Expedition to Antarctica (2010)

Download the Expedition to Antarctica Brochure

From $7395.00, per person, plus air, based on double occupancy.

Operated by Thomas P. Gohagan & Company

Following in the wake of intrepid explorers like Amundsen, Scott and Shackleton, cruise with us to the world’s “Last Frontier” of Antarctica and experience the White Continent’s majestic coastal scenery and abundant wildlife. Spend two nights in Buenos Aires before boarding the deluxe M.S. LE DIAMANT in Ushuaia and embarking on a journey of discovery to Earth’s most pristine wilderness, where towering mountains of ice and lava rise jut out over the ocean, and a vast array of wildlife flourishes, including penguins, seals and whales. Complement your expedition with the special Post-Program Option to majestic Iguazú Falls.

Day 1
Depart from the U.S.

Day 2
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Day 3
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Day 4
Buenos Aires/Fly to Ushuaia/Embark M.S. LE DIAMANT

Day 5
Cruising the Drake Passage

Day 6
Cruising the Drake Passage

Day 7
Neko Harbor/Paradise Bay/Lemaire Channel

Day 8
Pleneau Island/Port Lockroy

Day 9
Cuverville Island/Gerlache Strait

Day 10
Deception Island

Day 11
Cruising the Weddell Sea/Brown Bluff

Day 12
Cruising the Drake Passage

Day 13
Cruising the Drake Passage/Cape Horn, Chile/Ushuaia, Argentina

Day 14
Ushuaia/Disembark M.S. LE DIAMANT/Fly to Buenos Aires/ Depart for the U.S.

Day 15
Arrive in the U.S.

Activity Level
Active

Highlights

• Journey in the wake of intrepid explorers like Amundsen, Scott and Shackleton, to the pristine wilderness of Antarctica and experience the White Continent’s unparalleled scenery and abundant wildlife.
• Spend two night in Buenos Aires, one of the most fashionable and cosmopolitan cities in the world.
• Cruise aboard the deluxe M.S. LE DIAMANT, which combines the elegant intimacy and personal service of a luxury small ship with the enhanced navigability and safety standards of a polar cruiser.
• Travel alongside an expert team of naturalists, who will lead excursions on state-of-the-art Zodiacs and provide their knowledge and insight into this region’s unique ecosystem and wildlife.
• Witness a vast array of wildlife, including penguins, seals, whales, and countless seabirds.

Included Features (in Buenos Aires)

• Two nights in the deluxe Marriott Plaza Hotel.
• Breakfast each morning.
• Welcome reception.
• Cultural city tour featuring the Recoleta Cemetery and the historic neighborhoods of cosmopolitan Buenos Aires.
• Air transportation Buenos Aires/Ushuaia and return.

About the M.S. LE DIAMANT
The deluxe M.S. LE DIAMANT is a rare find—an oceangoing vessel with only 113 spacious outside staterooms and suites providing an intimate, casual ambiance. This exquisite ship combines the deluxe amenities and superior standards of service offered aboard a larger vessel with the charm and enhanced navigability of a yacht and it is continually refurbished to maintain the highest standards of comfort and elegance. Savory, innovative Continental cuisine is served during Continental breakfast, buffet breakfast, buffet lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and late-evening snack in single, unassigned seatings. The M.S. LE DIAMANT has been specially outfitted for cruising the polar regions and is equipped with a fleet of sturdy Zodiac landing craft for remote shore landings.

On board the deluxe M.S. LE DIAMANT

• Ten-night cruise round trip from Ushuaia visiting (conditions permitting) Neko Harbor, Paradise Bay, Pleneau Island, Port Lockroy, Cuverville Island, Deception Island, Brown Bluff and Cape Horn.
• Spacious and elegant outside accommodations with private bathroom facilities.
• Captain’s welcome and farewell receptions.
• All meals—Continental breakfast, buffet  breakfast, buffet lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and late evening snack—throughout the cruise, featuring fine Continental cuisine, served at single, unassigned seatings.
• House wine, beer, soft drinks, mineral water, coffee and tea with lunch and dinner.
• Shore landings by Zodiac water craft, accompanied by an expedition team of expert naturalists.
• Educational exploration of Antarctica’s diverse wildlife habitats, including major penguin rookeries.
• Souvenir red parka.
• A series of lectures by the naturalists on the expedition team, featuring local wildlife and landscapes.

Enhanced Travel Services

• All transfers and luggage handling abroad for all participants who have purchased their air tickets through Gohagan & Company and whose arrival(s)/departure(s) coincide with the scheduled group transfer(s).
• All excursions and visits, as outlined in the itinerary, led by experienced, English-speaking local guides.
• Gratuities to local guides and drivers on included excursions and transfers.
• Experienced Travel Directors to accompany you throughout the travel program.
• Hospitality desk in the hotel and aboard the ship.
• Travel document wallet, name badge and pre-departure information for each participant. Automatic $250,000 flight insurance for each participant ticketed on flights by Gohagan & Company.

Iguazu Post-Program Option
Complement your journey with this exclusive extension to Iguazú Falls, one of Earth’s most exquisite natural wonders where 275 spectacular waterfalls cascade through the heart of the jungle, along the Argentina-Brazil frontier. Explore this magical setting on this exclusive Post-Program, which includes one night in Buenos Aires, airfare round trip from Buenos Aires and two nights overlooking the falls in the deluxe Sheraton Internacional Iguazú Resort.  

Updated July 20, 2009.