Mare Australis Expeditions: Itineraries

Cruceros Australis Itineraries

Punta Arenas to Ushuaia

5 Day / 4 Night Cruise

Day 1, Punta Arenas: Passengers check in 1 pm at Magallanes 990, Punta Arenas. This city is the front door to visit diverse attractions of the zone, among them are Tierra del Fuego, Torres del Paine National Park, Puerto Williams and Antarctica. The city boasts the farthest southern ski center of the world, which has the unique characteristic of being the only one in the world with view to the ocean; this center is only 8 km to the west of Punta Arenas.

6 pm – 7 pm: Boarding "Mare Australis" expedition cruise ship. The crew, headed by the Captain, will welcome you aboard for cocktails with your cruise companions. Immediately after, the ship will depart towards the city of Ushuaia, through the mythical Strait of Magellan, sailing through the Patagonian Channels and around Tierra del Fuego. The beginning of a great adventure!

Day 2, Ainsworth Bay/Tucker Islet:
With the first light of dawn, navigation will continue through Almirantazgo Fjord. We will disembark in Ainsworth Bay near Marinelli Glacier, where we will take a walk to see an elephant seal colony closely and we will also appreciate the Magellan Forests. Disembark at the bay of the Brookes Glacier to hike near the glacier.

Day 3, Pia Glacier/Glacier Alley:
Disembark in the bay of the Pia Glacier and excursion to an observation point. Here we will listen to the thunderous noises caused by the large masses of ice cracking and dropping into the bay. Navigate through the Beagle Channel and appreciate the spectacular "Glacier Avenue."

Day 4, Cape Horn/Puerto Williams:
Navigation through the Beagle Channel and Murray Channel to disembark at the Cabo de Hornos (Cape Horn) National Park, weather permitting. Cape Horn, an island featuring cliffs of almost 425 meters high, was discovered on January 30, 1616 by a Dutch commercial expedition organized by Isaac LeMaire and under the command of Captain Wilhem Schouten. The Cape owes its name to the Port of Hoorn from where the expedition departed on June 14, 1615. We will visit Horn Island to get a panoramic view of the famous and mythical Cape Horn, the place where the Pacific and Atlantic oceans merge and the last promontory of South America.

Disembark in Puerto Williams, the southernmost town of the world. Located at the northern end of Navarino Island and on the shores of the Beagle Channel, Puerto Williams — with no more than 2000 inhabitants, is proud to be the farthest southern town of the world.

In the woods that surround this outpost, we will discover splendid waterfalls, lakes and rivers very apt for fishing. We will learn about the place where the last direct surviving descendants of the Yagan Indians still live. Another attraction is the Martin Gusinde Museum, which houses the history of the native cultures of the region.

Day 5, Ushuaia:
Arrival at Ushuaia, the most important Argentinean city in Tierra del Fuego and the southernmost city in the world. Disembark at 8 am, enabling you to visit the city and national parks, and continue your trip through Patagonia.

[Retun to Mare Australis main page]

Ushuaia to Punta Arenas

4 Day / 3 Night Cruise

Day 1, Ushuaia:
Check in at San Martín 245, Ushuaia from 9 am to 4 pm. The expedition cruise ship embarks from 5 pm to 6 pm. The crew, headed by the Captain, will welcome you aboard for cocktails along with your fellow cruise companions. We will set sail to Punta Arenas, navigating through the Beagle Channel and the Patagonian channels. We begin a great adventure!

Day 2, Cape Horn/Wulaia Bay:
Navigation through the Beagle Channel and Murray Channel to disembark at the Cabo de Hornos (Cape Horn) National Park, weather permitting. We will visit Horn Island to get a panoramic view of the famous and mythical Cape Horn, the place where the Pacific and Atlantic oceans merge and the last promontory of South America. Cape Horn, an island featuring cliffs of almost 425 meters high, was discovered on January 30, 1616 by a Dutch commercial expedition organized by Isaac LeMaire, and under the command of Captain Wilhem Schouten. The Cape owes its name to the Port of Hoorn, from where the expedition departed on June 14, 1615.

Disembark at Wulaia Bay, a historical indigenous settlement with places of high archeological value. Additionally, this place offers a very beautiful visual spectacle due to its vegetation and geography.

Day 3, Günther Pluschow Glacier
Disembark at the Bay of the Günter Plushow Glacier and hike near the glacier. After this unforgettable experience, we will continue navigating through O'Brien and Ballenero Channels, Bahía Desolada, Paso Aguirre and Cockburn Channel.

Day 4, Magdalena Island/Punta Arenas:
Early in the morning, in the Strait of Magellan, we will disembark at Magdalena Island, the home of an enormous penguin colony with over 120,000 specimens in different stages of development. We will take a walk to the lighthouse, which was used to guide the exploring sailors on their way across the Strait of Magellan.

11:30 am: Arrive at Punta Arenas, where passengers may disembark.

[Retun to Mare Australis main page]

Click here for tour rates and departures.

Click here to view brochure (printable PDF format; 3.9 mb).

Click here to check availability or for more information.