Antarctic Express: Sail South, Fly North

Day 1: Arriving in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Upon arrival in Buenos Aires, make your way to the included group hotel, which is part of your Charter Flight & Hotel Package. A presentation room will be open from 12 pm to 8 pm for luggage weighing and tagging. A representative will be available to answer your questions and give information about the next day’s flight and ship embarkation. 

Day 2: Fly to Ushuaia & Embarkation
After an early breakfast, your group will transfer to the airport and board our private charter flight to Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world. You will have some free time to explore this quaint port town at the bottom of South America. Steeped in marine history, this walkable Argentine city has plenty of museums, galleries and historic sites to visit quite easily. We will transfer the group to the ship for embarkation around 4 pm. As you begin your voyage in the picturesque Beagle Channel, be sure to keep your eyes peeled out on deck as the channel is home to a wide variety of wildlife including seabirds, seals and dolphins. 

Days 3 and 4: Crossing the Drake Passage
Legendary for its high winds and rolling seas, you may get lucky and have surprisingly calm seas. Spend your time in the lounge or chatting with your fellow travelers. As you develop your sea legs during the crossing, our Expedition Team will begin their series of presentations to help prepare you for your upcoming Zodiac and land excursions. You officially enter Antarctica when your ship crosses the Antarctic Convergence, a biological boundary that fluctuates around 60° south.

Days 5 to 8: Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands
The most common reaction upon reaching the 7th Continent is a sense of reverence and awe. The experience is beyond words, since few places are as untouched and enduring as Antarctica. You will begin to appreciate why this region has long captivated the attention of explorers and travelers alike. Every time we visit Antarctica, we witness something new or unexpected, which means that your expedition will be unlike any other—creating a unique, personal experience. Each day, you will take Zodiac excursions from the ship to explore glaciated bays, channels and landing sites. Your Expedition Team will take care of you at each landing, whether you are hiking the Antarctic landscape, visiting a research station or consorting with chinstrap, Adélie and gentoo penguins, all of which can be found here. Keep an eye out for Weddell, fur, crabeater and leopard seals as well as curious whales, such as humpbacks, minkes, or perhaps orcas while on a Zodiac cruise. Each excursion will present a new array of creatures to fascinate you and keep your camera busy. Amid the serene silence of Antarctica, noisy interludes become indelible memories, such as penguins squabbling over prized pebbles, or the boom and crack of a calving glacier. Every day will be different, having been carefully crafted by your Expedition Team to inspire and educate you about this wonderful part of the world.

Day 9: Disembarkation and Fly to Punta Arenas, Chile
Today you will disembark the ship at King George Island before taking the included 2 hour flight to Punta Arenas, Chile (weather permitting). Upon arrival in Punta Arenas, there is an included transfer to the group hotel. The rest of the day is free to explore and enjoy a final dinner on your own, before your homeward journey.

Day 10: Depart Punta Arenas
After breakfast, you are welcome to continue on your own travels or make your way to the Punta Arenas airport. Please note that a departure transfer from the hotel to the Punta Arenas airport is not included.

EXPEDITION SPIRIT: Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy—and excitement—of expedition travel. When traveling in extremely remote regions, your Expedition Team must consider the sea, ice and weather to guide the route and itinerary details. This itinerary is a tentative outline of what you may experience on this voyage; please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed. By the same token, wildlife encounters as described are expected, but not guaranteed. Your Expedition Team will use their considerable experience to seek out wildlife in known habitats, but the presence of any particular species of bird or marine wildlife is not guaranteed. Trips with flights to and/or from Antarctica have a higher risk of having a trip delay or interruption due to weather.