Ushuaia to Cape Town: Transoceanic Expedition Cruise

Description

From the end of the world to the Cape of Good Hope, traverse the South Atlantic Ocean on the world’s most luxurious expedition ship. From snow-covered mountains and mighty glaciers to enjoying a formal wine tasting, trans-Atlantic travel has never been so good! Five days in South Georgia gives a chance to see an astounding array of endemic wildlife as well as visit the grave of Ernest Shackleton.

Trip Name

Ushuaia to Cape Town: Transoceanic Expedition Cruise

Days

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 - Day 2 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 3 - Day 3 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 4 - Day 4 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 5 - Day 5 DAY AT SEA

Day 6 - Days 6 - 10 SOUTH GEORGIA

South Georgia is a breathtaking destination of towering snow-covered mountains, mighty glaciers, and low-lying grasslands that attract an astounding concentration of wildlife. It is possible to find Southern fur seals, Southern elephant seals and a variety of albatross species including Black-browed, Light-mantled Sooty, Grey-headed and the spectacular Wandering Albatross, plus thousands of King and Macaroni Penguins. South Georgia is also linked to the early Antarctic explorers.

Day 7 - Days 11 - 13 AT SEA

Day 8 - Day 14 TRISTAN DA CUNHA

Tristan da Cunha is the main island of an archipelago with the same name. The Tristan da Cunha island group is home to fewer than 300 hardy residents and is recognized as the most remote inhabited archipelago in the world. Its closest neighboring landmass is the island of St. Helena some 2,430 km (over 1500 miles) away. For fortunate visitors who have cooperative weather conditions and land ashore on Tristan da Cunha, local inhabitants of the village might tell the tale of how the islanders were evacuated from their home during a 1961 lava flow, and how it affected their lives.

Day 9 - Day 15 NIGHTINGALE ISLAND

Nightingale Island is an active volcano and one of three islands in the extremes of the South Atlantic Ocean known as the Nightingale Islands falling within the Tristan da Cunha group. The three islands are administered by the United Kingdom and are visited for scientific research purposes and little else. This means the magnificent wildlife with an estimated one million seabirds, in addition to unusual flora, is all unspoiled by people. Nightingale Island is also a protected wildlife reserve and World Heritage Site.

Day 10 - Day 16 GOUGH ISLAND

Gough Island in the South Atlantic Ocean was originally known as Gonçalo Álvares (named after the captain of Vasco da Gama’s flagship). The volcanic island is uninhabited except for the handful of personnel stationed here to operate a South African weather station, making it one of the most remote places with a constant human presence. Gough Island and Inaccessible Island comprise the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Gough and Inaccessible Islands as they are protected wildlife reserves and an “Important Bird Area”.

Day 11 - Days 17 - 20 AT SEA

Day 12 - Days 21 - 22 CAPE TOWN

If you visit only one place in South Africa, make it Cape Town. Whether you're partaking of the Capetonian inclination for alfresco fine dining (the so-called "Mother City" is home to many of the country's best restaurants) or sipping wine atop Table Mountain, you sense—correctly—that this is South Africa's most urbane, civilized city. Here elegant Cape Dutch buildings abut ornate Victorian architecture and imposing British monuments.

Day 13 - 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 and wildlife activity. Expedition Team members scheduled for this voyage are subject to change or cancellation.

Trip Dates

Start	End	Price From	Room Type

Inclusions

Discover Falkland Islands, South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha, Gough and Nightingale & Cape Town
Meet Falkland Islanders and learn how the Falkland Conflict changed their lives. Meet inhabitants of Edinburgh of the Seven Seas.
Wildlife Watch List: Penguins, Seals, Whales, Blue-eyed Shags, Upland Geese, Black-browed Albatross, Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross, and Sooty Albatross, Tristan Thrush, Tristan Wandering Albatross, and Atlantic Petrel, Gough Moorhen and Gough Bunting.