This was the first time that our expedition had Antarctica embarkation in Buenos Aires. On previous expeditions, the expedition started in Ushuaia. We weren’t sure what to expect, and if this starting point would be a positive or a pain in the a$$. Neither of us slept much that night. We had already experienced several […]
After three days in Chile, we continued on to Buenos Aires. Our target? A two night stay at the Hotel Emperador Buenos Aires. This part of the trip wasn’t about wildlife. It was about logistics, a bit of comfort, and, as it turned out, an empanada crawl through the city. Our search for Buenos Aires […]
We woke up to pouring rain. Normally that would have dampened the mood, but we were still glowing from the day before. Penguin number thirteen, the Fiordland crested, had delivered in spectacular fashion. Now the focus shifted. The entire trip had been built around Snow Hill. But first, we had to find a Humboldt penguin […]
The Grand Finale In the afternoon, we made our way to Saunders Island. Another wet zodiac ride brought us ashore, where we encountered a massive gentoo penguin colony right at the landing site. Walking a bit farther, we discovered grazing sheep and Magellanic penguins burrowing into the hillside. The orange route markers made it resemble […]
Not the Typical Beach Day In the afternoon, we had two options. The first was a 6km, one-way hike to Sandebugten, which was promoted as being even more difficult than the Shackleton walk, and promised no wildlife. The second option was a more relaxed walk along the beach, with the chance to explore a gentoo […]
A Sad Day for Wildlife In the afternoon, we moved to Gold Harbour, home to a massive King Penguin colony. Last year, Gold Harbour was the highlight of our expedition—the weather had been perfect, and the sheer number of penguins was overwhelming. Nothing could live up to that day. With Gold Harbour closed for landings […]
Antici-pation You know that feeling of excitement you get as a kid on Christmas morning? That was Andy and I when we woke up at 5 a.m. on embarkation day. I couldn’t remember the last time I woke up to snow falling—giant snowflakes drifting lazily, almost in slow motion. Through the thick snowfall, we could […]
Two Days in Ushuaia After disembarking in Ushuaia, we squeezed into yet another tiny taxi and checked in at the Las Hayas Hotel, one of two hotels used by Aurora Expeditions for pre-voyage accommodation. This year our room had a better view, but still felt a bit like grandma’s attic with its dated decor. I […]
How to get from Torres del Paine to Ushuaia With a week to spare before our expedition, I initially had the ambitious idea of driving from Torres del Paine to Ushuaia. We had five days and according to Google Maps, it was 12 hours of driving (not including a ferry crossing. Taking a rental car […]
Eco Camp Patagonia After our stay at Hotel Las Torres, we checked into EcoCamp Patagonia for four nights, ready for something a little different: puma trekking. EcoCamp has a unique vibe—think hippy chic with macramé, dream catchers, and geodesic domes offering jaw-dropping views of the towers. Our dome had a wood-burning fireplace, but it […]