Premier Chilean expedition cruise company Australis Cruises is celebrating the start of its 35th anniversary season of cruises in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. The season will run from 22 September 2025 to 6 April 2026, featuring weekly five-day, four-night voyages sailing the spectacular waterways between Punta Arenas and Ushuaia (or vice versa), experiencing one of the world’s most remote and awe-inspiring destinations at the very heart of Patagonia.
To mark the new season, it has introduced a special Sale to Sail offer on all departures for the 2025/2026 season with a discount of US$479pp based on two sharing and a discount of US$479 for solo travellers. The offer is valid for new bookings made before 31October 2025, subject to availability.
Unique itineraries
The South American cruise line has built an enviable reputation for its fully immersive journeys through the majestic fjords, towering glaciers, and windswept landscapes of this pristine region, and operates two specially designed vessels, the Stella Australis and Ventus Australis, both purpose-built to navigate the waters of Southern Patagonia.
The nimble, Chilean-owned vessels can drop anchor and disembark in areas where other ships cannot sail. As such they afford their passengers access to narrow channels, including the historical and evocative Wulaia Bay, where the Yamana Indians once lived and thrived. Today, visitors can explore a former radio station built by later settlers, now transformed into an archaeological museum that offers a vivid insight into life on the edge of Patagonia.
Australis remains the only cruise line to land each week at Cape Horn (weather permitting), giving passengers the rare chance to stand at the edge of the continent. January 2026 will mark 410 years since Dutch explorers Jacob Le Maire and Willem Schouten first landed on Cape Horn, opening the gateway to the newly charted Drake Passage.
For Australis passengers on the 2025/26 itineraries, a landing at Cape Horn offers the chance to tour the remote lighthouse and meet its only inhabitants, the lighthouse keeper and his family. They will also encounter the striking Cape Horn Monument, a seven-metre-high memorial erected in 1992 by sculptor José Balcells Eyquem. Dedicated to the countless sailors who perished in these unforgiving waters, it serves as both a moving tribute and a sobering testament to the dangers of maritime explorations around this part of Patagonia.
Life on board
Each ship features 100 well-appointed cabins across three decks, accommodating up to 210 passengers while offering a wide range of onboard amenities. Guests can enjoy a restaurant, bar, and lounge area, as well as an observation deck, a shopping outlet, a medical centre, and lecture room where they can learn about Patagonia’s captivating history.
Australis takes pride in the exceptional quality of its all-inclusive food and drink offering. Passengers can start the day with a hearty breakfast, enjoy plentiful lunch buffets, and end with elegant à la carte themed dinners. Every evening becomes a celebration of locally inspired gourmet cuisine and a rewarding gastronomic experience after a day of exploration. In addition, the package features an open bar with signature cocktails, a curated selection of wines, soft drinks, fresh coffee, and indulgent cakes and pastries available throughout the day.
Each evening talks highlight the following day’s adventures and provide insights into Patagonia’s fascinating history, and the voyage concludes with an auction of the captain’s navigation charts, a treasured keepsake for the winning guest.
Daily excursions to a pristine environment
Passionate and knowledgeable crew members are always on-hand to ensure the smooth running of every voyage and on each Australis cruise, passengers can opt for two outings per day in Zodiac boats with English and Spanish speaking crew and expert guides. These typically take place in the morning and early afternoon, depending on conditions. Some of these excursions include adapted routes and arrangements to enable those with varying levels of mobility to enjoy.
Patagonia remains one of the world’s last truly untouched frontiers. Spanning a rugged and sparsely populated landscape. It is however thanks to its challenging climate and isolation that the remote region’s rare ecosystems and rich variety of plants, birds, and wildlife have been able to flourish largely undisturbed.
Amid frozen ridges, towering glaciers, and snow-clad peaks, life endures in abundance. Here, ancient primary forests stretch across the land, while the skies are filled with Cormorants, Giant Petrels, Albatrosses, and soaring Condors. In the waters below, pods of Dolphins and Elephant Seals thrive, and on Magdalena Island passengers will see one of the largest Penguin colonies in the Southern Hemisphere.
The sub-Antarctic ecoregion of Magallanes (between latitudes 52° and 56° S), where Australis journeys, is both fragile and pristine, a living laboratory of immense scientific value. With a strong emphasis on sustainability and heritage, Australis works with scientists to research the region’s biodiversity and in a rapidly warming world, the glaciers, ecosystems, and delicate natural balances of this area offer not only awe-inspiring beauty but also profound insight into the planet’s future.
Prices for a full board cruise cost from $2,466 pp, based on two sharing. Excludes international flights and transfers. To book visit Australis.com or contact our preferred booking partner Authentic Cruise Company