Option II

Discover Patagonia

4 days, 3 nights

 

STELLA AUSTRALIS USHUAIA TO PUNTA ARENAS (4D/3N)

Expedition cruise ship M/V Stella Australis

The expedition cruise ship M/V Stella Australis takes you on an amazing journey to the “uttermost end of the earth.” Our Patagonia adventure cruises sail between Ushuaia (Argentina) and Punta Arenas (Chile), where you’ll discover the splendor and beauty of Patagonia’s unique wildlife and landscapes.

The expedition cruise ship M/V Stella Australis takes you on an amazing journey to the “uttermost end of the earth.” Our adventure cruises sail between Ushuaia (Argentina) and Punta Arenas (Chile), where you’ll discover the splendor and beauty of Patagonia’s unique wildlife and landscapes.

One of the industry’s most comfortable ships is designed to make your Australis cruise excursion as comfortable and rewarding as possible during a journey down to Cape Horn at the bottom end of western hemisphere, through the scenic Beagle Channel that runs along the southern extreme of Tierra del Fuego, and across the fabled Strait of Magellan to the Chilean mainland.

As you visit Patagonia you’ll learn about others who have explored the same waters — Ferdinand Magellan and Sir Francis Drake, Captain FitzRoy and Charles Darwin. All the while on the lookout for whales, dolphins, penguins, condors, elephant seals and the other creatures who call this remote part of the world their home. Explore more of Darwin’s route on our 7-night Punta Arenas excursions. Retrace Darwin’s route through the Fuegian Archipelago aboard the MV Stella Australis.

 

DAY 1: USHUAIA

Check in at 160 Juan Manuel de Rosas Street in downtown Ushuaia between 10:00 and 17:00 (10 AM-5 PM) on the day of your cruise departure.

2017-2018 Season: Board the M/V Stella Australis at 18:00 (6 PM).

After a welcoming toast and introduction of captain and crew, the ship departs for one of the most remote corners of planet Earth. During the night, we traverse the Beagle Channel and cross from Argentina into Chilean territorial waters. The lights of Ushuaia disappear as we turn into the narrow Murray Channel between Navarino and Hoste islands.

 

DAY 2 : Cape Horn – Wulaia Bay

Around the break of dawn, Stella Australis crosses Nassau Bay and enters the remote archipelago that comprises Cape Horn National Park. Weather and sea conditions permitting, we shall 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 (currently awaiting repair after being damaged by fierce winds).

Sailing back across Nassau Bay, we anchor at fabled Wulaia Bay, 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 HMS Beagle. This area is also renowned for its mesmerizing beauty and dramatic geography. After a visit to the 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 wooded mountain behind the bay. On all of these you stroll through an enchanted Magellanic forest of lengas, coigües, canelos and ferns to reach panoramic viewpoints overlooking the bay.

 

DAY 3 : Agostini Sound – Águila Glacier

After nightfall we reenter the Beagle Channel and sail westward along the southern edge of Tierra del Fuego into a watery wonderland protected within the confines of Alberto de Agostini National Park. Rounding the Brecknock Peninsula as the western extreme of Tierra del Fuego, Stella Australis is briefly exposed to the open Pacific. We then 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. Our 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 4 : Magdalena Island – Punta Arenas

After an overnight cruise through Magdalena Channel and back into the Strait of Magellan, we anchor off Magdalena Island, which lies about halfway between Tierra del Fuego and the Chilean mainland. 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, we 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, disembarkation at Punta Arenas is scheduled for around 11:30 AM.

*Camera extension poles are prohibited on Magdalena Island

 

NOTE: The excursions described in the itineraries can usually be carried out without any problems. Nevertheless, the shipowner holds the right to alter, change or skip certain portions of the itinerary without prior notice, whether motivated by the passengers’ well-being and safety, by the appropriate protection of the environment, or in case of any extraordinary event, unforeseeable circumstance or force majeure. For this reason, departures or arrival may be subject to change. Furthermore, sighting of birds and other species cannot be guaranteed as their exact location is variable by nature.

