Overview
Join us on an odyssey that combines the celebrated wonders of the southernmost realms of the planet in a single epic voyage. The Antarctic Peninsula, southern Patagonia, and the Chilean fjords are places of unimaginable beauty. Humpback whales breach and penguins gather by the thousands. Icebergs shimmer and sapphire-hued fjords harbor snowcapped peaks and virgin forests. Flexibility is a hallmark of our expedition style, and often the shipboard day-by-day itinerary will change—so we may take full advantage of rare wildlife sightings, watching whales feed off the bow, or perfect conditions for a late day Zodiac excursion.
Trip Highlights
- Seek out Antarctica’s iconic wildlife—including penguins, seals, and orcas—and marvel at incandescent icebergs using our fleet of kayaks and Zodiacs
- Capture incredible images of the ice and vast penguin colonies with help from a National Geographic Photography Expert
- Navigate Chile’s coastal fjords and explore spectacular Glacier Alley, where monumental glaciers calve into the sea
- Hike among the snowcapped “horns” of Torres del Paine National Park and enjoy special access to Karukinka Natural Park, the largest protected land area in Tierra del Fuego
- Cruise the waters of Francisco Coloane Marine Park, searching for the humpback whales and dolphins that inhabit this vast marine reserve
Itinerary
Arrive in Buenos Aires. Transfer from the airport to the Alvear Art Hotel or similar before seeing the city’s Beaux-Arts palaces. Visit Recoleta—the final resting place of Argentina's iconic first lady, Eva Perón—and enjoy a private visit to El Zanjon de Granados, one of the city’s premier museums.
In the early evening, we gather for an informal reception and a drink at the hotel.
Arrival Time: Arrive before 11:30 a.m. local time.
Arrival City: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Today we fly south to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, where we meet our ship. Ushuaia’s spectacular setting, between the jagged peaks of the Cordillera Darwin and the protected waters of the Beagle Channel, makes it an appropriately wild place to begin our journey to the White Continent. While we’re there, we visit Tierra del Fuego National Park, where we can view a beautiful forest of southern beech, very much like those that covered Antarctica millions of years ago. Lunch will be served onboard a private catamaran while cruising the Beagle Channel, where we’ll be on the lookout for huge South American sea lions and birds like imperial cormorants. Residents of Ushuaia often call their small city ‘El Fin Del Mundo’, The End of the World, but for us, it’s just the beginning.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sail to Antarctica via the Drake Passage, named after 16th-century English admiral Sir Francis Drake. Watch for dozens of species of seabirds gliding alongside our ship—including the albatross, which boasts the longest wingspan of any extant bird—and enjoy talks from our onboard naturalists about the wildlife and geology that await us on the Antarctic Peninsula.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sail to Antarctica via the Drake Passage, named after 16th-century English admiral Sir Francis Drake. Watch for dozens of species of seabirds gliding alongside our ship—including the albatross, which boasts the longest wingspan of any extant bird—and enjoy talks from our onboard naturalists about the wildlife and geology that await us on the Antarctic Peninsula.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAYS 5-9
Exploring Antarctica
With long hours of daylight at this time of year, we have ample opportunities to explore. Our schedule is flexible, allowing us to take advantage of the unexpected, whether we are watching whales at play off the bow of our ship or enjoying an evening Zodiac cruise amid glittering icebergs. One day, we might set out by kayak to encounter towering icebergs at water level; embark on a Zodiac excursion in search of seals and blue-eyed shags; or walk on a beach amid thousands of Adélie and gentoo penguins. The next day, we might experience the thrill of the ship crunching through pack ice. Our expert expedition team enriches our experiences.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAYS 5-9
Exploring Antarctica
With long hours of daylight at this time of year, we have ample opportunities to explore. Our schedule is flexible, allowing us to take advantage of the unexpected, whether we are watching whales at play off the bow of our ship or enjoying an evening Zodiac cruise amid glittering icebergs. One day, we might set out by kayak to encounter towering icebergs at water level; embark on a Zodiac excursion in search of seals and blue-eyed shags; or walk on a beach amid thousands of Adélie and gentoo penguins. The next day, we might experience the thrill of the ship crunching through pack ice. Our expert expedition team enriches our experiences.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAYS 5-9
Exploring Antarctica
With long hours of daylight at this time of year, we have ample opportunities to explore. Our schedule is flexible, allowing us to take advantage of the unexpected, whether we are watching whales at play off the bow of our ship or enjoying an evening Zodiac cruise amid glittering icebergs. One day, we might set out by kayak to encounter towering icebergs at water level; embark on a Zodiac excursion in search of seals and blue-eyed shags; or walk on a beach amid thousands of Adélie and gentoo penguins. The next day, we might experience the thrill of the ship crunching through pack ice. Our expert expedition team enriches our experiences.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAYS 5-9
Exploring Antarctica
With long hours of daylight at this time of year, we have ample opportunities to explore. Our schedule is flexible, allowing us to take advantage of the unexpected, whether we are watching whales at play off the bow of our ship or enjoying an evening Zodiac cruise amid glittering icebergs. One day, we might set out by kayak to encounter towering icebergs at water level; embark on a Zodiac excursion in search of seals and blue-eyed shags; or walk on a beach amid thousands of Adélie and gentoo penguins. The next day, we might experience the thrill of the ship crunching through pack ice. Our expert expedition team enriches our experiences.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAYS 5-9
Exploring Antarctica
