Indepth Series: Falkland Islands, South Georgia & Antarctica Grand Voyage (by Akademik Vavilov)

This tour covers city highlights beginning in the Palermo area with its beautiful parks, the City Zoo, Botanic Gardens, Argentine Horse Track and the National Polo Fields. With a private vehicle and English speaking guide you will pass through the well-to-do Recoleta area and drive by the Colón Theatre, one city's famous opera houses and the cultural pride of the locals. Time for a morning break at the Café Tortoni, one of the most traditional cafés in Buenos Aires, where you will have an opportunity to try a traditional porteño snack of ham and cheese sandwiches or croissants and with coffee or a soft drink. Upon leaving Tortoni, you will walk to the Lima Station on subway line "A", the oldest subway line in the southern hemisphere which still operates some of its original wooden. Leaving the subway at Plaza de Mayo station, you will see the Casa Rosada (Government House), the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Cabildo (Buenos Aires' first city hall). The tour concludes with a drive through the colorful and fanciful La Boca ethnic quarter before dropping you off at your hotel.

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.

Meet your driver for a private airport transfer with vehicle, English speaking guide and driver.

This tour shows us diverse panoramic view points through which we can get an idea of the building industry and demographic growth of this unique city. It lasts around an hour during which the guide will give us a brief explanation of Ushuaia’s background, its urban development and the changes occurred throughout times. The final stop of the tour is in front of the "End of the World" museum.

Enjoy a private cruise pier transfer with vehicle, English speaking guide and driver.

Welcome aboard!
As you step foot on the vessel in Ushuaia, the world's southernmost city near the tip of Argentina, and start to become familiar with your 'home' for the next 18 days, you cannot help but wonder about the exciting journey ahead. In the early evening, you set sail and begin the voyage, leaving behind Ushuaia and charting a course through the Beagle Channel.

Expeditioners have the chance to spend plenty of time with the onboard polar experts. They will be educating you as you go, on the wonders of Antarctica. Sailing northeast at this point, you will likely be joined by swooping seabirds including the wandering albatross, who you will come to know well on this journey.

Arriving in the Falklands overnight, by morning you're excited to make your first landfall. The plan will be to explore the islands of the West Falkland Archipelago, home to a profusion of seabirds and migratory birds including the black-browed albatross. Your first penguin sightings will be on the island of West Point with its bustling rookeries of rockhoppers. On Carcass Island, you will observe nesting Magellanic penguins along with oystercatchers, geese and the flightless steamer duck who is a permanent Falkland resident.

Today you'll make a stop in Port Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands. As you wander through the charming streets of brightly painted houses, you will learn how this quiet harbour was once a major port in the 19th century for ships attempting to round the formidable waters of Cape Horn. You will also make a stop in Port Stanley's famed philatelic museum with its impressive collection of historic stamps.

Now you sail southeast bound for the island of South Georgia. These days at sea are never dull. Much of your time is spent scanning the horizon in search of whales and other marine mammals as well as seabirds. Your friendly onboard experts continue to fill minds with heroic stories of some of the earliest daredevils to explore Antarctica.

Another full day at sea, you will learn about Polar conservation - a theme particularly close to the hearts of your guides and crew. The anticipation grows particularly as you cross the Antarctic Convergence and notice a dramatic drop in temperature.

Majestic snow-covered mountains greet you on the island of South Georgia - the most rugged island in this region. You'll cruise the protected waters of the eastern coast looking for suitable landing spots such as Salisbury Plain and St Andrews Bay.

Excursions at Salisbury Plain and St Andrews Bay are highlighted by the mind-boggling abundance of king penguin adults and young that live in these locations by the hundreds of thousands, covering every inch of the shore.

Fur seals can be seen poking their heads above the water, skuas and giant petrels swoop in the skies above, and the albatross, your constant companion, is never far away. You hope to explore an old whaling station at Grytviken (Greet-vik-in) and visit the grave of the most famous Antarctic explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton.

As you cross the Scotia Sea, sailing ever closer to Antarctica, you hope to visit the South Orkney Islands. Linked to the Antarctic Peninsula by an enormous sub-marine mountain range these islands, often shrouded in mist, are protected by large icebergs and sea ice.

If conditions allow, there will be an excursion to Coronation Island to observe penguins nesting in moss beds alongside graceful snow petrels.

You may also stop at the remote island of Laurie and visit the Argentinean meteorological station located there.

Elephant Island, en route to the South Shetland Islands, will be your next destination if conditions are suitable. Here, you will learn more about the famous Antarctic adventures of Sir Ernest Shackleton. This island was a place of refuge in 1916 for Shackleton and his crew after his ship was destroyed by pack ice in the Weddell Sea.

Next, you will spend some time cruising among the South Shetland Islands just off the Antarctic Peninsula. Dazzling wildlife sightings await on your excursions to some of these islands including King George, Half Moon, Barrientos or Livingston. Adelie, chinstrap and gentoo penguins thrive here, as do several species of seal. You may even spot the gentle humpback whale dining on krill off King George Island.

Weather permitting, you will visit the flooded volcanic caldera of Deception Island. With rugged scenery, great sites of geologic interest and an overwhelming display of whaling and scientific exploration history, Deception Island is a perfect museum of natural and exploration history. For those wanting to stretch their legs, a spectacular hike to the crater rim offers a challenge.

Finally, after so much anticipation, you will arrive at the Antarctic mainland in Paradise Harbour or Hope Bay. The scenery here from the colossal icebergs to the seemingly endless Antarctic ice sheet is truly breathtaking. Weather permitting, you hope to undertake a shore excursion and set foot on the White Continent itself.

As you leave this magical place and make your way back, heading again across the Antarctic Convergence and the Drake Passage before rounding Cape Horn, there is no doubt that time will be spent sharing and reflecting on the wonderful experiences of the last few days.

You continue north through the Drake Passage, and sailing up the Beagle Channel you celebrate the conclusion of your polar expedition at a special dinner.

In the early morning, you will arrive back in Ushuaia. It is time to say farewell to your crew and fellow travelers.

Meet your driver for a private airport transfer with vehicle, English speaking guide and driver.

Fly from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires domestic airport. Not flights are subject to changes based on availability. The flight duration is approximately 3.5 hrs