HIGHLIGHTS
- An expedition cruise between Tierra del Fuego, the Falkland
Islands, and the province of Chubut in Argentina, to discover a unique
and unspoiled fauna and flora.
- Outings and shore visits in zodiac inflatables with a team
of experienced naturalist guides.
- Enjoy a magical experience as you are introduced to sea
kayaking. Lead by experienced, State-Certified kayak guides, you will
skim the water’s surface amid the ice. For more information
about your kayak tour, please go to the section ‘PONANT
activities’ and to book your kayak tour, contact your cruise
advisor.
- Take the time to discover the fabulous Falkland Islands and
their unique ecosystem over five unforgettable days, and be among the
first to sail in the Falkland Sound aboard a cruise ship.
- The discovery of the Valdes Peninsula, in Patagonia, a
UNESCO World Heritage Site and a veritable wildlife sanctuary with a
unique ecosystem, offering captivating landscapes of arid steppes,
unrivalled biodiversity, and traditional haciendas.
- If weather conditions allow it, disembark at Cape Horn and
admire its albatross sculpture created by the Chilean artist
José Balcells Eyquem.
- Sailing around Isla de los Estados at the far south of
Argentina.
- Landscapes: moors scattered with moss and lichen,
white-sand beaches and turquoise waters in the Falkland Islands; barren
steppes with a unique ecosystem in southern Argentina.
- Wildlife: Gentoo, king and Magellanic penguins; sea lions,
elephant and fur seals; light-mantled and black-browed albatrosses;
orcas, sei whales, guanacos, dusky and Commerson’s dolphins.
- For your comfort, your cruise package includes an overnight
in Buenos Aires the day before embarkation and the outbound flight
Buenos Aires/Ushuaia (for details, see the ‘Included in your
cruise’ tab).
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
| Start Date | End Date | Superior Stateroom | Deluxe Stateroom | Prestige Stateroom-I | Prestige Stateroom-II | Prestige Stateroom-III | Deluxe Suite | Prestige Suite-I | Prestige Suite-II | Owner's Suite |
|---|
| Feb 28, 2025 | Mar 15, 2025 | 10,110 | 10,720 | 11,170 | 11,430 | 11,780 | 15,040 | 16,010 | 16,450 | 23,260 |
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
| Start Date | End Date | (Starting from)
Superior Stateroom | (Mid-range)
Prestige Stateroom-III | (High-end)
Owner's Suite |
|---|
| Feb 28, 2025 | Mar 15, 2025 | 10,110 | 11,780 | 23,260 |
ITINERARY
Day
2 : USHUAIA
Capital
of Argentina's Tierra del Fuego province, Ushuaia is considered the
gateway to the White Continent and the South Pole. Nicknamed
“El fin del mundo” by the Argentinian people, this
city at the end of the world nestles in the shelter of mountains
surrounded by fertile plains that the wildlife seem to have chosen as
the ultimate sanctuary. With its exceptional site, where the Andes
plunge straight into the sea, Ushuaia is one of the most fascinating
places on earth, its very name evocative of journeys to the unlikely
and the inaccessible…
Day
3 : SAILING AROUND CAPE HORN
It’s
at the meeting point between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans that you
enter Chilean Patagonia where you head for the Tierra del Fuego
archipelago and its famous Cape Horn. From the top of its impressive
425-metre high cliff, South America’s southernmost tip has,
for many centuries, seen merchant ships from the world over passing by.
Because of its legendary storms and rough seas, getting round this cape
has gone down in history as a challenge for all seafarers.
Day
4 : SAILING ALONG ISLA DE LOS ESTADOS
Mountainous
and rugged, the Isla de los Estados reveals the last ripples of the
Andean cordillera. At the extreme far-east of the Tierra del Fuego,
this tiny Argentinean island edged with deep, narrow bays, is a real
nature sanctuary. From the sea, admire its relief, covered with a dense
and inaccessible forest, and the rich wildlife that peoples its waters
(Magellanic penguins, Commerson’s dolphins, etc.). This
mysterious island is home to the lighthouse that inspired Jules
Verne’s Lighthouse at the end of the world - and you may be
lucky enough to see it during your journey.
