
- Late summer means scenic sunsets, adolescent penguins and more whale-watching
- We’ll attempt to cross the Antarctic Circle and explore rarely reached Marguerite Bay
- Feel at home aboard our newest hybrid-powered expedition ship MS Fridtjof Nansen
- Lectures, ice-cruises and landing activities led by our expert Expedition Team
Current offers on this cruise:
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Flight included
Book this special tour to have your flights from Australia or New Zealand included as well as additional accommodation and transfers.See the full offer details
Itinerary
After your flight from Australia or New Zealand, arrive in Buenos Aires and be transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is at your leisure.
Enjoy a day at leisure in Buenos Aires, the lovely capital of Argentina. Check out the well-preserved Italian and French architecture, order delicious beef in one of the many great steakhouses and maybe practise your dancing moves in the famous hometown of tango. Make sure to embrace the heat from this sensuous city, because it is about to get much colder.
Estimated time of departure is 7:00 PM
Late nighters beware, we fly early in the morning to Ushuaia where hybrid-powered expedition ship MS Fridtjof Nansen awaits you. This port city competes with Chilean Puerto Williams for the seemingly coveted title of the southernmost city in the world. The Martial Glacier sits north of the city, creating an impressive mountain backdrop for the ‘end of the world’.
After a mandatory health and safety meeting on board the ship, kick off your journey with a welcome dinner hosted by the Expedition Team. You can then spend some time getting to know the ship that will be your home for the next several days.
In order to get to Antarctica, we have to cross the infamous Drake Passage. It was named after the English sea captain and privateer Sir Francis Drake who discovered it by chance in 1578 when his ship was taken south by heavy winds. Since there is no landmass at this latitude, wind and water roam freely, making it hard for ships to sail here. But don’t worry, even the ‘Drake Shake’ isn’t a big deal for our modern expedition ship.
It takes two days to cross the roughly 1000-km-wide Drake Passage. So, you’ll have some time on your hands, which is definitely a good thing as there is plenty to do to get ready for your Antarctic adventure. The Expedition Team will start their lecture programme in the Science Center, drawing on decades of experience to teach you how to make your visit as safe and as sustainable as possible. As per IAATO guidelines, we will all wear sterilised rubber boats when ashore and ensure we vacuum our clothing beforehand to remove any possible foreign contaminants. You will also learn about the various hands-on Citizen Science projects you can get involved in, all of which feed into live research and current science.
MS Fridtjof Nansen, lies at your feet to be explored as well, quite literally. Work out in the indoor or outdoor gym, or order a spa treatment in our Wellness Area. There are also three superb restaurants on board where you can enjoy delicious meals that are a treat for your eyes and your taste buds. But even with all these mod cons, don’t forget to head out on deck from time to time to look for your first iceberg, and to spot wildlife like whales, numerous types of petrels and albatrosses.
Welcome to Antarctica. Being here, surrounded by icy waters, glaciers and icebergs big as cathedrals will probably make you feel like you’ve landed in a completely new world. Antarctica is magnificent, mesmerising and massive. You might need to stop for a moment to be able to take it all in. That awe-inspired silence is inevitably broken though when you see the first signs of wildlife like penguins, whales or seals and enthusiastic cheers erupt spontaneously all across the ship.
Just as the icescapes of Antarctica change through its seasons, so does its wildlife. In late spring from October to November, there will be much more snow, making the landscapes seem even more pristine. This forms the backdrop of penguin courting and nest building. Whales are still few and far in between during this time, most of them still on their way and beginning to arrive in greater numbers by December and January. Arrival of more whales marks the height of summer which is also when the first penguin chicks hatch. Seeing the clumsy clumps of feathers run around and is always a charming sight. February and March are the peak of whale-watching opportunities, when large amounts of krill lure them to the area.
When we get here, the Expedition Team will seize every chance to take you ice-cruising and on landings to get closer to the impressive scenery and wildlife. Spotting penguins from the ship is already an experience, which becomes even more wonderous when you go ashore to see them. It’s the same if a seal or whale suddenly appears next to you when cruising in our smaller explorer boats or when kayaking as part of an optional activity. Needless to say; keep your camera close at all times. To enhance your feeling of discovery, the Expedition Team will talk expertly about fascinating subjects like the frozen continent’s history, the biology of local wildlife, and glaciology.
