Arrive to Buenos Aires on the flight of your choice today. After collecting your luggage and clearing customs, meet your driver and head to your hotel in the city. Settle in a rest after your long flight.

We do not have any activities planned for this day. However, if your flight arrives early enough, we could arrange a city tour, or a dinner and tango show!

Your driver will return you to the airport this morning for a flight to Ushuaia. With previous incarnations as a missionary outpost and, subsequently, prison town, Ushuaia is now most well-known as the "Gateway to Antarctica." From its dramatic setting between the Beagle Channel and the rugged glaciated peaks rising from the landscape, opportunities for hiking and exploring abound. The afternoon is free to wander local museums or explore nearby trails.

This morning you will meet your boat at the tourist dock in Ushuaia. The navigation goes along the Beagle Channel visiting the Sea Lions and Sea Birds Island and the mystic Les Eclereurs Island. This afternoon, you will visit Estancia Harberton, your Easternmost point, where you will have a 15 minute navigation on a smaller semi-rigid boat towards Isla Martillo. On the island you will have a 1 hour hike with the guide, who will show and teach you habits, characteristics and nesting grounds of Magellanic & Gentoos penguins that return here every year. These species share the habitat with albatrosses, petrels, skuas, cormorants, vultures, South American Terns and other birds. After the hike, you will get back to the Estancia and return to town, driving on gravel roads and arriving early evening in time for dinner on your own in Ushuaia.

Just north of Ushuaia is the Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego, Argentina's first coastal national park. The trail system of easy and undemanding paths makes this an ideal place to spend a relaxing day exploring Patagonia. We'll wander along easy coastal paths that may take us through forests of both high and low deciduous beech, evergreen beech, winterbark, firebrush, and more. We finish the walks at Lake Roca in time for lunch. After eating our fill, we climb into inflatable canoes and begin the easy downstream paddle to the Ovando River. The crystal-clear water runs into Laguna Verde, one of the most picturesque, panoramic spots in the park. Our take-out point is Lapataia Bay, where we may see petrels, albatross, steamer ducks, and on occasion, penguins. We'll return to Ushuaia for dinner and a restful sleep.

Return to the airport this morning for a flight to El Calafate.  Upon arrival, meet your guide and set off to the balconies of El Calafate.
Your exploration completes a 35-kilometer 4x4 tour on the line of hills behind El Calafate. The first stop is at the Balcony, 1050 meters above the sea; a natural viewpoint where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the town and the central body of Lake Argentino. 

From here, we follow the path to the Stone Labyrinth; an 85 million years old formation from the cretaceous period. 

Then, we start the descent down the northern slope of the hill to the Mexican Hats--curious iron concretions that are only found in four places in the world. At the end of our exploration, we will return to your hotel in El Calafate to relax for the evening.

Your journey continues south today as you cross over into Chile and head into the famed Torres del Paine National Park.  Located inside Torres del Paine National Park, Hotel Las Torres Patagonia features a spa, a restaurant and an organic garden. 

A family-owned hotel, Las Torres began as a family ranch in the early 20th century. It remains the only private property within the Torres del Paine National Park and offers unrivaled access to the incredible landscape and adventures within. Built in the early 1990's, the Hotel has grown from 9 rooms to over 80 rooms, and has become one of the most important tourist destinations in the region.

Upon arrival, settle in to your room and enjoy your beautiful surroundings.

Your time at Las Torres is flexible and includes a menu of guided excursions. Choose your day's activities based on your interests and energy level for the day, options ranging from easy-paced to strenuous hikes or horseback riding tours.

There are many different Half Day or Full Day excursion options to suit the individual needs, abilities, and desires of every guest. We encourage travelers to get familiar with the options, decide your preferences, and book your selections in advance with your Trip Planner. However, Patagonia is known for unpredictable weather that can change within hours or even minutes, so please be aware that excursions could be altered depending on forecasts and current weather conditions. All plans will be confirmed one day prior to scheduled excursions. 