Day
5 : BLEAKER ISLAND
The
name of the island, a corruption of the word
“breaker”, is in reference to the waves that break
on the shores of this land exposed to the turbulence of the Atlantic
Ocean. On the southeastern edge of the Falkland Islands, the swells
pounds the low cliffs of this narrow strip of land interspersed with
vast beaches of white sand or pebbles. Covered in pasture where a few
sheep and bovines roam, the island is, in part, a National Nature
Reserve. From gentoo penguins to king penguins, blackish
oystercatchers, and large colonies of imperial shags, a total of some
fifty bird species live here. In a Zodiac dinghy or on foot, discover
the beauty of the Falklands with this unique port of call.
Day
5 : PORT STANLEY
Situated
at the far eastern end of the Falklands' largest island, Port Stanley,
is the capital of this remote archipelago in the South Atlantic,
composed of nearly 700 islands and islets. In 1764, Louis Antoine de
Bougainville settled the first pioneers here and the port grew rapidly.
Placed under the Spanish crown in 1767, then under British sovereignty
since 1833, the town has retained some South American features fused
with the Victorian style that punctuate the city, and the houses with
their colourful roofs brighten the moorland landscapes with their windy
and harsh climate reminiscent of the Scottish islands of Orkneys or
Shetland. In front of the Cathedral, built in 1933, an arch made of
whale jaw bones reminds us that Port Stanley was once a whaling port.
Day
6 : BARREN ISLAND
At
the southern entrance of the Falkland Sound, Barren Island is composed
of plains dotted with ponds and, along its coast, numerous coves. As
fur seals and sea lions bask on its shores, colonies of giant petrels
fly over this island which is also home to an abundant colony of gentoo
penguins. You will arrive at the island in a zodiac dinghy, to discover
its incredible diversity. This will be an unforgettable moment for
those who enjoy unspoiled and majestic scenery.
Day
6 : SAILING IN THE FALKLAND SOUND
Between
the two main lands of the Falkland Islands, West Falkland and East
Falkland, your ship will cut a path to the heart of these remote
islands. For the first time, a cruise ship will sail on the Falkland
Sound, a channel where the deep blue of the water merges with the
distinctive green of the peat-covered moors. Admire this peaceful
prairie landscape punctuated by coves and bays which you will discover
as you sail along.
Day
7 : THE NECK, SAUNDERS ISLAND
The
Neck is a narrow stretch of land connecting the two sides of Saunders
Island, located on the north-western edge of the Falklands. You'll
safely enter these blustery surroundings with the assistance of your
naturalist guides. And once there, a reward awaits you: a veritable
paradise of endless shoreline lapped by turquoise waters. Several bird
species, also attracted to this stunning location, have settled here.
At the other end of The Neck, you'll encounter Magellanic penguins,
southern rockhopper penguins, black-browed albatross and king penguins,
all basking in the beauty of their surroundings.
Day
7 : CARCASS ISLAND
Situated
in the north-west of the Falklands, Carcass Island was named after the
ship HMS Carcass, which visited the island in the late 18th century.
Its landscapes, combining steep rocks, sheer cliffs, wild expanses and
white-sand beaches, form a rich and varied panorama that amateur or
experienced bird watchers will appreciate. On this island, one of the
few where no predators have been introduced, numerous species of birds
live, breed and are born in total serenity. Due to the fresh, windy and
humid subarctic oceanic climate, a fauna and flora similar to those of
Patagonia, situated 460 km (286 miles) away, thrive here. You could get
the chance to observe royal or southern rockhopper penguins.
Day
8 : GRAVE COVE
Make
your way through the turbulent Woolly Gut strait and emerge in the
stillness of Grave Cove. Located in the northern edge of the Falkland
Islands, this bay owes its name to the vestiges of whalers’
graves that overlook the beach. As you step off the boat and onto the
white-sand beach, you might find yourself escorted by a few hospitable
Commerson's dolphins, elegantly adorned in black and white. A
stroll along the grassy dunes will lead you to a vast plain of lush
green grass, tended by a few sheep. On the other side of the island
you'll find one of the largest gentoo penguin colonies in the area.
With some luck, you'll also glimpse a sea lion scouring the waves for
his next meal.
