Antarctica & Falklands Expedition | Northbound (Montevideo)

Feel the rhythm of bustling Buenos Aires

An overnight stay in Buenos Aires is the ideal way to start your Antarctic adventure.

Home to a proud and diverse community of porteños, or ‘people of the port’, this city is a sensuous fusion of faded European splendour and Latin American panache.

There are plenty of places to explore, including many parrillas serving authentic Argentine steak. Or maybe you’d like to practise your dance moves in the famous hometown of the tango.

Why not consider arriving a few days early to see all this vibrant city has to offer with our optional Pre-Programme.

Arrive and check in to your hotel. Buenos Aires, Argentina’s cosmopolitan capital, is an eclectic combination of Latin and European influences. The tree-lined streets and postcolonial architecture draw on the city’s Spanish, French and Italian heritage, while the many cafés and bodegas and vibrant nightlife are decidedly Argentine. Its barrios, or neighborhoods, exude an intimate atmosphere that belies the city’s size. Full of bohemian flair, historic San Telmo’s cobblestone streets and Belle Époque–style buildings reverberate with the mesmerizing melodies of the tango.

Fly to Ushuaia and start your adventure

Your adventure begins with an early morning flight to Ushuaia, where we'll meet your hybrid-powered expedition ship, specially designed for exploring polar waters.

This bustling port is the capital of Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego Province. Set against the magnificent backdrop of the Martial Glacier, Ushuaia vies for the title of the world’s southernmost city.

After a briefing from your Expedition Team, you’ll have time to settle into your cabin and explore the comforts and amenities on board.

At 55 degrees latitude south, Ushuaia (pronounced oo-swy-ah) is closer to the South Pole than to Argentina's northern border with Bolivia. It is the capital and tourism base for Tierra del Fuego, the island at the southernmost tip of Argentina.Although its stark physical beauty is striking, Tierra del Fuego's historical allure is based more on its mythical past than on rugged reality. The island was inhabited for 6,000 years by Yámana, Haush, Selk'nam, and Alakaluf Indians. But in 1902 Argentina, eager to populate Patagonia to bolster its territorial claims, moved to initiate an Ushuaian penal colony, establishing the permanent settlement of its most southern territories and, by implication, everything in between.When the prison closed in 1947, Ushuaia had a population of about 3,000, made up mainly of former inmates and prison staff. Today the Indians of Darwin's "missing link" theory are long gone—wiped out by diseases brought by settlers and by indifference to their plight—and the 60,000 residents of Ushuaia are hitching their star to tourism.The city rightly (if perhaps too loudly) promotes itself as the southernmost city in the world (Puerto Williams, a few miles south on the Chilean side of the Beagle Channel, is a small town). You can make your way to the tourism office to get your clichéd, but oh-so-necessary, "Southernmost City in the World" passport stamp. Ushuaia feels like a frontier boomtown, at heart still a rugged, weather-beaten fishing village, but exhibiting the frayed edges of a city that quadrupled in size in the '70s and '80s and just keeps growing. Unpaved portions of Ruta 3, the last stretch of the Pan-American Highway, which connects Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, are finally being paved. The summer months (December through March) draw more than 120,000 visitors, and dozens of cruise ships. The city is trying to extend those visits with events like March's Marathon at the End of the World and by increasing the gamut of winter activities buoyed by the excellent snow conditions.A terrific trail winds through the town up to the Martial Glacier, where a ski lift can help cut down a steep kilometer of your journey. The chaotic and contradictory urban landscape includes a handful of luxury hotels amid the concrete of public housing projects. Scores of "sled houses" (wooden shacks) sit precariously on upright piers, ready for speedy displacement to a different site. But there are also many small, picturesque homes with tiny, carefully tended gardens. Many of the newer homes are built in a Swiss-chalet style, reinforcing the idea that this is a town into which tourism has breathed new life. At the same time, the weather-worn pastel colors that dominate the town's landscape remind you that Ushuaia was once just a tiny fishing village, snuggled at the end of the Earth.As you stand on the banks of the Canal Beagle (Beagle Channel) near Ushuaia, the spirit of the farthest corner of the world takes hold. What stands out is the light: at sundown the landscape is cast in a subdued, sensual tone; everything feels closer, softer, and more human in dimension despite the vastness of the setting. The snowcapped mountains reflect the setting sun back onto a stream rolling into the channel, as nearby peaks echo their image—on a windless day—in the still waters.Above the city rise the last mountains of the Andean Cordillera, and just south and west of Ushuaia they finally vanish into the often-stormy sea. Snow whitens the peaks well into summer. Nature is the principal attraction here, with trekking, fishing, horseback riding, wildlife spotting, and sailing among the most rewarding activities, especially in the Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego (Tierra del Fuego National Park).

