Chile & Argentina Fjord Cruise & Desert Adventure - 14 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Ushuaia (Argentina)

Welcome to Argentina! Touch down in Ushuaia, the world's southernmost city, located at the edge of the vast South American continent. Upon arrival, check into your hotel room and head out to explore. Set on a bay in the Patagonian region of Tierra del Fuego, Ushuaia is nestled between the Martial Mountains' jagged peaks and the Beagle Channel's silver waters. This is the same waterway Charles Darwin sailed while traveling on the HMS Beagle almost 200 years ago. 

Wander along Ushuaia's peaceful waterfront for a better glimpse of the craggy mountains and wide channel. As you stroll amid Ushuaia's colorful buildings, you'll notice an endearing jumble of architectural styles, with everything from mock chalets to tumbledown wooden cottages. End the evening with a leisurely dinner on the waterfront.

Day 2: Fjord & Glacier Cruise (Day 1)

Enjoy a free day exploring Ushuaia, starting with a visit to the city's Maritime Museum, which is housed in a former prison. Constructed at the turn of the 20th century, some 600 convicts occupied 380 cells until the prison's closing in 1947. There's also the Museo del Fin del Mundo, or "End of the World" museum. Set on the waterfront, this small museum features fascinating exhibits detailing the region's natural and Indigenous history. 

In the early evening, you'll board your Australis cruise to Punta Arenas. The adventure begins with a welcome toast with your crew and captain before you set sail to one of the most remote corners of the planet. You'll traverse the Beagle Channel tonight and cross from Argentina into Chilean territorial waters. Watch the lights of Ushuaia disappear as you turn into the narrow Murray Channel between Navarino and Hoste Islands.

Day 3: Fjord & Glacier Cruise (Day 2)

Today, you'll wake up surrounded by ocean views as you cross Nassau Bay and enter the far-flung archipelago home to Cape Horn National Park. Weather permitting, you can 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 1,394-foot (425 m) high rocky promontory overlooking the turbulent Drake Passage. 

For many years the passage was the only navigation route between the Pacific and Atlantic and was often referred to as the "End of the Earth." In 2005, the park was declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. Highlights include a permanent lighthouse on the island, staffed by a lightkeeper and his family, as well as the tiny Stella Maris Chapel and Cape Horn Monument.

Sailing across Nassau, you'll anchor at fabled Wulaia Bay, one of the few places in the archipelago where human history is just as compelling as the natural environment. Originally the site of one of the region's largest Yámana Aboriginal settlements, the bay was described by Charles Darwin and sketched by Captain FitzRoy in the 1830s during their voyages on HMS Beagle.

After a visit to the Australis-sponsored museum in the old radio station, which showcases the area's history of the Yámana people and European missionaries, you'll have a choice of three hikes that ascend the heavily-wooded mountain behind the bay. On all of these, you stroll through an enchanted Magellanic forest of lengas, coigües, canelos, and ferns to reach viewpoints overlooking the bay. Return to the ship afterward for a restful evening. 

Day 4: Fjord & Glacier Cruise (Day 3)

Throughout the night, you'll cruise around the glaciers at the western end of Tierra del Fuego, passing through the narrow Gabrial, Magdalena, and Cockburn Channels. After rounding the remote Brecknock Peninsula, your captain will sail eastward and enter the Beagle Channel again.

By morning you'll reach Pia Fjord, where you'll board a smaller boat for an excursion to Pia Glacier. After disembarking, take a short hike to a panoramic viewpoint overlooking the glittering glacier, extending from the mountain tops to the sea. If you're looking for a more challenging hike, trek up a lateral moraine of the old Pia Glacier. 

Afterward, sail back to the ship and continue west to a long fjord, where you'll drop anchor near Garibaldi Glacier for the day's second shore excursion. Garibaldi is one of only three glaciers in Patagonia that's actually gaining mass rather than staying the same or slowly shrinking. This time, you'll hike through the virgin Magellanic forest to a glacial waterfall, a soaring wall of ferns and moss, and spectacular viewpoints overlooking the glacier and fjord. If you prefer to stay onboard, the captain will point the bow toward the sky-blue Garibaldi Glacier so you can enjoy views from the upper decks.

