Four ways to visit The End of the World
Antarctica. Patagonia. Tierra del Fuego. The names alone are enough to unleash your inner explorer and make the hair on your neck stand on end. Read on to find out more about four of our favorite ways to experience the end of the world. Spoiler alert: all four choices feature untamed landscapes and awe-inspiring wildlife…
1. Punta Arenas to Ushuaia Cruise
The 12-Day End of the World Expedition showcases the breathtaking beauty of Patagonia on a spectacular cruise from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas, but it also gives you a chance to discover two of South America’s most fascinating capital cities. You’ll follow in the footsteps of great explorers like Charles Darwin and Ferdinand Magellan, to discover fascinating wildlife and awe-inspiring landscapes. Whales, penguins, glaciers and elephant seals make the 4-night expedition cruise unforgettable and the comfortable and spacious ship boasts a relaxed atmosphere, sophisticated décor and fine dining.
2. Fly-in Antarctica Cruise
On our 11-Day Santiago to Antarctica Tour, which is available from December to March, you’ll fly in and out of Antarctica (from Punta Arenas in Southern Chile) thus avoiding the choppy waters of the Drake Passage and allowing you to venture further into Antarctic waters than would normally be possible on a 5-night cruise. Your cruise aboard the splendidly intimate Ocean Nova will delight you with sensational views of ice-filled fjords, magnificent glaciers, and striking icebergs. Not to mention wildlife including several species each of whales, penguins, and seals. Daily tours by expert guides and fascinating on-board lectures from bona fide scientists complete the package.
The slightly-longer 13-Day Santiago to Antarctica Polar Circle Tour includes 7 nights aboard the Ocean Nova (did we mention it boasts an incredible glass-enclosed observation lounge and accommodates only 72 guests?) and will allow you to venture all the way to the legendary Polar Circle.
3. Classic Antarctica Cruise
There’s something for every preference, budget and timeframe in this category. All of the options traverse the legendary Drake Passage, but how much time you spend in Antarctica varies.
The 10-Day Buenos Aires to Antarctica Tour passes the Shetland Islands (incredible petrels and albatrosses) and includes one-and-a-half days in Antarctica (with a visit to a penguin colony).
On the 14-Day Buenos Aires to Antarctica Silversea Tour you’ll spend 10 nights aboard the magnificently luxurious Silver Cloud (dine in-suite on your own private deck!). You’ll cross the Antarctic Sound en-route to the Antarctica Peninsula (whales, icebergs and glaciers galore) which you will spend three days exploring. On the way back to Ushuaia you’ll take a fascinating side-trip to the Shetland Islands.
The 16-Day Buenos Aires to Antarctica Polar Circle Tour includes 11 nights on the more basic (but still per fectly comfortable) Plancius. You’ll spend an entire week exploring Antarctic waters (thus increasing your chances of spotting rare species) with a focus on adventure activities including camping, hiking, kayaking and even diving.
4. Land-based exploration
Landlubbers don’t have to give up on the dream of visiting The End of the World. A growing number of travelers fly into El Calafate and get a (breathtakingly beautiful) land-transfer to Punta Arenas. (There are no flights linking Argentine and Chilean Patagonia.)
During the 12 Day Southern Circuit Tour, you’ll get a chance to truly immerse yourself in the rugged Patagonian wilderness. The Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina – one of the world’s fastest moving – has to be seen to be believed and the dramatic cliffs, glaciers and tarns of Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park are torn from the pages of a fairytale (or a Pixar animation). If that’s not enough, you’ll also get to explore the vibrant capital cities of Santiago and Buenos Aires (not to mention the charming seaside towns of Valparaiso and Viña del Mar).
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What are you waiting for? Contact one of our Destination Experts to ensure you beat the masses to the End of the World.