Antarctica in Luxury - The Belgica Special

Your adventure will start in Buenos Aires where after having arrived independently you will meet your representatives at the airport and join your included flight to Ushuaia in southern Argentina. The flight will take approximately 3.5 hours and upon arrival in Ushuaia you can choose to either spend some time at leisure, join your fellow passengers for lunch at the lovely Arakur Hotel, or join an additional excursion to the Tierra del Fuego National Park. (Please note, Tierra Del Fuego excursion incurs an additional charge and should be booked when you book your cruise).

In the afternoon you will be transferred to the port to begin embarkation. As you settle in to your luxury ship, we will set sail through the scenic Beagle Channel where some time on deck should reward in multiple seabird sightings.

The next two days will be spent at sea sailing through the legendary Drake Passage. These days can be spent relaxing in your comfortable surroundings, availing of the luxury onboard facilities, and enjoying some time on deck searching for whale and seabird sightings including albatrosses and cape petrels.

Your informative and entertaining lecture programme will begin, covering everything from Antarctic wildlife and geology to historical polar explorations, and there will be briefings around the strict IAATO rules that must be adhered to during your visit to the natural wonderland of Antarctica. There will also be briefings for the Zodiac (small inflatable boat) excursions, and as the icebergs begin to appear on the horizon and we reach the awe-inspiring Antarctic continent we will prepare to put these skills into action as we get ready to make our first of many landings.

Your discovery of the magical Antarctic Peninsula begins in earnest and the sheer beauty of this remarkable and remote wilderness wonderland will be sure to astound. As with all Polar expeditions, your exact route and itinerary in Antarctica will be flexible, with your experienced captain and crew charting the best course for unrivalled scenic and wildlife experiences. Each day we will explore by Zodiac boat or on foot around some of the Peninsula’s most impressive landing sites on a constant search for the wildlife that abounds here.

We will search for sightings of numerous breeds of penguins including Adelie, Chinstrap and Gentoo, whales including minke, humpback and orca, various species of seals and abundant birdlife. You will visit spectacularly scenic bays and harbours, volcanic beaches, research stations and sites of historical significance. Each day will bring a new adventure as you enjoy a thorough exploration of this breathtaking region. Sites you are likely to visit include, but are not limited to, Neko Harbour, Paradise Bay, Port Lockroy and the South Shetland Islands amongst many other places.

Leaving Antarctica in our wake we will now sail back into the Drake Passage to make our way back to Ushuaia. Enjoy the final lectures and presentations delivered by your expert team and some final whale watching and birdwatching from the deck. Or simply relax on your luxurious ship and catch your breath after what will have been an incredibly exciting voyage.

Arrive and disembark. Transfer to airport for flight back to Buenos Aires.