South American Star and Antarctica

Fly overnight from your choice of UK departure airport to Buenos Aires.

Arrive into Buenos Aires for an on overnight hotel stay. Buenos Aires is the Capital of the country and a top tourist destination, known for its European style architecture and rich cultural life. Visitors have many options such as going to a tango show, visiting ranches in the Provinces of Buenos Aires and the Pampas, or enjoying a traditional Aasado (Argentine style BBQ). New tourist circuits have recently evolved, devoted to famous Argentinians such as Carlos Gardel, Eva Perón and Jorge Luis Borges. Due to the favourable exchange rate, its shopping centres such as Alto Palermo and Galerías Pacífico are frequently visited by tourists. Perhaps visit Avenida del Libertador where you will find many of the city's best-known museums, gardens and cultural points of interest and Avenida de Mayo for its sophisticated buildings of Art Nouveau, Neoclassic and eclectic styles.

After the morning at leisure - make your way to the cruise terminal and embark the ship.

This is Uruguay's capital and largest city offering a variety of indoor shopping possibilities (like downtown's appropriately named Montevideo Shopping Centre), and informal markets such as Mercado del Puerto. Perhaps take a walk past the wharfs and piers of the Rambla de Montevideo. Relax on Pocitos beach, visit the Torres Garcia Museum or check out the Palazzo Salvo. Constructed in 1928, Palacio Salvo is a historical landmark building done in a predominantly Italian Gothic-style, it was the tallest building in South America, and still remains an iconic symbol of the city, even being depicted on many postcards. For a sweeping view of the city, take an elevator ride to the top of the palace, free of charge, and stop at Cafe Salvo on the ground level for an invigorating cappuccino.

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

Puerto Madryn is situated on the coast of northern Patagonia. From its sandy beaches and restaurant-lined promenade on the bay of Golfo Nuevo spot whales breeding from May to December. Visit the clifftop museum of Ecocentro which features Patagonian natural exhibits and wonderful views from a lighthouse. Valdes Peninsula is home to penguins and elephant seals, which are preyed on by orcas.

This is the Northernmost Route through the tip of South America which takes you past Punta Arenas in Chile and was explored by Ferdinand Magellan in 1520. Until 1914, when the Panama Canal opened, this was the main route for ships sailing from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. It is 350 miles long and just 1.2 miles wide at it's narrowest point.

From here, cruise visitors can venture to the high scarps of Torres del Paine National Park, the penguin colony at Seno Otway, or the Martian volcanic topography of Pali Aike National Park. Punta Arenas worth lingering in, as well. Visit the tree-lined Plaza de Armas square or walk 10 minutes farther to the top of La Cruz Hill. The city of 150,000 people lies at your feet. 850 miles farther south Antarctica begins.

The 150 mile long Beagle Channel takes you through the Tierra del Fuego Archipelago of islands at the southern tip of South America, past Ushuaia in Argentina. The eastern end of the Channel forms the border between Chile and Argentina whilst the western end is entirely in Chile. It is only three miles wide at its widest point and so can be quite tricky for ships to negotiate. The Beagle Channel was named after the British ship Beagle in which Charles Darwin explored the area (1833–34). Pay a visit to Ushuaia the southernmost city in the world, where dominating peaks loom on three sides

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options. The ship heads through the Drake Passage on it's way to Antarctica. The Drake Passage is the body of water between the southern tip of South America at Cape Horn, Chile and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica. The 500 mile wide passage between Cape Horn and Livingston Island is the shortest crossing from Antarctica to the rest of the world's land. It was named after Sir Francis Drake when his ship, having passed through the Strait of Magellan, was blown far South in September 1578. Ships in the passage are often good platforms for the sighting of whales, dolphins and plentiful seabirds including giant petrels, other petrels, albatrosses and penguins.

Scenic cruising of Paradise Island or Admiralty Bay and Elephant island in Antarctica. The ship sails through the iceberg-dotted bays and islands of the Palmer Archipelago and South Shetland Islands, off the northern tip of the long Antarctic Peninsula, which reaches out toward South America. With snow and ice in every direction this unique holiday gives you the chance to reflect amid the eerie silence of one of the remotest places on earth. Look out for terns, petrels, and gulls on the small islets, the highlight are the colonies of Gentoo penguins that make their home there.

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

Port Stanley is full of links to Britain, and is twinned with Whitby in Yorkshire- all of a sudden it seems as if you are back in Britain with red telephone and post boxes. The only difference being the colourful corrugated tin roofs on the buildings. This South Atlantic archipelago will always be associated with the 1982 war, but wildlife and rugged scenery are the main reasons to visit the islands. The Falklands are a compact group of more than 740 Islands, situated approximately 650 kilometres (400 miles) off the south-eastern tip of South America. The total land area is approximately 12,000 square km (4,700 square miles) comprising of mountain ranges and flat plains. The two main Islands are East Falkland and West Falkland. Mount Usborne on East Falkland is the highest peak at 705m (2,312 ft).

Relax and make the most of the myriad of facilities available on board the ship, from fantastic entertainment to delicious and diverse dining options.

Disembark the ship after breakfast and fly home overnight from Buenos Aires.