Argentina

Argentina is a beautiful country with diverse landscape and fun places to explore!

Argentina Tips: 

• Everything in Argentina is incredibly cheap. Taxis, restaurants, Airbnbs—you name it. The whole country is very budget-friendly.

• Many businesses don’t have websites and you can’t fully trust their Google hours, social media is more reliable.

• Check out my Brazil guide here!

Buenos Aires Recommendations:

Buenos Aires is a pretty cool massive cosmopolitan city! Walk around as much as possible—traffic can be annoying and Ubers are very cheap but sometimes difficult to book.

• Strange Brewing: A great brewery with tasty beers and a good selection on their tap list. They also have a food menu and nice staff.

• Recoleta Cemetery: A massive above ground cemetery that is very cool to explore.

• Check out a Tango show: We went with La Ventana and really enjoyed our experience. The performers are wildly talented and the show was very entertaining. It is touristy but worth it! You can book with or without transport and with or without dinner.

• Rebelion: A cute spot for dinner in the Palermo neighborhood. Tasty eats and cocktails and nice patio seating.

• Coma, Veggie: A good spot in the Palermo neighborhood for empanadas and pizza.

• Jardín Japonés: The Japanese Gardens are a bit disappointing and overcrowded, but the entrance fee was less than $1 so not too shabby.

• Parque El Rosadel: A pretty rose garden that is a 10 minute walk from Jardín Japonés.

Laguna de Los Tres

Patagonia Recommendations:

El Chalten things to do—

If you visit one spot in Patagonia let it be El Chalten! This town is super cute and the hikes in Parque Nacional Los Glaciers are incredible! Everything is very walkable (even the trailheads you can walk to from town!) and the views are superb.

• Laguna de Los Tres Trail: This trail is 15.2 miles long with 3,500ft of elevation gain and takes about 8 hours to complete. It is absolutely stunning all throughout the trail. Fitz Roy is truly magical to see in person. This is definitely the more popular trail in the area so start early to avoid the crowds. The last section is brutally steep, but it is absolutely worth it!

  • If you need hiking poles (would recommend for this trail in particular) there are plenty of gear shops in town you can rent them from for just a few bucks.

• Laguna Torre Trail: This trail is 12 miles long with 1,644ft of elevation gain and takes just under 5 hours to complete. It is a great hike with beautiful views and not too difficult. The lake is gorgeous and you can see Fitz Roy from a different angle. Be sure to bring bug spray for this one!

• Laborum: A delicious spot for pizza—12/10 recommend.

• La Cervecería Chaltén: A brewery with a nice little beer garden outside and restaurant inside. They have homemade pasta that is delicious along with a few beers on tap and cocktails.

• Fresco Bar: A cool little brewery in a greenhouse building with a small food menu.

• La Vineria: A wine bar with a small beer menu, food, and a nice view.

• Bandidos Patagónicos: A solid beer bar and pizza restaurant.

• Patagonicus: An average spot for pizza and beer.

El Calafate things to do—

El Calafate is where you’ll need to fly into to visit El Chalten or El Calafate. It is home to a massive glacier and a cute little town.

• Perito Moreno Glacier: This is the main attraction in this area and a must-visit! The glacier is massive and such a unique thing to explore. You can visit the glacier with a tour company but they’re all quite expensive and very long days. It is very easy to visit on your own either with a rental car or via bus.

  • Walkways Trail: The metal walkways take you down and around the glacier for various viewpoints. It is about 2.5 miles long with 300ft of elevation gain to do the entire walk in one direction, and takes about 1.5 hours. After paying the park entrance fee you will park then take a free shuttle to the walkways which runs every 10 minutes. You can either shuttle back to the parking area after seeing the glacier or take the trail back.

  • You can also do a boat tour to get closer to the glacier which is neat but a bit boring, and there is also kayak tours here.

• Pura Vida: A stellar spot for dinner. Great vibes, friendly staff, delicious and fresh entrees, plus tasty cocktails.

• La Trinchera: A fantastic spot for craft beer, wine and they also have a small food menu. This bar is super cute, their team is so nice, and their canned beer selection is superb.

• Wanaco Tradicional Bar: A cool bar with patio seating. They have a full food menu and pitchers of cocktails.

• Shelby: A cute little spot for gin tonics and a bottle shop. The upper balcony space is a nice spot to hang out.

