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Patagonia and
Chilean Fjords

Program Overview

From sweeping pampas grasslands to magnificent glacier‑studded fjords and the legendary Tierra del Fuego archipelago, experience the extremes and contrasts of Patagonia, with its breathtaking scenery and incredible wildlife. Go ashore at majestic Cape Horn to stand at the “edge of the world” overlooking the legendary Drake Passage; traverse the low‑lying tundra for unmatched panoramic views. Among hidden islands and narrow channels, experience some of the world’s best viewing of subantarctic woodlands and marine wildlife — Andean condors, humpback whales, Peale’s dolphins and rare Chilean dolphins. Cruise aboard the expedition ship Stella Australis, specifically designed to navigate these beautiful waterways. During your journey, an onboard team of expert naturalists will enrich your expedition with their in‑depth knowledge of the region’s history, natural wonders and wildlife. Extend your adventure with the Easter Island Pre-Tour Extension Option and/or the Buenos Aires and Iguazú Falls Post‑Tour Extension Option.

Program Details

October 22 to November 2, 2025
From approximately $7,095* plus air View Terms & Conditions
  • Exclusive land and sea voyage to explore the breathtaking beauty of Patagonia's glaciers and the Chilean fjords.
  • Created in our tradition of innovative programming and educational travel.
  • Access to ports unavailable to larger vessels and included excursions during your program.
  • Specially arranged full-day excursion to the sensational Torres del Paine National Park and the Milodón Caves, where the remains of an extinct giant sloth were discovered.
  • Two UNESCO Biosphere Reserves— Torres del Paine and Cabo de Hornos.
  • Easter Island Pre-Tour Extension and Buenos Aires and Iguazú Falls Post‑Tour Extension.

Day 1 - Depart home city

Day 2 - Santiago

Day 3 - Santiago

Day 4 - Fly to Punta Arenas/Puerto Natales

Day 5 - Puerto Natales

Day 6 - Torres del Paine National Park

Day 7 - Punta Arenas/Embark Stella Australis

Day 8 - Ainsworth Bay/Tucker Islets

Day 9 - Beagle Channel/Pía Fjord/Glacier Alley

Day 10 - Wulaia Bay/Cape Horn

Day 11 - Ushuaia/Disembark ship/Fly to Buenos Aires/Return to home city

Day 12 - Arrive in home city

Stella Australis 

Explore the wonders of the Patagonian fjords aboard the exclusively chartered, first-class Stella Australis, specially designed to access the most remote corners of the Straits of Magellan, where larger vessels cannot navigate. Each of the ship’s 100 cabins features one double bed or two twin beds, individual climate control, a private bathroom with shower and exterior windows to soak up the glorious landscapes. Enjoy complimentary nonpremium alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages throughout the cruise. All meals aboard the ship are included.

View Stella Australis deckplan

Learn More about Australis

Chile, Easter Island, Moais statues

Easter Island Pre-Tour Extension

Explore the UNESCO World Heritage site of Easter Island and behold its unique archaeological treasures. Visit the island’s most important and celebrated landmarks, including the basalt quarry from which the moai were carved, the white sand beach and the village central to the Birdman culture — predominant until the arrival of Christian missionaries. This tour features roundtrip flights between Santiago and Easter Island and all accommodations, including one night at the Hyatt Centric Las Condes Hotel and three nights at the Hangaroa Eco Village & Spa.

Iguazu Falls

Buenos Aires & Iguazú Falls Post-Tour Extension

Extend your journey with a tour of Argentina’s capital city of Buenos Aires and the rainforest of Iguazú Falls. In elegant Buenos Aires, see the colorful La Boca district and the neighborhoods of San Telmo, Puerto Madero and Palermo. Visit Recoleta Cemetery, the final resting place of Eva Perón. Fly to Iguazú Falls and explore both the Argentine and Brazilian falls. Enjoy visiting the Parque das Aves, home to more than 500 species of bird. This tour features a flight to Iguazú Falls and all accommodations, including two nights at the Meliá Recoleta Plaza and two nights at the Gran Meliá Iguazú.

The Optional Extensions are available at additional cost. Details will be provided with your reservation confirmation.

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Program Itinerary

Day 1 Depart home city

Depart for Santiago, Chile. Please check your bags from your gateway city to your arrival city.

