Day 1 Ushuaia
Ushuaia lies on the triangular-shaped island of Tierra del Fuego. While Ferdinand Magellan was exploring the straits between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in 1520, he was amazed by the smoke and fires which seemed to appear at every turn. These fires, kept continuously alight by the Yaghan and Ona Indians, became the inspiration for the name "Tierra del Fuego," Land of Fire.
Day 2-3 Drake Passage
Day 4 Antarctic Sound
Renowned for the massive tabular icebergs – iconic “ice cathedrals” often miles long and hundreds of feet above sea level – that break free from the ice shelves along the Weddell Sea, this channel between Trinity Peninsula at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula and Joinville Island measures about 37 miles long and nine miles wide. Some of the largest Adélie penguin colonies make their home here, and whales and other sea mammals are often seen.
Day 5-8 Weddell Sea - The Northernmost Colony of Emperors
A snowcapped isle of the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula in the Weddell Sea, this area is sometimes difficult to access, as it is often completely surrounded by pack ice. Snow Hill island – only 18 miles wide at its broadest point – is closer to the South American continent than any other location in the Antarctic, and also home to the northernmost colony of the largest, tallest and one of the rarest of all penguin species: the magnificent Emperor Penguin.
Day 9 South Shetland Islands, Antarctica
Just northwest of the Antarctic Peninsula, the icebergs and snow-capped mountains of South Shetland volcanic archipelago are a mesmerizing site. A haven for wildlife, colonies of chinstrap, gentoo and Adélie penguins make their home here, and Antarctic fur seals and Southern elephant seals command the beaches. Seabirds are everywhere, including Antarctic terns and giant petrels.
Day 10-11 Crossing the Drake Passage
Day 12 Ushuaia Disembarkation
Ushuaia lies on the triangular-shaped island of Tierra del Fuego. While Ferdinand Magellan was exploring the straits between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in 1520, he was amazed by the smoke and fires which seemed to appear at every turn. These fires, kept continuously alight by the Yaghan and Ona Indians, became the inspiration for the name "Tierra del Fuego," Land of Fire.