 

Stella Accommodations

STELLA DECK MAP

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Conditions

Accommodation (Cabin A), sea transportation (M/V STELLA Australis), all meals, open bar (without additional cost for wines, beverages and liquors), shore excursions and on-board entertainment, English and Spanish speaking guides.

PASSAGE CONTRACT

Buying a ticket implies entering into an agreement under the terms and conditions of the Owner (here and after “the Company”) for passenger transportation.

RESERVATIONS, DEPOSITS AND PAYMENTS

A deposit of $US 300 per passenger is required to guarantee a tentative reservation. The final payment must be received by the Company 60 days before the departure of the cruise.

CANCELLATION POLICY

The following penalties will apply in case of cancellation as soon as the Company receive written notice.

Up to 60 days before departure: US$300.- (Deposit).

From 59 and 50 days before departure: 25% of sales value.

From 49 and 40 days before departure: 50% of sales value.

From 39 and 30 days before departure: 75% of sales value.

From 29 and 0 days before departure: 100% of sales value.

 

CHILDREN POLICY

Infants between 0 and 3 years old have a 100% discount, sharing the bed with their parents. Children between 4 and 12 years old have a 50% discount, sharing a cabin with an adult.

RATES & DEPARTURES

The Company reserves the right to modify the cruise rates and departure dates published in this brochure, without prior notice.
The arrival time is estimated, the vessel may be delayed, without any responsibility for the Company due to climate conditions.

CRUISE CONDITIONS

Rates include accommodation, sea transportation, all meals, open bar when on duty (without additional cost for wines, beverages, and liquors), shore excursions, and entertainment. Optional tours and transportation are not included in the cruise rate. Not included port tax, migration fee, and national park fee.

FORMS OF PAYMENT

Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and Diners credit cards, traveler’s checks, US Dollars, Euros, Chilean Pesos, and wire transfers are accepted.

REQUIRED CLOTHING

Trekking or hiking shoes are required for all passengers.

Option III

Patagonian Explorer

5 days, 4 nights

VENTUS AUSTRALIS USHUAIA TO PUNTA ARENAS (5D/4N)

Expedition cruise ship M/V Ventus Australis

Expedition Cruise | Upcoming on January, 2018

Ventus Australis is the name announced for the new state-of-the-art ship being built for Australis Expedition cruise line.

The name – Latin for “Southern Wind” – reflects Tierra del Fuego’s distinctive weather, a factor that has long determined the region’s socio-cultural development and that so impressed the early mariners who endeavored to explore Patagonia’s southernmost waterways.

Starting in January 2018, explore Patagonia on an adventurous five-day, four-night journeys between Ushuaia (Argentina) to Punta Arenas (Chile) through some of planet’s most remote places and incredible scenery. Discover the wild beauty of Patagonia on an Australis cruise that showcases the region’s pristine landscapes, rich wildlife and fascinating human history aboard an expedition ship that brings an extraordinary level of comfort and service to the uttermost edge of the world. Leaving the twinkling lights of Ushuaia behind, the vessel calls on fabled spots like Cape Horn and Wulaia Bay before cruising down the Beagle Channel. Continuing through the maze of islands, we’ll visit a number of glaciers, frozen giants that guard the southern flank of the Fuegian Archipelago, before entering the legendary Strait of Magellan. Last stop is the Isla Magdalena and its boisterous Patagonia penguin colony before docking at Punta Arenas.

 

DAY 1 : Ushuaia

Check in at 160 Juan Manuel de Rosas Street in downtown Ushuaia between 10:00 and 17:00 (10 AM-5 PM) on the day of your cruise departure. Board the M/V Ventus Australis at 18:00 (6 PM). After a welcoming toast and introduction of captain and crew, the ship departs for one of the most remote corners of planet Earth. During the night we traverse the Beagle Channel and cross from Argentina into Chilean territorial waters. The lights of Ushuaia disappear as we turn into the narrow Murray Channel between Navarino and Hoste islands.

