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Ushuaia to Buenos Aires: Antarctica Expedition Cruise

Ushuaia to Buenos Aires: Antarctica Expedition Cruise

From USD $21,300

Description

Join us for a journey to the last untouched continent, the Falkland Islands and along Argentina’s coast of Patagonia. Cross the incredible Drake Passage to look for pelagic birds, including petrels and prions. Antarctica then offers spectacular icebergs and calving glaciers, as well as the possibility of up-close encounters with penguins ashore, seals sunbathing on slow-moving ice floes, and humpback or minke whales surfacing close to the ship. Spend New Year’s Eve and New Year in Antarctica where weather depending, we will take daily Zodiac departures and cruise amidst colorful icebergs, or step ashore to visit a variety of penguin rookeries on excursions led by our team of natural history experts. Go kayaking in Antarctica under the guidance of certified instructors. Then head up to the Falkland Islands and the coast of Patagonia and see the UNESCO World Heritage site of Valdez Peninsula. Throughout the voyage, learn about the geology, wildlife and history of this spectacular area from lecture presentations offered by your knowledgeable onboard Expedition Team.

Trip Name
Ushuaia to Buenos Aires: Antarctica Expedition Cruise
Days
19
Overview
Vessel Type: Luxury Expedition Length: 157 m Passenger Capacity: 200/260 Built: 1994 Refurbished & Rebranded: 2017 After extensive refurbishment, Silver Cloud will be the most spacious and comfortable ice class vessel in expedition cruising. Her large suites, her destination itineraries and her unparalleled service make her truly special. Her five dining options will tantalise your taste buds and as 80% of her suites include a veranda, watching a breaching whale or a few cavorting penguins has never been so personal. Broad sweeping decks with multiple open spaces and a swimming pool complete what is surely the most distinctive expedition ship sailing today. A limited number of guests, particularly with just 200 in polar waters, mean that Silver Cloud has the highest space to guest and crew to guest ratios in expedition cruising. With her 18 zodiacs, possibilities are almost limitless with ship-wide simultaneous explorations. Finally, a team of 19 passionate and dedicated experts are always at hand to ensure your voyage is enhanced every step of the way. DECK 09 - Observation Lounge, Jogging Track DECK 08 - Pool, Pool Bar, Hot Rocks, The Panorama Lounge, The Connoisseur’s Corner DECK 07 - La Terrazza, The Spa at Silversea, Beauty Salon, The Library DECK 06 - Lecture Theatre, The Fitness Centre, Reception/Guest Relations, Expedition Desk DECK 05 - The Bar, Boutique, Casino DECK 04 - Main Restaurant, Le Champagne, Launderette

