Buenos Aires’ mixture of elegant and bohemian neighbourhoods only adds to its charm and appeal. You start with an overnight stay here, in the birthplace of the tango.
Day 1 - Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires’ mixture of elegant and bohemian neighbourhoods only adds to its charm and appeal. You start with an overnight stay here, in the birthplace of the tango.
Day 2 - Buenos Aires/Ushuaia; Embarkation Day
Our flight leaves Buenos Aires in the morning which gives you a few hours to explore Ushuaia, the southernmost town in the world and where the Andes meet the Southern Ocean. It is a busy port and adventure hub with steep streets and architectural diversity below the snow-capped Martial Range. In the afternoon MS Fram will be waiting to take you on an adventure to the south.
Day 3/4 - Drake Passage
The Drake Passage is the stretch of ocean between the south tip of South America, also known as Cape Horn or Tierra del Fuego, part of Chile, and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica, off the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. On the way across the passage and towards “the ice” (as it’s often referred to by our expedition leaders) you can learn a great deal about Antarctica’s natural wonders and fascinating history.
The Drake Passage is famous for some of the roughest and most unforgiving waters of the world. This is where two oceans meet; sailors say that it’s either the Drake Lake or the Drake Shake.
Day 5/13 - Antarctica
The Antarctic continent is an endless white wilderness full of overwhelming vistas of nature and wildlife. On this special trip, we plan to cross the Antarctic Circle at latitude 66° 33’ 39’’. We will go ashore several places and offer activities like hiking, kayak trips and snowshoeing. You might even have the chance to spend a night ashore in a tent. Witness what the winter-locked landscape of Antarctica looks like in summer and set foot where few have gone before you.
While in Antarctica, we will attempt to land on several sites as weather, wind, and ice conditions will determine our program and schedule. On land, our Expedition team will explain what you see and help you avoid disturbing nature and wildlife. When conditions allow, hikes or other activities on land and sea may be offered.
Visiting The South Shetland Islands is definitely worth looking forward to. Deception Island, Half Moon Island and Yankee Harbour all have a diverse landscape, amazing animal life and spectacular photo opportunities. The narrow Errera Channel offers a spectacular passage to and from Cuverville Island. Neko Harbour is feeding ground for shy minke whales. Paradise Harbour offers another rare opportunity for a mainland landing and some of the finest vistas of the Antarctic Peninsula. The Lemaire Channel is known as one of the most beautiful passages in Antarctica and Petermann Island is a great place for iceberg and whale spotting.
On the British base Port Lockroy you get a peek into life on an Antarctic base in the 1950s. Wilhelmina Bay is feeding ground for whales and seals, and was a preferred hunting ground for whalers back in the days. Evidence of this is a partially submerged wreck of a Norwegian whaling ship. We might take a closer look at the wreck from our Polarcirkel boats. The 48 km (30 mi) Antarctic Sound is home to an estimated half million adélie penguins as well as gentoo penguins, leopard seals, and killer whales. On Brown Bluff we might land and take a walk along the beach admiring the lava “bombs” from the old volcano and all the penguins. There is also the chance to walk to the viewpoint above the landing site. On Detaille Island we find the former geology and meteorology "Base W" of the British Antarctic Survey. On Horseshoe Island we’ll see an important example of a relatively unaltered and completely equipped British scientific research station of the 1950s.
Day 14/15 - Drake Passage
After nine unforgettable days in Antarctica, MS Fram takes us safely back across the famous Drake Passage.
The sailing from the Antarctic Peninsula to Ushuaia at the southern tip of Argentina is roughly 40 hours in good weather. During the voyage north, we will continue our lecture series and recap our experiences of Antarctica.
Day 16 - Ushuaia/Buenos Aires; Disembarkation
Back in Ushuaia you can either join an optional excursion or go straight to the airport to fly to Buenos Aires. Here you can either fly back home or spend time with our post programmes to the Tigre Delta or the incredible Iguazu Falls.
Please consider that our voyages are expeditionary in nature. This means, that there are no concrete itineraries, your Captain and Expedition Leader will utilise their vast experience to chart the best course for your expedition depending on the climatic and environmental conditions. Mentioned highlights and wildlife cannot be guaranteed.
In a continent of stunning views, Lemaire Channel has been called the Kodak Gap. Locked between the rocky vertical cliffs of Booth Island and the continent this one kilometer wide passage is one of the most photographed attractions of Antarctica. You will be glad your camera is digital.
During January and February Antarctica's babies are born and fledging, its a magical time as new
life comes to Antarctica. The experience of seeing newly hatched penguins and seals pups just days old, is an
experience that will last forever.
The moment you step foot into the circle, you’ll have a deep sense of wonder knowing you’ve just trodden where few have gone before. When you’re this far south, nature bares its secrets.
Pre-cruise accommotion in Buenos Aires is provided, as well as transfers in Ushuaia with an orientation tour.
Expedition boots are provided on board, as is a wind/waterproof expedition jacket.
Return flights from your itinerary starting city to Ushuaia are included in your expedition
Cabin prices on board the Fram are dynamic, that is the cabin pricing fluctuates with changes in bookings and exchange rates. Cabin prices below are not guaranteed and are subject to change and availability at the operators discretion. Please feel free to contact us for the most accurate pricing on this voyage.
FRAM
The ship is purpose-built as an expedition vessel with a higher ice-class, chart drawing tools,ship depth sounding database, extractable forward sounding sonar, iceberg search lights, autonomous tracking system, oversized oil retention system for self-sufficiency, and a full ‘expedition tools-deck’ equivalent to a car-deck that holds 25 vehicles. We believe that as an explorer you need an ‘expedition base-camp’ that is comfortable – something that combines ‘all oceans capabilities’ with safety, flexibility and environmental friendliness. That’s Fram – simply the best expedition ship imaginable. The observation lounge, with comfortable sitting areas at the top of the ship and large panoramic windows, gives you incredible views of nature. A pair of binoculars is installed for spotting wildlife and details of the ever changing landscape. In the restaurant on deck 5, you can enjoy the finest cuisine. The floor has different levels, so no matter where your table is placed; there are views to the outdoors. The restaurant is located in the aft of the ship, on your way there you walk through an exhibition of original artefacts from the historic expeditions of Amundsen and Nansen. At the far end of the restaurant there is a balcony for taking pictures when wildlife show up during a meal. On deck 7 you will find a well-equipped fitness room, with its panoramic ocean view there is no better place to exercise. On top of the ship you can get warm and cosy in the sauna or bathe in one of the outdoor Jacuzzis. Let the warm water surround you while the icebergs float silently past the side of the ship. With 127 cabins on Fram, you have a choice of comfortable cabins and a number of superior suites to choose from. Our suites are named after Norwegian polar heroes, MS Fram travels in the wake of these great explorers. We are very proud of the art commissioned for MS Fram – local artists from the Arctic have contributed to making her a modern masterpiece. The ‘tender pit’ is where we embark, fully dressed in suitable expedition and excursion gear, on our sturdy Polarcirkel boats to take you safely from ship to shore. The original Fram was a ship for broadening the understanding of the world – let the new MS Fram do the same for you.
Luxury star rating: | 4 |
Guests #: | 318 |
Crew #: | 75 |
Ice Class: | 1B |
Speed: | 16 |
Refurbished: |
Year built: | |
Length: | 113m |
Width: | 20 |
Draft: | |
Tonnage: | 11647 |
Registry: | Norway |
Elec Outlets: | 220V / 2 Round Pin |
We understand that the trip of a lifetime takes planning, so we make the financial commitments easy to manage.