After breakfast this morning transfer 5 hours south to Punta Arenas.
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For those travelers who are only participating in the Patagonia portion - Your flight out of Punta Arenas must be after 3 PM. Catch a flight from Punta Arenas to Santiago and connect with a late night departure for home.
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For those who are continuing on to Antarctica, you will be dropped off at your hotel in Punta Arenas.
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For those joining for only the Antarctic portion of the trip, you will arrive in Punta Arenas by flight today, where you will be met at the airport by a representative of Aurora Expeditions and transferred to your downtown hotel (this transfer is provided for their recommended flights only).

Overlooking the Straits of Magellan, the city sits astride one of the world's most historic trade routes. Today, Punta Arenas reflects a great mix of cultures, from English sheep ranchers to Portuguese sailors, and it remains an utterly fascinating testament to Chile's rich history. Enjoy free time to explore Punta Arenas at your own pace and discover the town’s excellent restaurants.

Between 5.00-7.00 pm, meet your fellow expeditioners at a Welcome Reception and Pre-Embarkation Briefing, where you will receive a mandatory IAATO (International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators) briefing and also learn about the proposed flight times and logistics for tomorrow. Afterwards, there’s free time to dine at your leisure. (Dinner not included).

This morning, please ensure your cabin luggage is fitted with cabin tags clearly labelled with your name and cabin number. After breakfast, we will conduct our final, mandatory pre-embarkation health screening and COVID (rapid antigen) testing before commencing check-out procedures.  

Afterwards, you will be transferred to Punta Arenas airport for our charter flight to King George Island, Antarctica (weather permitting). The flight will take approximately 1.5 hours. 

On arrival into King George Island our expedition team is on hand to greet you for your Zodiac transfer to board the vessel. You’ll have time to settle into your cabin before our important briefings.  

Note: King George Island is located at the northern part of the Antarctic Peninsula in the South Shetland Islands and is one of the most remote places on Earth. A clear sky with perfect visibility is required in order for the plane to take off and land safely. We apologize in advance for any delays.  

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 we arrive, the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands are ours to explore, and we have a host of choices available to us. 
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. 

We generally make landings or Zodiac excursions twice a day. You’ll want to 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 of our favourite spots along the peninsula.  

While ashore we aim to stretch our 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’ll have the option to do that whenever conditions allow, and of course keen polar plungers will have the chance to fully immerse themselves in polar waters - conditions permitting! 

In addition to Zodiac cruises and shore excursions, we may ship cruise some of the narrow, dramatic straits separating offshore islands from the mainland, or linger in scenic bays to watch whales travelling or feeding. This is a great time to enjoy the observation lounge or make your way to the bridge (Captain's call) for uninterrupted views of Antarctica in all its splendour. Keep an ear out for the creak and deep rumble of glaciers as they carve their way from summit to sea. Take a quiet moment to experience the wonder of this incredible white continent. 

Enjoy a morning landing in Antarctica before commencing our 1.5-day crossing of the Drake Passage. With lectures and film presentations to complete our Antarctic experience, there is still plenty of time to enjoy the magic of Southern Ocean and the life that calls it home. There is time for reflection and discussion about what we have seen and experienced, and the impact this voyage has had on our attitude to life. 

As we approach the tip of South America, our Captain may sail close to legendary Cape Horn, weather and time permitting. Sail through fjords and channels flanked by majestic mountains discovered by European explorers over 500 years ago. Keep a look out for seabirds and marine wildlife including dolphins, sea lions, and whales preparing to migrate to Antarctica to fatten up on plentiful krill. 

During the early morning, we quietly slipping into dock in Punta Arenas, where we begin disembarking at around 8.00 am. Farewell your expedition team and fellow travelers as we all continue our onward journeys, hopefully with a newfound sense of the immense power of nature. A transfer to your hotel in Punta Arenas or to the airport is included in the cost of the voyage.  

Catch your flight from Punta Arenas to Santiago and connect with your international flight departing for home.

Note: If COVID testing requirements for returning to the US change, we may need to add a night in Punta Arenas or in Santiago for this testing to be completed, and to allow time for results to be returned.