Day 2 Santiago

Arrive at Santiago International Airport. Proceed through the immigration checkpoint to the baggage claim area and retrieve your luggage. After completing a customs screening, meet a Gohagan & Co. representative.

Transfer to the Hyatt Centric Las Condes, an upscale hotel with easy access to Santiago’s landmarks and attractions.

Spend your afternoon exploring the city on your own. The Gohagan Travel Hospitality Desk stands ready with itinerary and restaurant suggestions.

This evening, meet your fellow travelers for a Welcome Reception at the hotel, followed by dinner on your own.

Day 3 Santiago

Enjoy breakfast in the hotel before the day’s excursion.

Venture out to explore vibrant Santiago, nestled in the foothills of the snow-capped Andes Mountains. We will begin our tour in what is arguably the most colorful part of the city—the Bellavista neighborhood. Known for its bohemian artistic spirit, this barrio is the perfect place to immerse ourselves in Santiago’s amazing street art. We will take in the vivid palettes of the houses, murals and graffiti as we stroll the neighborhood that was home to Chilean poet and Nobel Laureate Pablo Neruda. La Moneda Cultural Center beckons, home to art exhibitions, cinema and craft vendors. Next, step into what’s widely regarded as one of the best museums in Latin America, the Chilean Museum of Pre-Colombian Art. This magnificent collection, which covers over 10,000 years of art and history, is unique in focusing on an Americanist, rather than nationalist, vision.

Next traverse the Plaza de Armas, a surprisingly lush green oasis at the center of the city.  Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdiva established this square in 1541. Today’s plaza — shaded by more than a hundred palm trees, dotted with monuments and sculptures, and filled with the burble of the central fountain and the cries of street vendors and performers — is the perfect place to soak up the city’s culture. We will dine together at a local restaurant.

This afternoon, visit Santa Rita winery. Due to the country's unique weather patterns, topography and location—the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Atacama Desert to the north and the Andes Mountains to the east—Chile boasts ideal conditions for wine growing. Located just south of Santiago, the Maipo Valley is home to Chile’s largest commercial wine-growing region and oldest, most established wineries. Full-bodied, elegant reds flourish here, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Carmenère, Chile’s national wine. En route to the 140-year-old Santa Rita Vineyard, marvel at the views of the scenic Maipo Valley. A local expert will guide your vineyard tour and wine tasting.

Tonight, make your own plans for dinner.

Day 4 Fly to Punta Arenas/Puerto Natales

After breakfast in the hotel, transfer to the airport. Fly from Santiago to Puerto Natales, which once served as a major transit point for the sheep and coal industries of 20th-century Patagonia. Following lunch, we will check in to Hotel Costa Australis Puerto Natales, a luxury hotel with gorgeous views of the sea and mountains.

Explore the area on your own this afternoon. We will gather at the hotel for an included dinner this evening.

Day 5 Puerto Natales

Enjoy breakfast in the hotel before today’s excursion.

In 1557, Captain Juan de Ladrillero went searching for the western entrance to the Strait of Magellan. Several weeks later, despondent and desperate for food and water, he found this fjord and was able to sail in and stock up on provisions in what is now Puerto Natales. After surviving his ordeal, he named the fjord the Seno Última Esperanza—Sound of Last Hope. Today we will sail this waterway in ease and comfort, taking in sparkling vistas of mountains and waterfalls on our way to our destination: the hanging glacier Balmaceda. From here a guided walk takes us deep into the unspoiled beauty of Bernardo O'Higgins National Park—the largest national park in Chile and one of the largest in the world! Ramble through a lush forest of Magellan’s beech and Antarctic beech, looking out for cormorants, condors and eagles. At the foot of Serrano Glacier, the calm waters and floating icebergs can be mesmerizing. It is a spectacle not to be missed! Savor a delicious lunch at a Patagonian ranch before cruising back to Puerto Natales.

Tonight we will dine together at the hotel.

Day 6 Torres del Paine National Park

Savor a delicious breakfast this morning at the hotel.

