Buenos Aires and Voyage to Antarctica – The Great White Continent

ARRIVAL IN BUENOS AIRES

Arrive in Buenos Aires and enjoy a city tour of this exciting and vibrant city. Discover Plaza de Mayo, the historical and political core of the city including the Casa Rosada (Presidential Palace). Continue along Avenida de Mayo and the San Telmo district, one of the oldest districts in the city and known as the home of the ‘Tango’ dance. You will also visit La Boca with its colourful tin roofed houses and customs reflecting the influence of 19th century European immigrants in the typical ‘cantinas’ or small restaurants. Complete your tour with a visit to the stunning ornate graves at La Recoleta Cemetery including that of Eva Peron. Free time will be given for lunch and you will return to the 725 Continental hotel for an evening at leisure.

BUENOS AIRES & USHUAIA

After breakfast, transfer to Jorge Newbery airport, the city’s second airport, for our domestic flight to Ushuaia, the world’s southernmost city. We stay for one night at the four-star Los Acebos Hotel, with breakfast.

USHUAIA & EMBARKATION

Wake early and enjoy some magical views over Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel from our hotel, located in a peaceful position on a forested hill above the town. After breakfast, we set off to explore the Tierra del Fuego National Park. Covered in beech forests, lakes and mountains, this is the southernmost National Park in the world and the terminus of the famed Pan-American Highway. In the afternoon, we board our ship, the MV Ocean Albatros and settle into our cabins. Our journey begins this evening as we navigate through the calm waters of the famous Beagle Channel, with the coastline and mountains of Argentina on one side and Chile on the other.

DRAKE PASSAGE

Sailing ever southwards, we cross the famed Drake Passage - a 500-mile long body of water that marks the intersection of the cold Antarctic with the warmer Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The Drake Passage is known for rollicking conditions and its strong westerly winds, known as the Furious Fifties. While this passage may sometimes be challenging, you can rest confidently aboard our expedition vessel, which is purpose-built with stabilizers, powerful engines and a highly-qualified crew.

You’ll feel the excitement begin to build as Antarctic wildlife starts to come into view. The area is well-known for its abundance of seabirds which follow the ship, sweeping low, their wing feathers almost touching the wave tops. So, take up your position on the aft deck and look out for storm petrels, shearwaters, arctic terns and perhaps even a few albatrosses! As the white shimmer of Antarctica looms on our horizon, you may also spot humpback whales, dolphins and your first iceberg!

SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS & ANTARCTIC PENINSULA

Over the next four days, we’ll explore the sub-Antarctic islands of the South Shetland chain and the Antarctic Peninsula itself. As we sail into these calmer, protected waters, the ship will be a hive of activity as the Expedition team come into their own, organising multiple daily Zodiac excursions and landings.

Most days will start early to take advantage of the Antarctic’s long summer days. After breakfast, you’ll head downstairs to the ship’s mud room to don your boots, waterproof trousers and parka before walking down the short steps to your waiting Zodiac dinghy. With just 10 people per dinghy, you are assured of a highly personal experience each time. You’ll then cruise around the area, gazing in awe at the amazing blue hues of icebergs and glaciers and getting up close to seals and penguins in the water, followed by a shore landing to explore penguin rookeries or historic research stations. During lunch the ship will navigate to the next landfall and you’ll have another Zodiac excursion and shore landing in the afternoon.

Projected landfalls include: Greenwich Island; Deception Island, an extinct volcano with waters warm enough for a polar swim; and the old British research base at Port Lockroy. Wildlife abounds along our projected route along the Antarctic Peninsula: the leopard, fur and crab-eater seals resting on ice-floes around Cuverville Island; the humpback whales of Gerlache Strait; the dramatic Lemaire Channel's orcas.

If conditions allow, the ship may be able, for a short time, to fill and heat the open-air pool on the aft deck and may also be able to organise a ‘Polar plunge’ for anyone brave enough to jump into the icy Southern Ocean!

The itinerary and all activities over these days depend on the notoriously changeable Antarctic weather and ice conditions. The route and shore landings will be determined by the Captain and Expedition Leader and communicated to guests through regular briefings.

DRAKE PASSAGE

We set sail northwards and spend two days at sea on our way back to the calm of the Beagle Channel and Ushuaia. En-route, we’ll cross Drake Passage and cruise past Cape Horn, the legendary maritime landmark at the southern tip of South America.

During our time at sea, a variety of activities will be arranged on board and it provides the perfect opportunity to compare experiences and photos with your fellow travellers.

DISEMBARKATION & BUENOS AIRES

This morning we disembark and catch our flight back to Buenos Aires where we stay for one night at the centrally-located four-star 725 Continental Hotel, with breakfast. This evening you may wish to round off your trip with a visit to one of the city’s famed tango shows.

PAMPAS RANCH

After breakfast, we drive out of the city towards the Pampas for a day at a traditional Estancia. Many Estancias were originally created by Irish migrants before continuing to be run by families for generations. Enjoy a welcome with refreshments before enjoying some traditional activities and exploring the grounds. An excellent lunch is included featuring Argentinian beef on the barbecue, which you can enjoy with local songs and dances. The ranch has plenty of horses and in true gaucho tradition, you’ll also see them showing off their equestrian skills with roping and ring games. Return to your hotel this evening in Buenos Aires.

RETURN FLIGHT

Today we board our afternoon overnight flight back to the UK.

ARRIVE HOME

Land back in the UK after a once-in-a-lifetime holiday.