• La Oveja Negra: A craft brewery and distillery with a food menu and patio seating.

• Olivia Coffee Shop: A solid spot for breakfast and coffee that opens earlier than most spots in town.

• There are no Ubers here but you can reserve a taxi on WhatsApp from various companies online.

Ushuaia things to do—

Ushuaia is home to the end of the world! It is a decent sized city home to a busy port and lots of tourists heading to Antarctica. The surrounding views of the mountains are gorgeous from all around town. As a heads up, most businesses close in the afternoon and don’t reopen until 6 or 7pm which is pretty inconvenient for travelers and Google hours are not reliable.

• Stay at Arakur Hotel: This hotel was an absolute dream. Everything is incredibly nice and the views are astounding. The outdoor infinity pool and hot tubs are magical.

• Tierra del Fuego National Park: This park is home to the post office at the end of the world! Send someone a postcard and see how long it takes to arrive. The Coastal Path is a nice serene walk along the water with lots of mossy trees and pretty views. Getting to and from the park is a bit of a hassle, I would recommend scheduling a taxi ahead of time because the shuttle is unreliable and there is no phone service for Ubers. You can also take a tour.

• Jeremy Button Gintoneria: A fun gin distillery with food, cocktails and beer. There are nice views and good vibes.

• Martial Glacier Trail: This trail is 4.7 miles long with 1,667ft of elevation gain and takes just over 2 hours to complete. It is very steep—particularly the last third of the trail. It is a popular hike but not crowded by any means. There are great views of the city and of the Beagle Channel on the way up and down from the glacier. There is also a tea house and beer spot at the trailhead.

• Salumeria Don Fidel: A great little wine spot with cheese, pizza and empanadas as well.

• Laguna Encantada Trail: This trail is 5.6 miles long with 1,446ft of elevation gain and takes about 3 hours and 45 minutes to complete. It is a pretty, serene start and then becomes extremely steep. There are wild horses, views of the Vinciguerra glacier, and a pretty lake. This hike also shares about half of the trail with Vinciguerra Glacier Trail and Laguna de Los Témpanos which is more popular and a lot steeper and longer.

• Isla Vegana: A cute spot for vegan eats.

• Van Gogh Beer House: A bar that is open in the afternoon unlike most spots and has solid cocktails.

• 1884: An average bar and restaurant with beers and burgers.

• Skip Casa Olmo: It’s a cute spot but the service was wildly slow and the cocktails were not good.

Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls Recommendations:

Iguazu Falls are absolutely stunning and well worth exploring! They are shared by Argentina and Brazil, and I would recommend visiting both sides. The Argentina side is nicer to stay on and smaller town, though expect a lot of panhandling. Check out my recommendations for the Brazil side here.

Exploring the Argentina side of the falls:

• Upper and Lower Circuits Trail: This is a combination of metal and paved pathways that takes about 1.5 hours to complete. It is a bit crowded at points but absolutely incredible to explore the largest waterfall system in the world.

• The Devil’s Throat: Unfortunately the Argentina side of The Devil’s Throat was closed when we visited due to post-flood construction, but this is the most famed part of the falls. You take a train to a short trail to a viewpoint over The Devil’s Throat. You can also see it on the Brazil side!

• Keep your eyes peeled for monkeys and coatis! Do not feed them.

• Take a boat tour—there are options on both sides of the falls and you don’t book in advance for either. The Argentina side runs every 1 hour and 15 minutes.

• The park is right outside of the airport so if you are flying in or out it is very convenient—they have luggage storage at the entrance that is first come, first serve. If I were to do it all again I would fly into the Argentina side one morning, taxi straight to the falls, stay in Puerto Iguazu for the night, taxi to the Brazil side of the falls in the morning where there is also luggage storage, and then fly out of the Brazil side airport that afternoon/evening.

Puerto Iguazu Recommendations:

• Botánica: A beautiful garden space for dinner and drinks. Delicious eats and a serene setting.

• La Republica del Taco: A great spot for Mexican with outdoor dining and happy hour.

• Tacopado: A cool spot for Mexican eats with indoor and outdoor seating. The food and drinks are tasty and they offer happy hour. Don’t visit if you’re in a rush.  

• Patagonia Brewing: A restaurant-style brewery with a small outpost across the street as well. Average beers.

