ANTARCTICA AND CHILEAN FJORDS

SHIP OFFERING THIS ITINERARY

Seabourn Pursuit

Seabourn Pursuit is designed and built for diverse environments to PC6 Polar Class standards and includes modern hardware and technology that will extend the ships’ global deployment and capabilities. It carries two custom-built submarines, 24 Zodiacs, kayaks, and a 24-person expert Expedition Team enabling guests to engage in up-close wildlife encounters, off-the-beaten path excursions, and enriching cultural experiences. A fully-inclusive “yacht” like experience, Seabourn Pursuit blends state-of-the art capability with world-class service and luxury. Seabourn Pursuit proudly entered service on August 12, 2023.

Day 1 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Day 2 Ushuaia

Once deemed too harsh for European settlement, Ushuaia’s rugged beauty was the realm of its native inhabitants – the Yahgan People. Today, it holds the distinctive title of being the southernmost city on Earth, often referred to as ‘the end of the world.’ Situated along the banks of the Beagle Channel, Ushuaia unveils itself like an artist’s masterpiece. A mosaic of vibrant houses adds a splash of color against the dramatic backdrop of snow-capped mountains. Dominating this breathtaking panorama is Monte Olivia, its jagged peaks soaring 4,530 feet above the landscape.

Day 3 – 4 At Sea

As you approach Antarctica, spend your days at sea watching for wildlife from the observation decks aboard.

Days 5 – 9 Antarctic Peninsula

It’s almost impossible to describe the feeling of arriving in Antarctica. Spotting your first iceberg and taking a deep breath of some of the most fresh, crisp air on earth is an experience that will stay with you forever.

Your experienced expedition team, who have made countless journeys to this area, will use their expertise to design your voyage from day to day, choosing the best options based on the prevailing weather, ice conditions and wildlife opportunities.

You will generally make landings or Zodiac excursions twice a day. You’ll want to rug up before joining Zodiac cruises along spectacular ice cliffs or among grounded icebergs, keeping watch for whales, seals and porpoising penguins. Zodiacs will also transport you from the ship to land, where you can visit penguin rookeries, discover historic huts and explore some of the best spots along the peninsula.

Day 10 At Sea

Use this time as you please. Relax by making the most of the on board facilities, or keep an eye out for birds and marine life as you sail.

Day 11 Garibaldi Glacier, Chile

Garibaldi Glacier is considered one of the most beautiful in all of Chile. Set at the head of its eponymous fjord within Alberto de Agostini National Park, this massive, retreating tidewater glacier emerges from the extensive ice field that lies within the park. It measures half a mile wide at its face and sits back more than 10 miles from where Garibaldi Fjord ends in the Beagle Channel. Unlike the moraine or glacial till carried along by most glaciers, Garibaldi has a medial moraine, which indicates the merging of two individual glaciers. It is one of several found within the fjord, which also features a series of cascading waterfalls and several small icebergs deposited by glacier calving. As your Zodiac cruises near the face of Garibaldi Glacier, keep an eye out for playful seals and sea lions; Magellanic penguins and even orcas are spotted here, while Andean condors are seen overhead.

Day 12 Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas is the most important port and commercial center for the immense Patagonian agricultural area of Chile. The economy revolves around the sheep raised on the expansive pampas. Located on the Strait of Magellan separating the mainland from the island of Tierra del Fuego, the city proclaims itself the southernmost city in the world. Its colonial history may be explored in the splendid Plaza de Armas, in the magnificent tombs of the Pioneer Cemetery and the opulent Braun-Menendez Mansion. The heritage of Ferdinand Magellan’s exploration can be recaptured at the Nao Victoria ship museum. Fort Bulnes national monument memorializes the earliest colonial period, while the offshore Los Pinguinos Natural Monument preserves the thriving seabird and sea lion colonies around Magdalena Island. This is also the port from which a full-day flight excursion takes visitors to the majestic peaks and picturesque lakes and wildlife of the Torres del Paine National Park.

Day 13 Strait of Magellan and Smyth Channel

The Strait of Magellan is a 570 km channel separating the mainland of South America from the large Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego and connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It was first navigated by the explorer Ferdinand Magellan during his circumnavigation voyage in 1520.

The Smyth Channel is another of the spectacular waterways threading the maze of islands off the coast of extreme southern Chile. At its northern end, it briefly parallels the Sarmiento Channel, then veers southward opening into the Strait of Magellan. Dotted with myriad small islands and corrugated with countless narrow fjords and bays, it makes a mesmerizing panorama as your ship plies between the islands on one side and the immense Peninsula Muñoz-Gamero on the other. Members of your expedition team will be on deck and in lounges to offer insights into the wild, unspoiled terrain you are passing.