 

DAY 2 :   Cape Horn – Wulaia Bay

Around the break of dawn, Stella Australis crosses Nassau Bay and enters the remote archipelago that comprises Cape Horn National Park. Weather and sea conditions permitting, we shall 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 (currently awaiting repair after being damaged by fierce winds).

Sailing back across Nassau Bay, we anchor at fabled Wulaia Bay, 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 HMS Beagle. This area is also renowned for its mesmerizing beauty and dramatic geography. After a visit to the 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 wooded mountain behind the bay. On all of these you stroll through an enchanted Magellanic forest of lengas, coigües, canelos and ferns to reach panoramic viewpoints overlooking the bay.

 

DAY 3 : Pía Glacier – Garibaldi Glacier

Overnight we continue our Patagonia glacier tour 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, Ventus Australis tacks eastward and enters the Beagle Channel again. By morning we are entering Pia Fjord and boarding the Zodiacs for a shore excursion to Pia Glacier.After disembarking we 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.

Making our way further west along the Beagle Channel, we enter another long fjord and drop anchor near Garibaldi Glacier for another shore excursion. Garibaldi is one of only three glaciers in Patagonia gaining mass rather than staying the same or slowly shrinking. This time we hike through virgin Magellanic forest to a glacial waterfall, a towering wall of ferns and moss, and spectacular viewpoints looking down on the glacier and fjord. The walk is demanding — very steep, negligible trail, rough footing — and not for everyone. For those who choose to stay onboard, our captain will point the bow towards the beautiful sky blue Garibaldi Glacier so everyone can enjoy the panoramic view from the upper decks.

 

DAY 4 : Agostini Sound – Águila Glacier – Cóndor Glacier

Early in the morning, we will sail through the Cockburn Channel and enter Agostini Sound.  From there it is possible to see the glaciers that descend from the middle of the Darwin Mountain Range — some of them reaching the water. This morning, we will disembark and go for an easy walk around a lagoon, which was formed by the melting of the Águila Glacier.  We will reach a spot right in front of that glacier with stunning views.  In the afternoon, we will approach the Condor Glacier via Zodiac — and hopefully see some of the abundant Andean Condors in the area.

 

DAY 5 : Magdalena Island – Punta Arenas

After an overnight cruise through Magdalena Channel and back into the Strait of Magellan, we anchor off Magdalena Island, which lies about halfway between Tierra del Fuego and the Chilean mainland. 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, we 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, disembarkation at Punta Arenas is scheduled for around 11:30 AM.

*Camera extension poles are prohibited on Magdalena Island

 

NOTE: The excursions described in the itineraries can usually be carried out without any problems. Nevertheless, the shipowner holds the right to alter, change or skip certain portions of the itinerary without prior notice, whether motivated by the passengers’ well-being and safety, by the appropriate protection of the environment, or in case of any extraordinary event, unforeseeable circumstance or force majeure. For this reason, departures or arrival may be subject to change. Furthermore, sighting of birds and other species cannot be guaranteed as their exact location is variable by nature.

DECK MAP VENTUS

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Conditions

Accommodation (Cabin A), sea transportation (M/V STELLA Australis), all meals, open bar (without additional cost for wines, beverages and liquors), shore excursions and on-board entertainment, English and Spanish speaking guides.

PASSAGE CONTRACT

Buying a ticket implies entering into an agreement under the terms and conditions of the Owner (here and after “the Company”) for passenger transportation.

RESERVATIONS, DEPOSITS AND PAYMENTS

A deposit of $US 300 per passenger is required to guarantee a tentative reservation. The final payment must be received by the Company 60 days before the departure of the cruise.

