South America & Antarctica

Overnight flight from Zurich to São Paulo with Swiss.

Onward flight to Santiago de Chile. Arrival and transfer to your 4* hotel. Use the free evening to get to know the city. Santiago de Chile impresses with its breathtaking setting between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean.

After breakfast, a city tour to Santiago's most important sights. Afterwards transfer to San Antonio for embarkation on the Oosterdam. Cast off!

The perfect opportunity to explore your floating resort.

Puerto Montt is the «gateway to Patagonia» and the perfect starting point for an excursion into Chile's oldest national park, «Vicente Pérez Rosales». The view of the Osorno volcano is as unique as the spectacular Petrohué waterfalls and Tenglo Bay.

A picturesque port in the heart of Patagonia's Aysén region, surrounded by fjords, mighty mountains and lush forests. The nearby Parque Aiken del Sur nature park and botanical garden impresses with a 25-metre-high waterfall.

A day in the labyrinth of the Chilean fjords – quiet waterways between rugged, often snow-capped mountains.

Along the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, ice and weather determine the route. From the deck you admire the diversity of the glaciers – from jagged ice to smooth, blue rivulets. You are accompanied by Peale's dolphins, sea lions and seabirds such as albatrosses and terns.

After cruising through the Strait of Magellan you reach Punta Arenas, the capital of Patagonia. From the «Cerro de la Cruz» viewpoint you enjoy the view over the rooftops and the Strait of Magellan. On a traditional ranch you experience «pure life» – Chilean cowboys, rodeo and the «asado al palo». The journey continues through the Cockburn and Beagle Channels.

You pass the «Avenue of the Glaciers» in the Beagle Channel – the historic route of HMS Beagle, on which Charles Darwin once travelled. In Ushuaia the Tierra del Fuego National Park awaits you with mountain ranges, high moors and southern beech forests. With a little luck you'll see penguin colonies, whales and the Patagonian condor.

Cape Horn, discovered by the Dutch in 1615, marks the entrance to the Drake Passage, where the Atlantic and Pacific meet. You cruise ever deeper into the Antarctic Ocean and pass the first icebergs.

The perfect opportunity to explore your floating resort.

Welcome to the white continent. You traverse the bays and islands of the Palmer Archipelago. Surrounded by snow and ice, the ship navigates slowly through the iceberg-studded waters. The naturalists on board point out whales and penguins.

Passing the dark, rocky Cuverville Island, you marvel at the world's largest colony of around 6'500 pairs of gentoo penguins.

In Paradise Harbour, more gentoo and chinstrap penguins await you – and possibly people too: here Argentina and Chile operate research stations.

Another day in the overwhelming ice landscape of Antarctica. Icebergs, calving glaciers and unique wildlife. (Routes and landings depend on weather and ice conditions.)

Last day on the white continent before the ship sets course back north. Enjoy the untouched silence and vastness of Antarctica.

The journey passes the South Shetland Islands, where Ernest Shackleton's crew had to hold out for months on the notorious Elephant Island in 1916 awaiting rescue – a truly heroic story.

Welcome the southernmost capital in the world. Stanley is proud of its British heritage – from red telephone boxes to the pubs. The stars of the islands, however, are the king penguins, which you can observe at Volunteer Point or Bluff Cove.

The perfect opportunity to explore your floating resort.

The perfect opportunity to explore your floating resort.

The charming capital of Uruguay. Stroll along the Rambla, visit the 19th-century Teatro Solís and the Museo Torres García. Be sure to try the traditional asado (grilled meat) and mate.

A second day in Montevideo. Time to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of this South American gem at leisure.

Arrival in Buenos Aires and last overnight on board. The vibrant metropolis is known for its passion for tango, lively culture and culinary delights – including the Teatro Colón and the historic San Telmo district.

After disembarkation, a city tour reveals the highlights of Buenos Aires, the «Paris of South America»: Plaza de Mayo, San Telmo, the colourful La Boca with the Caminito street and the elegant Recoleta. After lunch, transfer to the airport and return flight with Lufthansa via Frankfurt.