As our ship sails north toward the southern edge of Tierra del Fuego, stimulating presentations by your Expedition Team will enrich your knowledge of the glacial systems, geology, environment, wildlife, and storied history of the region as you retrace Charles Darwin's historic journey through the Beagle Channel, a 150-mile (240-kilometer) strait separating Tierra del Fuego's main island from several smaller islands. Named after Captain Robert FitzRoy's famous ship on which Charles Darwin was a young naturalist, the channel presents plenty of photo ops to capture seabirds hovering overhead and dramatic vistas of jagged-peaked mountains and glaciers. Rugged and untouched, this magnificent landscape is as starkly beautiful as it was when Darwin first laid eyes on it in 1833. What he experienced in this region would later help him form his earthshaking theory on evolution by natural selection. Glacier Alley (as it's nicknamed) is one of the most spectacular ship passages in Tierra del Fuego. To honor the European countries that first explored the region, the glaciers have taken their names-Espana (Oblicuo), Romanche, Alemania (Roncagli), Francia, Italia, and Holanda Glaciers. Situated within the protected boundary of Alberto de Agostini National Park, both Pia and Garibaldi Glaciers sit at the head of picturesque, often ice-choked fjords that offer jaw-dropping views. Located within the Cordillera Darwin (Darwin Mountain Range), the impressive Pia Glacier extends from the soaring mountaintops down into the sea. A short hike to a lookout point provides superb vistas of the glacier and mountains. Surrounded by pristine sub-Antarctic forests, Garibaldi Glacier flows from a separate mountain, providing equally exceptional views, with the Darwin Mountains rising dramatically out of the fjord. We can explore this area by Zodiac, including a beautiful glacial waterfall nearby. As we navigate the fjords, your Expedition Team will keep watch for Andean condors, massive birds rivaled in wingspan by only the wandering albatross. ...
Read More
