DAY 1  USHUAIA, ARGENTINA

DAY 1:  USHUAIA, ARGENTINA

Upon arrival at Ushuaia Airport (USH) make your way to the Arrivals Hall where a smiley WWE host will be anxiously awaiting you for transfer to tonight’s hotel.

Our first night will be spent in the humming adventure hub of Ushuaia, the most southerly city in the world and the capital of Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire). Here, the Andes meet the Beagle Channel and the grade school maps you coloured with a lot of indigo blue Crayola come to life!

The remainder of the day is pure leisure–explore, let your jaw drop, poke around the vibrant artisan markets or slide into a café for your first authentic Alfajore (an irresistible Argentinian dulce de leche cookie). It won’t be your last! There are several museums including one that is housed in a former prison (Museo Marítimo y del Presidio de Ushuaia). Learn about sailing, whaling and natural history in a museum hop or wander the streets aimlessly and simply absorb the town’s dramatic setting in a pocket of snow-blanketed mountains purring with travelers ready to embark on their dream.

DAY 2  EMBARKATION IN USHUAIA

DAY 2: EMBARKATION IN USHUAIA

Sleep in or jump start your day in a cozy cafe sipping a cortado (this Argentinian-style coffee is simply a café ‘cut’ with a big glug of warm milk served in an espresso cup). 

This morning you are free to explore the city a little deeper or discover the wilds of Tierra del Fuego National Park, the most southerly national park of South America. This divine park offers several hiking trails that wind around peat bogs, lagoons, woodland, rugged coastline, glaciers, pounding waterfalls and still lakes. Be on high alert for the North American beaver! How did she get here? It’s a controversial story that was intended to kickstart a fur trade in 1946. The Argentine military flew 20 Canadian beavers to Tierra del Fuego–there are now more than 110,000!

Birders will go bonkers for the airshow of southern Patagonian species like the austral parakeets, Andean condor, magellanic oystercatchers, kelp geese and torrent ducks. 

Late afternoon, there will be a transfer to the port of Ushuaia to embark on the Ocean Adventurer. The Expedition Team and the ship’s officers will be waiting to welcome you aboard, Love Boat style! Kind of. 

This evening, we will sail along the famed Beagle Channel towards the White Continent of Antarctica. As we leave the dazzly lights of Ushuaia behind in the ship’s frothy wake, train your eyes to find rafts of magellanic penguins. There are more penguins to come but there’s nothing like your first time!

The channel eventually opens wide like a yawn to the Southern Ocean and onwards to Antarctica.

Fun fact: a group of penguins in the water are referred to as a ‘raft’ but on land they become a ‘waddle’. 

DAY 3 & 4 THE DRAKE PASSAGE

DAYS 3 & 4: THE DRAKE PASSAGE

The Drake Passage has nothing to do with Canada’s rapper and media darling, Drake, though some millennials might assume an affiliation. Named after the legendary English explorer, Sir Frances Drake, the Passage splits the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula from the southernmost tip of South America. The Passage is famously unpredictable—it can be rough and turbulent (dubbed the “Drake Shake”) or as calm as a curled up cat in a sunny spot—so be prepared!

Be sure to take advantage of the Adventurer’s incredible amenities! Whether you join the “posers” and stretch into your best Warrior II and plank in a yoga class or attend a scholarly presentation by the expert Expedition Team, your body and mind will love all the engagement. Learn more about geology or whale romance or take the chill off and chill out with newfound gal pals in the outdoor salt water hot tub.

Sailing towards Antarctica, there is an abrupt dip in temperature as we cross the Antarctic Convergence and enter the bracing waters of the Antarctic Ocean. You will notice an increased number of seabirds, whales and other species that are magnetically drawn to the nutrient and krill-rich waters. Here, north-flowing colder polar region waters meet warmer south-flowing equatorial waters creating the mercury plunge. This is why polar fleece was invented!

Pull on an extra layer and head to the deck to look for the mighty albatross. They have the longest wingspan of any bird on the planet at 2.1m (7ft) for the black-browed while the wandering albatross can measure up to 3.6m (12ft!)–even novice birders should be able to spot them! We can give our craning necks a rest by scanning the moody waters for breaching whales and bobbing icebergs too.

DAY 5 – 7 SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS & ANTARCTIC PENINSULA

DAYS 5 – 7: SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS & ANTARCTIC PENINSULA

The next three days will be spent intimately exploring the South Shetland Islands and dramatic Antarctic Peninsula, a region that was trendy with explorers centuries ago–long before the contemporary version that includes a gym, sauna and vegetarian options for lunch!

We’ll explore the area by Zodiac, cruising in the shadows of wind-carved icebergs and giant petrel wings. Scout for humpback and minkes and the elusive leopard seal! There will be shore landings where we can mingle with penguins (at a safe distance), visit a historic research base and climb to vantage points to ooh and ahh and OMG! (this will be repeated several times) over the stellar views. 

