Fjords of Tierra del Fuego – Punta Arenas to Ushuaia
Spend 5 days exploring the most remote corners of Earth on this 5-day Fjords of Tierra del Fuego cruise. Tierra del Fuego, or Land of Fire in Spanish, is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of South America and is divided btween Chile and Argentina. Begin this Patagonia cruise in Punta Arenas, Chile, sail the Straight of Magellan into a labyrinth of channels that define the southern extreme of Patagonia and end in Ushuaia, Argentina.
Gaze at the snowcapped peaks of Karukinka Natural Park in Admiralty Sound, as well as the deep fjords and broad bays of Alberto de Agostini National Park. At Ainsworth Bay, spot birdlife, elephant seals and beavers before hiking through the pristine sub-polar forest or along the crest of a glacial moraine. At Tuckers Islets, depending on the season, view Magellanic penguins up close from a Zodiac, as well as other bird species that frequent the area like king cormorants, oystercatchers, Chilean skuas, kelp geese, dolphin gulls, eagles and even the occasional Andean condor. The Pia Glacier is one of the most spectacular glaciers, which extends from the mountaintops to the sea, and Glacier Alley features some of the most impressive tidewater glaciers flowing from the Darwin Mountains and Darwin Ice Sheet.
At Cape Horn National Park, which overlooks the Drake Passage and is often called the “End of the Earth,” there is a lighthouse where a lightkeeper and his family live. In Wulaia Bay, the human history is as fascinating as the environment and three different hiking options explore the enchanting Magellan forest that overlooks the bay. Mail a postcard in the wooden mail barrel inside the small museum before returning to the ship to sail to Ushuaia, Argentina, where the journey ends.
The Fjords of Tierra del Fuego cruise is aboard the 200-guest Stella Australis or Ventus Australis, two modern expedition cruise ships operating with the latest navigation and safety technologies and environmentally conscious systems of separating and depositing waste in port. A professional expedition team leads small groups on nature walks, Zodiac tours and offer onboard lectures that make every moment of this Patagonia small ship cruise a memorable adventure.
The 5-day Fjords of Tierra del Fuego cruise can be combined with the 5-day Patagonian Explorer cruise to create a round-trip 9-day/8-night itinerary.
Read on for details about this trip, or learn more about AdventureSmith’s Patagonia cruises and Patagonia trips.
