
EXPEDITIONS
During the
cruise, there will be daily inland tours lasting approximately
two hours. These tours are organized and managed by The
Australis Cruises Expedition Group and consist of walks
through trails in the native forest and visits to glaciers.
The tours include talks on the flora and fauna of the area. A
delicious whisky with the millenary ice, or a cup of hot
chocolate will be served at the end of the excursions.
|
Ainsworth Bay
Located
in Ainsworth Bay, in the midst of the Darwin Range, in the
distance, one can see the enormous wall of this ice giant of
more than 40 meters high. Here we land on the beach to start a
20 minute walk through quiet trails in the native woods
towards the beaver dam. The Australis Cruises Expedition Group
will give us a brief talk about the ecosystem and geography.
We will then head towards the colony of sea-elephants living
nearby in the company of a great variety of birds.
|

Bahía Ainsworth
|
Tucker
Islet
As we
approach this little island, if we are lucky, we will be able
to see the dolphins that meet our boat and escort us toward
this beautiful place, where we will come into contact with the
southernmost wildlife of the world. On the islet, a colony of
Magellan penguins - visible from October to March - nest among
the vegetation in burrows made by themselves, accompanied by
the assailant skua galls (predator birds) diving around. At
the other end of the islet we will find a large flock of
cormorants. Only 15 minutes after leaving the islet and its
peculiar inhabitants, we will see a rocky promontory inhabited
by a colony of sea-lions.
|

Islote Tucker
|
Gunter Pluschow
Günther
Plüschow glacier has a breathtaking beauty. The glacier was
named after the region's pioneering German aviator, who on
board of his vessel "Feuerland" arrived at Punta Arenas in
1928. From there, weather permitting, we disembark in zodiacs
to observe the astonishing millenary ice masses of Piloto and
Nena glaciers.
|

Gunter Pluschow |
Ushuaia
World’s
farthest southern city, located on the border of the Beagle
Channel and surrounded by the Martial Mountains, the port of
Ushuaia, originally a penal colony, is now the capital of the
Argentinean province of Tierra del Fuego.
Ushuaia is the threshold to the Tierra del Fuego National Park.
Here, we will enjoy the wonders of this landscape where the
sea meets the forests and mountains.
This southern Argentinean town is the embarking and
disembarking port for those passengers who take the 3 or
4-night tour between Ushuaia and Punta Arenas or vice-versa.
There are optional tours available to visit the area.
|

Ushuaia
|
Cape Horn (Chile)
We will
visit Horn Island, to get a panoramic view of the famous and
mythical Cape Horn, 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.
Disembarkation will only be possible if weather conditions are
appropriate.
|

Cabo de Hornos
|
Wulaia Bay
One of
the most important indigenous sites of the region. Once we
disembark, we walk to an observation point where we can admire
this beautiful bay as the sun comes down.
|

Bahía Wulaia
|
Pia Glacier
On the
north-west arm of the Beagle Channel, Pia Glacier is embedded
in the Darwin Range, and it gradually runs down into the
waters of Pia Bay. We will head towards an observation point
that offers excellent conditions to view the mountain range
where the glacier originates, and its progress until it falls
into the sea. Here we will listen to the thunderous noises
caused by the large masses of ice cracking and dropping into
the bay.
|

Glaciar Pía
|
Magdalena Island
Located
25 miles north of Punta Arenas, in the middle of the Strait of
Magellan, Magdalena Island is a natural reserve of Magellan
penguins, cormorants, and other birds which peacefully coexist
with sea-lions. Here we will discover a “rookery” of more than
60 thousand couples of penguins that come back year after year
to nest in the same burrows built by them. Between October and
March they occupy almost the entire island, and are a unique
sight. One can walk through the island along a marked path
leading to a lighthouse where there is an exhibition of
photographs and information on the marine life in the Strait
of Magellan.
|

Magdalena Island
|
Punta Arenas
More than
140,000 people inhabit Punta Arenas, the capital city of the
XII Region of Magallanes, Chile. Geographically, it is located
in parallels 53 South and 72 longitude West, in the borders of
Strait of Magellan, the access door to the two oceans: the
Pacific and the Atlantic. 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.
|

Punta Arenas
|
|