South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula: Penguin Safari via Buenos Aires
South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula: Penguin Safari via Buenos Aires
South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula: Penguin Safari via Buenos Aires
16 Days Starting and ending in Buenos Aires
Visiting: Buenos Aires, Ushuaia, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Antarctica, Drake Passage
Tour operator:
Tour code:
PUH
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
2 - 199
Physical rating:
Leisurely
Age range:
18 to 99
Special diets catered:
Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
On this adventure, massive albatross and Pintado petrel swoop and soar around the ship, guiding us toward South Georgia. Beaches teeming with King penguins and Elephant seals greet us on this fabled island, where we’ll pay our respects to famed explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. Antarctica awaits, with its geographic contradictions and overwhelming enormity. Relax on a Zodiac ride, hike glistening glaciers, share comical moments with inquisitive penguins, and witness the rugged peninsula. Antarctica will surprise and delight, and never disappoint.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Start Buenos Aires, Argentina
Location: Buenos Aires
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: No Meals
Arrive in Buenos Aires at any time during Day 1 of your itinerary. Upon
arriving in this splendid city, known for its architecture and rich European
heritage, you will independently transfer to your group hotel.
Day 2 : Fly To Ushuaia And Embark
Location: Ushuaia
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
After an early breakfast at the hotel, the group will transfer to the airport
and board our private charter flight to Ushuaia, Argentina.
Upon arrival, you will be transferred from the airport to a central downtown
location to have some time on your own to explore this quaint port town
before making your way to the pier.
After a late afternoon embarkation, you will sail along the historic Beagle
Channel, which transects the Tierra del Fuego archipelago in the extreme
south of South America. Expect an air of anticipation as you depart!
Day 3 - 6 : At Sea
Location: Ushuaia
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
There are many activities available to keep you engaged while you are at sea.
Learn to identify seabirds that glide alongside the ship, or attend dynamic
presentations by your Expedition Team. You will be prepped on safety
procedures for Zodiac cruises and shore landings, and also be given
instructions for getting the most out of your optional sea kayaking
adventures (extra cost), a truly intimate way to experience Antarctica. If
conditions are right, the first indication that you are approaching South
Georgia is the sight of birds around a group of rocky spires called Shag
Rocks. Have your binoculars and cameras ready to capture these rocky spires
rising out of the icy ocean waters. Shags and prions often rest here, and due
to nutrient rich upwellings around the rocks it can be a good place to keep a
lookout for whales.
Day 7 - 8 : South Georgia
Location: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After enjoying South Georgia from a distance, we’ll head toward its
numerous beaches to find a bay for your first excursion. Landing sites are
varied, largely determined by the weather conditions of your voyage.
Whichever sites we visit, they’ll provide you with wildlife encounters
unrivaled anywhere else on earth.
South Georgia is one of the most fertile breeding grounds in the world for
sub-Antarctic wildlife, with beaches blanketed with penguins and seals. It
won’t take you long to realize that you are in a bird paradise, as
burrowing seabirds, albatross and petrels can be seen in abundance.
You’ll find that South Georgia, once a popular base for whalers and
sealers, is also scattered with abandoned relics and evidence of human
activity from centuries gone by. Your Expedition Team will help bring those
days to life while you visit old whaling stations and enjoy presentations on
the South Georgia of then and now.
One of the most significant sites you will visit on the island is Grytviken.
This settlement is the first whaling stations established in sub-Antarctic
waters. Many travelers find that this place has a special appeal, as it is
the site of the grave of Sir Ernest Shackleton, one of the most famous
Antarctic explorers.
Day 9 - 10 : At Sea
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Say goodbye to the kKng penguins, as your next destination is Antarctica!
Your days at sea are filled with presentations and workshops led by your
Expedition Team, who will prepare you for the wildlife and landscapes that
will surround you upon your arrival.
Day 11 - 13 : Antarctic Peninsula
Location: Antarctica
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
The most common reaction upon reaching the White Continent is a sense of
reverence and awe. The experience is hard to put into words, since few places
are as untouched and enduring as Antarctica.