By now, you should be under the full spell of Antarctica. Whether you are consumed by the imposing glaciers and unearthly icebergs or crabeater seals and chinstrap penguins, the White Continent delivers in so many categories. Five species of seals can be found here.

As we cruise from one landing site to the next, check out a lecture program or digest the scenery from the outer decks of the Ocean Adventurer. The ship’s sumptuous spa, dry saunas pool, hot tub and gym will meet all your wellness needs. 

Maybe you will be one of the brave and 100% certified Wild Women who choose to take a plunge in the biting glacial waters! Rest assured, whether you let your hair down or put a merino wool toque on it, every single day introduces a new experience, opportunity and landing site to investigate.

DAY 9 & 10 ANTARCTIC CIRCLE

DAYS 9 & 10: ANTARCTIC CIRCLE

Depending on the weather conditions, we will continue southwards in an attempt to reach latitude 66°33’S and cross the famed Antarctic Circle. 

Our voyage south takes us past colossal icebergs, seemingly sculpted by an artist’s intuitive hands and chisels. If the brooding weather allows us to reach this momentous, heart-pounding, goosebumpy goal, we will experience the same rush as the explorers who first ventured this far south. 

This land is home to the mystical midnight sun, shifting ice, krill-rich waters, the trills and low-frequency buzz of Weddell seals and haunting humpback song. Can you hear it? 

Fun fact: Weddell seals are uniquely adapted to this severe environment and use their canines and incisors to rasp open new ice to maintain breathing holes in the ice. (*They may have been the inspiration behind the Ninja blender’s ice crusher.) Sea ice is the vital foundation of the Antarctic marine ecosystem.

These seals also have extremely accurate powers of navigation enabling them to seek out breathing holes when their teeth are worn down from age or injury and unable to maintain or create their own breathing holes.

DAY 10 & 11 NORTHBOUND ALONG THE PENINSULA

DAYS 10 & 11: NORTHBOUND ALONG THE PENINSULA

Having crossed the Antarctic Circle, we’ll set a northbound course to further explore the expansive Antarctic Peninsula on Zodiac excursions and shore landings. 

Courtesy of the Expedition Team, we’ll be well-versed in pancake ice, bergy bits and the differences between leopard, crabeater and Weddell seals. We’ll also know rafts from waddles and be able to distinguish Adélie, chinstrap and gentoo penguins like pros.

DAY 12 & 13  THE DRAKE PASSAGE

DAYS 12 & 13: THE DRAKE PASSAGE

As we leave the Antarctic Peninsula behind with a big sigh, we’ll carry the stimulus and awe with us in full camera cards, tall tales and journal entries. The unbelievable memories will take a while to digest–from the whale and penguin encounters to the fast friendships forged in the shared suspense and thrill of travel.

We’ll set a course for the Drake Passage. Take in a final lecture or presentation or keep focussed on the wildlife and leeward birds from the observation lounge and outer decks. The Expedition Team will conclude their lecture series and present a slideshow of our voyage’s highlights.

Having crossed the Drake Passage once more, we enter the calmer, welcoming waters of the Beagle Channel bound for Ushuaia’s neon glow.

DAY 14 DISEMBARKATION IN USHUAIA

DAY 14: DISEMBARKATION IN USHUAIA

We are scheduled to arrive in Ushuaia early this morning and will disembark after a final breakfast aboard the Ocean Adventurer.

After saying farewell to the trusty Expedition Team and crew, there will be a group transfer to the airport for homebound flights. We know, waaah! It’s too soon! You may also choose to spend an extra day or two in Ushuaia to linger a little longer in the limelight of the trip’s transformative experience.

Hug your Wild Women crew goodbye and start thinking about where you’ll reunite!

Disclaimer: We don’t like to blame Mother Nature but she has her off days and weather conditions can change in a snap and affect our arrival times. Airline schedule changes have also been known to occur in Argentina too so pack a little patience with your extra granola bars. We advise not booking flights until mid or late afternoon.

Friendly reminder: Embracing the unexpected is an integral part of expedition travel. There are no guarantees that we can achieve everything we set out to accomplish. A measure of flexibility is something all of us must bring to a voyage (this doesn’t mean you have to demonstrate a downward dog to participate!). There are nearly 200 recognized sites in the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetlands and the places mentioned in this itinerary may be changed to others equally as riveting! 

*Itinerary may be subject to change without notice due to weather, ice, and ocean conditions.

About the Ocean Adventurer

The Ocean Adventurer is a 128-passenger vessel with extensive outdoor deck space, an outdoor jacuzzi and numerous cozy spots to socialize onboard. A few years ago, Ocean Adventurer underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation of cabins and common areas including the lounge and dining room. The two new Rolls Royce engines have increased fuel efficiency and help minimize the ship’s carbon footprint.

For more information and specifications on the Ocean Adventurer, [Click Here]!