Day 5: Fjord & Glacier Cruise (Day 4)

Early this morning, you'll sail through the Cockburn Channel and enter Agostini Sound. From here, it's possible to see glaciers descending from the middle of the Darwin Mountain Range, some reaching down to the icy water.

Dock for a gentle walk around a topaz lagoon formed by ice melt from the Águila Glacier to admire views of the gigantic mass of ice. In the afternoon, you'll approach the Condor Glacier; look out for the abundant Andean condors swooping across the sky. Tonight, enjoy the final evening of your cruise; watch the sunset from the deck and relish a farewell dinner. 

Day 6: Arrive in Punta Arenas (Chile), Bus to Puerto Natales

After an overnight cruise through the Magdalena Channel, your captain will anchor near Isla Magdalena, about halfway between Tierra del Fuego and the Chilean mainland. Crowned by a distinctive lighthouse, the island was once an essential supply stop for explorers and is inhabited by an immense colony of Magellanic penguins.

At the break of dawn, you'll step ashore and hike a path that leads through a thriving penguin colony to a small museum lodged inside the vintage 1902 lighthouse. If you visit while the penguins have migrated elsewhere, you'll visit Marta Island instead to observe South American sea lions. Afterward, savor the final stretch of your cruise and disembark at Punta Arenas in the late morning. Transfer straight to the bus terminal for the three-hour journey to Puerto Natales, where you'll check into your hotel. 

Day 7: Full-Day Tour of Torres del Paine National Park 

Today you'll tour the picturesque Torres del Paine National Park. Start with a stop at Cueva del Milodón, located 15 miles (24 km) north of Puerto Natales. This extensive cave network houses a life-size replica of a mylodon, a giant prehistoric sloth. German explorer Hermann Eberhard discovered the well-preserved remains of a mylodon here in 1895, giving the cave its name.

Continue past the Silla del Diablo (Devil's Chair), a seat-shaped rock formation steeped in local legend, to Torres del Paine National Park. You'll notice the Cuernos del Paine (Paine Horns) as you head to Lago Grey, where you can amble along the shore and enjoy a picnic. You'll also trek alongside Salto Grande, the park's thundering waterfalls. Other stops include the dazzling Lago Nordenskjöld Viewpoint and the Laguna Amarga (Bitter Lagoon). 

Day 8: Kayaking in Eberhard Fjord

Today you'll set off on a kayaking trip around the majestic Eberhard Fjord. The journey starts with a short drive to Estancia Puerto Consuelo, a working family-owned ranch on the shores of the fjord. There's a lot of history here—German immigrants built Puerto Consuelo at the end of the 19th century. This will be your base camp for today's kayaking excursion.

Suit up and hop in your kayak for the tour, which takes in historic locations along the fjord. Stop at the settlement of Puerto Prat, founded in 1899, and Isla Kruger, known as the "Island of the Dead," which was once used as a cemetery to bury the first settlers. As you paddle, watch for various birds, such as Andean condors, Chilean flamingoes, and black-necked swans. Afterward, return to Puerto Natales for a free afternoon. 

Day 9: Fly to Santiago

This morning you'll say goodbye to Puerto Natales and catch a four-hour flight north to Santiago. Check into your hotel and then get out and experience the pulse of this lively Latin American metropolis. Wander the aisles of Santiago's labyrinthine Mercado Central. This market is the beating heart of the city, overflowing with vendors and locals eager to get their hands on the day's fresh produce. Later, have a typical Argentine meal in one of the city's world-class restaurants. 

