Classic Antarctica
Itinerary
Days 1
Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego
Ushuaia sits at the foot of the Andes, in a beautiful setting. After arrival proceed to our host hotel. This afternoon relax at a sidewalk café and soak up that “end of the world feeling” of this frontier town, before spending a night at our host hotel.
Days 2
Embarkation Day
This morning is free, however you may like to take advantage of our optional half-day tour to the nearby National Park. This is a delightful way to see the area and we’ll also include a traditional Argentine BBQ lunch. After the tour return to the hotel and transfer to the quay to join other adventurers on deck as you sail this afternoon through the scenic Beagle Channel.
Days 3-4
The Drake Passage
Among the many unforgettable experiences you’ll have on your journey, food will certainly be one of them. It may seem as if you are dining in one of the finer restaurants in the world, with one exception: other restaurants would never interrupt you with shouts of “whales ahead at 12 o’clock.”
You’ll be properly prepared for wildlife sightings, because our Expedition Team delivers an incomparable education program as you cross the Drake Passage en route to Antarctica.
We also cross the Antarctic Convergence, a biological barrier where cold polar waters sink beneath warmer waters from the temperate zones. Expect to sight the South Shetland Islands, lying just to the north of the Antarctic Peninsula. On our planned landings you will explore penguin colonies and have chances to spot Antarctic fur seals and Southern elephant seals on the beaches or hunting their prey. We may also visit one of the many research bases in the archipelago. And keep an eye out for Antarctica’s only two flowering plants, which thrive here during the short southern summer. On many visits the ship is able to sail through a narrow passage leading into the sunken volcanic caldera of Deception Island.
Days 5-8
Land, birds, seals, whales, volcanoes, ahoy!
You have arrived in Antarctica! The Expedition Team will attempt an average of two landings per day. Many factors influence the daily program, such as prevailing wind, ice, weather conditions, and wildlife behavior. During the voyage, our onboard fleet of Zodiacs will transfer you to penguin colonies, where you are welcomed by a committee of chattering birds. There will be leisurely Zodiac sightseeing cruises past icebergs or wildlife on the rocky shoreline.
Discovering the White Continent
During our four days exploring the Peninsula, the most readily accessible part of the White Continent, with its vast snow-covered landscapes ringed by jagged mountains, its spectacular waterways choked with glacial ice cascading into the sea. Count on seeing extensive colonies of gentoo, chinstrap and Adelie penguins, plus a wide diversity of other bird life, including blue-eyed shags, kelp gulls, snowy sheathbills, Cape petrels and Antarctic terns. Our exploration of the Peninsula typically begins with a visit to Paradise Bay or nearby Neko Harbour, both offering unforgettable views of calm, iceberg-filled waters. You may also encounter Weddell, crabeater and leopard seals, as well as orcas and humpback and Minke whales.
You’ll make new friends over a game of cards in the lounge, or a beverage in the bar. Don your parka and join fellow travellers on the deck as you sail through the Gerlache Strait or along the Danco Coast, past towering glacier-covered mountains that shoot to the sky. Don’t forget to pack your binoculars. There may be seals sunning on an ice floe or a raft of penguins feeding as you sail past. We may also try and land on Paulet Island to see its vast Adelie penguin colony-again, if weather and ice conditions permit.
History, wildlife, scenery - Antarctica has it all
During the in-depth education program, the historian will recount the development of the region, pointing out the remains of buildings where spies dwelled or a doctor went mad. The ornithologist will take you ashore and help you identify different species of birds. You could cruise with a glaciologist through a bay filled with fantastically coloured icebergs.
Days 9-11
A reluctant farewell, Ushuaia
We leave Antarctica behind, returning north across the Drake Passage. But the adventure is not over - there are still plenty of opportunities to view whales and myriad species of sea bird while strolling the ample decks. En route to Ushuaia, enjoy a last series of illustrated talks by our Expedition Team in the ship’s comfortable lounge and presentation room. After the final morning’s breakfast, transfer to the airport to catch your outbound flight. Note: On 12-day itineraries, you will spend an extra day in the Antarctic Peninsula.
