Antarctica Basecamp Adventure

In the morning, private city-tour around “The Paris” of America.
In the afternoon you will take a flight to El Calafate.

We dedicate this day to one of the World’s Natural Wonder: the Moreno glacier.
A beautiful, short trail, will lead us from the shores of the lake to the upper viewpoints.
The roar of the chunks of ice falling inside the glacier or from the glacier into the lake, the frequent collapse of the front seracs into the turquoise water, makes out of this day a very special and unique experience. We will drive 80 km (1 and a half hour) to get and come back from the glacier across the steppe, watching a wide variety of birds.
Due to unusual favourable local conditions, this glacier is the only one in the world that shows a closure and rupture process. The road leads to the very front of the glacier, which will be only meters away from your eyes.

Optional Activities:
– Ice-trekking in Perito Moreno Glacier: one hour and a half or three hours and a half
– Navigations through Lago Argentino
– Kayak Experience

Morning Gaucho Experience. You will be able to visit a traditional Estancia in El Calafate and see the customs of local people and how they lived years ago in these remote places.
In the afternoon, flight to Ushuaia.

We will start our adventure in the afternoon. After embarking, we will navigate through the Beagle Channel. Reference map for this journey:

We will navigate across the legendary Drake Passage. When we reach the Antarctic Convergence, we will have chances to see Grey Headed Albatrosses, Wandering Albatrosses, Black-browed Albatrosses, Cape Petrels, Light-mantled Albatrosses, Wilson’s Storm Petrels, Southern Fulmars, Antarctic Petrels, and Blue Petrels. We will see our first icebergs before reaching the South Shetland Islands.

We will pass by the Melchior Islands and the Schollaert Channel (which is between Brabant and Anvers Island), in direction to “High Antarctica”. Then, when we reach the area of the Neumayer Channel, we will position our ship for the multi-activity basecamp.

We will have the chance of exploring the area by foot or zodiac, and also by kayak trips. Those who love hiking will be able to put on the snowshoes and go on excursions near the shorelines, whereas the mountaineers will find their challenge by climbing hills and viewpoints further inland (if weather permits).

It’s planned to be two overnights at anchor (two full activity days), aiming to implement two camp nights. We will visit as well the museum and post office at Port Lockroy on Goudier Island.  If the conditions allow, we may visit the Jougla Point, inhabited by Gentoo Penguins and Blue-eyed Shags. We will try to find as well leopard seals, whales, and Crabeater seals.

It’s planned also to navigate through the Lemaire Channel, passing by the Pleneau and Petermann Islands, with views to the colonies of Adelie Penguins and Blue-eyed Shags. The chances of finding Humpback and Minke Whales in this area are quite good. We choose a strategic point and we set our camp. This a great area for kayaking, glacier walks or mountaineering.

Once at Neko Harbour, the magnificent huge glacier will be the perfect background for our different activities. Overnight in Paradise Bay, on a camp, erected ashore.  Afterwards, we will head back to the Drake Passage.

We will cross the Drake Passage, back to Ushuaia, followed by different kinds of sea birds.

Arrival and disembark in Ushuaia during the morning. Flight to Buenos Aires and night there.

Private transfer to Buenos Aires International Airport.

End of the tour, and optional extensions to other regions in Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Perú.  We strongly recommend our travellers to take advantage of the visit to enjoy as well the main highlights of Southern Patagonia.

If you are interested in Patagonia, we invite you to check out our other Patagonia Tours.

We invite you to see our Argentina Tours, where you can experience the true Argentine culture.