Torres del Paine is South America’s most-celebrated national park, declared the Eighth Wonder of the World in 2013.  This park epitomizes the wild character of Patagonia — with its jagged rock formations, raging waterfalls, stunning blue waters and glaciers spawning icebergs. Torres del Paine translates to Blue Towers, named for its iconic rocky monoliths scoured by the wind. The park is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including guanacos (relative of the llama and alpaca, but with hair instead of fur), huemuls (South Andean deer), foxes and even pumas. All kinds of birds make this majestic landscape their home, including rheas (a ratite related to the ostrich and emu) and Andean condors, which are the largest flying birds on earth. Marvel at the incredible vistas unfolding before you during our excursion.

Next, visit Milodón Cave. In 1896 German explorer Hermann Eberhard was investigating a cave system and found the remains of a giant prehistoric sloth at least 10,000 years old. Subsequent examinations of the caves found evidence of other early inhabitants, including a saber-toothed cat, dwarf horse, prehistoric llama and humans from 6,000 B.C. The surrounding stark landscape boasts a rock outcropping called Devil’s Chair and a condor lookout.

Enjoy a hike along the gentle shores of Grey Lake, with vistas of Torres Del Paine Massif and Grey Glacier. As we savor a delicious lunch at Hotel Lago Grey, survey spectacular mountaintop views of the three-peaked Cordillera Paine and Grey Lake.

Enjoy dinner tonight on your own.

Day 7 Punta Arenas/Embark Ventus Australis

Enjoy breakfast in the hotel. We will check out and drive to Punta Arenas, stopping on the way at a ranch. In this beautiful setting, enjoy a quintessential Patagonian lunch and sheep herding demonstration by gauchos with their sheepdogs.

This afternoon, embark Stella Australis. Settle in to your suite or stateroom, familiarize yourself with the ship and participate in a safety briefing. This evening, join your fellow passengers for the Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner.

Tonight the ship sails for Ainsworth Bay, navigating through the Strait of Magellan and Whiteside Channel.

Day 8 Ainsworth Bay/Tucker Islets

Enjoy an early riser coffee & tea plus full breakfast on board, daily.

This morning, we will board Zodiacs to go ashore at Ainsworth Bay, located in Alberto de Agostini National Park. This breathtaking bay is fed by the meltwater of the Marinelli Glacier and is bordered by pristine forest beneath the Darwin Mountains. A colony of elephant seals and many different bird species make their homes here. Choose between two excursions to explore the subantarctic Megallanic forest.

Traveler’s Choice | Choose one of the following included excursions.

  • Ainsworth Bay: Moraine Excursion

A glacier is an extremely large, moving river of ice.  Just as rivers carry debris that builds up to form deltas, glaciers carry debris that builds up to form moraines.  Scale a glacial moraine and hike along its crest in this strenuous adventure—and be rewarded with unforgettable views! (Active)

  • Ainsworth Bay: Forest Excursion

In the pristine temperate forest, trek along the edge of a burbling stream, through a peat bog and beneath the canopy of old-growth trees. Discover a rocky cliff spouting waterfalls and lush green moss. Experience the tranquility of a forest at the edge of the continent. (Moderately Active)

Warm up with decadent hot chocolate after your excursion. Savor a delicious lunch aboard ship as we cruise to the Tucker Islets.

This afternoon we will take a Zodiac ride among these tiny islands for unforgettable up-close encounters with a wide variety of South American birds—most notably Magellanic penguins. Thousands of penguins use Tucker as a place to nest and raise their young. Many other bird species also frequent the area, including Chilean skuas, who aggressively try to abscond with the penguin eggs and chicks. Your experienced guide will point out other avian species, such as cormorants, oystercatchers, kelp geese, dolphin gulls, eagles and even the occasional Andean condor. Dolphins and seals may playfully swim alongside your boat. Indulge your inner nature nut during this fascinating excursion!

This afternoon as we sail for Pia Glacier, our expedition guides will provide a briefing on the Pia Glacier excursion and other itinerary highlights.

Enjoy a delicious dinner on board. Tonight the ship navigates the narrow Gabriel Channel, Magellan Channel, Cockburn Channel and Brecknock Pass.