Centre on science before your Antarctic adventure

On the two-day crossing through the Drake Passage, the Expedition Team will equip you with all you need to make the most of your polar expedition cruise.

Visit the onboard Science Centre and find out what lies ahead. Listen to experts talk passionately about Antarctica’s history, the science beneath the ice, and the impact of climate change and plastic pollution. You'll learn how to make your visit as safe and as low-impact as possible, and about the Citizen Science projects you can join.

There's plenty of time to relax, so unwind in the spa and wellness area, enjoy some delicious cuisine and meet fellow travellers in the Explorer Lounge & Bar.

Experience Antarctica in all its natural majesty

Nothing quite prepares you for the awe of Antarctica. Surrounded by towering glaciers, the continent will fill you with wonder as you spend five magical days exploring its frozen landscape.

When we arrive, the Antarctic summer is coming to an end, so you can look forward to seeing the landscape beautifully illuminated by breathtaking sunsets. It’s a great time to see penguins in their final stage of moulting and its peak whale-watching season as large amounts of krill lure cetaceans to the area.

You'll join the Expedition Team on landings and ice cruises. You may even get a chance to go kayaking among the icebergs. Back on board, the Expedition Team will continue their lectures, helping you grow in your insights into the frozen continent.

Discover more about the Falkland Islands

As you savour your Antarctic experiences, prepare for more adventures ahead as we cruise towards the Falkland Islands. Your Expedition Team will brief you about the history and biology of the islands. In the Science Centre, you can look through the microscope at the tiny krill and phytoplankton that sustains so much of the region's wildlife.

Get tips from our professional photographer to improve your images or join workshops on wildlife painting and nautical knots. You can also book a spa treatment, visit the gym, and enjoy the locally sourced, regionally inspired dishes in our restaurants.

Enjoy birding and hiking in these green islands

The Falkland archipelago is filled with seamless horizons and white sands teeming with birdlife. Only the occasional farm dots the landscape. You’ll find grassy hills and wildflowers, in contrast to the vast whiteness of Antarctica. You'll also enjoy a community walk around Stanley, taking in the Jubilee Villas gardens, Christ Church Cathedral and the Historic Dockyard Museum.

Our landings, hikes and excursions are, as always, guided by the conditions. We hope to visit albatross and penguin colonies, which are often found sharing space with seals, and getting as close as we can without disturbing them.

Tiny Stanley, capital of the Falklands, seems in many ways like a British village fallen out of the sky. Many homes are painted in bright colours, adding visual appeal to this distant outpost. Not far offshore, the wreck of the Lady Elizabeth, is one of the many vessels remaining as a silent testimonial to the region's frequent harsh weather conditions.The islands, also known by their Spanish name of Islas Malvinas, are home to arguably more tuxedo-clad inhabitants of the penguin variety than human residents. Various species, such as Gentoo, Magellanic and the more elusive King penguins, either live here permanently or use the Falklands as a stopover on their migration route. Darwin found the islands' flora and fauna fascinating - no doubt you will, too.

Saunders Island is the fourth-largest of the Falkland Islands in the western portion of the archipelago. The island’s topography is unusual, being made up of three peninsulas linked by narrow necks, and three big upland areas. Today the island is run as a sheep farm, but has historical importance as the location of the first British settlement in the Falklands. Saunders’ wildlife is also impressively varied. It is possible to see Gentoo and King Penguins in the open dune and sand-flat area, while Rockhopper Penguins (with the odd pair of Macaroni Penguins in between them), Imperial Shags and Black-browed Albatrosses frequent Mount Richards, the highest point on the island at 457 m (1500 feet). Other key bird species are the Black–throated Finch, Ruddy-headed Goose and Falkland Steamer Duck.

