Description

Antarctic Peninsula aboard Plancius

Day 1: Punta Arenas

Check in at 990 Magallanes Street between 13:00 and 17:00. Board the M/V Stella Australis cruise ship at 18:00. After a welcoming cocktail reception hosted by the Captain and his crew, the ship will depart for one of the remotest parts of the planet. Our trip will take us through the Strait of Magellan and Beagle Channel to explore one of the most breathtaking wilderness regions in the world: Southern Patagonia, which includes the Tierra del Fuego archipelago.

Day 2: Ainsworth Bay – Tuckers Islets*

At dawn, we will navigate our way through Almirantazgo Sound, arriving at Ainsworth Bay which is sited within Alberto De Agostini National Park. It’s the perfect spot from which to see the Marinelli Glacier descending from Darwin Mountain Range in the distance, and to appreciate how the land returns to life after glacial retreat. We will also take a walk to a beaver dam in the stunning sub-polar Magellan Forest. Whether on the beach or the island, there’s a good chance of sighting Southern Elephant Seals. But do bear in mind the fact that sightings cannot be guaranteed due to the colony’s unpredictable movements.

Later, we will be sailing to Tuckers Islets, and after lunch, we will board well-equipped Zodiac boats to get close to a colony of Magellan Penguins (indigenous to the Southern Hemisphere) and cormorants.

* In September and April, this excursion is replaced by a short walk to a nearby glacier at Brookes Bay.

Day 3: Pia Glacier – Glacier Alley

We will navigate along the northwest arm of the Beagle Channel before disembarking at Pia Fjord. From there, we’ll take a short hike to a panoramic viewpoint from where we can enjoy spectacular views of the awe-inspiring Pia Glacier whose main tongue extends from the mountaintops down to the sea. After this memorable experience, we will continue our voyage along the Beagle Channel through the majestic Glacier Alley.

Day 4: Wulaia Bay – Cape Horn

During the morning we will be sailing through Murray Channel, going ashore at historical Wulaia Bay, originally the site of one of the region’s largest Yamana aboriginal settlements. Charles Darwin landed there in 1833 during his voyage on the HMS Beagle. This area is also renowned for the mesmerizing beauty of its vegetation and geography. We will take an enchanted walk through the Magellan Forest of lengas, coigues, canelos, ferns, and other endemic vegetation, to reach a panoramic viewpoint.

In the afternoon we will go South through Nassau Bay to reach Cape Horn National Park, where, weather permitting, we shall go ashore. The legendary Cape Horn was discovered in 1616 and is a sheer 425-meter (1,394-foot) high rocky promontory. For many years it was an important navigation route between the Pacific and the Atlantic, and is referred to as the “End of the Earth”. The park was declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2005.

Day 5: Ushuaia

Disembark in Ushuaia at 08:00.

Departure Dates

Pre Season Cruise:
NOV 08 – NOV 18, 2016

On Season Cruise:
2016: NOV 18 – NOV 29, 2016 | DEC 17 – DEC 28, 2016 | DEC 28, 16 – JAN 08, 2017
2017: JAN 08 – JAN 18, 2017 | FEB 05 – FEB 15, 2017 | MAR 06 – MAR 17, 2017 | DEC 18 – DEC 29, 2017
2018: DEC 29, 2017 – JAN 09, 2018 | JAN 09 – JAN 19, 2018 | FEB 07 – FEB 17, 2018 | MAR 08 – MAR 19, 2018

Post Season Cruise:
MAR 17 – MAR 26, 2017 | MAR 19 – MAR 28, 2018

CHILDREN:
Upon request (some voyages may be excluded), children under 16 with parents may receive 40 % discount in Superior, Triple (sharing with 2 parents / adults) and Quadruple Cabins (sharing with 3 parents / adults).

SINGLE TRAVELLER:
Single travellers can choose between “single occupancy” at a supplement of 1,7 x the Twin or Superior cabin rate , or “sharing basis” in Twin, Triple or Quadruple category at no additional cost.