Antarctica Complete

Upon arrival in Ushuaia, a representative meets and transfers you to the assigned pre-voyage hotel. If already in the city, please proceed directly to the hotel, where check-in begins at 3:00 pm. Between 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm, visit the hospitality desk in the lobby to collect luggage tags and confirm interest in the Lake Escondido pre-embarkation tour scheduled for tomorrow. The team confirms details regarding embarkation day, answers questions, and provides information on dining or purchasing last-minute items.

For arrivals after 7:00 pm, a welcome pack awaits at check-in; please visit the hospitality desk tomorrow between 8:00 am and 10:00 am.

The remainder of the day is at leisure, with all meals at personal expense.

Start the morning with breakfast and check-out. Ensure cabin luggage bears tags clearly labeled with your name and cabin number. Please deliver luggage to the hotel reception prior to or upon check-out. Luggage is then stored and transferred directly to the port for clearance and placement in the cabin. Keep all valuables and personal items on your person throughout the day.

For those joining the Lake Escondido tour, meet in the hotel lobby at 8:45 am. This excursion features an unforgettable panoramic drive through glacial valleys, evergreen and deciduous forests, waterfalls, and rivers within the vast Andes Mountain Range. Depart Ushuaia to the northeast of Tierra del Fuego, traveling through peat bog valleys to reach Garibaldi Pass via a winding road leading to a panoramic viewpoint. Here, marvel at views of Lake Escondido and, weather permitting, Fagnano Lake. The route descends towards the northeast to the shores of Fagnano Lake for a visit to a local ranch. After appreciating the landscape, savor a typical Fuegian Lamb barbecue. Enjoy free time before returning to Ushuaia for embarkation.

Alternatively, spend the day at leisure, meeting later at the hotel lobby or the designated point at the parking lot near the pier (details provided by ground staff) for transfer to the ship. Once onboard, settle into the cabin before attending the important mandatory briefings. As the ship departs, gather on deck to commence the adventure with spectacular views over Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego. This evening, meet fellow expeditioners and the friendly expedition team at a welcome dinner to celebrate the start of a thrilling adventure to Antarctica.

As you commence the Drake Passage crossing, you make the most of your time getting comfortable with the motions of the sea. The expedition team prepare you for your first landing with important wildlife guidelines and biosecurity procedures and start your lecture program to help you learn more about Antarctica’s history, wildlife and environment. 

Your wildlife experiences begin as you enjoy watching and photographing the many seabirds, including majestic albatrosses and giant petrels following your vessel. On sea days, you can enjoy the facilities on board the vessel including the gym, sauna and jacuzzis or relax in one of the observation lounges.     

Nearing the South Shetland Islands and the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula on the afternoon of day four, the excitement is palpable with everyone converging on one of the observation decks watching for your first iceberg. The ocean takes on a whole new perspective once you are below the Antarctic Convergence and are surrounded by the surreal presence of floating ice sculptures. The memory of your first big iceberg sighting is likely to remain with you for a lifetime. Time and weather permitting, you may attempt your first landing in Antarctica by late afternoon. 

It’s almost impossible to describe the feeling of arriving in Antarctica. Spotting your first iceberg and taking a deep breath of some of the most fresh, crisp air on earth is an experience that will stay with you forever.   

Once you arrive, the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands are yours to explore, and you have a host of choices available. Because you are so far south, experience approximately 18-24 hours of daylight and the days can be as busy as you wish.  

Your experienced expedition team, who have made countless journeys to this area, will use their expertise to design your voyage from day to day, choosing the best options based on the prevailing weather, ice conditions and wildlife opportunities. 

Rug up before joining Zodiac cruises along spectacular ice cliffs or among grounded icebergs, keeping watch for whales, seals and porpoising penguins. Zodiacs will also transport you from the ship to land, where you can visit penguin rookeries, discover historic huts and explore some favorite spots along the peninsula.  

While ashore you aim to stretch your legs, wandering along pebbly beaches or perhaps up snow-covered ridgelines to vantage points with mountains towering overhead and ice-speckled oceans below. If you have chosen an optional activity, you can have the option to do participate in the activity whenever conditions allow, and of course keen polar plungers will have the chance to fully immerse themselves in polar waters - conditions permitting! The polar plunge can take place at any time during the voyage, so listen out for the announcement from the expedition team and get ready for the most exhilarating dip of your life!  

In addition to Zodiac cruises and shore excursions, you may ship cruise some of the narrow, dramatic straits separating offshore islands from the mainland, or linger in scenic bays to watch whales traveling or feeding. This is a great time to enjoy the observation lounge or make your way to the bridge (open at the captain’s discretion) for uninterrupted views of Antarctica in all its splendor. Listen out for the creak and deep rumble of glaciers as they carve. Take a quiet moment to experience the wonder of the pristine paradise of the splendid white continent. 

On this voyage, under favorable conditions, you plan to cross the Antarctic Circle, an imaginary line located at latitude 66°33' south. This is certainly a special highlight for many expeditioners, and the moment will be celebrated with a toast on deck (conditions permitting). You have earned some boasting privileges, joining a small group of lucky adventurers who have ventured to this part of the world. As you approach The Circle, you can notice subtle changes in the landscape and in the distribution of wildlife. The waters at this time of year are rich with krill and you hope to see plenty of whales - particularly humpbacks and minkes. Enjoy the spectacle of penguins feeding their ravenous chicks. 