• There are no Ubers on the Argentina side of Iguazu Falls, so you’ll need to use Taxis to get around. It is easiest to just schedule pick-ups with a local driver—we rode with Claudio and he is the best! His WhatsApp number is: ‪+54 9 3757 45‑1543‬

Flora

Montevideo, Uruguay Recommendations:

Montevideo is just across the water from Buenos Aires. It can be reached via direct ferry or bus + ferry combination through Colonia del Sacramento. Boquebus and Colonia Express are the two transport companies to book with in advance.

Montevideo is a cosmopolitan city that is very walkable and quite small—we spent just over 24 hours exploring and that was perfect! Recommendations:

• Cerveceria Malafama: Great beers, delicious pizza, and a cool space. Fantastic spot!

• Enjoy the sidewalk café culture in the old city! There are tons of spots for outdoor dining and it’s a great part of town to bop around.

  • El Vermú de la Aduana was a favorite for delicious cocktails!

  • Ciudadelza is also a solid bar with a food menu and a few local beer taps

• Flora: Highly recommend this spot for breakfast or lunch—it is delicious and super cute.

• Indica Beer: A nice spot for beers right near Mercado del Puerto. Their selection was tasty and their team was super nice!

• Oso Pardo: A solid brewery with a nice patio space, a food menu and good vibes.

• Plaza Independencia: The famed plaza in the heart of the city, a quick must-see.

• Mercado del Puerto: The city’s iconic market that is full of restaurants and shops. Expect it to be quite busy!

• Museo del Carnaval: The city’s museum for Carnaval is full of costumes and documents the history of Carnval in Montevideo.

• Walk La Rambla: This wide sidewalk follows the coastline and is a popular spot with locals. Unfortunately the water has a lot of silt so the beaches aren’t super pretty.

Brazil

Brazil is a pretty country full of cool cities and stunning nature!

Brazil Tips: 

• Brush up on your Portuguese! Even though the surrounding countries predominately speak Spanish, there is no Spanish in Brazil. Google Translate is another great option.

• Be aware—Brazil is not somewhere I would recommend for a solo trip or for inexperienced travelers. The crime rates in the cities are quite high, so it is a place to be aware and make good choices.

• Check out my Argentina blog here!

Iguazu Falls Recommendations:

Iguazu Falls are shared by Argentina and Brazil, and each side offers different perspectives. The Brazilian side is slightly more impressive because you can really take in the expansiveness of the falls. Check out my recommendations for the Argentina side here.

• Both sides offer luggage storage so if you are flying in or out it is very convenient. Once you enter the park there is a bus that will take you to various stops for the trail or safari. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for coati and monkeys!

• The Circuit Trail has several lookouts along the way offering different viewpoints of the falls. At the end of the trail it ventures out over the river in front of The Devil’s Throat and you will get quite wet. There is also an elevator you can go up for a different view here. It takes about 1 hour to complete the trail.

• Get out on the water with Macuco Safari: This tour starts with an electric trolley through the jungle followed by a short hike and then a boat ride. You will get absolutely soaked going under the falls. There is no need to book in advance, the tours go every ~20 minutes. It is quite expensive for what you do.

• Foz do Iguaçu is the city on the Brazilian side of the falls. It is a much larger city than Puerto Iguazu in Argentina. Maki Sushi is a delicious spot for lunch or dinner.

• Venture into Paraguay: Walk across the border and then grab an Uber to Monday Falls. This is a large waterfall with a couple of different viewpoints. The admission fee is $12 and cash-only.

Iguazu Falls

São Paulo Things TO Do:

São Paulo is a really cool city. There is lots of street art, some great breweries and overall good vibes.

• Croma Beer Co.: My favorite brewery in town! They are located in the Pinheiros neighborhood and have a huge tap list. The beers were all great and they also have a food menu.

• Trilha Cervejaria: A great brewery with a few different taprooms across the city. The Perdizes space is a cool spot with a small food menu and friendly staff.

• Bareō Cervejaria: A smaller brewery making stellar IPAs. Worth going out of your way for!

• Wander Avenida Paulista: This is the main street of the city that is full of shops, restaurants, bars and more!

• Museu Afro Brasil: A large museum focused on the Black experience in Brazil. There are a plethora of different exhibits here. The entrance fee is $3.

