Last updated: 4 November 2026

You can round Cape Horn by ship on a small Chilean expedition vessel that lands at the cape, or on a big South America cruise that sails past it. Australis runs four-night voyages between Punta Arenas and Ushuaia from September to April, with a Zodiac landing when the weather allows. Large ships from Princess, Celebrity, Holland America and Viking pass the Horn on longer Buenos Aires to Chile itineraries. Cargo ships no longer offer a realistic way round.

Where is Cape Horn?

Cape Horn sits on Isla Hornos in Chile’s Hermite Islands, at about 55°56′S, 67°19′W. It is a near-vertical cliff of roughly 425 metres facing the Drake Passage. The cape lies inside Cabo de Hornos National Park. UNESCO declared the area a Biosphere Reserve in 2005.

The Drake Passage is about 800 km wide between South America and Antarctica. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current funnels through it, which drives strong winds and big swells. Gales are common, and rogue waves west of the Horn have been put at around 30 metres.

Ships that round Cape Horn in 2026

Australis expedition cruises (landing possible)

Chilean line Australis sails two small ships, Ventus Australis and Stella Australis, each carrying about 200 guests. The season runs from September 2026 to April 2027. There are two four-night routes. “Fjords of Tierra del Fuego” sails Punta Arenas to Ushuaia and reaches Cape Horn on day four. “Patagonian Explorer” sails Ushuaia to Punta Arenas and visits the Horn on day two. Both include Wulaia Bay, Pia Glacier and Glacier Alley.

The landing is never guaranteed. Australis states that excursions depend on weather and sea conditions. If the swell is too high, the ship rounds the cape without going ashore.

Big-ship South America cruises (scenic pass)

Larger lines pass the Horn on repositioning-style voyages between Buenos Aires and San Antonio or Valparaíso in Chile. For 2026–27, Majestic Princess sails 15- to 33-day South America itineraries from November to January, including a 15-night “Cape Horn and Glaciers of Patagonia”. Schedules for December 2027 show Celebrity Equinox, Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam and Viking Jupiter all passing the cape too. These ships do not land passengers. Expect a slow sail-by, often around dawn, if conditions allow.

Watch: a big-ship rounding of Cape Horn

Can you round Cape Horn on a cargo ship?

Realistically, no. There are no regular commercial cargo routes around the Horn. The Panama Canal opened in 1914 and largely ended the trade. Ships that do pass between the oceans in the far south tend to use the Strait of Magellan or the open Drake Passage, not the cape itself. The four-masted barque Pamir is recorded as the last commercial sailing ship to round the Horn with cargo, in 1949.

If you want freighter time in South America, combine a cargo voyage to Buenos Aires or Montevideo with an Australis trip from Ushuaia or Punta Arenas. That is the closest you will get to a cargo-ship Cape Horn trip in 2026.

A short history of the Horn

Dutch navigators Willem Schouten and Jacob Le Maire first rounded the cape in 1616 aboard the Eendracht. They named it Kaap Hoorn after the city of Hoorn, which backed the voyage. For three centuries, clippers and windjammers carried wool, grain and gold round it. An estimated 800 ships were wrecked near the Horn, and around 10,000 sailors died.

Sailors who survived earned the title “Cape Horner”. Tradition let them wear a gold earring and dine with one foot on the table. The albatross monument on Isla Hornos, by sculptor José Balcells, honours those lost at sea. The Chilean section of the Cape Horn Captains Brotherhood unveiled it in 1992. High winds damaged it in 2014.

What a Cape Horn landing is like

On landing days the ship anchors off Isla Hornos and the captain makes the call. If conditions allow, guests go ashore by Zodiac and climb wooden stairs up the cliff. A boardwalk leads to the albatross monument. Nearby is the Chilean Navy station with its lighthouse and small chapel. A naval family lives there and staffs the post. Time ashore is short, so dress for wind and rain.

Watch: Cape Horn and the Drake Passage

Best season to round Cape Horn

All voyages run in the southern spring and summer. No month guarantees calm water. Swoop Antarctica notes that conditions on the Drake are fairly consistent across the season, and most crossings are mild rather than rough.

Tips

1. Book Australis if landing on the Horn matters; big ships only sail past.
2. Pick a cabin low and central if you suffer from seasickness, and bring medication.
3. Pack waterproof trousers, a windproof jacket, gloves and grippy boots.
4. Allow a spare day in Ushuaia or Punta Arenas in case flights or weather slip.
5. Check fares directly; the prices here are indicative and change each season.
6. Pair the trip with a Falklands or Antarctica voyage for a full Southern Ocean journey.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

Sources: Australis 2026–27 rates and excursion pages; Lost World (Ventus Australis); Cruise Industry News (Princess 2026–27, Australis 2026); Cruise Timetables (Cape Horn, December 2027); Swoop Antarctica (Drake Passage); AntarcticaCruises.com; Wikipedia (Cape Horn). Checked November 2026.