The starting point of the expedition cruise is the port city of Punta Arenas. Here the Ventus Australis lie on the quay and wait to set sail. The boarding will be at 4:15 p.m. For the frst evening on board, the departure from the port of Punta Arenas, a frst-class dinner and a frst introductory lecture to get to know the captain, his crew and the expedition team are planned.

By morning we are entering Pia Fjord and boarding the Zodiacs for a shore excursion to Pia Glacier. After disembarking we take a short hike to gain a panoramic view of the spectacular glacier, which extends from the mountaintops down to the sea or a longer much more diffcult walk up a lateral moraine of the old Pia Glacier. Back onboard Ventus Australis, we continue east along th Beagle Channel through an area called Glacier Alley. Living up to its name, the passage features a number of impressive tidewater glaciers fowing down from the Darwin Mountains and Darwin Ice Sheet on the north shore

By early morning, the ship is cruising across Nassau Bay into the remote archipelago that includes Cape Horn National Park. Weather and sea conditions permitting, we shall go ashore on the windswept island that harbors legendary Cape Horn (Cabo de Hornos). Discovered in 1616 by a Dutch maritime expedition – and named after the town of Hoorn in West Friesland – Cape Horn is a sheer 425-meter (1,394-foot) high rocky promontory overlooking the turbulent waters of the Drake Passage. For many years it was the only navigation route between the Pacifc and Atlantic, and was often referred to as the « nd of the Earth.» The park was declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2005. Sailing back across Nassau Bay, we anchor at fabled Wulaia Bay, one of the few places in the archipelago where the human history is just as compelling as the natural environment. Originally the site of one of the region’s largest Y mana aboriginal settlements, the bay was described by Charles Darwin and sketched by Captain FitzRoy in the 1830s during their voyages on the HMS Beagle

Early in the morning, we will sail through the Cockburn Channel and enter Agostini Sound. From there it is possible to see the glaciers that descend from the middle of the Darwin Mountain Range – some of them reaching the water. This morning, we will disembark and go for an easy walk around a lagoon, which was formed by the melting of the Aguila Glacier. We will reach a spot right in front of that glacier with stunning views.

The following morning we sail into Argentine waters and dock in Ushuaia, the world’s southernmost city. Australis is scheduled to arrive at 8:30 or 9:30 AM depending on the date  of departure.

After an overnight cruise through Magdalena Channel and back into the Strait of Magellan, we anchor off Magdalena Island, which lies about halfway between Tierra del Fuego and the Chilean mainland. Crowned by a distinctive lighthouse, the island used to be an essential source of supplies for navigators and explorers and is inhabited by an immense colony of Magellanic penguins. At the break of dawn, weather permitting, we go ashore and hike a path that leads through thousands of penguins to a small museum lodged inside the vintage 1902 lighthouse. Many other bird species are also found on the island. After a short cruise south along the strait, disembarkation at Punta Arenas is scheduled for around 12:15 PM.

PRICING CONDITIONS
VALID FOR THE 2021/2022 SPECIAL SEASON

SPECIAL RATES
INDIVIDUAL PASSENGER FARE: Applicable to all types of cabins, i.e., an additional 50% of the value of the category.
FARE FOR CHILDREN: Up to 3 years, 100% discount, sharing bed with parents. Feel free to reach out for crib availability.
FARE FOR MINORS: From 4 to 12 years old, 50% discount sharing cabin with an adult.
EXTRA BED: An extra bed can be added for double cabins, please contact us for rates and availability.

TICKET CONTRACT
The issuance of the ticket contract shall be made by the ship operator prior to the vessel’s departure. The ticket contract is governed by the provisions published on the Company’s website (www.australis.com), which is an integral part and which the holder of the reservation declares to know and accept along with the
reservation, in accordance with the terms of these conditions. These conditions also govern the ticket reservation made by the passenger, as deemed appropriate.
The terms “the Company” or “the Ship Operator” refers to Transportes Marítimos Geo Australis S.A. or Transportes Marítimos Via Australis S.A., to which the reservation is made and which shall be the carrier on the reserved voyage, by means of the issuance of the corresponding ticket.

RATES
The Company reserves the right to modify the rates published in these pricing conditions without prior notice, which will be valid from the publication date.

CHECK-IN, BOARDING, AND DEPARTURES
The Company reserves the right to modify the departure dates published in these pricing conditions without prior notice, which will be valid from the publication date. The hours of check-in, boarding, departure, and arrival are approximate.
The vessel may be delayed, without liability for the Ship Operator, due to weather conditions, by order of the maritime authority, due to the welfare, health and safety of one or more passengers or due to an act of authority or other event constituting force majeure or fortuitous event, and the passenger shall not be entitled to any compensation for such circumstance.
The check-in, boarding, and disembarkation times may be modified to ensure social distancing or for other health reasons without affecting the ship’s departure time for this reason.

INCLUDED IN THE PRICE
Rates include accommodations, sea transportation, all meals, open bar on defined hours (free of charge on wines, drinks and spirits), shore excursions and on-board entertainment.

NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE
Boarding fees (US $60 per person), gratuities (US $15 per person per night is recommended), calls from the onboard satellite phone, boat shop purchases, optional tours, port transfers.

PAYMENTS
A US $400 deposit per person is required to secure a reservation. This deposit must be paid until 120 days prior to the date of departure. Full payment of the ticket price must be made to the Company no later than 60 days prior to departure.

DELAYS
Until 60 days prior to the date of departure, the date of the trip subject of the reservation may be changed for a later date. The modification shall be subject to availability and payment of the difference in tariff in favour of the Company, if any.

CANCELLATION TIMEFRAMES
The reservation may be cancelled:

• Up to 60 days before sailing, at no cost or charge, in which case the Ship Operator shall return the value received on the date of cancellation;
• From the 59th day prior to departure, paying the fines indicated below:
  • Between 59 and 50 days before sailing………………..25% of the value of the sale.
  • Between 49 and 40 days before sailing………………..50% of the value of the sale.
  • Between 39 and 30 days before sailing………………..75% of the value of the sale.
  • Between 29 and the date of issue of the ticket………..100% of the value of the sale.
• Up to 15 days before sailing is free of charge, provided that any of the following conditions are met:
  • The holder of the reservation proves to have been positive in a Covid-19 PCR test within 10 days prior to the date of cancellation; or
  • That reservation holder is affected by sanitary measures imposed by the national authorities of his country of origin, or of the country in which the port of departure is located, or international, which restrict or prevent the party from accessing said port on the date scheduled for departure.