Explore the fascinating continent of Antarctica, Earth's southernmost continent onboard a luxury cruise. This easy going, comfortable adventure offers you the very best of the Antarctic Peninsula aboard an Expedition Ship that is designed to carry fewer than 130 passengers. Participate in regular off-ship activities such as cruising along a volcanic ash beach in a Zodiac in the shelter of the flooded caldera of Deception Island, and enjoy specialist presentations throughout your trip given by experienced Guides and a Naturalist. With exceptional cuisine and service you are sure to remember this trip for many years to come!

If you seek a pristine wilderness of ice and snow, then you should choose an early November to mid-December expedition. As the austral summer sun heats up the Peninsula, the snow and ice retreats, until there is little left of the snow that fell the previous winter. The austral spring is also the time that penguins return to their rookeries to court and build nests. If you wish to see fluffy penguin chicks, then mid-December to the end of January is the time for you. From the end of January to mid-February, rookeries are alive with life as the chicks become increasingly independent. In addition to being the best time to spot whales and seals, the end of the austral summer is the best time to witness two phenomena: Gentoo Penguin chick feeding behavior and red snow.

Cruise departure dates: Jan 9-Jan 19, 2011, Jan18-Jan 28, 2011, Jan 27-Feb15, 2011, Feb 14-Feb 24, 2011, Feb 23 - Mar 6, 2011.

Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, located on the southern shore of the Río de la Plata. The city has a spectacular legacy of architecture and parks, and its citizens consider themselves European. It is famous for the tango, superb restaurants, and the best shopping on the continent. The city has numerous museums related to history, and art in its many forms; fine, modern, decorative, popular, sacred and arts and crafts, as well as theatre and popular music. It is also known for its preserved homes of noted art collectors, writers, composers and artists.

Enjoy a private airport (International) transfer in Buenos Aires with professional driver and English speaking Guide.

Upon arrival by air into Buenos Aires' International Airport (Ezeiza/EZE), American passport holders are required to pay a reciprocity tax of $131 USD, and Canadian passport holders a tax of $70 USD. Other nationalities will vary. Payment may be done by cash (Argentine Pesos or American Dollars), credit card or travelers checks. For American passport holders,  a receipt will be stapled at the back of their passport and it will be valid for the duration of the passport. For Canadian passport holders, the reciprocity tax will be valid for one entry only.
Please consult with the Argentine consulate for full details. Subject to change without notice.

The recently discovered ancient tunnels of Buenos Aires are one of the city’s best kept secrets. Enjoy a private half day city tour including a visit of these ancient passages and get to know Buenos Aires from the ground up! After being met at your hotel by your private vehicle, driver and English speaking guide, you’ll be brought to Plaza de Mayo, the city’s founding site and genuine starting point of Buenos Aires’ urban development. Next is San Telmo, a former enclave for local aristocracy. This charming colonial district, with its cobbled streets, has many artists' studios and is one of the trendiest neighborhoods of the city. Also in San Telmo lies a recently unearthed treasure: the ancient subterranean tunnels. The construction of tunnels started in the colonial era, and continued well into the 19th century. From ancient times, many myths have been created around the tunnels: people said they witnessed secret encounters, disappearances, murders or even political conspiracies.

Enjoy visiting one of these tunnels, a part of a 3,000 square meter labyrinth below the streets of San Telmo, made up of a long corridor with a vaulted ceiling and display cabinets exhibiting many items and utensils recovered during the excavation. Other areas that are included in your tour include La Boca, (which was strongly shaped by the working class Italian immigrants, with its make shift houses made from scrap materials found in local shipyards), Puerto Madero - Buenos Aires’ latest and most sophisticated neighborhood, and La Recoleta, where a short stop is made at the gorgeous Plaza San Martín, the Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar, (the city’s second oldest church), and the celebrated Recoleta Cemetery, an imposing labyrinth of ornate graves and mausoleums where some of the most important characters of Argentina’s political and cultural life (including Eva Peron) are buried. The last stop on the tour is at the area known as Palermo Woods. Next to the woods lie the splendid palaces built by the wealthy classes in the early 20th century to rival with Paris. Having gained an insightful experience of the city, you will be brought back to your hotel.

Hotel Madero is placed in the wistful and scenic Puerto Madero area, and is a beautiful hotel to stay in while getting to know the fiery city of Buenos Aires. The 197 rooms offer a vast space in which one can relax and unwind, with great views. The culinary skills of the French chef at Madero's Red Resto & Lounge, are showcased via French specialties fused with international. Spend time at the bars, sipping on cocktails, or drop by the pool for a refreshing swim.

Overnight at Hotel Madero.

Sleep in this morning and relax at your hotel.