You will discover that Antarctica is a land of extremes. At one moment
you’ll be overcome with a feeling of complete isolation and silence, and at
the next moment you’ll be inspired by nature as a calving glacier crashes
into a brilliant blue sea or a penguin waddles by to inspect your footwear.
Your Expedition Team will take care of you at each excursion, whether you are
Zodiac cruising, visiting a historical site or consorting with penguin
colonies. Chinstrap, Adélie and Gentoo penguins are found here, along with
Weddell, Fur, Crabeater and Leopard seals. Keep a lookout for Antarctic
whales, such as Minkes, while on a Zodiac cruise. Each day and each excursion
will present a new collection of creatures to delight you and keep your
camera busy.
As exciting as the Zodiac excursions and landings are, perhaps you’ll treat
yourself to an extra-special Antarctic experience by partaking in an optional
paddling excursion (at an extra cost) or cast reason aside and jump into
Antarctic waters for the Polar Plunge!
Your Expedition Team will use their considerable experience to seek out
wildlife in known habitats, but the presence of any particular species of
bird or marine wildlife is not guaranteed.
Day 14 - 15 : Crossing The Drake Passage
Location: Drake Passage
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After more than a dozen days of unique wildlife encounters and remarkable
landscapes, your journey home begins. Crossing the Drake is your unofficial
rite of passage. Spend time on deck watching for seabirds and whales, enjoy
presentations by your Expedition Team, or simply relax and reminisce about
your experiences.
Day 16 : Disembark In Ushuaia And Fly To Buenos Aires
Location: Ushuaia, Buenos Aires
Meals Included: Breakfast
You will arrive in Ushuaia in the morning and disembark after breakfast. The
mandatory transfer package includes a little taste of Patagonia with a Tierra
del Fuego National Park tour before transferring to the airport for the
return group charter flight to Buenos Aires.
What's Included
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Meals
7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 6 dinners. -
We can include flights from the UK. Please contact us for a quote.
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All meals while on the ship
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Beer and wine during dinner
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All accommodation
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Tour leader throughout and qualified Expedition Staff
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All transport and listed activities
What's Not Included
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Visas or vaccinations
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Single accommodation (available on request)
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Travel insurance
Food
All meals while on the ship included. *Typical Meals* The ships galley offers good quality service and cuisine throughout, with excellent chefs preparing international menus including vegetarian dishes, accompanied by a wide variety of drinks from around the world on sale. *Breakfast:* Buffet style – unlimited tea and coffee, a selection of fruit juices, hot options including bacon and eggs or omelettes, a selection of bread and toast and jam/honey/marmalade, fruit and cereal. *Lunch: *Three course set meal or buffet, or the occasional BBQ. *Dinner:* Three or four courses with a starter of soup and/or salad, a choice of mains with at least one vegetarian option and a dessert, with tea and coffee. Vegetarians and vegans can be well catered for on this holiday - please do inform us before departure of any special dietary requests so that our local team can be well prepared.
Accommodation
The South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula: Penguin Safari via Buenos Aires journey is offered on the Ultramarine which is a Polar Adventure Ship. Polar Adventure Ships These are small ice rated vessels well qualified for Polar waters. Intimate adventures are always more enjoyable with like-minded passengers and staff, so these voyages are for people who like flexible itineraries and plenty to keep them busy. Activities include frequent Zodiac excursions, trekking and many hours on deck in areas that other ships only dream about accessing. Food and staff are superb and every guest benefits from the technical advances of this superb fleet. Rest assured our Polar Adventure Ships enable any traveller to maximize their experience sensitively in the Poles.
Check out our Q&As
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What is the maximum group size?
199
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Are flights included in this tour?
We can include flights from the UK. Please contact us for a quote.
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
18+ age people can go on this tour.
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Are vaccinations required for this tour?
There are no mandatory vaccination requirements.
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Exodus has been trading since 1974
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.
Reviews of this Operator
Book with Confidence
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Exodus allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus, 43 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Exodus requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
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