Attend informative lectures to learn about South Georgia as you sail across the Scotia Sea. You may want to relax in the sauna or stay active in the gym; the choice is yours on how you want to enjoy days at sea. 

Sea and weather conditions will determine your arrival time into South Georgia today.

As you near the rugged island of South Georgia, spare a thought for Captain James Cook, who arrived here in 1775 and believed it to be the northern tip of a great southern continent! In fact, it is a small island only 176 km (110 mi) long, but with a 3,000 m (9,842 ft) snow-capped mountain range, some of the world’s largest congregations of wildlife and a truly fascinating human history, South Georgia is an island of incredible riches.

On approach, jagged mountain peaks rise steeply, while seabirds are often spotted soaring around the ship. Sail down the coast, taking in the spectacular glaciated scenery. This enchanting coastline is yours to explore!

If time and weather conditions permit, en route you could pass close to Shag Rocks, a fascinating group of jagged rocky islets protruding from the sea, in the proximity of South Georgia.

Your experienced expedition team will use their local knowledge to plan your voyage from day to day, choosing the best options based on the prevailing weather, sea state and wildlife opportunities.

Remember to layer up before joining Zodiac excursions that may zip into craggy coves and along the rocky coastline in search of nesting penguins, seal haul-outs and bird cliffs. Remember to keep an eye out for South Georgia’s kelp forests as well - these remarkable underwater ecosystems are quite mesmerizing as their fronds sway back and forth on the water’s surface.

Your Zodiacs will also transport ashore, where you can visit some of the largest king penguin colonies on Earth, take a guided walk among fur seals and elephant seals (making sure you listen to your guides and keep your distance!) and wander along pebbled streams and grassy glacial outwash plains. You can also hope to visit the remnants of South Georgia’s thriving whaling stations and pay your respects to Sir Ernest Shackleton, whose incredible voyage of survival is synonymous with this island. If you have chosen an optional activity, you can have the option to do that whenever conditions allow.

In addition to Zodiac excursions and shore excursions, you may ship cruise through fjords with towering cliffs of ancient stone, or into deeply indented bays towards dramatic glacier fronts. This is a great time to find a comfy spot in the observation lounge or make your way to the bridge (open at the captain’s discretion) to enjoy uninterrupted views of South Georgia’s majestic coast.

Sea and weather conditions will determine your departure time from South Georgia today.

Between the Falklands~Malvinas and South Georgia, be enthralled by the ceaseless flight of the many seabirds that follow and circle the ship. Your onboard lecture program will continue with presentations from the team of experts. You can also enjoy the many facilities on the ship, borrow a book from the well-stocked library or perhaps stay active in the fitness center.

The Falklands~Malvinas comprises two large islands (East and West Falkland), with over 700 islands scattered off the coast. All but seven of these are uninhabited, with windswept coastlines, white sand beaches and crystal-clear water. These beautifully barren islands are true wildlife havens, sheltering an impressive diversity of birdlife, including the largest black-browed albatross colony on earth. The cold, nutrient-rich waters surrounding the islands make this a prime location for spotting marine life.

There are many beautiful areas to explore across the Falklands~Malvinas, each offering a unique perspective on this magnificent archipelago. Your experienced expedition team, who have made countless journeys to this area, will use their expertise to design your voyage from day to day, choosing the best options based on the prevailing winds, weather and wildlife opportunities.

You generally make landings or Zodiac excursions twice a day. Even though you are north of the Antarctic Convergence it can be quite chilly here, so layer up before joining Zodiac cruises into rocky coves or along sea cliffs, keeping watch for seals, sea lions, dolphins and penguins. Zodiacs will also shuttle you from the ship to land, where you may visit albatross colonies, penguin rookeries and perhaps even have a traditional English ‘tea and scones’ at a local cottage.

Conditions permitting, you plan to land in historic Stanley, the capital of the Falklands~Malvinas. This charming town has a distinctly British character, with terraced town houses, pioneer cottages and even an iconic red telephone box! Colorful buildings house cosy cafes, English pubs, souvenir shops, a post office and the fascinating Historic Dockyard Museum, with displays on the maritime history of the Falkland Islands, natural history and links to Antarctica.

As you sail towards Ushuaia, you may choose to spend your precious time editing photos, enjoying the onboard facilities, or attend final lectures. Celebrate the end of an unforgettable voyage with newfound friends at a special Captain’s farewell dinner.

With lectures and film presentations to complete your Antarctic experience, there is still plenty of time to enjoy the magic of the Southern Ocean and the life that calls it home. There is time for reflection and discussion about what you have seen and experienced. Tell your family, friends and colleagues about your journey to this magical place, advocating for its conservation and preservation so that they might one day visit the region to experience what you have been lucky to see and do here.

During the early morning, cruise up the Beagle Channel, before quietly slipping into dock in Ushuaia, where you are free to disembark around 8.00 am. Farewell your expedition team and fellow passengers as you all continue your onward journeys, hopefully with a newfound sense of the immense power of nature.

Upon disembarkation, for those continuing their travels in the region, transportation to the hotel will be arranged exclusively for guests who have booked their accommodations through Aurora or for those staying in downtown areas near the port. Expeditioners departing on flights prior to 12:30 pm will be directly transferred to Ushuaia Airport, those with flights after 12:30 pm will have the opportunity to explore Ushuaia before an afternoon airport transfer, and the transfer procedures and details will be communicated onboard before disembarkation.

Note: At the conclusion of the voyage, it is not recommended to book flights departing Ushuaia prior to 12.00 pm on the day of disembarkation in case there are delays.