Itinerary



Day 1 - Day 1 USHUAIA
At 55 degrees latitude south, Ushuaia (pronounced oo-swy-ah) is closer to the South Pole than to Argentina's northern border with Bolivia. It is the capital and tourism base for Tierra del Fuego, the island at the southernmost tip of Argentina.Although its stark physical beauty is striking, Tierra del Fuego's historical allure is based more on its mythical past than on rugged reality. The island was inhabited for 6,000 years by Yámana, Haush, Selk'nam, and Alakaluf Indians.
Day 2 - Days 2 - 3 DRAKE PASSAGE
The Drake Passage has a notorious reputation for its turbulent seas due to the westerly winds and the funneling effect of the passage. The Antarctic Convergence, a natural boundary where cold polar water flows northward and warmer equatorial water moves southward, is within the Drake Passage. When these two currents meet, nutrients are pushed to the surface, often attracting a multitude of seabirds and whales. Black-browed Albatross, Sooty Shearwaters and White-chinned Petrels glide in the air currents alongside and in the wake of the ship.
Day 3 - Day 4 ANTARCTIC SOUND
The Antarctic Sound is a stretch of water named after the first ship to have passed through this body of water from the Bransfield Strait to the Weddell Sea in 1902. The Antarctic eventually sank and crew and scientists had to spend quite some time in this area before they could be rescued. Sites that have to do with this story - like Hope Bay or Paulet Island - are sometimes visited. At Paulet, Hope Bay and Brown Bluff Adelie and Gentoo Penguins breed, as do Kelp Gulls and Cape Petrels, Snow Petrels and Skuas.
Day 4 - Days 5 - 7 ANTARCTIC PENINSULA
Remote and otherworldly, Antarctica is irresistible for its spectacular iceberg sculptures and calving glaciers, and for the possibility of up-close encounters with marine mammals and the iconic penguins. The Antarctic Peninsula – the main peninsula closest to South America – has a human history of almost 200 years, with explorers, sealers, whalers, and scientists who have come to work, and eventually intrepid visitors coming to enjoy this pristine and remote wilderness.
Day 5 - Day 8 SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS
Some 770 kilometers (478 miles) south of Cape Horn, the South Shetland Islands are usually the first land seen in Antarctica. Separated from the Antarctic Peninsula by the Bransfield Strait, nine major islands make up the group. The region was the first to be exploited by sealers in the early 19th century, and because of its proximity to South America, it still is the most visited by scientists and tourists. Chinstrap, Adelie, Gentoo and Macaroni Penguins all breed here.
Day 6 - Days 9 - 10 DRAKE PASSAGE
The Drake Passage has a notorious reputation for its turbulent seas due to the westerly winds and the funneling effect of the passage. The Antarctic Convergence, a natural boundary where cold polar water flows northward and warmer equatorial water moves southward, is within the Drake Passage. When these two currents meet, nutrients are pushed to the surface, often attracting a multitude of seabirds and whales. Black-browed Albatross, Sooty Shearwaters and White-chinned Petrels glide in the air currents alongside and in the wake of the ship.
Day 7 - Day 11 STANLEY
Tiny Stanley, capital of the Falklands, seems in many ways like a British village fallen out of the sky. Many homes are painted in bright colours, adding visual appeal to this distant outpost. Not far offshore, the wreck of the Lady Elizabeth, is one of the many vessels remaining as a silent testimonial to the region's frequent harsh weather conditions. The islands, also known by their Spanish name of Islas Malvinas, are home to arguably more tuxedo-clad inhabitants of the penguin variety than human residents.
Day 8 - Day 12 NEW ISLAND & WEST POINT ISLAND
The remarkable beauty of the remote Falkland Islands can best be seen on New Island. The westernmost of the inhabited islands of the archipelago, it is a wildlife and nature reserve, and an environmental conservation group protects its many birds and animals. There are rookeries where Rockhopper Penguins and Blue-eyed Shags share the same nesting area. Black-browed Albatrosses can be seen going about their daily routines and it is easy to spot Upland Geese. More than 40 species of birds breed on the island.Located slightly northwest of West Falkland, West Point Island is used for sheep farming and nature observations. Peale’s dolphins and the distinctive black and white markings of the Commerson’s dolphin can usually be seen in the waters around West Point Island. Rolling moorland and steep cliffs make for great photographic opportunities, but the main attraction is the Devil’s Nose, a cliffside colony of Black-browed Albatrosses nesting side-by-side with feisty Rockhopper Penguins. Magellanic Penguins and Magellanic Cormorants can also be found on the island.
Day 9 - Day 13 DAY AT SEA
Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is whale watching from the Observatory Lounge, writing home to your loved ones or simply topping up your tan by the pool, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.