Private pick-up from your hotel for a night of Tango like no other at Rojo Tango!
"Rojo Tango” is an invitation to live and feel the tango intensely. It is an embracing and sophisticated show to experience the pleasure of the tango up to its most minimum details, its harmonic melodies, its rhythm and the feelings and colors coming to live in the dance. Witness a professional performance, offered to a reduced audience. Rojo Tango show takes care of every little detail so that you can experience the essence of Tango. Dancers wear unique costumes, a result of thorough research and an updated innovation in fabrics, embroideries and colors. The hairdos are visually important and match every detail of the costumes and dance. The special lighting enhances the dance's different nuances. Enjoy a fantastic dinner as you see the show.
Return to your hotel afterwards.

Overnight at Hotel Madero.

Ushuaia is the world's second-southernmost city and is located on the southern tip of the island of Tierra del Fuego. Guarded on the north by the Martial mountain range and on the south by the Beagle Channel, Ushuaia is a key access point to the southern regions. The city and nearby national park is a popular vacation spot for Buenos Aires. Ushuaia is one of the departure points for Antarctic expeditions and for visiting the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas).

Enjoy a private airport transfer in Buenos Aires with a professional driver and English speaking Guide.

Fly from Buenos Aires domestic airport to Ushuaia. Note flights are subject to changes based on availability. The flight duration is approximately 3.5 hour.

Includes a shared transfer from the ship to the airport.

Partake in a half day private tour with your own vehicle, driver and guide to explore the Tierra del Fuego National Park, situated 11 km from Ushuaia. The park was established in 1960 with the intention of protecting the southernmost portion of the sub Antarctic forest and is made up of 63000 hectares. Unlike many other parks, it combines the ocean, forests and mountains. The biological richness of the Tierra del Fuego Island with its beautiful scenery is simply stunning. You can find animals such as red foxes, cauquenes, ducks, Patagonian wood peckers and more than 90 species of birds that are part of the Fuegian fauna, as well as beavers and rabbits, which were introduced to the island by colonizers. The forest is formed by lengas, guindos, ñires and valleys of peat and lichens. Ensenada Bay, Lake Roca and Lapataia Bay (the end of the Pan-American Highway that connects Alaska and Tierra del Fuego) give color to this unique place where we can still find reminders of the ancestral inhabitants: the yámanas. At the end of the tour you will be brought back to your hotel.

Offering pleasant accommodation and comfortable facilities, the elegant Albatros Hotel is located overlooking the surrounding mountain areas, close to the city centre and is just 3 kilometres from the airport. The property offers 77 highly comfortable and warmly decorated rooms that are furnished with an array of modern amenities to ensure a comfortable and pleasant stay. The onsite restaurant serves delicious traditional dishes from Patagonia for you to enjoy. The Lobby Bar is an ideal place to sit and relax with the most selective Argentinean wine of the Patagonia region.

Overnight at Albatros Hotel.

The Antarctic Ocean comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60°S latitude and encircling Antarctica. It is usually regarded as the fourth-largest of the five principal oceanic divisions. This ocean zone is where cold, northward flowing waters from the Antarctic mix with warmer sub-Antarctic waters.

Enjoy time at leisure to explore at your own pace, or relax at your hotel.

Enjoy a shared transfer from your hotel to the port.

After you have settled into your cabin, you will be given a lifeboat drill, Welcome Briefing, and your first dinner aboard. Feel the moist sea air on your skin, listen for sound of water breaking against the hull, and luxuriate in the sense of freedom of life at sea. As the ship steams down the Beagle Channel, the cares of the world slip into the background. The rhythm of life at sea has begun.

This Polar Adventure Ship was built in 1975. Clipper underwent a $13 million conversion in 1998. Her proud reputation is complimented by her well-appointed, elegance. Clipper Adventurer is the perfect expedition ship for people who enjoy soft adventures and creature comforts.

Overnight at Clipper Adventurer (11D).

Crossing the notorious Drake Passage is as much a part of the Antarctic experience as penguins and krill. With the right weather conditions your passage will be relatively easy, but pack your seasick medicine just in case the Drake lives up to its reputation. After breakfast, the in-depth education program begins. The range of subjects is diverse, but all are chosen to prepare you for the activities in the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula. Unlike cruise voyages where the schedule of onboard activities is replicated exactly on each sailing, every Classic Antarctica expedition is unique. The Expedition Team changes the content of the education program and the presentation schedule to take advantage of the personnel aboard, their background, interest and style. This keeps our presenters fresh and their presentations dynamic. Spend part of the day on deck watching the Petrels and Albatrosses that accompany the ship, gliding for miles, never appearing to move a muscle.

Overnight at Clipper Adventurer (11D).

An example of one of the presentations you will get to participate in during the cruise is the topic of Antarctic Conservation Guidelines. The Expedition cruise is a member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), which actively supports the organization’s efforts to mitigate the impact of tourism in Antarctica. You help achieve that goal by adhering to the IAATO conservation guidelines that cover everything: boot washing, numbers of visitors on shore, and human behavior around wildlife - all of which will be revealed to you during the presentation.

