Antarctica Adventure and Buenos Aires

1/3 full! Join us for this once-in-a-lifetime journey to the last frontier. This promises to be a trip you’ll never forget. Limited space available. Register today!

Note that this is a co-ed trip!

Secure your spot by registering with a deposit via PayPal by clicking on the Register Now button. You can sign in as a guest and do not need a PayPal account.

Note: Deposits for Antarctica are non-refundable. Please read our Booking Terms and Conditions before registering.

Wondering why Antarctica is so expensive? Check out this blog post that addresses this very question.

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Antarctica Adventure and Buenos Aires Tour

The tour begins with your arrival into Buenos Aires, Argentina at either Aeroparque International (AEP) or Buenos Aires Airport (BAI) on November  21, 2024.

If you’d like additional hotel nights prior to or after the tour dates, let us know and we’d be happy to book them for you!

Day 1 – Buenos Aires
Thursday, November 21, 2024
Meals: Dinner

Upon arrival into Buenos Aires, you’ll clear customs and immigration and then be met by a guide and driver for the start of our adventure!

You’ll be taken to our hotel where you can relax and get settled in prior to our welcome dinner.

Tonight, we’ll immerse ourselves in a very special evening that includes a traditional Argentinean dinner and a spellbinding tango performance. There will be more than 20 dancers performing to a live orchestra in an iconic 20th century venue.

Overnight in Buenos Aires at Savoy Hotel Buenos Aires or similar.

Day 2 – Buenos Aires
Friday, November 22, 2024
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After a wonderful breakfast at our hotel, we’ll embark on an early morning tour of the city with a knowledgeable local guide. We’ll navigate our way through this vibrant city on foot and via bus.

Today’s journey will include stops at Plaza de Mayo, where we’ll see El Cabildo (built in the 1600’s as a government house but now a museum), La Casa Rosada (the president’s office) and the Metropolitan Cathedral (the main Catholic church in Buenos Aires).

We’ll also visit the enchanting neighborhoods of La Boca (known for its early development of tango) and San Telmo (known for its artists, cafes, street performers and Sunday market). These are both areas where the soul of the city really comes alive.

In the late morning, we’ll take a walking food tour that includes five restaurants in the San Telmo district. We’ll enjoy tastings of traditional Argentinian food (including dessert!) around some of the most beautiful streets in Buenos Aires!

We’ll head back to the hotel after our food tour which will wrap up in the mid to late afternoon. If you’re still hungry after our wonderful lunch, you can grab dinner on your own. With Buenos Aires being a foodie destination, you’ll have the chance to explore the abundance of culinary delights in the city.

Overnight in Buenos Aires at Savoy Hotel Buenos Aires or similar.

Day 3 – Buenos Aires (ranch tour)
Saturday, November 23, 2024
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, we’ll venture away from the city for a full day in the countryside. We’ll be transported to the heart of Argentina’s authentic traditions and experience the lives of the gauchos–the skilled horsemen who live on the sprawling estancias, the country’s cherished ranches.

If you’re so inclined, you can experience riding one of the horses yourself! Or, if you prefer, you can take a carriage ride on the property.

During our visit, we’ll have a traditional lunch of asado (barbecue) and meat empanadas (vegetarian options will be available).

Afterward, we’ll make our way back to Buenos Aires where dinner will be on your own.

Overnight in Buenos Aires at Savoy Hotel Buenos Aires or similar.

Day 4 – Buenos Aires
Sunday, November 24, 2024
Meals: Breakfast

Today you’ll have the chance to wander the city on your own! With a wide range of options awaiting your discovery, prepare for a day brimming with possibilities. Here are just a few suggestions to ignite your wanderlust:

• Meander through one of the many Sunday markets that take place throughout the city–including the San Telmo market where you could spend all day and still not see it all.
• Visit one of the many city parks, where the locals spend their time walking, running, working out and relaxing.
• Shop along Calle Florida, a pedestrian street popular with tourists and locals alike.
• Walk the waterfront and cross Puente de la Mujer (Woman’s Bridge), stopping for lunch at one of the many restaurants that line the Rio de la Plata.

You may also want to spend a bit of time today getting ready for the next part of our adventure as we prepare to depart the following day for Ushuaia!

Overnight in Buenos Aires at Savoy Hotel Buenos Aires or similar.

Day 5 – Buenos Aires – Ushuaia
Monday, November 25, 2024
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

This morning we’ll depart for the airport for our flight to Ushuaia, which is located at the southern tip of Argentina.

