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Ice and water along Antarctic Peninsula

Antarctica and Patagonia: Legendary Ice and Epic Fjords (Northbound)

Example 18 Day Cruise aboard National Geographic Explorer
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Experience an extraordinary cruise aboard the National Geographic Explorer, beginning in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Venture to Ushuaia, where you'll embark on your Antarctic adventure. Fly to Ushuaia and explore Tierra del Fuego National Park. Sail through the Drake Passage while enjoying lectures from onboard naturalists. Spend time exploring Antarctica, with activities such as kayaking among icebergs and encountering penguins. Relax during days at sea, rounding Cape Horn. Cruise through the Chilean Fjords, visiting Glacier Alley and Garibaldi Fjord. Navigate the Kirke Narrows and explore Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine National Park. Discover Francisco Coloane Marine Park and Tierra del Fuego's Karukinka Natural Park. This expedition uniquely blends wildlife encounters, natural beauty, and adventure.
Wildlife on Beagle Channel, Tierra del FuegoBlue ice of AntarcticaSeal enjoying the sun in AntarcticaTorres del Paine photo safariTwo of Antarctica's localsSeals and cormorants on Beagle ChannelSeal in AntarcticaIce and water along Antarctic Peninsula
Highlights
  • Navigate Chile’s coastal fjords and explore spectacular Glacier Alley
  • Hike among the snowcapped “horns” of Torres del Paine National Park
  • See Antarctic's Amazing Wildlife and Icebergs
  • Explore Glacier Alley's Stunning Scenery and Fjord
Activity Level: Variable
Activity options vary depending on destination and operator. Activity level is determined by the range and intensity of activities you choose to participate in. Discuss with your Trip Planner which options are best for you.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Arrive in Buenos Aires. Transfer from the airport to the Alvear Art Hotel or similar before seeing the city’s Beaux-Arts palaces. Visit Recoleta—the final resting place of Argentina’s iconic first lady, Eva Perón—and enjoy a private visit to El Zanjon de Granados, one of the city’s premier museums. In the early evening, you gather for an informal reception and a drink at the hotel.

Day 2: Ushuaia, Argentina | Embark Ship

Today, you fly south to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, where you'll meet your ship. Ushuaia’s spectacular setting, between the jagged peaks of the Cordillera Darwin and the protected waters of the Beagle Channel, makes it an appropriately wild place to begin your journey to the White Continent. While you're there, you'll visit Tierra del Fuego National Park, where you can view a beautiful forest of southern beech, very much like those that covered Antarctica millions of years ago. Lunch will be served onboard a private catamaran while cruising the Beagle Channel, where you’ll be on the lookout for huge South American sea lions and birds like imperial cormorants. Residents of Ushuaia often call their small city ‘El Fin Del Mundo’, The End of the World, but for you, it’s just the beginning.

Day 3-4: At Sea | Drake Passage

Sail to Antarctica via the Drake Passage, named after 16th-century English admiral Sir Francis Drake. Watch for dozens of species of seabirds gliding alongside the ship—including the albatross, which boasts the longest wingspan of any extant bird—and enjoy talks from the onboard naturalists about the wildlife and geology that awaits you on the Antarctic Peninsula.

Day 5-9: Exploring Antarctica

It sounds like you're describing an incredible expedition! With such a flexible schedule and daylight lasting long into the evening, you're truly making the most of your time exploring. Every day seems filled with exciting possibilities, from watching whales from the ship to cruising among icebergs in a Zodiac. And the variety of activities, from kayaking among towering icebergs to encountering seals and penguins, ensures that each day brings new adventures. Having an expert expedition team to guide you must add so much depth to your experiences, too. Enjoy every moment of your extraordinary journey!

Day 10-11: At Sea

Relax on board and enjoy the ship’s amenities as the coast of Antarctica disappears from view. Round the southernmost tip of South America at Cape Horn and witness the dramatic meeting of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans en route to Ushuaia, Argentina.

Day 12-13: Exploring the Chilean Fjords

Sail into southern Patagonia’s vast wilderness of forested isles, mirror-like lakes, and snowcapped peaks. Myriad fjords cut between soaring granite walls and waterfalls tumble from high above. Explore the region known as Chile’s “Glacier Alley,” part of the UNESCO-recognized Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve. Cruise into the secluded Pia Fjord, admiring views of its massive glacier, and glide into Garibaldi Fjord in Alberto de Agostini National Park, where the Andes meet the sea. Get up close to the monumental wall of ice that marks the edge of Garibaldi Glacier, exploring by Zodiac or kayak. Continue to Agostini Fjord, where numerous glaciers originate from the nearby mountains, for a chance to witness thunderous glacial calving.

Day 14: Puerto Natales / Kirke Narrows

Local pilots join your captain on the bridge to guide you through the winding Kirke Narrows, accessible only to small expedition ships. You then continue your discovery of the Chilean fjords, where you may explore by ship or take a forest walk.

Day 15: Puerto Natales | Torres del Paine National Park

Early this morning you dock in picturesque Puerto Natales before heading out to explore majestic Torres del Paine National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Set out by foot or by vehicle across the windswept, rugged landscape, which spans more than 550,000 acres and harbors an astounding variety of geological forms, from the soaring granite pillars of the “horns” and windswept grasslands to rivers, glaciers, and gem-colored lagoons. Keep an eye out for guanacos, rheas, foxes, and armadillos.

