Professional access

Fjords of Tierra del Fuego

Punta Arenas & Ushuaia 5 days / 4 nights
Multi-destination
Fjords of Tierra del Fuego — photo 1

A five-day expedition cruise aboard the Stella Australis, sailing from Punta Arenas in Chile to Ushuaia in Argentina through the fjords and channels of Tierra del Fuego. All four nights are spent aboard the vessel; there is no hotel accommodation.

From Punta Arenas the ship crosses the Strait of Magellan and threads a labyrinth of channels to Ainsworth Bay and the Tucker Islets, home to a colony of Magellanic penguins. It reaches Pia Glacier in the Beagle Channel, sails the Avenue of the Glaciers, and anchors in historic Wulaia Bay, once a Yámana settlement. Weather permitting, it lands at Cape Horn, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, before docking in Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. Shore excursions are made by zodiac and on foot, with full board and an open bar aboard.

Highlights

Cape Horn (Cabo de Hornos), weather permitting
Pia Glacier, reached by zodiac in Pia Fjord
The Avenue of the Glaciers along the Beagle Channel
The Magellanic penguin colony of the Tucker Islets
Ainsworth Bay and Alberto de Agostini National Park
Historic Wulaia Bay and its Yámana heritage

Day-by-day itinerary

Day1

Day 1: Punta Arenas — embarkation

After a welcome toast and introductions to the captain and crew, the vessel departs Punta Arenas. Overnight it crosses the Strait of Magellan and enters the labyrinth of channels around the southern tip of Patagonia, passing into the Whiteside Channel between Darwin Island and Tierra del Fuego.
Day2

Day 2: Ainsworth Bay / Tucker Islets

At dawn the ship enters the Admiralty Sound (Seno Almirantazgo), lined by the snow-capped peaks of Karukinka Natural Park and the fjords of Alberto de Agostini National Park. You disembark at Ainsworth Bay, a haul-out site for southern sea lions, for a choice of two guided walks with views of the Marinelli Glacier and the Darwin Mountains. In the afternoon, zodiacs approach the Tucker Islets to observe a colony of more than 4,000 Magellanic penguins, along with cormorants, oystercatchers, skuas and other birds.
Day3

Day 3: Pia Glacier / Avenue of the Glaciers

Overnight the vessel rounds the western end of Tierra del Fuego through the Gabriel, Magdalena and Cockburn Straits and re-enters the Beagle Channel. In the morning, zodiacs land at Pia Glacier in Pia Fjord, with a choice of a short walk to a viewpoint or a climb along the glacier's lateral moraine. The journey then continues east along the Beagle Channel through the Avenue of the Glaciers, where glaciers descend from the Darwin Mountains to the water.
Day4

Day 4: Wulaia Bay / Cape Horn

Before dawn the ship passes through the Murray Channel and anchors in historic Wulaia Bay, once a major Yámana settlement described by Charles Darwin and drawn by Captain FitzRoy. After visiting the museum in the old radio station, travellers choose one of three hiking routes through Magellanic forest to a viewpoint over the bay. In the afternoon the ship crosses Nassau Bay towards Cape Horn National Park, where, weather permitting, it may be possible to land on the island of Cape Horn (Cabo de Hornos), a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Day5

Day 5: Ushuaia — disembarkation

The vessel enters Argentine waters and docks in Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, with arrival scheduled for 8:30–9:30 AM depending on the departure date.

What's included

Included: Four nights' accommodation aboard the Stella Australis (cabin categories A and B)
Included: Full board aboard the vessel
Included: Open bar during opening hours (wine, beer and spirits)
Included: All shore excursions (by zodiac and on foot)
Included: Onboard entertainment programme

What's not included

Not included: Flights to the port of embarkation and from the port of disembarkation
Not included: Transfers to and from the airport
Not included: Port fees, embarkation fee and national park entrance fees
Not included: Additional land excursions before or after the cruise
Not included: Lunch in Punta Arenas and any meals not taken aboard
Not included: Premium alcoholic beverages and drinks outside open-bar hours
Not included: Visa fees
Not included: Tips and gratuities
Not included: Personal expenses (laundry and similar)
Not included: Travel insurance
Not included: Anything not expressly mentioned as included

Booking & policies

Are the prices shown net or retail?

Rates are net (wholesale) and reserved for travel agencies and tour operators, who sign in to see them and add their own margin. Public visitors see an indicative retail “from” price; the net rate is never shown outside the agency portal.

How is a booking confirmed?

Most bookings are confirmed immediately and the voucher is emailed within minutes. When a service shows “In process”, RUMBO LIBRE is confirming final availability with the receptive operator at destination — usually within 24 to 48 business hours.

What is the cancellation policy?

Cancellations follow Clause 7 of the Terms: more than 30 days before the service, no penalty and a full refund; 15 to 30 days, 25%; 8 to 14 days, 50%; 3 to 7 days, 75%; less than 72 hours before commencement or a no-show, 100%. Certain destinations — Patagonia, the Amazon region and high-demand dates in peak season — apply stricter terms, stated in the quotation. The schedule above is indicative: the conditions that apply to each booking are those confirmed in the quotation, and may be stricter in high season, on public holidays or where a supplier applies its own policy.

Can dates or passenger names be changed after confirmation?

Amendment requests must reach RUMBO LIBRE at least 72 business hours before the service begins. Changes are managed with the receptive operator subject to availability, and any resulting rate difference applies. For private services, a name change may require re-issuing the booking at the current rate.