| AUSTRALIS
SHIP |
Mare
Australis is the new Expedition Cruise ship in Patagonia and Tierra
del Fuego. In it you will cruise through the World's most pristine
and magnificent areas. In comfort and safety you will pass through
the Straits of Magellan and the Beagle Channel through the land
of fire called Tierra del Fuego. On your cruise you will encounter
magnificent views of glaciers, the awesome Patagonian scenery, penguins,
whales and other of nature's inhabitants of this incredible part
of the World.
The ship
has 63 cabins, all of which have normal (low) beds and great views.
There are 45 AA cabins, of which 8 have a double bed, 12 A cabins,
of which 2 have a double bed and 6 B cabins. All cabins offer the
passenger the amenities of a great hotel... private bathroom with
shower, heating and air-conditioning, chest of drawers, closet,
bedside table, internal telephones and 110 volt electrical current.
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| ITINERARY |
| PUNTA ARENAS - USHUAIA
5 Days and 4Nights |
 |
Day
1
4.00 pm- 6.00 pm: Passengers check-in at Magallanes 990,
Punta Arenas.
6.00 pm -7.00 pm: Boarding "Mare Australis" expedition
cruiseship. 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
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.
During the afternoon, we will approach Tucker Islet on board
zodiac boats to admire a small colony of Magellan Penguins.
We will also see other bird species such as Skuas and Cormorants.
The presence of dolphins and sea lions is likely.
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Day
3
Early morning finds us
by the D´Agostini Fjord where
we can appreciate the Serrano Glacier and later the D'Agostini
Glacier. We will disembark in Cóndor Bay, close to
the Cóndor Glacier. Here we will enjoy a short walk
through the native forest, and an excursion by zodiac.
After boarding again, the ship will sail through the Magdalena
and Cockburn channels towards the Beagle Channel.
Day
4
Sightseeing of Garibaldi Glacier and the impressive snow-covered mountains of the Darwin
Range.
Disembarking at the coastal margins of the Garibaldi Inlet
in order to make an adventurous excursion, where we will
be able to appreciate the wild vegetation and forests on
the slopes of the mountains of the sector.
Sailing along the north-west arm of the Beagle Channel where
the majestic “Glacier Alley” can be appreciated.
Landing at Puerto Williams, located
on the Navarino Island, where there is an interesting anthropologic
museum, a naval base and one of the last representations
of sub-Antarctic vegetation.
Day
5
Early arrival to Ushuaia, the most
important Argentinean city on Tierra del Fuego island, and
southernmost city in the world.
Disembarkation after breakfast, from 09 am onwards. Our
great adventure ends. |
| USHUIA - PUNTA ARENAS
4 Days and 3 Nights |
 |
Day
1
4.00 pm- 6.00 pm: Passengers check-in and embark on the
"Mare Australis" expedition cruise ship directly
at Ushuaia pier.
The crew headed by the Captain will welcome you aboard for
cocktails with your 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
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 meet, and last promontory of South America.
Disembarking 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
We will sail back across
the main branch of the Beagle Channel to disembark in front
of Pia Glacier. We will take a short
walk to an observation point where we can also see more
examples of the area's vegetation. The glacier, and the
array of icebergs, can be seen in all their glory. This
glacier's source is in the middle of the Darwin mountain
range, and reaches the sea at Pia Bay.
After
this unforgettable experience, we will continue navigating
through O'Brien and Ballenero Channels, Bahía Desolada,
Paso Aguirre, and Cockburn Channel.
Day
4
Early in the morning, in the Strait of Magellan, we
will disembark in 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.
After
our visit we will arrive to Punta
Arenas, where passengers may disembark from 11.00 am
onwards. Our great adventure ends.
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|
| EXPEDITIONS |
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 |
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. |
D'Agostini
Fjord
In the morning, a number of blue-tinted floating masses of ice
announce that we are sailing through the D'Agostini Fjord, a
sea route which passes several glaciers. In a memorable awakening,
and surrounded by a breathtaking landscape, we can watch the
dance of light at dawn in front of the Serrano Glacier, where
we will clearly see the central moraine. The myrtleberry, chaura
(wild olives), ñirre (nothofagus pumilio, known as Antarctic
beech), and wild strawberry together with other native species,
thrive in these surroundings. |
Garibaldi
Glacier
When the ship enters the Garibaldi Inlet, our aim will be to
come as near as possible to one of the most beautiful glaciers
of our cruise to be able to observe the breathtaking mass of
blue ice. During the route we will stop for a moment to admire
the sea-lions and wild duck that herald our arrival.
We
will continue cruising through floating ice towards land and
will disembark, in the middle of silence, in one of the solitary
beaches of the Garibaldi Inlet, from where we will penetrate
one of the wildest and thickest forests of Patagonia, as our
guides tell us about its flora, fauna and geography. |
Puerto
Williams
Located at the northern end of Navarino Island and on the shores
of the Beagle Channel, Puerto Williams- with no more than two-thousand
inhabitants- is proud to be the farthest southern town of the
world.
Currently it is a Naval Base of the Chilean Navy. It is named
after the British Commander, John Williams who, in the service
of the Chilean Government, took possession of the Strait of
Magellan on September 21st 1843. 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. There are optional tours
of the area. |
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. |
Cape
Horn
A n island featuring cliffs of almost 425 meters high, was discovered
on January 30 , 1616 by a Danish commercial expedition organized
by Isaac LeMaire and under the command of Captain William Schouten
Isaac Le Maire. The Cape owes its name to the Port of Hoorn
from where the expedition departed on June 14, 1615.
|
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.
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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.
|
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. |
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 attractives of the zone,
among them are Tierra del Fuego, Torres del Paine National Park,
Puerto Williams and Antarctica. The city counts on with 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. |
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