Day 16: Francisco Coloane Marine Park

Today, you enter the Strait of Magellan to explore Francisco Coloane Marine Park. The park covers more than 165,000 acres of land and sea and is home to an abundance of wildlife, including humpback whales, two species of sea lions, and Magellanic penguins. Cruise along the coastline by Zodiac and kayak to watch for black and white Peale’s dolphins, the endangered Chilean dolphin, and Andean condors.

Day 17: Tierra del Fuego: Karukinka Natural Park and Ainsworth Bay

Cruise to Tierra del Fuego and venture into the archipelago’s largest protected land area: Karukinka Natural Park. Visit this private reserve by special permission, searching for Andean foxes, guanacos, black-browed albatross, and more. Then sail to Ainsworth Bay, a stunning fjord surrounded by subpolar forest, keeping an eye out for elephant seals.

Day 18: Punta Arenas | Disembark | Santiago

  • 1 Breakfast
Disembark in Punta Arenas and board your flight to Santiago to connect with your overnight flight home.

Ship/Hotel

National Geographic Explorer

National Geographic Explorer's dining room.
Relax in the luxurious sauna aboard the National Geographic Explorer.
Relax in the National Geographic Explorer's lounge.

Buenos Aires - Hotels

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

Per person starting at
$27,715 2-3 travelers
Rates are subject to change without notice. Book early to get the best rate.
National Geographic Explorer's Category 1 Cabin.
Cat 1
Main Deck with one or two portholes. #301-308
National Geographic Explorer's Category 2 Cabin.
Cat 2
Main Deck with window. #317-320, 335-336
National Geographic Explorer's Category 3 Cabin.
Cat 3
Main Deck with Window #313-316, 321-328, 337-340, 342, 344-350 Main Deck L-shaped Suite #341 & 343
National Geographic Explorer's Category 4 Cabin.
Cat 4
Upper and Veranda Decks with Window. # 103-104, 107-108, 201-202, 204-207, 210, 212, 217, 226, 228.
National Geographic Explorer's Category 5 Upper Deck Cabin.
Cat 5
Upper Deck with Balcony. #209, 211, 214, 216, 218, 220-222, 224.
National Geographic Explorer's Category 6 Cabin.
Cat 6
Upper Deck Suite 213 has a balcony, 290 sq ft. Veranda Deck Suites 101 and 102 are 355 sq ft without balcony
Luxurious Catagory 8 Suite
Cat 7
Upper Deck Suite with Balcony. #215, 219, 230
National Geographic Explorer's Category SA and SB.
Cat SA
C Deck Solo - Cabins 309-312, 329-334. Single cabins with window
National Geographic Explorer's Category SA and SB.
Cat SB
Upper and Veranda Decks with Window. #105-106, 203, 208

Notes

Travelers under the age of 18 save $500 per person.
Included
  • 17 Breakfasts, 16 Lunches, 16 Dinners
  • 17 Nights Accommodations
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Activities as listed
  • Meals as listed
  • Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
  • Assistance by the onboard National Geographic Photography Expert
  • Access to the OM System Photo Gear Locker with the latest gear to try out on loan (aboard Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic fleet) 
  • Beer, wine, cocktails, and spirits are available aboard the ship. Additionally, a selection of super premium wines and liquors is offered for purchase.
  • Crew gratuities
  • Complimentary Starlink-enabled Wi-Fi internet is available to all guests aboard Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic fleet, enabling email, messaging, and social media.
  • Park and site entrance fees, special access permits, and port taxes
  • Excursions, hotels, and airport transfers, as indicated in the itinerary 
  • Selection of exploration tools curated to your destination, such as Zodiacs and glass-bottom boats, stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, snorkeling equipment (including wetsuits, masks, and fins), and other state-of-the-art gear
  • Guidance and company of leading expedition staff
  • All meals as indicated in the itinerary, both aboard and onshore. Meals are inspired by regional cuisine and locally sourced where possible
  • Hors d’oeuvres inspired by regional cuisine and locally sourced where possible
  • 24-hour access to snacks, premium coffees and teas, non-alcoholic beverages, and filtered water
  • Presentations on your destination by expedition staff and expert guest speakers
  • Complimentary reusable water bottle to fill at onboard water refill stations
  • The services of a physician, physician’s assistant, nurse practitioner, or paramedic  where available
  • Morning stretch classes and 24-hour access to exercise equipment where available
  • 24-hour access to lounges, observation decks, library stocked with regionally relevant literature, and other shared spaces 
  • Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic certified photo instructor
Excluded
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
  • Buenos Aires Hotel tax (up to $2 per person/night) - paid at checkout
  • Laundry, spa treatments, scuba diving, Wi-Fi and phone services (except when indicated as included)
  • We strongly recommend our guests to take Travel Protection Plan. A Plan with comprehensive coverage to protect you from cancellation fees, costs incurred due to trip delays/interruption, damaged or lost baggage, medical assistance, and evacuation during your travels
  • Airfare (except flights when indicated as included), pre- and post-expedition extensions, additional hotel nights, and private transfers (except when indicated as included)
  • Travel protection plans and passport, visa, and immigration fees 
  • Enhanced and premium Wi-Fi plans, which may enable video chat, web browsing, and streaming (connectivity permitting)

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The trip was terrific with great planning on your part. Most of the adventures were not mainstream and somewhat off the beaten path which made it especially enjoyable!! We felt taken care of and you all were readily available to respond to questions and issues. I would highly recommend your company and friends have already expressed interest based on our pictures and excitement.
Gale Cantor

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