Australis runs intimate cruises through the glacial channels of southern Patagonia and onto Cape Horn.
The three or four day all-inclusive cruises offer scenic adventures through Patagonia allowing guests to experience incredible landscapes and untouched wildlife.
We sailed in Via Australis and rounded the Horn in winds that were at times gusting 110 knots. You can see our feature here
Now that valiant little ship is to be sold to Lindblad Expeditions for deployment in the Galapagos in Q3 of 2016.
In her place the company plan to build a new ship, which will be launched in the last quarter of 2017, will have a similar hull design and the same number of cabins and decks as the already existing Stella Australis meaning that the total capacity of the fleet will increase to 420 cabins instead of the existing 346.
The ship will boast all the amenities and world-class service that Australis already brings to the waters of Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and Cape Horn.
With the old ship trading elsewehe and the new one still building at the ASENAV shipyard in Valdivia, Chile, this means that Stella Australis will operate solo in the southern seas during the 2016/2017 season.
Cruise highlights include being within a few metres of a colony of Magellan penguins, a walk through the Cape Horn National Park, a trip to Wulaia Bay, where Darwin landed in 1833 and a stop off at the Pia Glacier, one of the only glaciers in the world which can be seen from the mountain tops to the sea. Whilst on board families can enjoy the floor to ceiling windows of the deck and lounges and look out for elephant seals, dolphins, sea lions and humpback whales.
Patagonia is accessible with flights to Chile (Punta Arenas) or Argentina (Ushuaia). Australis cruises can be booked directly through www.australis.com and travel agents.