10-Day Antarctic Discovery

Your Antarctica vacation will take you sailing the Drake Passage to the magnificent Antarctic Peninsula where the abundant wildlife will amaze you. Embark on Polarcirkel boat landings for close-up looks at penguin colonies, research facilities, and historical sites; marvel at Antarctica's mountains and icebergs on this unrivaled voyage of exploration and discovery!

 

Itinerary

 

Day 1: Buenos Aires/Ushuaia

Ice Formation Ice Formation

Depart Buenos Aires on your charter flight to the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia for your 5 p.m. embarkation aboard the MS Fram. Your sailing adventure will begin with an informative welcome meeting. Be sure to be on deck for the evening departure to Antarctica.


Day 2: Drake Passage

During the crossing to the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands, you will enjoy onboard lectures about Antarctica - its history, environment, and wildlife.


Day 3-8: Antarctica

The "White Continent," more than half the size of North America, is an endless wilderness. Weather, wind, and ice conditions will determine the program and schedule but highlights should include the following:

  • Deception Island—a flooded volcanic caldera in the South Shetland Islands that's home to Whaler's Bay, an abandoned whaling station and former U.K. base.

  • Half Moon Island, where the cliffs house Chinstrap penguins, Antarctic terns, Kelp gulls, other birds.

  • Yankee Harbour, rife with seals and about 4,000 breeding pairs of Gentoo penguins.

  • Heading for the Antarctic Peninsula proper, we'll see Cuverville Island, with the largest known colony of Gentoos in Antarctica.

  • Neko Harbour, a favorite Minke whale feeding ground.

  • Paradise Harbour, named for its beauty and home to Gentoos and Chinstraps as well as Argentine and Chilean bases.

  • Lemaire Channel, considered one of the most beautiful passages in Antarctica-with Humpback and Killer whales, Elephant seals and all types of penguins are common sights.

  • Petermann Island, favored by the southernmost Gentoo colony as well as Blue-eyed shags (Imperial cormorants) and Adelie penguins.

  • Port Lockroy-where you can visit a museum run by the Antarctic Heritage Trust and mail postcards stamped and canceled with rare Antarctic stamps and frank.

  • Wilhelmina Bay, scenic resting place of Norwegian whaling ship Guvernoren, which ran aground and burned here in 1915.

  • The 30-mile-long Antarctic Sound—dubbed "Iceberg Alley," it's a startling assortment of floating ice, including mile-long tabular icebergs.

  • Brown Bluff, a 2,450-foot-high cliff at the tip of the peninsula that draws Adelie and Gentoo penguins, Kelp gulls and Weddell seals.


Day 9: Drake Passage

Antarctica Coastline Antarctica Coastline

Your Antarctica expedition continues as you cross the 600-mile-plus Drake Passage back to Ushuaia. During the sailing time, enjoy more informative lecture series recapping your Antarctic tour.


Day 10: Ushuaia/Buenos Aires

After breakfast your Antarctica expedition ends at Ushuaia. Here you will transfer for a flight to Buenos Aires.


 

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