SUMMER & FALL 2012 - VOLUME 3 - Senior Tours Canada

TENTATIVE ITINERARY FOR ANTARCTICADAY 1DAY 2DAY 3DAYS4 & 5DAYS6 - 9DEPARTURE. We depart for BuenosAires, the “Paris of South America”.BUENOS AIRES. We arrive in BuenosAires and transfer to our hotel. Balanceof the day is at leisure until our WelcomeDinner this evening.USHUAIA / EMBARKATION. Thismorning we transfer to the airport for ourflight to Ushuaia - the southernmost city inthe world! The city is situated on Tierra delFuego Island south of the Magellan Strait.Upon arrival we will have a shortorientation tour of this popular andattractive resort town, surrounded bysnow capped mountains, rivers andwaterfalls. After our tour we board the MSFram. This evening we enjoy our firstdelicious dinner on board as the shipheads toward the Drake Passage andAntarctica.DRAKE PASSAGE. Named after SirFrancis Drake this stretch of waterbetween South America and the AntarcticPeninsula has numerous myths andlegends associated with it. Theextraordinary seaworthiness of the MSFram will insure a safe and comfortablepassage, and we encourage you to jointhe educational lectures.ANTARCTICA. Once we have crossedthe Antarctic Convergence you will startfeeling the air getting crisper and colderand you will begin to see Antarcticpenguins in the water. There are nopermanent human inhabitants but it ishome to millions of penguins and seals,and the feeding area for thousands ofwhales. Words simply cannot describethe beauty and the feeling of being on theGreat White Continent. The ice, wind andweather dictate life in Antarctica as wellas our route. Some of the possiblelanding sites are:PORT LOCKROY: Surrounded bymountains, glaciers and ice shelves andknown for its Gentoo penguins and blueeyedcormorants.DAYS10 & 11DAY 12DAY 13DAY 14HALF MOON ISLAND: Spectacularviews of the surrounding mountains andhome to chinstrap penguins, kelp gullsand Antarctic terns. Whale spotting iscommon here.PETERMANN ISLAND: Backed by anice cliff up to 100 ft. high and home tothousands of Gentoo penguins andblue-eyed shags.CUVERVILLE ISLAND: With itssculpture park of icebergs and thelargest known colony of Gentoopenguins in Antarctica.WHALER’S BAY: With its warm springsand black volcanic sand, it is home tohundreds of chinstrap penguins.WILHELMINA BAY: The mountainsand high glaciers ensure plenty ofdramatic scenery and sculpted ice fromtiny floating pieces to large icebergs.The bay is a choice feeding ground forwhales and seals.DRAKE PASSAGE. As the bow pointsnorth you will have time to reflect on yourAntarctic experience with its unforgettablesights and sounds.DISEMBARKATION / BUENOS AIRES.After a spectacular voyage with countlessimpressions, we arrive back in Ushuaiaand transfer to the airport for our flight toBuenos Aires. This evening we enjoy awonderful tango show and dinner.BUENOS AIRES. On our city tour we willdiscover all the magic of Argentina’scapital city. We will see the magnificentRecoleta and Palermo neighbourhoods,the Plaza de Mayo, Colon Opera House,the Presidential Palace – once the homeof Eva Peron (Evita is still a popular cultfigure) and Ms. Peron’s mausoleum withits dramatic statuary. Touring continues inSan Telmo, home to the XIX centuryaristocracy of the city. In the evening wetransfer to the airport for our flight home.HOME. Morning arrival in Canada.79.