Day 9 Beagle Channel/Pía Fjord

This morning after breakfast, our expedition guides will provide a briefing on the Pia Glacier excursion and other itinerary highlights.  Settle in for a delicious lunch on board as we arrive at Pia Glacier. This awe-inspiring spot was named by Italian explorer Alberto de Agostini, likely in honor of Princess Maria Pia de Savoia, daughter of the king of Italy at the time. Board a Zodiac and sail to shore, disembarking near this massive and beautiful glacier. Pia is a rare glacier that is both advancing and accessible to humans. Listen for the glacier’s creaking and groaning; if you’re lucky you may experience the breathtaking event of calving, when an enormous chunk of ice separates from the glacial wall and crashes into the water below. Two separate excursions each lead to lookouts offering panoramic views.

Traveler’s Choice | Choose one of the following included excursions.

  • Pia Glacier: Boulders

Lace up your boots to scale a lateral moraine in this longer, more strenuous hike. (Moderately Active)

  • Pia Glacier: Lookout

Breathe easy during a short hike that gains a panoramic view. (Moderate)

This afternoon we commence a spectacular cruise along Glacier Alley of the Beagle Channel (named for Charles Darwin’s ship, the HMS Beagle — he and his crew passed through this channel in 1833). The passage features five massive blue tidewater glaciers cascading from the Darwin Mountains. Have your camera ready as you marvel at this once-in-a-lifetime scenic wonder.

Tonight, enjoy the Captain’s Dinner as the ship sails for Cape Horn.

Day 10 Wulaia Bay/Cape Horn

This morning, disembark at the “edge of the world” overlooking the legendary Drake Passage for an unforgettable experience (weather permitting). Brave the williwaws (blasts of intense wind that seemingly appear out of nowhere) as you climb to the Cape Horn monument in memory of those lost at sea at this desolate point. Here, at the southernmost tip of the Tiera del Fuego archipelago, three oceans converge…and the mainland of Antarctica is still some 400 miles south.  With a grateful heart, head back to the safety of the ship and settle in for a warm breakfast.

As we cruise to Wulaia Bay, our expedition guides will provide a briefing on our upcoming excursions, as well as a fascinating documentary film screening. After lunch, board a Zodiac for a shore landing and embark on one of three excursions to explore this beautiful bay.

Historic Wulaia Bay, a beautiful but seemingly inhospitable place, has been home to humans for more than 10,000 years. Archaeological records show it was one of the largest settlements of the native Yaghan people, who traveled through the region by canoes, usually carrying campfires to stave off the cold and damp. In fact, the name of this archipelago, Tierra del Fuego (“Land of Fire”) came from explorers spotting the blazes from their ships as they sailed past. In the 1830s, this site was described by Charles Darwin and illustrated by Captain Robert Fitz Roy during their voyages on the HMS Beagle. During our excursions today, take in the amazing views of the bay, and learn more about the local history by visiting the former naval radio station, repurposed as a museum. Partake in an old mariner’s custom: Look in the mail barrel for a postcard that you can deliver to someone in your neck of the woods; leave a postcard so someone else can return the favor!

The hikes are varying degrees of difficulty.

Traveler’s Choice | Choose one of the following included excursions.

  • Wulaia Bay: Peak

Ascend the heavily wooded mountain behind the bay, immersing yourself in the pristine forest, until you reach a panoramic viewpoint.  This is a challenging 2.6-mile climb, to an elevation of 853 feet. Breathtaking views await! (Active)

  • Wulaia Bay: Forest & Lookout

Want amazing views of the forest and bay, without quite as much effort? Try this 1.8-mile climb, to an elevation of 623 feet. (Moderately Active)

  • Wulaia Bay: Beach

If climbing isn’t your thing, stay with this level walk along the beach for almost one mile. You won’t be disappointed, there’s still plenty to see! (Moderate)

Tonight, join your fellow passengers for a Farewell Dinner—raise a glass to your epic Patagonian adventure!

Day 11 Ushuaia/Disembark ship/Fly to Buenos Aires/Return to home city

Enjoy an early riser coffee & tea, plus full breakfast.

This morning we will disembark in Ushuaia, Argentina and transfer to the airport. Fly to Buenos Aires AEP Domestic Airport, and transfer to EZE International Airport for your flight home.

If you have reserved the Buenos Aires & Iguazu Falls Post-Tour Optional Extension, transfer to Buenos Aires Hotel. Please refer to the separate preliminary itinerary for the Post-Tour Extension for more information.