Day 10 - Day 14 PUERTO DESEADO & ISLA PINGUINO
Puerto Deseado (Port Desire) is a city and fishing port located along the estuary of the Deseado River in the Patagonia region of Argentina. The estuary is a natural reserve and was visited in 1833 by Darwin, who described the area as one of the most secluded places he had ever seen, a “rocky crevice in the wild plain.” Puerto Deseado has a population of 15,000, with an economy based primarily on the fishing and tourism industries. Tourists come to Puerto Deseado mostly to view the estuary’s diverse fauna.Isla Pinguino (Penguin Island) is a tiny island less than a mile across located off the coastline of Santa Cruz province in Argentina. The island was previously known as an “island of the Kings” for ships traveling on their way to the Magellan Strait; from the 16th to the mid-19th century, sailors and travelers knew this location was a supply point of food. While several bird species live on this island, none are so numerous and distinctive as the southern rockhopper penguins, with their yellow-plumed eyes and squat stature.
Day 11 - Day 15 CAMARONES
Cute penguins waddle and skip in the waves that roll ashore near the sleepy, unspoiled town of Camarones. Life here is lived well and truly in the slow lane, but this fishing village has plenty of joy to offer intrepid visitors. ‘Camarones’ translates as ‘prawns’ and, as the name suggests, this is a great place for seafood – with the octopuses and clams that are scooped from the city's waters proving to be some of the most mouth-wateringly delicious available.
Day 12 - Day 16 PUERTO MADRYN
Approaching from Ruta 3, it's hard to believe that the horizon line of buildings perched just beyond the windswept dunes and badlands is the most successful of all coastal Patagonia settlements. But once you get past the outskirts of town and onto the wide coastal road known as the Rambla, the picture begins to change. Ranged along the clear and tranquil Golfo Nuevo are restaurants, cafés, dive shops, and hotels, all busy—but not yet overcrowded—with tourists from around the world.
Day 13 - Days 17 - 18 DAY AT SEA
Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is whale watching from the Observatory Lounge, writing home to your loved ones or simply topping up your tan by the pool, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.
Day 14 - Day 19 BUENOS AIRES
Glamorous and gritty, Buenos Aires is two cities in one. What makes Argentina's capital so fascinating is its dual heritage—part European, part Latin American. Plaza de Mayo resembles a grand square in Madrid, and the ornate Teatro Colón would not be out of place in Vienna. But you’ll know you’re in South America by the leather shoes for sale on cobbled streets and impromptu parades of triumphant soccer fans. Limited-production wines, juicy steaks, and ice cream in countless flavors are among the old-world imports the city has perfected.
Day 15 - Please Note:
Expedition highlights and itinerary listed here are possible experiences only and cannot be guaranteed. Your Expedition Leader and Captain will work together to ensure opportunities for adventure and exploration are the best possible, taking into account the prevailing weather, wildlife activity and ice conditions. Expedition Team members scheduled for this voyage are subject to change or cancellation.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
01-03-202119-03-2021USD $21,300Vista Suite. From
01-03-202119-03-2021USD $24,900Veranda Suite. From
01-03-202119-03-2021USD $90,500Owner's Suite 2 Bedroom. From
01-03-202119-03-2021USD $29,100Deluxe Veranda Suite. From
01-03-202119-03-2021USD $38,300Medallion Suite. From
01-03-202119-03-2021USD $45,300Silver Suite. From
01-03-202119-03-2021USD $53,700Royal Suite 1 Bedroom. From
01-03-202119-03-2021USD $63,100Grand Suite 1 Bedroom. From
01-03-202119-03-2021USD $71,400Royal Suite 2 Bedroom. From
01-03-202119-03-2021USD $75,500Owner's Suite 1 Bedroom. From
01-03-202119-03-2021USD $80,800Grand Suite 2 Bedroom. From

Inclusions

    • Discover Drake Passage, Antarctic Sound, Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetland Islands, Falkland Islands, Isla Pinguino & Puerto Madryn
    • Enjoy Kayaking in Antarctica – Silver Cloud offers the opportunity to kayak in a small group under the guidance of certified kayak instructors. These special excursions are a chance to appreciate the wilds of Antarctica in peaceful silence.
    • Wildlife Watch List: Penguins (Gentoo, Chinstrap, Adelie, Magellanic and Rockhopper Penguins), Seals (Antarctic fur seals, Southern elephant seals, Weddell seals, crabeater seals and leopard seals), Whales (humpback whales, Minke whales, Sei whales, fin whales, pilot whales, orcas), Birds of note: Blue-eyed Shag, Black-browed Albatross, Wandering Albatross, Southern Giant Petrel, Cape Petrel, Wilson’s Storm Petrel, Snowy Sheathbill, Antarctic Terns, Arctic Terns

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