Christmas Adventure in Antarctica
About Ushuaia
December 20, 2018
We can make your dreams of a white Christmas come true! Combine an adventure voyage with a festive celebration in spectacular settings. Come ashore on isolated beaches, encounter incredible wildlife in haunting landscapes and kayak in untouched waters with icebergs floating by. On board we invite you to celebrate a traditional Norwegian Christmas and we will spend New Year’s Eve in one of the Earth’s most remote regions with penguins, seals and whales. Let the elements rule. Let the adventure begin!
Starting in Buenos Aires, you have the opportunity to discover the city and maybe do the tango before embarking on MS Midnatsol in Ushuaia, the world's southernmost town. Then we sail into open sea, where exciting lectures and scientific fun await you on your way to Antarctica.
Spending Christmas and New Years Eve in the Antarctic
When we arrive in Antarctica, we might take our backpacks and hike the distinctive ring-shaped volcanic caldera of Deception Island, visit Half Moon Island, considered a jewel of diversity in the polar landscape, or navigate through the 30 mile Antarctic Sound that offers the most impressive manifestations of icebergs that we will see on our voyage. On Brown Bluff, Adélie and Chinstrap penguins, Kelp gulls and Cape petrels nest below spectacular cliffs that rise 2,444 feet from the sea. And of course, we might see majestic whales breaking the surface of the water, and have a chance to get closer by putting a kayak in the water. Celebrating Christmas and New Years here will be something quite out of the ordinary!
After spending a week in Antarctica, we head back towards civilization and end our adventure in Ushuaia.
- Once-in-a-lifetime Christmas celebration in Antarctica
- Celebrate the New Year among penguins, whales and icebergs
- Come ashore to explore untouched wilderness of Antarctica
- Extensive on-board program with talks, lectures on popular topics, science center and Young Explorers Program
- Hurtigruten expedition in cabin grade of your choice on a full-board basis
- One hotel night in Buenos Aires before the voyage, including breakfast
- Transfer from hotel to airport in Buenos Aires
- Economy-class flights between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia
- Transfers in Ushuaia incl. an orientation tour
- Wind- and water-resistant jacket
- Landings with small boats and activities on board and ashore
- Professional English-speaking expedition team that gives lectures and accompanies landings and activities
- Complimentary tea and coffee
- Complimentary use of Muck Boot rubber boots
- International flights
- Travel insurance
- Luggage handling
- Optional excursions and gratuities
Price Includes:
- Hurtigruten expedition in cabin grade of your choice on a full-board basis
- One hotel night in Buenos Aires before the voyage, including breakfast
- Transfer from hotel to airport in Buenos Aires
- Economy-class flights between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia
- Transfers in Ushuaia incl. an orientation tour
- Wind- and water-resistant jacket
- Landings with small boats and activities on board and ashore
- Professional English-speaking expedition team that gives lectures and accompanies landings and activities
- Complimentary tea and coffee
- Complimentary use of Muck Boot rubber boots
Not Included:
- International flights
- Travel insurance
- Luggage handling
- Optional excursions and gratuities
Itinerary
-
It Takes Two to Tango - Buenos Aires
The spirit of tango radiates from every corner of Buenos Aires. The national dance of Argentina showcases fancy footwork at its finest and is a mesmerizing display of dance mastery, an impassioned physical portrayal of seduction and despair. During the famous Milonga nights (tango nights at a local dance hall) you'll observe intertwined tangueros in action, or you can join a spectacular ´tango and dinner´ show. If you want to give the dance floor a try yourself, you should visit places like Tango Cool, La Marshall or La Virtua where newcomers are welcome. Also, strolling around during daytime, you will witness street tango at almost every street corner. Walking in a labyrinth of tombs and mausoleums might sound kind of creepy. But the Cementerio de la Recoleta is a remarkable necropolis. When you find the crowd, you have found Evita's monument. For even more Evita history, visit the presidential palace Casa Rosada, and the Moseo Evita. Find an almost unspoiled subtropical delta full of densely forested islands and shining waterways at the Tigre Delta just half an hour away from downtown. You can look forward to spending a night here, in the city of Tango, before flying south to embark on the adventure.
-
Flying South and Starting the Adventure - Buenos Aires/Ushuaia
After an early morning flight, you find yourself in the southernmost town in the world, flanked by the most southern point of the Andes Mountain Range. MS Midnatsol is ready to take you to sea. And we kick off everything with a welcome dinner.
-
Crossing the Drake Passage - At Sea
We cross the Drake Passage and soon we will actually be in Antarctica! Join our lectures, learn more about photography or join in on interesting sessions in the science centre. These activities are designed to make your visit to Antarctica even more interesting. Our Young Explorers have their own and exciting program.
-
White Christmas Guaranteed! - Antarctica
We cruise towards South Shetland Islands and Antarctica, and the highlights line up during our eight days here. This land and seascape with glaciers galore and beaches teeming with wildlife is a superb and quite different place to celebrate Christmas Eve. On board we invite you to take part in a real Norwegian Christmas celebration, with traditional food from Norway and Europe, carols and lots of fun. Among the places we might visit is Deception Island, one of the South Shetlands, a distinctive ring-shaped volcanic caldera. This is one of the few places in Antarctica where we can take our backpacks and hike. Hiking on an active volcano is a rarity, and being in Antarctica makes it even more special. You can also look forward to visiting Half Moon Island´s extremely diverse landscape. It might be difficult to navigate through the 30 mile Antarctic Sound due to ice, but it offers the most impressive manifestations of icebergs that you will see on this adventure. On Brown Bluff, Adélie and Chinstrap penguins, kelp gulls and cape petrels nest below spectacular cliffs that rise 2,444 ft out of the sea. The stony beach is suitable for shore landings outside of nesting season. When opportunities arise we will launch our kayaks, and take you on unforgettable hikes to explore the most beautiful, untouched places on the planet.
-
Drake Lake or Drake Shake - At Sea
After five fantastic days in Antarctica, we are heading back to South America. Spend some time on deck and take advantage of sailing this legendary part of the ocean. Still, the weather can be quite rough on the Drake (Drake Shake), but it can also be very fine, what we call ´Drake Lake.´ Usually it’s somewhere in between. The Drake Passage is an excellent area for bird watching. However, in rough seas you may not be able to go out on deck. If it’s too calm the birds do not fly much, as they need stronger winds to glide over the ocean. So hope for conditions somewhere in between ´Lake´ and ´Shake´.
-
The End of an Adventure and the Beginning of a New Year - Ushuaia/Buenos Aires
Just as the New Year begins, we see the end of this Christmas adventure when we arrive in Ushuaia and transfer you to the airport for your flight back to Buenos Aires. If you want some sun and warmth after spending time in one of the coldest places on earth, we recommend you participate in one of our post-voyage programs in Buenos Aires.