Day 14 Fjord of the Mountains, Chile

Cruising Fiordo de las Montañas (Fjord of the Mountains) is a highlight of your Chilean Patagonia voyage. This narrow channel, located west of Puerto Natales, stretches more than 40 miles north to south, ending in a glacially carved valley at the far end of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. Bordered by two mountain ranges, the fjord is bestrewed with glaciers that have broken off from the snow-topped peaks while a series of waterfalls cascade down the jagged cliff walls. On a clear day you can see 5,750-foot-high Mount Burney, an inactive, ice-covered stratovolcano located about 50 miles away. Fiordo de las Montañas lies within Kawésqar National Park, Chile’s second-largest, which protects a vast swath of the country’s southern coast. The 7-million-acre park takes its named from the ancient Kawésqar people who once inhabited this region. The park is home to the endangered huemul (South Andean deer), culpeo fox, and puma, as well as more than 125 bird species, including southern giant petrel and imperial shag spotted while cruising the channel.

Day 15 Pio XI Glacier, Messier Channel

At the head of scenic Eyre Fjord is situated the longest glacier in the southern hemisphere outside of Antarctica.  The monumental ice-mass of the Brüggen Glacier fills the fjord to a width of 4.5 kilometers and covers an area of 1,265 square kilometers. Colossal ice cliffs rise to a height 75 meters and are cut by deep-blue crevasses, and free-standing ice pillars known as seracs. Some 66 kilometers upstream of where it meets the ocean, the Brüggen Glacier merges with the ice of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. Unlike other glaciers worldwide, it advanced significantly from 1945 to 1976 adding nearly 60 square kilometers to its toe.

Day 16 Jorge Montt Glacier

Entering into the Gulf of Penas, to the southeast lies the 6 kilometer wide opening of Baker Channel. Sailing 120 kilometers into the southern margins of the Andes we are now surrounded on all sides by snow-capped peaks. The Southern Patagonian Ice Sheet, extends 370 kilometers to the south. At its northernmost edge, a large glacial tongue descends from the heights above. Entering the ocean in cliffs of ice, the Jorge Montt Glacier, is over 1,400 meters wide.

Day 17 – 18 Caleta Tortel and Boca del Guafo

Caleta Tortel is a coastal village that lies between the Northern and Southern Patagonian Ice Field. It is a fascinating car-free town, built almost entirely from wood. Despite its remoteness and isolation, it is a self sufficient village.

Days 19 – 20 Puerto Montt

Puerto Montt sits beneath a skyline of snow-capped volcanoes. Volcan Osorno towering 2,652-meter (8,701’) above the town, erupted in 1835 and was described by naturalist Charles Darwin. The town sits at the gateway to a myriad of outdoor adventures including an exhilarating white-water rafting trip, tranquil fly fishing and scenic hiking in Alerce Andino National Park. Petrohue Rapids and Lake Llanquihue, are set within a rural landscape of sheep farms. A walk around town allows for an encounter into the South American way of life. A vibrant fish market, selling everything from seaweed to salmon to spiny crabs sits astride a street lined with craft stalls packed to the brim with brightly colored woolen ponchos. South American fur seals lounge along the seawall promenade as colorful fishing boats lay at anchor offshore. Puerto Montt is an eclectic mix of new and old, refined and rustic.

Reloncaví Sound is a panoramic vista of high volcanoes. To the south, is scenic Moraleda Channel and the entrance to the picturesque Chilean Fjords.

Day 21 At Sea

As you sail towards San Antonio, you may choose precious time editing photos, enjoying the onboard facilities, or attend final lectures. Celebrate the end of an unforgettable voyage with newfound friends.

Day 22 Santiago, Chile

San Antonio is large, modern port which serves Chile’s capital, Santiago, a city with Spanish colonial charm and a vivacious spirit. Encircled by the Andes and the Coastal Range, Santiago is centered around the Plaza de Armas, with several of the city’s landmarks: the 18th-century Metropolitan Cathedral the Palacio de la Real Audencia from 1808, the City Hall and the National Museum of History. North of San Antonio lie the picturesque old port and university town of Valparaíso and the colorful seaside resort of Viña del Mar. In between the coast and the capital are valleys filled with some of Chile’s most famous wineries, all inviting you to come and taste.