  • Parque Ibirapuera: The museum is located inside this massive park! Many folks rent bikes to explore the park that is home to a few museums, gardens, and more.

• Check out the Liberdad area for ramen: This neighborhood becomes a madhouse during the lunch rush, so prepare for crowds and waitlists, but it is a cool experience. We ended up at Ikkousha which had tasty ramen and delicious Gyoza.

• Dogma Cervejaria: A solid brewery with a few locations across the city. The Pinheiros taproom has a small food menu and chill vibes.

• Nellos: A fantastic spot for authentic Italian eats. This is a popular spot amongst locals.

• Esconderijo Juan Caloto: A unique brewery with Western vibes near the park. The tap list is Sour heavy and the Sours are indeed great. They also offer cocktails and food.

• Batman Alley: An alley of street art that is pretty cool.

• Pinacoteca de São Paulo: A unique art museum with a variety of exhibits. The entrance fee is $6.

• Mug: A coffee spot with a few locations in town—the coffee is great, but the food was very disappointing.

Sugarloaf Mountain

Rio de Janeiro Recommendations:

• Rio is a quick one hour flight from São Paulo and arguably a must-visit while in the area. Rio is a place where you should be very aware of your surroundings due to the crime rate and favelas.

• Christ the Redeemer Statue: This is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and an iconic place. You will take a tram up, which you can get tickets for in advance to skip some of the line. Expect crowds and prepare for it to be potentially cloudy at the top even if it is a clear day on the ground.

• Hocus Pocus DNA: A solid brewery with 14 taps and a food menu. The vibes here are great. Located in a row with Pizzaria Secreta and Over Hop.

• Pizzaria Secreta: A delicious spot for pizza and cocktails. Highly recommend!

• Over Hop Brewpub: Another brewery option next to Hocus Pocus with a smaller tap list. They also offer food.

• Hit the beach! Rio is full of beautiful beaches with warm ocean water.

• Teva Deli: A delicious spot for breakfast and lunch in Copacabana. Their sister restaurant is open for dinner.

• Brewteco Botafogo: A beer bar with cocktails and a full food menu on the rooftop of a mall with stellar views.

• Prana: A tasty spot for lunch in the Lebelon area. They have a vegan and vegetarian menu with good vibes.

• Escadaria Selarón: A pretty but very crowded staircase—it’s a bit difficult to appreciate or see the stairs with the number of people.

• Sugarloaf Mountain: This mountain is reached via a cable car that leads to a nice view of the area. It is very crowded and takes a very long time to complete even if you buy tickets online, but it is pretty.

• Parque Lage: A nice park that is home to a Palacio that you can pay to enter, but expect long lines.

• Museum of Tomorrow: This museum looks really cool but unfortunately it didn’t logistically fit into our plans. I wanted to include it as a recommendation because I think it looks awesome!

Ecuador

Ecuador is a gorgeous South American country with so much to explore!

Ecuador Tips: 

• They use the US dollar which is really nice and easy!

• Similar to what I say about everywhere in Latin America—get out of Quito! Quito is fun and awesome, but the nature side of Ecuador is gorgeous. I highly recommend checking out Banos

• Elevation is real—beware. Quito is one the highest capital cities in the world, so pace yourself. Also Quito is insanely hilly, prep your thighs folks

• Also, this is semi-random and may have just been the app I was using—but the weather that was predicted was drastically different than what actually happened. I would recommend packing layers and a variety of clothes to be prepared

Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations in Quito:

• Bandido Brewing: An awesome brewery!

• Day trip to the equator!! Now I used to be a geography teacher, so it could just be my nerdy side coming out, but the equator was one of the coolest things ever. Do it up. There are two, in theory. Most day trips take you to both sights

• Quilotoa Lake: An insanely gorgeous lagoon inside a crater. Cute little town here, lots of tourists of course, but the hike is great, the view is great, and I saw a double rainbow over the crater, so I’d say do it up

• Cotopaxi National Park: Glacial volcano at 13,000 feet, complete with wild horses and a lake on top. What more could you ask for?

Other Ideas—Quito:

• Take the teleferico: You’re for real in the clouds at the top—awesome views!