CANCELLATION POLICY

The following penalties will apply in case of cancellation as soon as the Company receive written notice.

Up to 60 days before departure: US$300.- (Deposit).

From 59 and 50 days before departure: 25% of sales value.

From 49 and 40 days before departure: 50% of sales value.

From 39 and 30 days before departure: 75% of sales value.

From 29 and 0 days before departure: 100% of sales value.

 

CHILDREN POLICY

Infants between 0 and 3 years old have a 100% discount, sharing the bed with their parents. Children between 4 and 12 years old have a 50% discount, sharing a cabin with an adult.

RATES & DEPARTURES

The Company reserves the right to modify the cruise rates and departure dates published in this brochure, without prior notice.
The arrival time is estimated, the vessel may be delayed, without any responsibility for the Company due to climate conditions.

CRUISE CONDITIONS

Rates include accommodation, sea transportation, all meals, open bar when on duty (without additional cost for wines, beverages, and liquors), shore excursions, and entertainment. Optional tours and transportation are not included in the cruise rate. Not included port tax, migration fee, and national park fee.

FORMS OF PAYMENT

Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and Diners credit cards, traveler’s checks, US Dollars, Euros, Chilean Pesos, and wire transfers are accepted.

REQUIRED CLOTHING

Trekking or hiking shoes are required for all passengers.

Option V

Darwin’s Route from Ushuaia

8 days, 7 nights

STELLA AUSTRALIS (8D/7N)

Day 1: Ushuaia

Check in at 160 Juan Manuel de Rosas Street in downtown Ushuaia between 10:00 and 17:00 (10 AM-5 PM) on the day of your cruise departure.

2016-2017 Season: Board the M/V Stella Australis at 17:30 (5:30 PM).

2017-2018 Season: Board the M/V Stella Australis at 18:00 (6 PM).

After a welcoming cocktail with the captain and crew, the ship departs for one of the most remote corners of planet Earth. During the night we traverse the Beagle Channel and cross from Argentina into Chilean territorial waters. The lights of Ushuaia disappear as we turn into the narrow Murray Channel between Navarino and Hoste islands.

 

Day 2: Cape Horn – Wulaia Bay

By early morning, Stella Australis is cruising across Nassau Bay into the remote archipelago that includes Cape Horn National Park. Weather and sea conditions permitting, we shall 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.

 

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 will be strolling 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.

 

Day 3: De Agostini Sound and Águila Glacier

After nightfall we reenter the Beagle Channel and sail westward along the southern edge of Tierra del Fuego into a 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. We then 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. Our 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 this spectacular landscape.

 

Day 4: Magdalena Island – Punta Arenas

After an overnight cruise through Magdalena Channel and back into the Strait of Magellan, we anchor off Magdalena Island, which lies about halfway between Tierra del Fuego and the Chilean mainland. 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, we 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, disembarkation at Punta Arenas is scheduled for around 11:30 AM. You are free to explore Punta Arenas, there’s plenty to keep you busy in the city.

 

Reboard Stella Australis at 18:00 (6 PM). After a welcoming toast and introduction of captain and crew, the ship departs on the second half of the journey. During the night, the lights of Punta Arenas fade into the distance as we cross the Strait of Magellan and enter the Whiteside Canal between Darwin Island and Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego. * Camera extension poles are prohibited on Magdalena Island.

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

 

Day 5: Ainsworth Bay & Tuckers Islets

After leaving Punta Arenas and crossing the Strait of Magellan, we sail up Admiralty Sound between the snowcapped peaks of Karukinka and the fjords of Alberto de Agostini National Park. We go ashore at Ainsworth Bay with its copious bird life and elephant seals. Two guided hikes are available, both with excellent views of Marinelli Glacier and the Darwin Mountains.

Leaving Ainsworth Bay, we sail west to the Tucker Islets for a close-up encounter with the 4,000 Magellan penguins who nest there. Many other bird species also frequent the tiny landfalls. In September and April — when the penguins live elsewhere — this excursion is replaced by a beach walk to a glacier at Brookes Bay.

