12 Nights - 12 - Days Incredible Antarctica

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Dubbed the Queen of the Plate River by Argentine author Carlos Romero, Buenos Aires is Argentina’s cosmopolitan capital and to Portenos synonymous with Argentina. It is the country’s center of manufacturing, banking, culture and intellectualism, but shows very little of its Spanish heritage. The city experienced a boom in the 19th century, taking its cue from Paris, and since then is often referred to as the Paris of South America.

Based on the original Spanish settlement, old Buenos Aires was laid out around a central plaza, bordered by a fort and armory, the city hall and cathedral. This ensemble became the Plaza de Armas, later redesigned as the Plaza de Mayo. Nouveau Buenos Aires rivaled New York as a port for European trade. Landed gentry with estancias larger than some countries hired Parisian architects to design urban villas for their visits to town. The modern parts of the city feature glass office buildings, often adjacent to those done in ornate French style. One out of every three Argentineans lives in Buenos Aires, finding the city irresistible. The world has few cities that are enjoyed as much as the millions of Porteños enjoy theirs.

The heart of the city's history is concentrated around the Plaza de Mayo with the Town Hall, the Casa Rosada (the presidential building) and the Metropolitan Cathedral. The cathedral is an important religious landmark and national historic site. It contains the tomb of Jose de San Martin, Argentina's most revered national hero. Near the square are superb restaurants, movie theaters, boutiques, art galleries and the pedestrian street Florida. It leads to some of the city’s finest hotels and offers plenty of shopping opportunities.

Few cities share Buenos Aires’ ambiance, lifestyle and the amenities that make it so endearing to residents and visitors alike.

Drake Passage Navigation

The Drake Passage or Mar de Hoces—Sea of Hoces—is the body of water between South America's Cape Horn, Chile and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica. It connects the southwestern part of the Atlantic Ocean with the southeastern part of the Pacific Ocean and extends into the Southern Ocean.

Drake Passage Navigation

The Drake Passage or Mar de Hoces—Sea of Hoces—is the body of water between South America's Cape Horn, Chile and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica. It connects the southwestern part of the Atlantic Ocean with the southeastern part of the Pacific Ocean and extends into the Southern Ocean.

Antarctica

Antarctica, the southernmost continent and site of the South Pole, is a virtually uninhabited, ice-covered landmass. Most cruises to the continent visit the Antarctic Peninsula, which stretches toward South America. It’s known for the Lemaire Channel and Paradise Harbor, striking, iceberg-flanked passageways, and Port Lockroy, a former British research station turned museum. The peninsula’s isolated terrain also shelters rich wildlife, including many penguins.

Antarctica

Antarctica, the southernmost continent and site of the South Pole, is a virtually uninhabited, ice-covered landmass. Most cruises to the continent visit the Antarctic Peninsula, which stretches toward South America. It’s known for the Lemaire Channel and Paradise Harbor, striking, iceberg-flanked passageways, and Port Lockroy, a former British research station turned museum. The peninsula’s isolated terrain also shelters rich wildlife, including many penguins.

Antarctica

Antarctica, the southernmost continent and site of the South Pole, is a virtually uninhabited, ice-covered landmass. Most cruises to the continent visit the Antarctic Peninsula, which stretches toward South America. It’s known for the Lemaire Channel and Paradise Harbor, striking, iceberg-flanked passageways, and Port Lockroy, a former British research station turned museum. The peninsula’s isolated terrain also shelters rich wildlife, including many penguins.

Antarctica

Antarctica, the southernmost continent and site of the South Pole, is a virtually uninhabited, ice-covered landmass. Most cruises to the continent visit the Antarctic Peninsula, which stretches toward South America. It’s known for the Lemaire Channel and Paradise Harbor, striking, iceberg-flanked passageways, and Port Lockroy, a former British research station turned museum. The peninsula’s isolated terrain also shelters rich wildlife, including many penguins.

Antarctica

Antarctica, the southernmost continent and site of the South Pole, is a virtually uninhabited, ice-covered landmass. Most cruises to the continent visit the Antarctic Peninsula, which stretches toward South America. It’s known for the Lemaire Channel and Paradise Harbor, striking, iceberg-flanked passageways, and Port Lockroy, a former British research station turned museum. The peninsula’s isolated terrain also shelters rich wildlife, including many penguins.

Drake Passage Navigation

The Drake Passage or Mar de Hoces—Sea of Hoces—is the body of water between South America's Cape Horn, Chile and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica. It connects the southwestern part of the Atlantic Ocean with the southeastern part of the Pacific Ocean and extends into the Southern Ocean.

Drake Passage Navigation

The Drake Passage or Mar de Hoces—Sea of Hoces—is the body of water between South America's Cape Horn, Chile and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica. It connects the southwestern part of the Atlantic Ocean with the southeastern part of the Pacific Ocean and extends into the Southern Ocean.

Ushuaia, Argentina

Originally founded as an outpost on the Beagle Channel by the South American Missionary Society, Ushuaia has developed into a fast-growing frontier town. The capital of the Argentinian part of Tierra del Fuego boasts a spectacular setting. The jagged peaks of the Martial Range rising from sea level to nearly 4,500 feet provide Ushuaia with a dramatic backdrop. The surrounding areas offer great outdoor recreational possibilities, such as trekking, hiking and fishing. Rugged roads lead into the mountain and lake region and to Lapataia, which is part of the Tierra del Fuego National Park.

Ushuaia itself has an interesting museum and a wide variety of shops selling everything from souvenirs and outdoor wear to duty-free luxury items. Several restaurants offer excellent seafood. Most of the town can be explored on foot in a fairly short time; the real attraction lies in the rugged beauty and unspoiled nature of the area surrounding Ushuaia.

From the 16th-century voyages of Magellan and the 19th-century explorations of Charles Darwin to the present time, Tierra del Fuego has held an ambivalent fascination for scores of adventurous travelers. Separated from the South American mainland by the Strait of Magellan, the archipelago consists of one large island, with numerous smaller islands surrounding the Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego. Most of them are uninhabited. The name derived from the fires that the Yahganes Indians kept burning day and night in order to keep warm.

This prompted the first Europeans to name their discovery Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire). For more than three centuries the climate and terrain discouraged European settlement; the island, which is shared by Argentina and Chile, is now famous throughout the world. Charles Darwin visited here in 1832 aboard the vessel Beagle and incorporated the region’s biological diversity into his theories.

Travelers to this remote and rugged area of South America never can be certain what the weather is going to be like; experiencing four seasons in one single day is the norm rather than the exception.

However, one fact is always certain: the spirit of the rough frontier prevails and the scenic beauty is awesome.