Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 - Buenos Aires
Begin your journey with an overnight flight on a major airline to Buenos Aires, the festive capital of Argentina.
Day 2 - Buenos Aires
After you clear customs, a representative greets you at the airport and escorts you to your hotel. (B in flight)
Day 3 - Buenos Aires
After this morning’s sightseeing tour of the Argentine capital, the rest of the afternoon is free to discover the town on your own. With its grand avenues, old-world cafés and large public squares, it has the feel of a European capital, but its charm is distinctly Latin. You might take a stroll through Buenos Aires’ historic neighborhoods, such as San Telmo, the birthplace of tango. (B)
Day 4 - South Atlantic Cruise
Fly to Ushuaia and board your luxury cruise ship, the MV Discovery. Begin your South Atlantic adventure. Enjoy the very best in cruise elegance on board the MV Discovery. Pamper yourself with a visit to the spa or a dip in one of the two ship jacuzzis. In the evening, you might play a round of blackjack in the ship’s Monte Carlo Casino. (B, L, D)
Day 5 - South Atlantic Cruise
Today’s journey through the Drake Passage—located between Cape Horn, South America, and Antarctica—is paired with discussions by Discovery’s guest lecturers. The famous passage was named for the British explorer and military hero Sir Francis Drake, who actually sailed the nearby Magellan Strait on his trip around the world (1577-1579) aboard the Golden Hind. (B, L, D)
Day 6 - South Atlantic Cruise
This morning, reach the White Continent, Antarctica. Subject to ice and weather conditions, plans today include a visit to Deception Island or King George Island, the largest of the South Shetland Islands. Sailing the narrow channel known as Neptune’s Bellows, we reach the dormant crater of this volcanic island, known for its tremendous, multicolored rock formations and sheer cliffs. Next, cruise to King George Island (weather dependent), a small isle located just south of Deception. Cuverville provides a microcosm of Antarctic marine life, holding the ecosystems of many bird and animal colonies. Among them are gentoo penguins and blue-eyed shags (a species of bird that inhabits the South Atlantic). (B, L, D)
Day 7 - South Atlantic Cruise
Get ready for a full day today, as you discover more of Antarctica’s rich geology, geography and fauna. You’ll first cruise the Antarctic Sound to enter Hope Bay. Hope Bay lies in an area of the sound often referred to as Iceberg Alley because of the excellent opportunities to see awe-inspiring icebergs. Other highlights include wildlife such as Adelie penguins and snowy sheathbills. Then continue south along the Gerlache Strait for even more scenic views. Cruise past tall, rugged mountains along both sides of the ship, and of course, even more glaciers. Many birds call this area home—you may spot fulmars, shearwaters, cape pigeons and perhaps even an albatross. (B, L, D)
Day 8 - South Atlantic Cruise
Enter Paradise Harbor, a bay christened by whalers at the beginning of the 20th century. An ideal spot for viewing scenery and wildlife, the harbor offers an array of jagged mountains, glaciers and drifting icebergs. It’s also home to a Chilean outpost with a fully functioning weather station. A variety of animals call the bay home, including penguins and sheathbills. You’ll then enter the Lemaire Channel, a hidden inlet located between Booth Island and the mainland peninsula. Sheer ice cliffs and glaciers stand on either side of the channel, and you may spot humpback or minke whales, as well as leopard and crabeater seals! (B, L, D)
Day 9 - South Atlantic Cruise
Cruise to Half Moon Island, named for its distinct crescent shape. The rocky landscape teems with chinstrap penguins as Antarctic terns, giant petrels and skuas soar overhead. Other treasures abound here—from an old whaling shipwreck to colonies of fur and elephant seals. (B, L, D)
Day 10 - South Atlantic Cruise
Our journey north takes us through the waters of famous Cape Horn, the southernmost point in South America and part of the archipelago known as Tierra del Fuego. Enjoy amazing views from Discovery’s decks and entertaining stories of Old World ships that used to “round the Horn” from the Atlantic to the Pacific. (B, L, D)
Day 11 - South Atlantic Cruise
Glaciers of unimaginable magnitude surround the ship as you spend a day cruising through Beagle Channel (named after Charles Darwin’s research vessel, the HMS Beagle) into the wonderland of Garibaldi Bay and the Glacier Region. (B, L, D)
Day 12 - South Atlantic Cruise
Set on the Strait of Magellan, Punta Arenas was once a regular port of call for clippers. Visit the Plaza de Armas and rub the foot of Magellan’s statue for luck, or set off for an air excursion over the Torres del Paine National Park. (B, L, D)
Day 13 - South Atlantic Cruise
Continue along the icy blue waters of the Magellan Strait, where glaciers have edged their way down mountainsides to break off into fjords. You may spot giant condors soaring amid this dramatic backdrop. (B, L, D)
Day 14 - South Atlantic Cruise
We’ll pass countless islands throughout the breathtaking landscape of the Chilean fjords, where the snowcapped peaks rise over lush green forests sloping down to the water’s edge. (B, L, D)
Day 15 - South Atlantic Cruise
We’ll sail past the breathtaking landscape of Chile’s Aisen region. This area has an untamed beauty with its rocky terrain and dramatic fjords. (B, L, D)
Day 16 - South Atlantic Cruise
Welcome to Chile’s Lake District, a magical region of lush, rolling hills dotted with the numerous lakes and lagoons for which the region is named. Puerto Montt’s German heritage is evident in its architecture with high-pitched roofs and ornate balconies reminiscent of Bavaria. (B, L, D)
Day 17 - South Atlantic Cruise
Enjoy dramatic views of the Chilean coast from the deck of the Discovery. Or head indoors to relax at the Explorer Bar or pamper yourself with a visit to the Beauty Salon. (B, L, D)
Day 18 - Santiago
Your cruise ends in Valparaiso, Chile. Transfer to Santiago, where you’ll have a sightseeing tour of the Chilean capital. You’ll see the Plaza de Armas, home to the colonial Cathedral and the neoclassical Palacio de La Moneda, formerly the royal mint and now the residence of Chilean presidents. (B)
Day 19 - Santiago
The day is free to discover Santiago on your own. You might visit the pre-Columbian art museum or have a pisco sour at a streetside cafe as you soak in the sophisticated atmostphere of the Providencia or Las Condes districts. (B)
Day 20 - Santiago
A representative helps you transfer to the airport for your flight home to the United States. (B)
(In the case of early morning departures, breakfast may not be provided.)
Day 21 - Santiago
Arrive home in the United States. (B, in flight)
Extend Your Stay
Add 3 nights,
$1,495 (Single room: add $300)
Dwarfing North America's Niagara Falls, and with lush vegetation and numerous cascades, Iguassu Falls are a stunning sigt to behold. They are accessible both from Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil, and Puerto Iguazú in Argentina, and have been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Discovered by a Spanish conquistador in the 1500s and again at the end of the 19th century, but have been a part of local lore for centuries. As legend has it, a god planned to marry a beautiful woman named Naipí, who fled with her mortal lover Tarobá in a canoe. In a fit of rage, the god sliced the river, creating the waterfalls, condemning the lovers to eternal separation.