The choice of activities in the evenings aboard ship is varied. Over a drink in the bar, get to know your fellow adventurers, who come from all over the world – Europe, Australasia, South America, North America and Africa. Watch a movie in the presentation room, or borrow a book about Antarctica from the library and curl up in your cabin with the sound of waves lapping against the hull that drifts through the window.

Overnight at Clipper Adventurer (11D).

The first activities in the Peninsula region are often in the South Shetland Islands, as they are the closest islands to the Antarctic continent when you sail from Ushuaia. Activities, which are announced in advance in the daily program, are scheduled at any time of day. The Expedition Team takes advantage of the long hours of daylight that occur so near to the Antarctic Circle. One possibility is cruising in Zodiacs along a volcanic ash beach in the shelter of the flooded caldera of Deception Island. Adélie, Gentoo and Chinstrap Penguins breed on the islands of the South Shetlands. Elephant seals are known to haul out near the rookeries. Leopard seals patrol the water’s edge waiting to prey on a sick or inexperienced penguin that enters the water. Skuas, predators that dive from the sky, squawk and fly about.

The breeding season is short in Antarctica, so activity is continual. The type of activity changes as the austral spring becomes summer. Early in the season, the penguins will be building nests and courting. Observe the rituals, which to your eyes may appear comical, but is to the penguins' serious business. When the chicks hatch, the parents invest considerable energy feeding them, waddling or tobogganing to the sea, where they feed on krill. They return to the rookery, often climbing steep inclines to regurgitate their dinner into the mouth of their demanding chick. So frequent is this activity that the birds create “highways”.

As you explore Antarctica, the Expedition Team hold recaps of what is experienced during landings. These recaps provide opportunities to relive the adventures; share your experiences and ask questions of the shipboard specialists. Traveling with a small number of like-minded travelers in a ship for an extended period of time is a recipe for friendships that last a lifetime. Each new adventure shared builds upon the last. Every moment of laughter or awe becomes a memory you cherish. The expedition experience can only be truly understood by participating.

Overnight at Clipper Adventurer (11D).

Antarctica is surprisingly colorful. The evening sky can paint snow rose or orange. The rich greens of moss vibrate beside the rusty red of lichens growing on rocks. Icebergs range from turquoise through azure to violet in different light. The seawater can appear inky one moment and clear as glass another. Carry a camera- the opportunities for photography are extraordinary.

Overnight at Clipper Adventurer (11D).

There is always plenty to see on your cruise regardless of the time of year that you travel. The end of the austral summer is the best time to witness two phenomena: Gentoo Penguin chick feeding behavior and red snow. Gentoo Penguins are the only species of penguin to feed their chicks well into adolescence. In late February, early March, some of them look as if they are wearing Mohawks, strips of down run from the top of their heads along their backs to their tails. These adolescents wander the beach front calling for a parent. When their parent returns from the sea with a craw full of krill to share with the hungry chick, the parent stops at the shoreline and calls out. The biological chick and a number of other chicks that know that they have just heard the dinner bell, squawk, then tumble head first across the beach to greet the parent prepared to satisfy a chick’s hunger. The parent continues to call until the chicks are close enough to be seen. Sensibly, the parent turns and dashes away. A chase ensues until there is only one chick left. Scientists have determined that the biological chick is always the one that remains at the end of the chase.

Overnight at Clipper Adventurer (11D).

Enjoy the daily zodiac excursions in the company of Expert Leaders as you learn more about the fascinating wildlife and marine life in this magical place.

Overnight at Clipper Adventurer (11D).

The next two days of cruising will be spent passing through Drake Passage. The passage connects the southwestern part of the Atlantic Ocean (Scotia Sea) with the southeastern part of the Pacific Ocean and extends into the Southern Ocean. The 800 kilometres (500 mi) wide passage between Cape Horn and Greenwich Island is the shortest crossing from Antarctica to the rest of the world's land. There are often frequent sightings of whales, dolphins and plentiful seabirds including giant petrels, other petrels, albatrosses and penguins.

Overnight at Clipper Adventurer (11D).

Enjoy the daily zodiac excursions in the company of Expert Leaders as you learn more about the fascinating wildlife and marine life in this magical place.

Overnight at Clipper Adventurer (11D).

On your final day aboard the ship, a briefing is held, final remarks are made and instructions for disembarkation are delivered. As you head back to the shores of Ushuaia, a small vessel will come alongside the ship and a local pilot will board the ship to help navigate the last stretch of water en route to Ushuaia. You may like to watch it all unfold, before reaching shore.

Includes a shared transfer from the ship to the airport.

Depart from Ushuaia- End of itinerary.

Overnight at Depart.