After having explored remote and wild Antarctica over five days, we will be due to sail back for home. By this point, both your head and your heart will be filled with lifelong memories. You’ll hopefully also have captured many of these special moments on your camera. Crossing back over the Drake Passage, you’ll probably spend the next couple of days going through those pictures just to try and stay in Antarctica a little longer. The Expedition Team will also be doing the same as they recap the journey’s many experiences over in the Science Center. Working out is also a great way of processing everything you have seen, or maybe let your mind wander back to Antarctica in the Explorer Lounge and Bar?
Estimated time of arrival is 7:00 AM
Your expedition cruise reaches its end as we return to Ushuaia. From here, you join a transfer to the airport for your flight back to Buenos Aires and a second chance to experience the Argentine capital. Upon arrival from your charter flight you will be transferred to your hotel for an overnight stay.
Enjoy a day at leisure in Buenos Aires before being transferred to the airport for your flight back to Australia or New Zealand.
What's included
Included in your voyage
Hotel
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3 overnights in Buenos Aires before and after the expedition cruise, including breakfast
Flights
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Round-trip flights in economy class between selected cities in Australia or New Zealand and Buenos Aires
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Round-trip flights in economy class between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia
Transfers
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Round-trip transfers between Buenos Aires airport and your hotel, on arrival and departure days
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Round-trip transfers between your hotel and Buenos Aires airport before and after the expedition cruise
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Round-trip transfers between Ushuaia airport and the ship, including a brief tour of the town
Expedition Cruise
- Expedition cruise in a cabin of your choice
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner including beverages (house beer and wine, sodas, and mineral water) in restaurants Aune and Fredheim
- À la carte restaurant Lindstrøm included for suite guests
- Complimentary tea and coffee
- Complimentary Wi-Fi on board. Be aware that we sail in remote areas with limited connection. Streaming is not supported.
- Complimentary reusable water bottle to use at water refill stations on board
- English-speaking Expedition Team who organise and accompany activities on board and ashore
- Range of included activities
Onboard Activities
- Experts on the Expedition Team deliver in-depth lectures on a variety of topics
- Use of the ship’s Science Center which has an extensive library and advanced biological and geological microscopes
- Citizen Science programme allows guests to assist with live scientific research
- Professional onboard photographer gives top tips and tricks for the best landscape and wildlife photos
- Use of the ship’s hot tubs, panoramic sauna, outdoor and indoor gyms and outdoor running track
- Informal gatherings with the crew such as daily recaps and preparation for the day to come
Landing Activities
- Escorted landings with small expedition boats while in Antarctica
- Loan of boots, trekking pole, and all equipment for activities
- Complimentary wind and water-resistant expedition jacket
- Expedition Photographers help with your camera settings before landings
Not included in your voyage
- Travel insurance
- Luggage handling
- Optional shore excursions with our local partners
- Optional small-group activities with our Expedition Team
- Optional treatments in the onboard wellness and spa area
Notes
- All planned activities are subject to weather and ice conditions
- Excursions and activities are subject to change
- Please make sure you meet all entry and boarding requirements
- No gratuities expected
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Departure Cities: SYD/MEL/BNE/AKL/CHC. Other departure cities available with a $300 per person supplement: ADL/PER/CNS/DRW/HBA/LST/WLG/CBR. Contact our team after you make a booking to add this supplement
Your ship
MS Fridtjof Nansen
Year built | 2020 |
Shipyard | Kleven Yards, Norway |
Passenger capacity | 530 (500 in Antarctica) |
Gross tonnage | 20 889 T |
Length | 140 m |
Beam | 23,6 m |
Speed | 15 knots |
MS Fridtjof Nansen is the latest addition to Hurtigruten’s fleet of custom built ships – and the next generation expedition ship. She will explore some of the most spectacular corners of the globe.
Practical information
Sailing with MS Fridtjof Nansen
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MS Fridtjof Nansen - Practical information
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Meet our Expedition Teams
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Landing sites in Antarctica
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Young Explorers’ Programme: Bring your kids on board
Before you travel with MS Fridtjof Nansen
Day 3
Eventyrets siste kapittel - Bergen
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