Chile to Ushuaia, Argentina

Day 1 Santiago (Valparaiso), Chile

Embark the Prince Albert II and depart on your exciting 11-day expedition. This evening, you will be introduced to your Expedition Leaders.

Day 2 Day at Sea

Today cruise southward along the Chilean coast. Meet some of your fellow explorers as you become acquainted with the luxurious amenities found onboard the Prince Albert II. Attend informative lectures led by your onboard naturalists or guest specialists that will prepare you for the upcoming ports-of-call and the many possible unscheduled adventures that lie ahead. Or, in the comfort of your own accommodations, enjoy a movie on the in-suite interactive television.

Day 3 Niebla, Chile

Your tour will begin today in the Lakes District at Niebla, a small village on the banks of the Rio Valdivia where Chile’s Corral Bay meets the Pacific Ocean. Tour the strategically placed Fort Niebla, which was designed and constructed in 1647 by Spanish military engineers with the help of Chilean-born technicians and builders. Built on the backs of prison laborers from the nation’s prisons, Fort Niebla’s fine stone workmanship was specially designed to endure continual canon bombardment.

Next drive to the charming river port city of Valdivia, where there is an interesting blend of influences from the native Mapuche, Spanish settlers, and German immigrants. Set amidst vibrant rainforests and river channels, Valdivia is filled with an abundant history of anecdotes and legends. Traverse the paths of pirates and Spanish galleon captains. Visit the historical and anthropological Museum Maurice Van der Maele, which houses a collection of Mapuche artifacts and jewelery as well as important pieces from Hispanic and German periods. As the first colonists, Germans diligently worked to develop the area and their impact can be seen everywhere from the architecture to the local brewery.
Explore a variety of native plant species, including the lotus at the botanical gardens at the Universidad Austral de Chile, before enjoying lunch at a local restaurant. Following lunch have some time to wander around on your own before returning to the Prince Albert II in late afternoon.

Day 4 Castro, Chile

Castro is your jumping off point today as the ship drops anchor allowing you to go ashore via the Zodiacs to explore. Chiloé Island is home to an amazing collection of 150 Jesuit-carved wooden churches, houses raised up on poles out of the water, and more than 400 native plant varieties.

In Castro, enter a brightly colored world of architecture, folklore and fishing boats. Today, the once thriving fishing village has come full circle back to its origins, despite a brief encounter as a major port city at the end of the 20th century.

From Castro, head south to Dalcahue and visit the well-preserved Dalcahue Church with its galvanized iron roof. Carved from locally grown Patagonian cypress, larch and luma trees in 1858 by Jesuits, the detailing and precision are amazing.

After a brief ferry ride to Quinchao, pass through a tiny village, Curaco de Velez. Lined with lovely homes and surrounded by stunning plant and animal life, try to catch a peek at the Black-necked swans along Coastal Avenue.

Venturing further south, enter the city of Achao, which was founded by the Jesuit Residency in 1743. From La Paloma, the high ground lookout, catch a panorama of this lively port hub. While here, visit the Jesuit’s Achao Church. Constructed in 1730, it is the oldest wood structure in Chiloé and was recently declared a World Heritage Site. Afterward, cross Achao’s main square to enjoy a snack infused with local flavors and accompanied by authentic regional music before returning to the Prince Albert II.

Day 5 Cruise & Explore Isla Magdalena National Park, Chil

As day breaks, the Prince Albert II anchors off the protected shores of Isla Magdalena National Park. In true expeditionary style, explore the coast via Zodiac with your staff of experts, and hopefully make a landing.

Isla Magdalena National Park is filled with dense forests guarded by Luma and Cypress of the Guaitecas trees, among a host of other native species watching overhead as you enter their domain. Various mosses and ferns are at your feet; splashes of colorful flora blush all around as you investigate this magnificent canvas. You are on our own, free to explore, hike or simply walk through nature’s spectacle.

Days 6-7 Navigate among Chilean Fjords

Spend two days cruising the Chilean Fjords making your way south into a stunningly remote domain through fjords and channels fringed by majestic mountains. Further immersed into the Chilean Patagonia, a voyage to this part of the world is an exhilarating experience. It offers the traveler extraordinary sights of untamed natural beauty. At the beginning of the journey marvel at the abundance of sea lions, the occasional sighting of dolphins and whales and the astonishing array of seabirds and marine life.