Relax and get ready for Puerto Madryn

Enjoy a relaxing day at sea as we sail towards Puerto Madryn. You’ll have experienced so much in Antarctica and the Falklands that your head will likely be a swirling kaleidoscope of special memories and new knowledge.

Join the Expedition Team in the Science Centre to examine special interests in more depth. Learn more about photography, or simply relax on deck, mulling over the highlights of a memorable adventure.

End the day in the Explorer Lounge & Bar with the new friends you’ve made on your trip, sharing experiences over a relaxing drink.

Visit a UNESCO wildlife haven

Puerto Madryn boasts warm temperatures and beautiful beaches. It’s also the gateway to the dramatic Valdes Peninsula, and while we’re here, you can explore the stunning nature reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

You might get the chance to see marine mammals. There are also no less than 180 species of birds living on the peninsula, so don’t forget to bring your binoculars. Stroll through the tranquil natural beauty of the reserve, enjoy a delicious bite to eat and browse the local arts and crafts shops.

Approaching from Ruta 3, it's hard to believe that the horizon line of buildings perched just beyond the windswept dunes and badlands is the most successful of all coastal Patagonia settlements. But once you get past the outskirts of town and onto the wide coastal road known as the Rambla, the picture begins to change. Ranged along the clear and tranquil Golfo Nuevo are restaurants, cafés, dive shops, and hotels, all busy—but not yet overcrowded—with tourists from around the world.Puerto Madryn is more a base for visiting nearby wildlife-watching sites like Península Valdés and Punta Tombo than a destination in its own right. The town's architecture is unremarkable, and beyond a walk along the coast there isn't much to do. Indeed, even the few museums serve mainly to introduce you to the fauna you'll see elsewhere. The exception is the beginning of whale season (May through July), when the huge animals cavort right in the bay before heading north—you can even walk out alongside them on the pier. During these months it's worth the extra expense for a room with a sea view.The many tour agencies and rental-car companies here make excursion planning easy. Aim to spend most of your time here on one- or two-day trips exploring the surroundings. Note that competition is fierce between tourism operators in destinations such as Puerto Madryn and Puerto Pirámides on Península Valdés. Take information that tour operators and even the tourism office give you about these with a grain of salt: they often exaggerate Madryn's virtues and other areas' flaws.

Time at sea to rest and reflect

As we sail the final leg from Puerto Madryn to Buenos Aires, enjoy your final day at sea.

Join the Expedition Team in the Science Centre to examine special interests in more depth. Learn more about photography, or simply relax on deck, recalling the highlights of your memorable adventure. And don't forget to contribute your findings to Citizen Science projects.

End the evening in the Explorer Lounge with the new friends you’ve made on your trip, sharing experiences over a relaxing drink.

Disembark the ship in the morning and enjoy time to explore Uruguay’s interesting capital at your leisure.

You might stroll along the Rambla of Montevideo, a picturesque waterfront promenade stretching over 13 miles, or wander through Ciudad Vieja, the historic centre lined with colonial architecture, art galleries, and bustling markets. Don’t miss the colourful Mercado del Puerto, a lively spot selling traditional Uruguayan cuisine.

This is your chance to soak in Montevideo’s culture, history, and waterfront at your own pace.

Uruguay’s capital city hugs the eastern bank of the Río de la Plata. A massive coastal promenade (malecón) that passes fine beaches, restaurants, and numerous parks recalls the sunny sophistications of the Mediterranean and is always dotted with Montevideans strolling, exercising, and lounging along the water. Montevideo has its share of glitzy shopping avenues and modern office buildings, balanced with its historic old city and sumptuous colonial architecture, as well as numerous leafy plazas and parks. It is hard not to draw comparisons to its sister city Buenos Aires across the river, and indeed Montevideo strikes many as a calmer, more manageable incarnation of Argentina's capital.When the weather's good, La Rambla, a 22-km (14-mile) waterfront avenue that links the Old City with the eastern suburbs and changes names about a dozen times, gets packed with fishermen, ice-cream vendors, and joggers. Around sunset, volleyball and soccer games wind down as couples begin to appear for evening strolls. Polls consistently rate Montevideo as having the highest quality of life of any city in Latin America. After one visit here, especially on a lovely summer evening, you probably will agree.