HIGHLIGHTS
- A
polar expedition cruise in the Southern Ocean, between the Falkland
Islands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula, to discover a
dazzling natural environment.
- Outings
and shore visits in zodiac inflatables with a team of experienced
naturalist guides.
- Enjoy
a magical experience as you are introduced to sea kayaking. Led by
experienced, State-Certified kayak guides, you will skim the
water’s surface amid the ice. For more information about your
kayak tour, please go to the section "PONANT activities" and to book
your kayak tour, contact your cruise advisor.
- South
Georgia and the Falkland Islands, two subantarctic archipelagos of
singular beauty, where the great variety of fauna and flora is
astonishing.
- Lectures
and information sessions hosted by our naturalist-guides, covering
wildlife, history, geopolitics, the great explorers, climate,
environmental protection and educational discovery in the respect of
environment.
- Hiking
opportunity.
- Wildlife:
black-browed albatrosses, snowy albatrosses, Magellanic penguins,
gentoo penguins and southern rockhopper penguins in the Falkland
Islands; king penguins, elephant seals, fur seals and macaroni penguins
in South Georgia; humpback whales, gentoo penguins, Adelie penguins,
chinstrap penguins, leopard seals, crabeater seals and Weddell seals in
the Antarctic Peninsula.
- Landscapes: moors
scattered with moss and lichen, white-sand beaches and turquoise waters
in the Falkland Islands; black-sand beaches, alpine landscapes, lush
green plains and suspended glaciers in South Georgia; drifting
icebergs, ice floe, glaciers and snow-capped mountains in the Antarctic
Peninsula.
- For
your comfort, your cruise package includes an overnight in Buenos Aires
the day before embarkation and the flights to/from Ushuaia.
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person
|
| Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
|---|
Mandatory Transfer Package Details:Night
in Buenos Aires + flight Buenos Aires/Ushuaia + visit + flight
Ushuaia/Buenos Aires
For
your serenity, PONANT has organised the following included programme
for you, which starts the day prior to embarkation
The
day before embarkation – Buenos Aires
- Meet
and greet at the hotel by our local representative. Check-in from late
morning.
- Lunch
on your own and time at leisure in the afternoon.
- Dinner.
- Overnight
at the hotel.
Embarkation
Day – Buenos Aires/Ushuaia
- An
early morning breakfast will be served before leaving to the airport
for you flight Buenos Aires – Ushuaia.
- Transfer
to the airport.
- Flight
Buenos Aires/Ushuaia selected by PONANT in economy class. Approximate
flight duration: 3 hours, 30 min.
- Meet
and greet at the airport (English-speaking assistance).
Depending
on your choice made when booking your cruise (options not combinable):
You
will be transferred to a restaurant for lunch.
OR
When
booking the cruise, guests willing to visit the Tierra del Fuego
National Park will be able to sign up for an optional group excursion,
with extra cost. If you decide to do so, please note that immediately
upon arrival at Ushuaia airport, you will leave towards the Park where
you will have lunch before starting the tour.
Created
in 1960, the park which covers 63 000 hectares (155 670 acres) is
located in the south west of the Tierra del Fuego Province on the
Beagle Canal. One of his entries stands slightly over 6 miles from
Ushuaia.
Mountainous
landscapes, lagoons, bogs, and rivers draw a picturesque scenery
reinforced by the southern position of the park itself. The Darwin
Mountains, which represent the southern part of the Andes Mountains are
mainly responsible for such landscape. The Park is only partly
accessible to the public and this tour will provide you with the
opportunity to discover the local flora and sub-Antarctic landscapes.
If you get lucky, you may encounter beavers, dams, birds, wild orchids,
etc... This is a true paradise for Nature Lovers!
Lunch
will be served in a local restaurant within the Park.
(Please
note that the Tierra del Fuego excursion is subject to a minimum of
participants: if this number is not reached, our operator will not be
able to guarantee the departure – In this case, you will be
given the option to join the "Lunch in Ushuaia" programme.)
At
the end of your visit, you will return to Ushuaia and the port, for
embarkation on your vessel.
-
Cruise on board your ship -
Disembarkation
Day – Ushuaia/Buenos Aires
Disembarkation.