 

Day 6: Pia Glacier – Glacier Alley

Overnight we sail around the western end of Tierra del Fuego via the very narrow Gabrial, Magdalena and Cockburn channels. After rounding the remote Brecknock Peninsula, Stella Australis tacks eastward and enters the Beagle Channel again. By morning we are entering Pia Fjord and boarding the Zodiacs for a shore excursion to Pia Glacier. After disembarking we 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, we 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 named after European countries — Holland, Italy, Germany, Spain and France.

 

Day 7: Wulaia Bay – Cape Horn

Stella Australis once again enters the maze of islands at the bottom end of south America for another visit to Wulaia Bay and Cape Horn. Our itinerary day repeats the shore landings and other activities from Day 2. 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 Wulaia bay, explore the small museum in much more depth, strike out on a longer walk than last time or birdwatch along the shore. 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.

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. This second approach also increases your chances of landing on Cape Horn Island.

 

Day 8: Ushuaia

After a final night aboard Stella Australis, we sail back into Argentine waters and dock in Ushuaia. Acknowledged as the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia (Argentina) was founded in 1884 and was 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 now the second largest city in Tierra del Fuego (after Rio Grande). Disembarkation is scheduled at 8:30 AM, providing a perfect opportunity to enjoy the city and its spectacular scenery.

 

Stella Accommodations

Conditions

Accommodation (Cabin A), sea transportation (M/V STELLA Australis), all meals, open bar (without additional cost for wines, beverages and liquors), shore excursions and on-board entertainment, English and Spanish speaking guides.

PASSAGE CONTRACT 

Buying a ticket implies entering into an agreement under the terms and conditions of the Owner (here and after “the Company”) for passenger transportation.

RESERVATIONS, DEPOSITS AND PAYMENTS 

A deposit of $US 300 per passenger is required to guarantee a tentative reservation. The final payment must be received by the Company 60 days before the departure of the cruise.

CANCELLATION POLICY 

The following penalties will apply in case of cancellation as soon as the Company receive written notice.

Up to 60 days before departure: US$300.- (Deposit).

From 59 and 50 days before departure: 25% of sales value.

From 49 and 40 days before departure: 50% of sales value.

From 39 and 30 days before departure: 75% of sales value.

From 29 and 0 days before departure: 100% of sales value.

 

CHILDREN POLICY 

Infants between 0 and 3 years old have a 100% discount, sharing the bed with their parents. Children between 4 and 12 years old have a 50% discount, sharing a cabin with an adult.

RATES & DEPARTURES 

The Company reserves the right to modify the cruise rates and departure dates published in this brochure, without prior notice.
The arrival time is estimated, the vessel may be delayed, without any responsibility for the Company due to climate conditions.

CRUISE CONDITIONS 

Rates include accommodation, sea transportation, all meals, open bar when on duty (without additional cost for wines, beverages, and liquors), shore excursions, and entertainment. Optional tours and transportation are not included in the cruise rate. Not included port tax, migration fee, and national park fee.

FORMS OF PAYMENT 

Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and Diners credit cards, traveler’s checks, US Dollars, Euros, Chilean Pesos, and wire transfers are accepted.

REQUIRED CLOTHING 

Trekking or hiking shoes are required for all passengers.

Option VI

Gauchos, Glaciers and Penguins

6 days, 5 nights

STELLA AUSTRALIS (6D/5N)

Day 1: Punta Arenas

Arrive in Punta Arenas and transfer from the international airport to the Hotel Cabo de Hornos on the main square in downtown Punta Arenas.