Upon arrival, we’ll be met by a guide and driver and taken to our hotel.

Ushuaia is a tiny town and easily navigable by foot. Since we’ll be boarding the ship tomorrow, this is an excellent time to stretch those legs and spend time browsing the shops at the end of the world or wandering the waterfront to see the ships getting ready to head out for Antarctica!

While lunch is not included (there are LOTS of options along the town’s one main street), we’ll gather tonight to enjoy a lovely meal together!

Overnight in Ushuaia at the Albatross Hotel or similar.

Day 6 – Ushuaia – Depart for Antarctica
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Today’s the day! This morning after breakfast, we’ll make our way to our expedition ship where we’ll begin our journey to Antarctica.

We’ll head to the nearby pier where we’ll have our passports checked before we board the Plancius. Note, no visa is required to visit the continent of Antarctica. Check our FAQs for more info.

We’ll be shown our rooms by the very helpful staff and then have some time to relax and get familiar with the ship before enjoying a wonderful dinner together tonight in the ship’s dining area. While we won’t have the ship to ourselves (darn!), our activities on-board have been organized specifically for our group and we’ll get to have meals together in the dining area.

In the early evening, our expedition ship will depart the harbor in Ushuaia. We’ll make our way through the Beagle Channel–a protected waterway–before we begin the journey through the Drake Passage.

** Please note that the Drake Passage can be turbulent, causing some to get motion sick. This is not always the case, however, and many people have very smooth sailings (when the passage is lovingly referred to as the Drake Lake). In any event, please be prepared with motion sickness patches or medication so that you can make the most of your time on the ship.

Overnight on the Plancius expedition ship.

Day 7 – Antarctica
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We’ll still be making our way through the Drake Passage on this day so we won’t have an opportunity to disembark. However, today and each day we’re on the ship, there will be talks given in a dedicated lecture room by the very knowledgeable expedition staff. Rest assured, you’ll never be bored!

Over the course of our week+ on the ship, we will learn about icebergs (such as growlers and bergy bits), penguins (such as Emperor, Chinstrap and Gentoo), and the amazing variety of seabirds (such as albatrosses, Cape pigeons, Southern fulmars and petrels).

It’s also likely we’ll see pods of whales!

Overnight on the Plancius expedition ship.

Day 8 – Antarctica (Thanksgiving Day!)
Thursday, November 28, 2024
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

What better way to spend Thanksgiving Day (for U.S. citizens) than by exploring a new world. 😁

At some point today, we’ll have made it through the Drake Passage and will begin our entry into the South Shetlands, a group of islands that are between 80 – 90% completely glaciated. Even though we won’t disembark on this day, the scenery begins to change and it’s here that we’ll start to see icebergs and snow covered mountains.

There will be more talks throughout the day covering a variety of topics, all aimed at educating us on what we’ll be seeing and experiencing in this pristine environment.

Tonight we’ll be treated to a special dinner to celebrate Thanksgiving!

Overnight on the Plancius expedition ship.

Day 9 – 13 – Antarctica
Friday, November 29 – Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

During these four days, we’ll be spending time in and around the Antarctic Peninsula and on the continent’s mainland. Weather permitting, we will have opportunities each day to leave the expedition ship to take part in a variety of activities–all included in the tour cost. This may include:

• Zodiac cruises that will give us a chance to get close to icebergs, islands and sealife.
• An on-shore photography class with a chance to photograph penguins, birdlife and seals.
• Sea kayaking to get closer to the sealife including penguins and birds.
• Snowshoeing and/or hiking on one of the many islands.
• Overnight camping on one of the islands!

Though the captain (and weather) will have the ultimate say, locations where we may visit include:

King George Island – Largest of the South Shetlands and home to many research bases as well as penguins, seals and birdlife.

Jougla Point – The entrance to Port Lockroy, home to the southern-most post office on the planet!

Deception Island – A flooded caldera in a volcano.

Petermann Island – A breeding colony for approximately 3,000 pairs of Gentoo penguins.

Paradise Bay – Recognized (and named) for its beauty, the area is ideal for kayaking and glacier viewing.

Overnight on the Plancius expedition ship.

Days 14 & 15 – Antarctica
Wednesday, December 4 and Thursday, December 5, 2024
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we’ll begin making our way back to Ushuaia via the Drake Passage. We won’t have any more opportunities to disembark in Antarctica, but there’s still plenty more to learn and there will be more talks given by the expedition staff on these days.

Overnight on the Plancius expedition ship.

