Patagonia Explorer

Your Patagonia fjords cruise departs from Ushuaia where you will arrive independently and make your way to the port for embarkation which will begin around 6pm. After settling in to your comfortable cabin, you can join your crew and fellow expeditioners for an introduction and your first fantastic dinner on board as we set sail for one of the most remote corners of the planet, through the mythical Beagle Channel and the Strait of Magellan, travelling through Patagonia and the channels of Tierra del Fuego.

Our first full day of adventure will see us cruise across Nassau Bay and into the remote archipelago that includes Cape Horn National Park which was declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2005. Here we will hope to, weather permitting, Zodiac to the shore to enjoy an exploration of the area including its remote walking trails, the lighthouse, its tiny Stella Maris Chapel and of course the famous Cape Horn Monument. Cape Horn is a legendary spot and visiting here to soak up the incredible landscape is a very special opportunity.

Having enjoyed a great exploration of Cape Horn we will set sail for the historic Wulaia Bay where we will drop anchor and head ashore to learn more about how this area was once the site of one of the region’s largest Yámana aboriginal settlements. Visited by Charles Darwin and sketched by Captain FitzRoy in the 1830s, the area also has an interesting past in regards to exploration. Onshore we will visit the museum in the old radio station and there will be a choice of 3 hikes of varying difficulty.

Today it’s time for one of the highlights of any Tierra del Fuego cruise as we enter the beautiful Pia Fjord and board the Zodiacs for an unforgettable Pia Glacier tour. As we get closer to the glacier, we will disembark the Zodiacs to take a short hike that will reward in incredible panoramic views of this spectacular natural phenomenon. A more strenuous hike up a lateral moraine of the glacier will also be available.

After a thoroughly enjoyable morning at the Pia Glacier, in the afternoon we will take another memorable Zodiac cruise to the impressive Porter Glacier.

Our last full day of adventures will see us navigate into the Cockburn Channel to enter the mightily impressive Agostini Sound for some fantastic photo opportunities of the glaciers descending from the centre of the Darwin Mountain Range. We then plan to hop into the Zodiacs to make our way to a picturesque lagoon formed by the melting of the Aguila Glacier and enjoy a leisurely walk around the area.

Later that day we get back into the Zodiacs to make our way to the Condor Glacier where our expert crew will offer some insights into the formation of glaciers and their influence on the abrupt geography of the Fuegian channels.

There’s time for one more adventure this morning as we make our way to Magdalena Island where we will hope to disembark to see the huge colony of Magellanic penguins that resides here. We will hope for plenty of opportunities to photograph these fascinating animals up-close. Please note: In September and April the penguins are rarely found here so this excursion will be replaced by a landing on Marta Island to look for South American sea lions.

We will arrive in Punta Arenas around 11.30 am where your itinerary will conclude. You may wish to spend some time exploring the city before your onward or homeward journey.