 

Day 2: Porvenir – King Penguin Park – Rio Grande

The journey begins early in the morning with a ferry crossing of the Strait of Magellan from the Punta Arenas waterfront to the town of Porviner on the north shore of Tierra del Fuego. The ferry journey normally takes around two to four hours depending on the weather and sea conditions. Founded in the 1880s, Porviner was settled by many Croatian immigrants and for a brief time was the hub of a local gold rush. Despite it’s small size, the Museo de Tierra del Fuego makes a worthwhile stop, with exhibits that range from 600-year-old Selk’nam mummies to the historian of Patagonian cinema.

 

From Porvenir we follow the coast road along the north shore of Useless Bay (Bahía Inútil), which received its unfortunate name from British sea captain Phillip Parker King who found “neither anchorage nor shelter, nor any other advantage for the navigator” while surveying the bay in the 1820s. King penguins have taken up residents along a tidal stream at the bay’s eastern extreme, around a hundred birds protected within the confines of a small private reserve called the Parque Pingüino Rey. A well-marked trail leads down to the shore and blinds with views across the stream to the penguin nesting area. Nearby is the pioneer cemetery for the historic Estancia Caleta Josefina, a windswept graveyard that shelters the remains of Scottish settlers including several “killed by indians.” Twenty miles (29 km) farther east is the San Sebastian border crossing, where travelers pass through Chilean and Argentine frontier posts. The cross-island highway soon reaches the South Atlantic and a smooth run down the coast to Rio Grande.

 

The industrial hub of Tierra del Fuego, Río Grande has flourished on sheep farming, energy extraction and more recently factory production. A large military base and monuments along the coast road attest to the fact that Río Grande was also an Argentine military staging area for the Malvinas (Falklands) War. Overnight at a Río Grande hotel or estancia. If dinner is not included in your hotel stay, try to feast on a genuine Argentine steak and Quilmes stout at the Posada de los Sauces restaurant and bar near the Rio Grande waterfront.

 

 

Day 3: Gauchos – Ushuaia

We start the day with a gaucho experience and Patagonian-style “asado” barbecue at the 80-year-old Estancia Las Hijas, located about 50 miles (80 km) south of Rio Grande. Back on the road, the highway leaves the pampas behind for a landscape of Magellanic forest with snowcapped mountains in the distance. Herds of guanaco graze meadows on either side of the road. A brief stop in the hilltop town of Tolhuin affords views of Lake Fagnano, the island’s largest freshwater body. There’s time to munch pastries at the legendary Panadería La Unión before hitting the road again. Cutting through the southernmost part the Andes, we arrival at Ushuaia for check-in, boarding the Stella Australis and departure.

 

Day 4: Cape Horn – Wulaia Bay

By early morning, Stella Australis is cruising across Nassau Bay into the remote archipelago that includes Cape Horn National Park. Weather and sea conditions permitting, we shall 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.

 

Sailing back across Nassau Bay, we anchor at fabled Wulaia Bay, 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 its mesmerizing beauty and dramatic geography. After a visit to the 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 will be strolling through an enchanted Magellan forest of lengas, coigües, canelos, ferns, and other endemic fauna to reach a panoramic viewpoint overlooking the bay.

 

Day 5: Agostini and Águila Glacier

After nightfall we reenter the Beagle Channel and sail westward along the southern edge of Tierra del Fuego into a watery wonderland protected within the confines of Alberto de Agostini National Park. Part of the channel is called Glacier Alley and on full moon nights you can often see several of the seven major glaciers that give the passage its name. Rounding the Brecknock Peninsula as the western extreme of Tierra del Fuego, Stella Australis is for a brief time exposed to the open Pacific. We then 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. Our 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 6: Magdalena Island – Punta Arenas

After an overnight cruise back into the Strait of Magellan, we anchor off Magdalena Island, which lies about halfway between Tierra del Fuego and the Chilean mainland. 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, we 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 sail south along the strait, disembarkation at Punta Arenas is scheduled for around 11:30 AM.

*Camera extension poles are prohibited on Magdalena Island

 

Stella Accommodations