Argentina + Classic Antarctic Peninsula

Arrive and transfer from airport to your city centre hotel. Take a three-hour walking tour with private guide of the historic and elegant Recoleta area of the city, including a visit to the famous cemetery, resting place of Eva Peron. Two nights at LOI Suites, Recoleta Area. Bed & breakfast, Junior Studio Room.

Breakfast (included), followed by half day sightseeing tour, including the colourful Boca district. Eat tonight at a typical tango show and restaurant (included).

Breakfast (included), then transfer to the domestic airport for flight to Iguazu Falls. Arrive and transfer to hotel. One of the most impressive series of falls, Iguazu straddle the borders of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay and are best viewed from more than one side. You will have the opportunity to see them from above and below. Two Nights at The Sheraton Spa Resort, Iguazu Falls, bed & breakfast basis, Jungle view room.

Breakfast included. Walk to the main viewpoint over the Falls, then board and open 4WD truck for a ride through the rainforest to embark on a boat for a trip to the bottom of the falls themselves. Catwalks take you back to the hotel. Afternoon excursion to the Brazilian side for a different perspective.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for flights via Buenos Aires to Trelew. Transfer to Puerto Madryn, Three Nights at Territorio Hotel, Puerto Madryn, bed & breakfast Standard Room.

Spend time exploring the Valdes Peninsula and Puerto Madryn area. Full day tour of the Peninsula included. Opportunity to take a boat trip out to the bay of Puerto Piramides where, depending on the time of year, southern right whales come to feed from  July/August to December.  Penguins nest between September and March and orca are around during the same period; they are particularly active in April. Birds, dolphins, sea lions and elephant seals can be seen all year round.

Breakfast included.

Full day tour to see the large Magellenic penguin colony at Punta Tombo and the old Welsh settlement of Gaiman where you can sample a typical Welsh afternoon tea.

After breakfast, transfer to Trelew for flight to Ushuaia. Arrive in Ushuaia, capital of Tierra del Fuego and transfer to hotel.
Two Nights at Albatross Hotel Ushuaia, Bed & breakfast Standard Room.

After breakfast, picked up for a full day tour the Lapataia National Park, followed by a catamaran cruise along the Beagle Channel spotting seals and sealions plus seabirds such as petrels and shags. Try succulent Fuegan lamb cooked on an open grill for dinner.

After breakfast, explore Ushuaia before boarding your MV Ortelius Antarctic expedition ship in the afternoon. Depart and set sail down the Beagle Channel looking for sea birds following the ship. A full brief and important safety lifeboat drill expertly given by the crew. 

Cross the Drake Passage and the Antarctic Convergence. Spend time on deck watching wandering, grey-headed, black-browed and light-mantled sooty albatrosses along with various petrels and fulmars.

The programme within the South Shetlands and the Peninsula area is flexible and depends ice, sea and weather conditions. Plan to visit Cuverville Island, Neko Harbour, Port Lockroy, Paradise Bay and sail the spectacular Lemaire Channel. Lots of penguin, skua and shag colonies and many other birds plus several species of seals and whales. Also different national scientific research stations.

On our way north we are again followed by albatrosses, petrels and other seabirds whilst crossing the Drake Passage.

Disembark after breakfast. Farewell to MV Ortelius. Morning transfer to Ushuaia Airport for flight to Buenos Aries and your independent return flight home