• Check out the churches! Not a statement that always leaves my mouth, but Quito is overflowing with gorgeous churches. Basilica del Voto Nacional is the most stunning

• Parque Itchimbia: Hike up to this pretty park to overlook the city, see the giant Quito sign, and hang out in the greenery

Quilotoa Lake

Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations in Banos:

• Stay at La Casa Verde just outside of downtown. It’s an eco-hostel, super relaxing, and the hosts are SO nice. There are hammocks, delicious snacks, and great views.

• La Casa Del Arbol: Translating to tree house, this is where “the swing at the end of the world” is located. So fun! So cool!

• Take La Ruta De Las Cascadas: The waterfall route. There are a few different ways to do this: taxi, rental car, bike, or chiva. If you have a car, done deal. You can also bike it, but I was warned the biking can be aggressive and intense, so I decided against that. I thought the taxi sounded like not much of an experience. So, I did it via the chiva. I was the only non-Ecuadorian on the chiva and it was awesome. It’s basically an open air truck that takes you along the route to waterfalls and ziplining and such. Very cheap, very fun, very local

• Hike the Mirador Tungurahua trail—depending on what you do from the trail it is an 8+ mile loop with views of Tungurahua volcano, the entire city of Banos, and lots of greenery. You can also swing to a cafe, which is what I tried to do, but be sure to double check their hours before you leave for the hike

  • There are plenty of other hikes in the area as well, including some awesome ones to waterfalls! Jump on it

Peru

Peru is fantastic. The prices are magical, the people are nice (and they speak Spanish nice and slow), and pisco sours are delicious!

Peru Tips: 

• Lima can be seen in just a couple of days, you don’t need more time than that here

• Prepare yourself for lots of car honking in Lima. For no apparent reason whatsoever.

• There is a lot of inequality in Lima. For example, Plaza Mayor, below, is gorgeous and ritzy, then directly on the other side of the palace you can see the poverty of the city at it’s prime. Do something good while you’re visiting.

Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations in Lima:

• Plaza Mayor: The center of the city and home to the Presidential Palace

  • Pro tip: check out the changing of the guards at noon every day!

• Barrancco: The artsy district famous for the Bridge of Sighs and the little cobblestoned path leading from the center of the district to the beach, past the bridge. The bridge itself isn’t all that fancy but the views from it are gorgeous, seeing all of Lima and the Pacific.

Parque del Amor

The Classic Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting in Lima:​

• Kennedy Park: A cute, artsy park, but sadly surrounded by KFC, Starbucks, and other American imports.

• Parque del Amor: The Park of Love! The perfect place to catch a Lima sunset

Chile

Chile has so much to offer and can please anyone’s version of adventure! From the beaches in Northern Chile, to the bustling city of Santiago in the center, to the glacial hiking in the South, Chile is definitely a country that should be on your list.

Chile Tips: 

• Chilean Spanish is INTENSE! Chileanos speak extremely fast, they don’t pronounce the letter ‘s’, they throw ‘po’ to the end of a lot of words sporadically, and there is a ton of slang.

• The most common food you’ll see across the country is completos—they are hot dogs with a variety of toppings. There are also amazing empanadas and sopapillas on the streets. Highly recommend street food here.

Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations in Santiago:

• Beer is the same price as water. Drink beer.

• The Museum of Memory and Human Rights was absolutely amazing. Highly recommend it! Definitely a dark historical overview of the Pinochet dictatorship, but extremely good.

  • After the museum if you need something bright and cheery I would recommend going to Quinta Normal, a huge park right across from the museum, and sit by the fountains and watch the kids and dogs playing for a while!

• Bellavista neighborhood: The artsy part of town with lots of bars and restaurants.

• Climb San Cristobal Hill: There is also a furnicular you can ride up/down if you prefer. The top provides amazing views of the Santiago skyline and the surrounding Andes!

  • Pro-tip: Get yourself some Mote once you make it to the top! A delicious part tea/part fruit/part granola-esque drink.

• La Vega Central: A veggie market near El Mercado Central. Everyone talks about Mercado Central like it is some amazing place but it is really just a fish market, bleh. Lots of markets are lined up in this area so wander around and grab lunch!

  • The markets are near Plaza de Armas, home to some beautiful churches and people watching.

Valparaíso

Day Trips from Santiago:

Take a day trip to Valparaíso! Chile’s historic and colorful port city just an hour and a half long bus ride from Santiago.

