. The route takes us to Cerro Castillo where we stop for coffee, then head to Torres del Paine. Along the way, if we're lucky, we may see rheas (South American ostriches) or guanacos, a wild camelid of Patagonia, all part of the native Patagonian wildlife. Once inside Torres del Paine National Park, we will see vividly colored lagoons, ice-covered mountains, and native fauna. We will do a trek to Salto Grande on the Paine River. After lunch, we head to Grey Lake for a walk to a viewpoint where icebergs and Grey Glacier can be seen. We will return to Puerto Natales by the same route or pass by Lakes Toro, Porteño, and Sofía.

Day 8 - Puerto Natales & White Narrows

Free afternoon to explore Puerto Natales. Departing from Puerto Natales, we enter the channels and sail through the narrowest part of the route, White Narrows, only 80 meters wide, then navigate through the Santa María Channel.

Day 9 - Puerto Edén & Bajo Cotopaxi

We will sail through the southernmost Patagonian channels in the world. Then we arrive at Puerto Edén, home to the last indigenous Kaweskar population in Chile, located on Wellington Island, one of the largest islands in the country. It is part of Bernardo O’Higgins National Park. We continue sailing through the English Narrows and Messier Channel, where we will see the ship “Capitán Leonidas,” stranded since the 1970s at Bajo Cotopaxi. It is currently used as a navigation lighthouse and reference point for sailors.

Day 10 - Gulf of Penas & Moraleda Channel

On this day, we sail through the Gulf of Penas where it is possible to spot humpback whales, minkes, and blue whales. Then we navigate through different channels depending on visibility, traffic, and crossing with other vessels; these channels have lush vegetation (lenga and cypress forests). Finally, we navigate through Moraleda Channel, a passage for notable navigators and canoeists of the Chonos and Chiloé archipelagos. We then sail through the Chonos Archipelago to continue our route towards Puerto Montt.

Day 11 - Puerto Montt

Continuing our journey northward, we will sail through the Gulf of Corcovado, then through Apiao Channel, Gulf of Ancud, and Reloncaví Sound, to arrive in Puerto Montt in the morning, the city where this great adventure ends.