- Meet
and greet at the port (English-speaking assistance).
- Transfer
to the airport in time for check-in of the flight Ushuaia/Buenos Aires
selected by PONANT in economy class.
- Approximate
flight duration: 3 hours, 30 min.
Your
programme includes :
- 1-night
accommodation in a 4* hotel the night before embarkation.
- Early
check-in available from late morning.
- Hospitality
desk at the hotel in Buenos Aires.
- Return
flight Buenos Aires/Ushuaia/Buenos Aires selected by PONANT, in economy
class.
- Services
of local guides, in Ushuaia.
- Meals
as mentioned in the programme and beverage package.
- Transfers
as mentioned in the programme.
For
your optional Tierra del Fuego National Park excursion, your programme
includes:
Please
note if you choose this excursion, it is not combinable with "Lunch in
Ushuaia" programme and therefore replaces it.
- The
excursion by local bus and the entrance fees to the National Park
- The
lunch including beverage package.
- Transfers
and visit as mentioned in the programme
- The
services of a local English speaking guide
Your
programme does not include:
- Transfer
between airport and hotel in Buenos Aires, the day before embarkation.
- Tips
for the local guide.
- Personal
expenses.
- Other
meals and services not mentioned in the programme.
Please
note:
- The
local currency is the Argentinian Peso. You will be able to make most
of your purchases in USD (in small denominations) or by credit card,
accepted in most hotels, shopping centres and boutiques. You will also
be able to retrieve Pesos from the ATM’s.
- Summer
season in Buenos Aires: temperatures may be very hot, but often between
68 °F (20 °C) and 95 °F (35 °C).
- Summer
season in Ushuaia: temperatures vary between 41 °F (5
°C) and 65 °F (15 °C)
- We
recommend you wear warm clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
- Duration
and order may vary.
To
know your PONANT flight schedule, please contact your travel agent; it
is also indicated on your electronic ticket included in your travel
documents.
Rates are listed per person
|
| Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
|---|
Mandatory Transfer Package Details:Night
in Buenos Aires + flight Buenos Aires/Ushuaia + visit + flight
Ushuaia/Buenos Aires
For
your serenity, PONANT has organised the following included programme
for you, which starts the day prior to embarkation
The
day before embarkation – Buenos Aires
- Meet
and greet at the hotel by our local representative. Check-in from late
morning.
- Lunch
on your own and time at leisure in the afternoon.
- Dinner.
- Overnight
at the hotel.
Embarkation
Day – Buenos Aires/Ushuaia
- An
early morning breakfast will be served before leaving to the airport
for you flight Buenos Aires – Ushuaia.
- Transfer
to the airport.
- Flight
Buenos Aires/Ushuaia selected by PONANT in economy class. Approximate
flight duration: 3 hours, 30 min.
- Meet
and greet at the airport (English-speaking assistance).
Depending
on your choice made when booking your cruise (options not combinable):
You
will be transferred to a restaurant for lunch.
OR
When
booking the cruise, guests willing to visit the Tierra del Fuego
National Park will be able to sign up for an optional group excursion,
with extra cost. If you decide to do so, please note that immediately
upon arrival at Ushuaia airport, you will leave towards the Park where
you will have lunch before starting the tour.
Created
in 1960, the park which covers 63 000 hectares (155 670 acres) is
located in the south west of the Tierra del Fuego Province on the
Beagle Canal. One of his entries stands slightly over 6 miles from
Ushuaia.
Mountainous
landscapes, lagoons, bogs, and rivers draw a picturesque scenery
reinforced by the southern position of the park itself. The Darwin
Mountains, which represent the southern part of the Andes Mountains are
mainly responsible for such landscape. The Park is only partly
accessible to the public and this tour will provide you with the
opportunity to discover the local flora and sub-Antarctic landscapes.
If you get lucky, you may encounter beavers, dams, birds, wild orchids,
etc... This is a true paradise for Nature Lovers!
Lunch
will be served in a local restaurant within the Park.
(Please
note that the Tierra del Fuego excursion is subject to a minimum of
participants: if this number is not reached, our operator will not be
able to guarantee the departure – In this case, you will be
given the option to join the "Lunch in Ushuaia" programme.)