Day 10: Santiago City Tour & Private Dinner

Spend today exploring Santiago, starting with the Plaza de Armas in Santiago's historic center. Founded in 1541, it's home to the impressive Catedral Metropolitana, a neoclassical church whose twin bell towers dominate the western side of the plaza. Enjoy dreamy vistas from Santa Lucía Hill or San Cristóbal Hill, where you can take in the sprawling cityscape and spot landmarks like the Gran Torre Santiago, the tallest building in Latin America.

Tonight, you'll taste traditional Chilean cuisine with a private dining experience. Join a local chef in their home to sample typical dishes such as empanadas, maté (the national tea), and alfajores, the dulce de leche-filled cookie that's a sweet end to an Argentine feast. Dinner is served with fine Chilean wines and accompanied by live music. 

Day 11: Fly to Calama, Transfer to San Pedro de Atacama & Stargazing Tour

This morning, take a two-hour flight to Calama in the country's far north. Here your driver will be waiting to take you to the remote outpost of San Pedro de Atacama, the launching point for adventures into the Atacama Desert. During the journey, you'll get your first look at some of the world's most evocative and ancient landscapes. This high-altitude desert features endless salt flats, sky-scraping Andean peaks, and the volcanic Domeyko Cordillera, where red-hued mountains form the base of El Valle de la Luna (The Valley of the Moon). 

Tonight's star-studded excursion begins with a brief astronomy lesson before you head out to the Altiplano, a plateau surrounded by volcanoes that stretches into Bolivia. In places, the Altiplano reaches 12,000 feet (3,660 m) above sea level, making it an ideal place for stargazing with a glass of quality Chilean wine. Learn how to identify constellations

with the help of your guide. Even with the naked eye, the stars here are more vivid than anything you're likely to have experienced before. You'll also get a chance to use high-powered telescopes and binoculars to spot an array of celestial objects, including planets, binary stars, and spherical clusters. 

Day 12: Explore the Atacama Salt Flats & Lagoons

Spend a full day traversing Chile's famous Salar de Atacama (Atacama Salt Flats). Visit the traditional villages of Toconao and Socaire, which are known for their mud-and-volcanic-rock buildings. You'll meet the locals and peruse craft markets to pick up alpaca-wool clothing and handicrafts. Make a brief stop at the Quebrada de Jérez, a green oasis in the desert, and then explore high-plateau lagoons in the Los Flamencos National Reserve. 

Set at 7,500 feet (2,300 m) above sea level, Laguna Chaxa is a magnet for three of the world's five species of flamingoes: James's, Chilean and Andean. The birds come here to feed on plankton, shadowed by volcanoes and moon-like salt crusts. Next, head to the Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons for more bird watching. The trip finishes with sweeping salt-flat views from Salar de Talar and Piedras Rojas before you return to San Pedro de Atacama mid-afternoon.

Day 13: Tour the Tatio Geysers & Valley of the Moon

Wake before the first light and join your driver for the trip to the famed Tatio Geysers, watching the sunrise over the Atacama Desert as you go. Set at an altitude of 14,173 feet (4,320 m), the Tatio Geysers are some of the highest in the world and spurt pillars of steam up to 30 feet (10 m) into the air. You'll have plenty of time to admire the area's otherworldly terrain and savor a scenic breakfast before soaking in a geothermal pool. During the drive back to San Pedro, look out for llamas and flamingoes from the nearby marshlands.

Continue discovering the geological wonders of the Atacama Desert this afternoon. Make your way through a lunar-like landscape of sand dunes, craters, and red cliffs, stopping to visit the Cordillera del Sal's unique salt caves that glisten with crystals. You'll also see stone formations that scatter the desert, like the Three Marias, which have been carved by salt and wind over millions of years. At the end of the tour, watch the sunset over the Atacama, painting the mountains in shades of red while the mighty Licancabur volcano looms overhead.

Day 14: Fly to Santiago, Depart

Today your South American adventure comes to an end. A driver will take you to Calama airport, where you'll fly back to Santiago and connect to your homebound flight. Safe travels! 

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