Day
8 : NEW ISLAND
This
island with its distinctive jagged relief is located on the western
edge of the Falkland Islands and is home to a tiny village of two
families. Step onto the golden sand of its flower-lined beaches, beside
which an old stone house still stands, and you'll feel like you've
entered a natural paradise. A narrow pathway weaves around typical
Falkland moorlands. Follow it and in under 20 minutes you'll find
yourself at the heart of a colony of southern rockhopper penguins,
black-browed albatross and imperial shags. It's the perfect opportunity
to watch the albatross swoop down from the cliffs and skim the waves
that crash against the rocks on the exposed side of the island.
Day
9 : STEEPLE JASON ISLAND
If
one island of the Falklands calls for use of superlatives, it would
undoubtedly be Steeple Jason. Located at the extreme north-west corner
of the Falklands, the island is home to the largest black-browed
albatross colony in the world. You'll be rapt at the sight of these
magnificent birds with black-contoured eyes. Photographers will delight
in immortalising the endless ballet of the albatross, who soars
majestically and then alights awkwardly amidst nests. Caracaras, gentoo
penguins and Magellanic penguins are also abundantly present, as if to
prove to the visitor that here nature is king.
Day
10 : AT SEA
During
your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities
on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay
in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself
be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey
without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the
conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities
offered, or to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT
photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea,
they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire
the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe
marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest
and entertainment.
Day
11 : CAMARONES
Camarones
is a small town located in Chubut Province, in Southern Argentina.
Chubut stretches from the Atlantic to the Andes, the coast is marked by
high cliffs and sandy beaches. Before the Spaniards arrived in the
Americas, nomadic indigenous people had inhabited the Patagonia region.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, Spanish missionaries settled. Camarones
is the head town of the Florentino Ameghino department which is noted
for its wealth of geological and paleontological features. People are
attracted to the region by its lengthy unspoiled coastline and its
fauna. Camarones means ‘shrimps’ in Spanish, once
the town was well-known for the abundance of shrimps in its bay.
Day
12-13 : PUERTO MADRYN
On
the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, in the Argentinian province of
Chubut, stands the city of Puerto Madryn nestling in the Golfo Nuevo
and surrounded by wild and abundant nature. You will be able to follow
the narrow strip of land formed by the isthmus for a few kilometres, to
reach the Valdes Peninsula nature reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. Its microclimate, protected from the extreme conditions of the
Southern Atlantic, makes this an ideal breeding ground for southern
right whales in winter, but also for southern elephant seals, southern
sea lions, and orcas. You may get the chance to spot numerous birds,
Magellanic penguins, guanacos and Patagonian maras living in this
desert steppe.
Day
14-15 : AT SEA
During
your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities
on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay
in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself
be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey
without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the
conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities
offered, or to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT
photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea,
they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire
the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe
marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest
and entertainment.
Day
16 : Buenos Aires
A
port city built on the south-western shore of the Rio de la Plata,
between the Atlantic Ocean and the vast Argentine Pampas, Buenos Aires
is a unique city in Latin America. Nicknamed “the Little
Paris of South America”, the Argentine capital is a clever
blend of architecture with European influences and a joyful Latin
American atmosphere. Designed on an orthogonal grid plan, it has 48
districts, all of which are as charming as they are different, with a
range of styles such as Belle Époque, gothic and baroque.
With its markets overflowing with treasures, its legendary cultural and
architectural heritage, and tango providing its background music, the
Argentine capital will delight you on every street corner.
L'Austral (Luxury Expedition, 264-guests)
This superb mega-yacht with 132 staterooms is the result of the expertise of the Italian Fincantieri shipyard and French sophistication, as interpreted by designer Jean-Philippe Nuel. L'Austral remains faithful to our philosophy - to create a unique atmosphere, a subtle blend of luxury, intimacy and well-being.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- A program of onboard enrichment provided by three
Smithsonian Journeys Experts.
- 1-night accommodation at the Hotel Madero (or similar) the
night before embarkation.
- Early check-in available from late morning.
- Hospitality desk at the hotel.
- Round-trip flight Buenos Aires/Ushuaia/Buenos Aires
selected by PONANT, in economy class.
- Excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park by coach,
including entrance fees.
- Services of English speaking guides during the excursion.
- Meals as mentioned in the program.
- Transfers as mentioned in the program.
- Gratuities for ship crew and for guides and drivers on
excursions.
Excluded
from this voyage:
- Other meals and services not mentioned in the program.
- Personal expenses (such as laundry, telephone, etc.)