• I’d recommend starting your adventure in Plaza Mayor

• Tours for Tips provides a very informational, but fun tour of the city

• Valpo is deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site which has brought the tourism industry and greatly helped the city’s economy. The ascensores are a major part of the UNESCO site, elevators that lift you up or down Valpo’s crazy steep hillside

• Check out El Pimiento restaurant, delicious food & beers!

Arica from El Morro

Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations in Arica (Northern Chile):

• Beach it up! The Pacific Ocean is fabulous

• Check out the sea lions! Near the port the sea lions gather and wait for fish as the fishermen come in for the day. They are super cute!

• Climb El Morro. The hill overlooking the city provides great views of the town, ocean, and surrounding desert.

Chilean Drinks:

• Terremoto: grenadine, white wine (Pipeño), fernet and pineapple ice cream piled together for a delicious–and super strong–drink. Terremoto means earthquake in Spanish, which is the appropriate name for what you feel after you drink just one of these. 

• Pisco Sour: Both Chile and Peru claim the pisco sour as their national drink, Chile’s uses Pisco, sugar, lemon juice, and bitters, and is served in champagne flutes. Peru uses Pisco, simple syrup, key lime juice, egg whites, and bitters, and is served in a normal bar glass. Both recipes are strong and delicious, but I think Peru wins based off of taste and size—just don’t tell anyone in Chile!

• Carménère: A red wine the world thought was extinct until they found some more grapes in Chile, this fruity drink is extremely good.

• Schops: beer is served in schops most of the time in Chile, basically like giant liter sized bottles. Nom. Sometimes they put salt on the rim of the glasses they serve it with, which is also surprisingly fantastic.

• On the non-alcoholic end, if you order a jugo (juice) don’t expect it to taste like juice. Jugo is incredibly sugary in Chile—you can feel the grains of sugar in your mouth with each sip, so don’t sit down to breakfast and expect a nice smooth OJ.

My Experience in Antarctica

Visiting Antarctica was truly a dream! It had never been a spot on my “to-visit” list or somewhere I ever thought I would venture to. That all changed when my friends Wandering Hops sent me a text one day saying “Soooo do you wanna go to Antarctica?” How could I ever say no to that opportunity?

The Logistics

We booked our trip with Poseidon Expeditions in April for over Christmas—I would recommend booking as far in advance as possible! I spent some time upping my winter clothing game and then we were off to Argentina.

In order to visit Antarctica you need to travel to either South Africa or Argentina. In Argentina expeditions leave out of the Patagonian city of Ushuaia at the bottom of South America. There are many different companies that offer trips to Antarctica, and we landed on Poseidon for a few reasons.

1. The size of the ship: This was the biggest advantage to traveling with Poseidon! The ship only fits ~100 guests and there is an IAATO rule that only 100 folks can be on the ground at a landing site at a time. The larger ships can only do half of the expeditions because they have to rotate in groups who can go at a time. There are also ships were you don’t even get off the boat to step on the continent. Additionally, being on a small ship meant we could traverse tighter channels and see more!

2. The price: No matter who you travel with, visiting Antarctica is expensive! Poseidon’s price was lower than some of the other companies, but also not the absolute cheapest.

3. The dates: In the end we were down to Poseidon and Quark, but Poseidon’s Christmas dates worked great for our schedule so we booked!

The Journey

As we departed Ushuaia sailing through the beautiful Beagle Channel I really wasn’t sure what to expect. I do research before trips but I hate having expectations for anything—I hate movie previews, I hate seeing photos of a place before I visit, etc. (I know how strange that is ha!). I was already in awe of the views of this pretty channel in southern Argentina, but I had no idea what lay ahead.

Upon departing the Beagle Channel, the Drake Passage awaited. Some of you may have seen the famous “Drake Shake” videos—you either get a Drake Lake when you cross this treacherous passage or you are faced with the roughest seas that exist in the world. This is because it is where the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern seas converge, and because the currents here meet no resistance from any nearby land.

We had rough waters on the Drake Passage, both sailing to Antarctica and on the return. It was not as bad as it could have been, but it was not super comfortable. The first night entering the passage we had 16.5ft high waves and the guides compared it to “a small hurricane”. It thankfully eased up in the afternoon of our first day in the passage.