Day 16 – Antarctica – Ushuaia – Home
Friday, December 6, 2024
Meals: Breakfast

We’ll have made our way back to the port of Ushuaia late the previous night or early this morning. After breakfast, we’ll disembark. From here, you can make your way to the airport for your flight home or onward, stay in town and go to the airport for a flight later in the day, or stay in Ushuaia (not included) for additional travels.

** Itinerary subject to change without notice.

__________________________________________________________________
1/3 full! Join us for this once-in-a-lifetime journey to the last frontier. This promises to be a trip you’ll never forget. Limited space available. Register today!

Note that this is a co-ed trip!

Secure your spot by registering with a deposit via PayPal by clicking on the Register Now button. You can sign in as a guest and do not need a PayPal account.

Note: Deposits for Antarctica are non-refundable. Please read our Booking Terms and Conditions before registering.

Wondering why Antarctica is so expensive? Check out this blog post that addresses this very question.

Tour costs: $17,860
Single supplement (Buenos Aires only): $485
Superior Twin room (ship only): $985 (total for two people)
Flight from Buenos Aires – Ushuaia: $300 (approximate)
Fuel surcharge (ship only): There MAY be a fuel surcharge added to the cost of the tour. See the FAQs for additional information.

Note that all cabins on our expedition ship are Twin Window rooms that are shared by two people. These are located on Deck 4. 

Each room includes: 1 window, 2 lower berths, a private shower and toilet, desk and chair, flatscreen TV, telephone and WiFi (additional cost), hair dryer and closet/storage space.

See this link for a visual of each cabin type.

For an additional charge, you may upgrade to a Superior room that includes a double bed (rather than two twins), a sofa bed, a small refrigerator and a coffee and tea maker.

There are also cabins that can accommodate four people. If you are traveling with others whom you’d like to share a quadruple, please contact us for pricing. Note that these only have portholes and not full windows. 😉

If you’re traveling on your own and are interested in sharing the cost of a shared room with another traveler in Buenos Aires, we’ll do our best to pair up travelers so as to avoid the single supplement. Priority is given to the first deposits received. If you’re interested in sharing, please send in your deposit as soon as possible in order to take advantage of this benefit. (Why a single supplement charge? See this FAQ page for an explanation.)

Looking to share a room? Check out this post to see what’s available.

Booking and Payment Details

Tour price includes: 15 nights accommodation; sightseeing entrance fees; activities as outlined in itinerary; 38 meals; ground transportation as outlined in itinerary; guide and driver in Buenos Aires; tips for guide and driver in Buenos Aires; Antarctica permit; access to expedition ship staff throughout the ship journey; twice daily lectures on board the ship; hot drinks and snacks on board ship; all guided on-shore activities including kayaking, hiking, snowshoeing, photography workshop and overnight camping; loan of boots for on-shore activities; welcome gift bag with specially curated treats!

Tour price does not include: Flights; visa for Argentina; travel insurance (highly recommended); evacuation insurance (required by IAATO which oversees Antarctica); fuel surcharge (if applicable); appropriate clothing (such as parka); tips for expedition staff; some meals; souvenirs and other personal purchases (such as snacks) and beverages.

This trip is limited to 15 people and requires a $2,500 non-refundable deposit to secure your spot.

Minimum bookings required: 8 people (minimum not yet reached)

Final payment is due no later than August 13, 2024.

As a boutique tour company, we really appreciate checks as it helps cut down tremendously on pesky bank fees. We ask that if you’re able, please pay the deposit or full amount by check, Venmo or wire transfer.

Here’s our mailing address:

WanderTours
PO Box 16102
Seattle, WA 98116

Note: Cancellation fees apply. Please read our Booking Terms and Conditions before registering.

The fine print

Antarctica Adventure and Buenos Aires Tour Registration Form (online)

Antarctica Adventure and Buenos Aires 2024 Itinerary (PDF)

We have partnered with Travel Insured International so that you have ability to purchase “cancel for any reason” insurance. We HIGHLY recommend travel insurance (no matter who your provider is) to protect your travel investment from any future issues.

For questions, contact Beth at:
beth (at) wandertours (dot) com
206-317-1860

Trip Leader: Beth Whitman

Beth first visited Antarctica in 2023 thinking it would be a one and only trip. Little did she know that she would have an opportunity to return AND introduce others to this pristine region.

Beth is the author of the Wanderlust and Lipstick guides including The Essential Guide for Women Traveling Solo and For Women Traveling to India. She is the publisher and founder of Wanderlust and Lipstick and WanderTours and hosted the She’s Bold podcast, which can be found through your favorite podcast provider.