At
the end of your visit, you will return to Ushuaia and the port, for
embarkation on your vessel.
-
Cruise on board your ship -
Disembarkation
Day – Ushuaia/Buenos Aires
Disembarkation.
- Meet
and greet at the port (English-speaking assistance).
- Transfer
to the airport in time for check-in of the flight Ushuaia/Buenos Aires
selected by PONANT in economy class.
- Approximate
flight duration: 3 hours, 30 min.
Your
programme includes :
- 1-night
accommodation in a 4* hotel the night before embarkation.
- Early
check-in available from late morning.
- Hospitality
desk at the hotel in Buenos Aires.
- Return
flight Buenos Aires/Ushuaia/Buenos Aires selected by PONANT, in economy
class.
- Services
of local guides, in Ushuaia.
- Meals
as mentioned in the programme and beverage package.
- Transfers
as mentioned in the programme.
For
your optional Tierra del Fuego National Park excursion, your programme
includes:
Please
note if you choose this excursion, it is not combinable with "Lunch in
Ushuaia" programme and therefore replaces it.
- The
excursion by local bus and the entrance fees to the National Park
- The
lunch including beverage package.
- Transfers
and visit as mentioned in the programme
- The
services of a local English speaking guide
Your
programme does not include:
- Transfer
between airport and hotel in Buenos Aires, the day before embarkation.
- Tips
for the local guide.
- Personal
expenses.
- Other
meals and services not mentioned in the programme.
Please
note:
- The
local currency is the Argentinian Peso. You will be able to make most
of your purchases in USD (in small denominations) or by credit card,
accepted in most hotels, shopping centres and boutiques. You will also
be able to retrieve Pesos from the ATM’s.
- Summer
season in Buenos Aires: temperatures may be very hot, but often between
68 °F (20 °C) and 95 °F (35 °C).
- Summer
season in Ushuaia: temperatures vary between 41 °F (5
°C) and 65 °F (15 °C)
- We
recommend you wear warm clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
- Duration
and order may vary.
To
know your PONANT flight schedule, please contact your travel agent; it
is also indicated on your electronic ticket included in your travel
documents.
ITINERARY
Day
1: Ushuaia
Capital
of Argentina's Tierra del Fuego province, Ushuaia is considered the
gateway to the White Continent and the South Pole. Nicknamed
“El fin del mundo” by the Argentinian people, this
city at the end of the world nestles in the shelter of mountains
surrounded by fertile plains that the wildlife seem to have chosen as
the ultimate sanctuary. With its exceptional site, where the Andes
plunge straight into the sea, Ushuaia is one of the most fascinating
places on earth, its very name evocative of journeys to the unlikely
and the inaccessible…
Day
2: At Sea
During
your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on
board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in
shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be
tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without
a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or
shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet
the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the
open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to
admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to
observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort,
rest and entertainment.
Day
3: Grave Cove
Make
your way through the turbulent Woolly Gut strait and emerge in the
stillness of Grave Cove. Located in the northern edge of the Falkland
Islands, this bay owes its name to the vestiges of whalers’
graves that overlook the beach. As you step off the boat and onto the
white-sand beach, you might find yourself escorted by a few hospitable
Commerson's dolphins, elegantly adorned in black and white. A
stroll along the grassy dunes will lead you to a vast plain of lush
green grass, tended by a few sheep. On the other side of the island
you'll find one of the largest gentoo penguin colonies in the area.
With some luck, you'll also glimpse a sea lion scouring the waves for
his next meal.
Carcass
Island
Situated
in the north-west of the Falklands, Carcass Island was named after the
ship HMS Carcass, which visited the island in the late 18th century.
Its landscapes, combining steep rocks, sheer cliffs, wild expanses and
white-sand beaches, form a rich and varied panorama that amateur or
experienced bird watchers will appreciate. On this island, one of the
few where no predators have been introduced, numerous species of birds
live, breed and are born in total serenity. Due to the fresh, windy and
humid subarctic oceanic climate, a fauna and flora similar to those of
Patagonia, situated 460 km (286 miles) away, thrive here. You could get
the chance to observe emperor, royal, Adélie or southern
rockhopper penguins.
