ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION TO SOUTHERN LANDS

SHIPS OFFERING THIS ITINERARY

LE SOLEAL

The Le Soléal provides a luxurious and comfortable experience to the final frontier – Antarctica. Carrying a maximum of 200 passengers she creates a welcoming and intimate atmosphere for you to take in the awe of this majestic continent. This ship offers excellent facilities including a spa, fine dining restaurants and exquisite décor throughout. The fleet of Zodiacs take you off the ship on excursions to explore the wonders of Antarctica.

LE BOREAL

The Le Boréal (200 guests) was launched in May, 2010. She features elegant design and innovative state-of-the-art marine technology. The vessel boasts a convenient layout, aided by three passenger elevators. She offers a single seating dining room, al fresco dining, an outdoor heated pool, and a modern lecture facility and theatre, as well as an ample and comfortable gathering area and library.

L’Austral

L’Austral (200 guests) was launched in May, 2011 and is a sister ship to Le Boreal and Le Soleal. She features 132 staterooms offering elegant design as well innovative state-of-the-art marine technology. The vessel boasts a convenient layout, aided by three passenger elevators. She offers a single seating dining room, al fresco dining, an outdoor heated pool, and a modern lecture facility and theatre, as well as an ample and comfortable gathering area and library.

Le Lyrial

Following the signature Ponant style, the Le Lyrial is an elegant way to travel throughout the Antarctic region, effortlessly combining luxury and intimacy whilst focusing on guest’s well being. Exterior and interior lines combine to ensure that all of the 260 guests on board enjoy a comfortable and enjoyable journey, with no necessity spared. Featuring an onboard fitness and beauty area, communal spaces including a tea room, bar, live music programmes and a dance floor to enjoy on your nights at sea you will never struggle to fill in your days. The Panoramic room as well as providing breathtaking views, houses a library, hosts internet connection and direct access onto the panoramic terrace. Guests can enjoy the perfect balance between shore excursions and excitement on board to make your journey to the Southern most Continent simply unforgettable.

Day 1 Buenos Aires

Overview:

Arrive in Buenos Aires and head to your hotel. Here you will be met by local representative. Check-in for the hotel is available from late morning. Enjoy the remainder of the day relaxing or exploring the city. Enjoy a dinner with some of your fellow travellers.

Day 2 Ushuaia, Argentina

In the morning, you will be given a light morning breakfast before leaving for the airport for your Buenos Aires/Ushuaia flight which you will be transferred to the airport for. You will be greeted at the airport in Ushuaia before transferring to either an optional (additional cost) Tierra del Fuego National Park excursion or choose to enjoy a lunch in Ushuaia.

In the afternoon you will board your ship in port and set sail in the direction of the Falkland Islands, an Archipelago made up of moors and craggy coastlines, where the plant and animal life forms a link between Patagonia and the Antarctic.

Days 3 – 5 At Sea

Relax on board this luxurious vessel and take in the fresh air. There is plenty to do on your way to the Falkland Islands. Perhaps you would like to unwind at the spa or simply admire the vastness of the ocean from the panoramic lounge.

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 – 11 At Sea

Enjoy some of the onboard facilities whilst keeping an eye out for bird life and whales. As you head further south you will begin to see icebergs floating past.

Days 12 – 16 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 17 – 18 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 Antarctica. 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.

As you brave the Drake Passage you will have time to sort through your photos, use the onboard facilities, attend lectures, visit the spa for some relaxation or relax in the lounge areas sharing stories with fellow travellers of your adventure. In the morning of day 16 the ship will pull into Ushuaia. After breakfast you will disembark.

Day 19 Disembark Ushuaia, fly to Buenos Aires

After breakfast you will farewell the expedition team and crew and disembark in Ushuaia. You will be met and transferred to the airport for your flight to Buenos Aires.