Attend informative lectures led by your Expedition Leader and guest specialists that will prepare you for the upcoming ports-of-call and the many possible unscheduled adventures that lie ahead. Relax on deck or peruse an array of titles and topics in the well-stocked Library.

Before turning in, take a stroll on deck and enjoy the solitude and splendor of a vast velvet sky strewn with shimmering stars.

Day 8 Puerto Natales, Chile

Nestled on a gently sloping point amidst astonishing scenery, the bustling port town of Puerto Natales overlooks the Ultima Esperanza (Last Hope) Gulf and has an engaging view of the Monte Balmaceda.

The most attractive features are found in the rugged nature, where indigenous fauna and flora exist in often harsh and unpredictable weather conditions. In this vast arid region of Patagonia and within the confines of Torres del Paine National Park, find breeding populations of 15 bird of prey species including the Andean condor, Black-chested buzzard-eagle, Rufous-tailed hawk, Cinereous harrier, Chimango caracara, Magellanic horned owl, and the Austral pygmy-owl, amongst others. It is a veritable birder’s paradise.

Friendly and knowledgeable ship staff and expert local guides guide you through the park. Following, sample some local cuisine. Lamb and seafood are top choices, and the empanadas especially nice when paired with a glass of Chilean wine. As evening descends, return to the Prince Albert II.

Day 9 Cruising Chilean Fjords & Magellen Strait

Portuguese sailor Ferdinand Magellan, whilst in the service of the Spanish king, in 1520 was the first European to navigate this strait, which bears his name. Like Magellan, navigate the Magellan Strait, which is considered a difficult route to navigate because of the inhospitable climate and the narrowness of the passage. Chile’s many fjords and channels are splendid natural passages, but the Magellan Strait is the most important, since it connects the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans. Continue your voyage of adventure, cruising through the Chilean Fjords. Making your way toward Punta Arenas and enter Southern Patagonia, witness changing landscape knowing huge glaciers lie just out of eyesight.

Enjoy a variety of lectures, and onboard activities or relax in one of the lounges with a book, or enjoy a documentary or latest movie in your suite on our interactive television system.

Day 10 Punta Arenas, Chile

Heading back towards land, a statue of fellow explorer Ferdinand Magellan greets you. Located on the western side of the Strait of Magellan, Punta Arenas is the capital of Chile's Magallanes Region and the bustling center base for South Atlantic fishing boats and Antarctic research vessels. This busy port town is a melding of cultures from the English sheep ranchers to Portuguese sailors, all of which are a symbol of Chile’s rich history. Punta Arenas’ city center features impressive mansions dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In 1982, Isla Magdalena was declared a Chilean Natural Monument. Residing in the Magellan Straits, it serves as a bird sanctuary specifically to the Magellanic penguins, who share their nesting area with cormorants amongst other seabirds and sea lions. Explore the island together with ship staff and learn more about these naturally curious and untamed creatures. However, simply watching 150,000 burrowing penguins share chores with their lifelong mates is quite amazing. Each morning and afternoon, the fishing penguins return to shore to switch places with their mate who has been taking care of the young. These same penguins return every year between October and March to lay eggs and raise their young.

Day 11 Cruise among Garibaldi Glacier, Chile

Today, the Prince Albert II will enter the Garibaldi Fjord, a narrow passage strewn with floating ice in shades of blue and green. Ribbons of waterfalls snake down the steep mountainsides. At the head of this picturesque fjord, take in the quiet splendor of the retreating Garibaldi Glacier. The Captain and Expedition Leader will make the most of local conditions and available time to allow you to explore the area.

In the evening continue through the 150-mile-long (241-km-long) Beagle Channel named after the HMS Beagle, a ship renowned for conducting its second coastal survey of southern South America in the early 19th century with a young Charles Darwin aboard and for his famed publication The Voyage of the Beagle.

Day 12 Ushuaia, Argentina

The Prince Albert II will arrive at Ushuaia in the early morning hours. After breakfast, disembark and transfer to the airport for your charter flight to Buenos Aires.