13 Day Tour: March 3-16, 2024
Pricing
- Base Pricing is always calculated for double occupancy.
Tour Highlights
- Buenos Aires
- STEP FOOT ON Antarctica
- Seals: Weddell, Crabeater, Fur, & Leopard
- Whales: Orca, Humpback & Minkes
- Penguin: Gentoo, Adelie, & Chinstrap
- Albatross, Petrels, Terns, Gulls & More!
- Research Station Visit
Tour Includes
- Round trip airfare from Chicago & All Internal Flights
- First Class Hotel Accommodations
- All Breakfasts, 10 Lunches & 11 Dinners
- High Quality Parka for you to keep
- Deluxe Motorcoach Transportation
- Admissions to all listed Attractions
- Round trip airport transfers in the Chicago land area
- Guided by Bill Ball
- Baggage Handling
- All Gratuities
Tour Itinerary
Day One We fly South to one of the most vibrant cities in the world—Buenos Aires.
Day Two We tour the capital of Argentina today including the UNESCO World Heritage site theater, the presidential palace, the Freedom Park and of course the grave of Eva Peron (Evita). This is a city you will long remember for the tango, brightly colored buildings and friendly people.
Day Three We arrive in the mystic land of Tierra del Fuego in the city of Ushuaia. This is one of the most southern cities in the world, but has a very Alps feel to it—just beautiful. We will tour the city that has been the jumping-off town for the land of ice.
Day Four Today we embark on our epic journey. We will cruise the awesome Beagle Channel. Be on the lookout for our first seabirds and seals. The landscape is incredible and not to be missed.
Day Five & Six We cross the Drake Passage today. While we head to Antarctica, our wildlife viewing begins. From the deck of the ship, we will tally several species of the giant albatross (don’t wear any around your neck), prions, gulls, petrels and other south sea’s avian. We will also likely see whales—some rare species often pop up. We will also have a series of lectures by top people in their field on subjects ranging from Antarctica’s wildlife to its exploration history to its geology.
Day Seven We see and visit the 7th continent today. We will land on some of the adjacent islands which are full of penguin rookeries. Here you will get up close—real close—to those adorable tuxedo-clad birds that make Antarctica their home.
Day Eight We will probably land on the mainland of Antarctica today. This is an expedition not a cruise so the captain and crew will decide on landings based on weather and wildlife potential. Today we will visit another species of penguin and look for seals along the shore. Each day we will most likely have two landings in two different areas to maximize wildlife viewing.
Day Nine Our ship will visit one of the research stations that monitors the climate and ice of the frozen continent. You will be able to speak with researchers that make Antarctica their home away from home. Our other landing could be with a third species of penguin. The three species we will see are gentoo, adelie and chinstrap.
Day Ten As we cruise to our two landings today, we will be paying close attention to the artistically carved icebergs that float along the mainland. Not only are they a photographers dream with their weird shapes and awesome deep blue coloration, but they are home to terns and the fiercest predator in the south—the leopard seal. As we round the peninsula, be on the lookout for the Emperor Penguin. Though they don’t breed in this area, we often see them floating on the ice flows. Our two landings today will get us close to penguin colonies with young. These giant “furballs” (really feathers) are eating machines often chasing their parents trying to get more food from them.
Day Eleven This is our last day in Antarctica waters and we will try to add some special shag (cormorant) species and seals to our life lists. Whales are also abundant in this area, so we will be on the lookout for a spout. We may enter Deception Island today—if we do, you will see how it got its name then we begin our journey home.
Day Twelve As we head back to civilization today, there will be more lectures to tie up loose ends and to answer any questions you have. We will get close to Chile’s Cape Horn before we land back in Ushuaia.
Day Thirteen We fly home today with memories of huge penguin colonies, killer leopard seals, pods of whales, gorgeous icebergs and a land few will ever get the privilege to see.