Days
4-5:At Sea
During
your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on
board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in
shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be
tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without
a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or
shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet
the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the
open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to
admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to
observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort,
rest and entertainment.
Days
6-8: South Georgia
Aboard
your ship, discover South Georgia, a region formed by an underwater
mountain chain that extends from the Andes to the Antarctic Peninsula.
All the wildlife of the Far South can be found there: king and Gentoo
penguins, elephant seals, fur seals… You might get the
chance to discover the majestic glaciers of Gold Harbour and the vast
plains of Fortuna Bay. If you are fortunate enough to land at Salisbury
Plain, you can expect a wonderful spectacle: more than 300,000 king
penguins, which you will recognise by the bright orange mark on their
head and neck, have taken up residence there.
Days
9-10: At Sea
During
your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on
board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in
shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be
tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without
a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or
shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet
the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the
open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to
admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to
observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort,
rest and entertainment.
Days
11-13: Antarctic Peninsula
Succumb
to the magic of a place unlike any other. To this day, the mythical
Antarctic Peninsula still holds real fascination and promises its
visitors unforgettable moments. Throughout your adventure in this icy
realm, you will find yourself in the heart of a spectacular decor in
subtle shades of blue and white, surrounded by exceptional wildlife.
Penguins, humpback whales, seals and giant petrels are at home here, as
are elephant seals, fur seals, Antarctic minke whales, and orcas.
Depending on which sites you will be lucky enough to visit, you may get
the chance to observe them and share with them the beauty of these
extreme parts.
Each
day, based on ice conditions, the Captain and the Expedition Leader
will suggest zodiac outings or landings to discover the infinite riches
of the Antarctic Peninsula. Glaciers, ice floe, tabletop
icebergs, mountain peaks that plunge straight into the sea, volcanic
beaches, research stations, enchanting bays, and vestiges of the
whaling industry: these are the faces of the Antarctic that will likely
reveal themselves to you, in a hushed and surreal atmosphere. You will
sail in the wake of Jean-Baptiste Charcot, Adrien de Gerlache and Sir
Ernest Shackleton, great Antarctic explorers who, from the 19th
century, set out to conquer these remote and uninhabited lands.
Days
14-15: Crossing the Drake Passage
If
there is one place, one sea, one waterway dreaded by tourists,
researchers and hardened seafarers alike, it is undoubtedly Drake
Passage. Situated at the latitude of the infamous Furious Fifties
winds, between Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands, it is the
shortest route to connect Antarctica to South America. Seasoned
navigators will tell you that you must earn your visit to the White
Continent! As the Antarctic convergence zone where cold currents rising
up from the South Pole meet warmer equatorial water masses, Drake
Passage harbours a very diverse marine fauna. Don't forget to look to
the sky to catch a glimpse of elegant albatross and Cape petrels,
playfully floating about in the wind around your ship.
Day
16: Ushuaia (Arrival early morning)
Disembarkation
at 7:00 AM
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- 1-night
accommodation in a 4* hotel the night before embarkation.
- Early
check-in available from late morning.
- Hospitality
desk at the hotel in Buenos Aires.
- Return
flight Buenos Aires/Ushuaia/Buenos Aires selected by PONANT, in economy
class.
- Services
of local guides, in Ushuaia.
- Meals
as mentioned in the programme and beverage package.
- Transfers
as mentioned in the programme.
For
your optional Tierra del Fuego National Park excursion, your programme
includes:
Please
note if you choose this excursion, it is not combinable with "Lunch in
Ushuaia" programme and therefore replaces it.
- The
excursion by local bus and the entrance fees to the National Park
- The
lunch including beverage package.
- Transfers
and visit as mentioned in the programme
- The
services of a local English speaking guide
Your
programme does not include:
- Transfer
between airport and hotel in Buenos Aires, the day before embarkation.
- Tips
for the local guide.
- Personal
expenses.
- Other
meals and services not mentioned in the programme.
ADVENTURE OPTIONS - Kayaking (2 hour session): 350 Euros