With long hours of daylight at this time of year, we have ample opportunities to explore. Our schedule is flexible, allowing us to take advantage of the unexpected, whether we are watching whales at play off the bow of our ship or enjoying an evening Zodiac cruise amid glittering icebergs. One day, we might set out by kayak to encounter towering icebergs at water level; embark on a Zodiac excursion in search of seals and blue-eyed shags; or walk on a beach amid thousands of Adélie and gentoo penguins. The next day, we might experience the thrill of the ship crunching through pack ice. Our expert expedition team enriches our experiences.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Relax on board and enjoy the ship’s amenities as the coast of Antarctica disappears from view. Round the southernmost tip of South America at Cape Horn and witness the dramatic meeting of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans en route to Ushuaia, Argentina.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Relax on board and enjoy the ship’s amenities as the coast of Antarctica disappears from view. Round the southernmost tip of South America at Cape Horn and witness the dramatic meeting of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans en route to Ushuaia, Argentina.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sail into southern Patagonia’s vast wilderness of forested isles, mirror-like lakes, and snowcapped peaks. Myriad fjords cut between soaring granite walls and waterfalls tumble from high above. Explore the region known as Chile’s “Glacier Alley,” part of the UNESCO-recognized Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve. Cruise into the secluded Pia Fjord, admiring views of its massive glacier, and glide into Garibaldi Fjord in Alberto de Agostini National Park, where the Andes meet the sea. Get up close to the monumental wall of ice that marks the edge of Garibaldi Glacier, exploring by Zodiac or kayak. Continue to Agostini Fjord, where numerous glaciers originate from the nearby mountains, for a chance to witness thunderous glacial calving.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sail into southern Patagonia’s vast wilderness of forested isles, mirror-like lakes, and snowcapped peaks. Myriad fjords cut between soaring granite walls and waterfalls tumble from high above. Explore the region known as Chile’s “Glacier Alley,” part of the UNESCO-recognized Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve. Cruise into the secluded Pia Fjord, admiring views of its massive glacier, and glide into Garibaldi Fjord in Alberto de Agostini National Park, where the Andes meet the sea. Get up close to the monumental wall of ice that marks the edge of Garibaldi Glacier, exploring by Zodiac or kayak. Continue to Agostini Fjord, where numerous glaciers originate from the nearby mountains, for a chance to witness thunderous glacial calving.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Local pilots join our captain on the bridge to guide us through the winding Kirke Narrows, accessible only to small expedition ships. We then continue our discovery of the Chilean fjords, where we may explore by ship or take a forest walk.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Early this morning we dock in picturesque Puerto Natales before heading out to explore majestic Torres del Paine National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Set out by foot or by vehicle across the windswept, rugged landscape, which spans more than 550,000 acres and harbors an astounding variety of geological forms, from the soaring granite pillars of the “horns” and windswept grasslands to rivers, glaciers, and gem-colored lagoons. Keep an eye out for guanacos, rheas, foxes, and armadillos.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today, we enter the Strait of Magellan to explore Francisco Coloane Marine Park. The park covers more than 165,000 acres of land and sea and is home to an abundance of wildlife, including humpback whales, two species of sea lions, and Magellanic penguins. Cruise along the coastline by Zodiac and kayak to watch for black and white Peale’s dolphins, the endangered Chilean dolphin, and Andean condors.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cruise to Tierra del Fuego and venture into the archipelago’s largest protected land area: Karukinka Natural Park. Visit this private reserve by special permission, searching for Andean foxes, guanacos, black-browed albatross, and more. Then sail to Ainsworth Bay, a stunning fjord surrounded by subpolar forest, keeping an eye out for elephant seals.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Disembark in Punta Arenas and board our flight to Santiago to connect with your overnight flight home.
Departure Time: Depart after 9:00 p.m. local time.
Departure City: Santiago, Chile
Meals Included: Breakfast
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What's included
- All accommodations aboard ship or in hotels per itinerary;
- all meals as indicated in the itinerary, both aboard and
- onshore; beer, wine, cocktails, and spirits aboard the ship
- (except certain super premium brands which are available
- for purchase); hors d’oeuvres, 24-hour access to snacks,
- premium coffees and teas, non-alcoholic beverages, and
- filtered water; excursions and airport transfers to and from
- recommended flights, as indicated in the itinerary; crew
- gratuities; exploration tools curated to destination, such as
- Zodiacs, kayaks, snowshoes and cross-country skis; guidance
- and company of our leading expedition staff; assistance
- by the National Geographic Photography Expert and
- Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic certified photo
- instructor; access to the OM System Photo Gear Locker;
- presentations by expedition staff and expert guest speakers;
- complimentary reusable water bottle; services of a physician,
- physician’s assistant, nurse practitioner, or paramedic;
- morning stretch classes and 24-hour access to exercise
- equipment; 24-hour access to lounges, observation decks,
- library, and other shared spaces; park and site entrance fees,
- special access permits, and port taxes. Unused services or
- items included in our programs are non-refundable.
Not included in price
- Airfare (except flights when indicated as included); pre- and
- post-expedition extensions; additional hotel nights (except
- when indicated as included); private transfers; laundry,
- spa treatments, Wi-Fi, and phone services (except when
- indicated as included); travel protection plans; and passport,
- visa, and immigration fees.
