Buenos Aires & Voyage to Antarctica

Buenos Aires • Ushuaia • Drake Passage • South Shetland Islands • Antarctic Peninsula

Get up close to incredible numbers of penguins, seals and whales, stunning mountain scenery and gigantic icebergs on a trip of a lifetime to the Great White Continent. Aboard our strong, ice-class expedition vessel, the brand new MV Ocean Albatros, we’ll get as close as possible to the dramatic coastline, full of rocky mountain peaks and immense glaciers breaking off into iceberg-filled bays and fjords.

Ushuaia

Your itinerary

DAY 1 – Departure

You should arrive at the airport for your overnight flight to Buenos Aires.

DAY 2 – Arrival in Buenos Aires

Arrive in Buenos Aires and enjoy a tour of this exciting and vibrant city. Discover Plaza de Mayo, including the Casa Rosada. Continue along Avenida de Mayo and the San Telmo district, known as the home of the ‘Tango’ dance. You will also visit La Boca with its colourful tin roofed houses and complete your tour with a visit to the ornate graves at La Recoleta Cemetery including that of Eva Peron. + Included Experience – Tour of Buenos Aires

DAY 3 – Buenos Aires & Ushuaia

After breakfast, transfer to Jorge Newbery airport, for our flight to Ushuaia, the world’s southernmost city. (B)

DAY 4 – Ushuaia & Embarkation

After breakfast, we explore the Tierra del Fuego National Park. 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. (B,D) + Included Experience – Visit to Tierra del Fuego National Park

MV Ocean Albatros

DAYS 5 TO 6 – Drake Passage

Sailing southwards, we cross the famed Drake Passage, while this passage may sometimes be challenging, you can rest confidently aboard our purposebuilt expedition vessel, with stabilizers, powerful engines and a highlyqualified crew. The area is well-known for its abundance of seabirds which follow the ship, as the white shimmer of Antarctica looms on our horizon, you may also spot humpback whales, dolphins and your first iceberg! (B,L,D) + Included Experiences – Sailing across the Drake Passage and the chance to spot wildlife

DAYS 7 TO 10 – 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 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. Once aboard your Zodiac, 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.

The itinerary and all activities over these days depend on the notoriously changeable Antarctic weather and ice conditions. (B,L,D) + Included Experiences – Shore excursions on Zodiac dinghies

DAYS 11 TO 12 – Drake Passage

We set sail northwards, during our two days at sea, a variety of activities will be arranged on board. (B,L,D) + Included Experience – Sailing across the Drake Passage and rounding Cape Horn

DAY 13 – Disembarkation

This morning we disembark and catch our flight back to Buenos Aires where we stay for two nights, with breakfast. This evening you may wish to visit one of the city’s famed tango shows. (B)

DAY 14 – 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 some traditional activities and exploring the grounds. An excellent lunch is included featuring Argentinian beef on the barbecue, which you can savour with local songs and dances. (B,L) + Included Experience – Full day Ranch visit

DAY 15 – Return flight

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

DAY 16 – Arrive home

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

Cruise itinerary is subject to change depending on weather conditions. On-board currency is the US dollar.

KEY

Arrive Depart Route Cruise

BUENOS AIRES

ARGENTINA

Ushuaia

Cape Horn

Drake Passage

South Shetland Islands

Lemaire Channel

2023

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Your cruise includes

• A nine-night cruise on board the new MV Ocean Albatros, including all meals • Stay in four-star hotels in Ushuaia and

Buenos Aires with breakfast • Return flights to Buenos Aires • Return domestic flights from Buenos

Aires to Ushuaia • A polar expedition parka • The services of our experienced and insightful tour manager throughout

(B) Breakfast, (L) Lunch, (D) Dinner Prices are per person. For departure dates, prices and flights, please call or visit our website.

YOUR EXPERIENCES • Step ashore on the world’s least visited continent • Experience the incredible sights of calving glaciers, vast ice sheets and iceberg-filled bays amongst the mountainous terrain of the Antarctic

Peninsula and South Shetland Islands • Get up close with stunning wildlife including numerous penguin colonies, seals and whales • All shore excursions on the MV Ocean

Albatros ’s fleet of Zodiac dinghies • A programme of fascinating lectures • Sightseeing drive of Buenos Aires, full day Ranch visit and excursion to

Tierra del Fuego National Park from

Ushuaia

This trip was worth every penny... and the expedition team did their utmost to give us the best experience possible. It was like being in another world. Pauline, Plymouth