On our second day in the Drake Passage things were a bit bumpy but not too bad and we actually made it to Antarctica early! In the afternoon we arrived for our first expedition which was a huge bonus. Each of the 4 days in Antarctica they attempt 2 expeditions and everything is completely weather dependent. This early arrival meant we actually got to complete 9 out of 8 expeditions!

The Expeditions

Our 9 expeditions took place at Halfmoon Island, Palavar Point, Portal Point, Cuverville Island, Neko Harbor, Paradise Harbor, Port Charcot/Booth Island, Useful Island, and Foyn Harbor.

A typical expedition starts with layering up and then hopping on a zodiac boat to either cruise to land or if you are lucky enough to be a part of the Kayak Club, a zodiac ride to the kayaks.

Rebecca and I were kayakers and able to hit the water on 3 different expeditions. It was definitely one of the best parts of the entire trip! Being able to see everything from the water provided a different perspective and was incredibly amazing. It was also great that we didn’t feel like we were missing out on anything because after each kayak session we were able to go to the land and explore.

Some expeditions included a hike up a mountain in the thick snow, some included glacier views, and all of them included hanging out with a TON of penguins. The landscape of the continent was truly stunning!

The Wildlife

We were incredibly lucky on our journey with wildlife sightings! We saw thousands of penguins and three different types: Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adelie. We also saw a ton of them porpoising which was very cool, and even better when it happened while we were kayaking! It was hatching season for the babies so we got to see the mothers on their nests, eggs, and fathers gathering supplies for the nests.

The penguins travel via “highways” and are very indecisive. It was hilarious to watch them try to decide where to go and to watch them flail around with their little bodies. They are arguably the cutest animals I have ever seen.

Humpback Whales were the next wildlife type that we saw the most of. We saw somewhere over 40 Humpbacks, and we were lucky enough that TWO of them were breaching! We saw the Humpbacks from the ship throughout the journey and from the zodiac boats. They are such beautiful creatures and I could have watched them roll around for hours.

We also saw over 30 Orca/Killer Whales! These are not as common in the area and were definitely a treat. The Orcas got very close to our ship and provided a lot of entertainment. We even saw a pod of Orcas hunting a Humpback which is very rare (and sad).

On most of our expeditions there were several seals on the ground and surrounding rocks—we probably saw somewhere over 25 in total. They were mostly Weddell Seals and Leopard Seals. They are so funny the way they just lay around and are unbothered. From the kayak we did see some enter the water which was very cool.

The Ship

Though the ship was small, it was more spacious than I was expecting. There are 6 floors and a majority of the space are the guest cabins. There is a dining room, a lounge, a bar, a library, a gym, and an upper outdoor deck with a hot tub. The hot tub was fantastic and definitely a highlight!

The food on the ship was solid. It became a bit repetitive at times but they did a great job of meeting different dietary restrictions and cultural norms. The dining staff were all incredibly nice and ensured we never went hungry or thirsty!

While at sea there were various information sessions and briefings so were always pretty busy. I envisioned being bored, reading a ton of books, or playing a ton of games, but we really were constantly on the go.

The Highlights

The best parts of visiting Antarctica for me were:

• The wildlife—As described above we were incredibly lucky and saw so many penguins, Humpback Whales, Orcas, and seals.

• The polar plunge—They offer an option polar plunge so obviously I had to do it! Jumping into the Antarctic waters was absolutely freezing but such a cool, once in a lifetime experience. The water temperature was about 35 degrees.

• The landscape—I was blown away by the diverse landscape of Antarctica. Seeing all of the mountains and glaciers was incredible. We saw some gorgeous sunsets off the mountains and it was truly majestic.

• The icebergs—The color, size, and texture of the thousands (millions?) of icebergs that we saw were epic. There were some that were such a bright blue it looked fake. Some that flipped over right in front of us. Some that broke apart right in front of us. Some that were absolutely massive. They were incredible!

• Traversing the Channels—The Errera Channel and Lemaire Channel in particular were absolutely breathtaking. These narrow slices through the land and ice were amazing to witness.

• Kayaking—Getting up close and personal to the icebergs and wildlife was unforgettable!

The Return

After 4.5 days in Antarctica we headed back across the Drake Passage. On the return we had 13-16.5ft waves the entire two days. We traveled 1,795 miles on our Antarctic journey and it was a profound, once in a lifetime, majestic experience.

Have any Antarctica questions? Let me know! Cheers —Alexis