In January 2024, for my 33rd birthday, I had the opportunity to go on an Antarctica expedition. I work for a luxury expedition cruise company, so that’s how I got the chance to do this once-in-a-lifetime journey. The cruise included a few other adventures along the way.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
It all started with a night spent in the vibrant city of Buenos Aires before we headed to the ends of the Earth. The hop-on, hop-off tour bus took us on a lovely drive through the city highlights with the option to get off at any of the stops.
If all you do is walk around the city, there’s plenty to see and experience. Many historic buildings have QR codes you can scan to read their stories, or you can listen to the page article as well.
No matter where you go in Buenos Aires, you will likely run into tango dancers performing on the street. It’s such a beautiful art form, and the entertainers truly show their passion no matter what their stage is.
Tierra del Fuego National Park
Before boarding the ship and embarking on our Antarctica journey, the cruise company took us on a free panoramic bus ride through this famed national park. We got off on a few stops throughout to take in the views. Among these stops, Lago Acigami took my breath away. The pure, pristine scenes that abound in this region give you a greater appreciation for nature.
Antarctica — The Seventh Continent
Leaving from Ushuaia, we took the Beagle Channel out and headed into the infamous Drake Passage. Unfortunately for me, we did not get the Drake Lake but rather a Drake Shake. I had to go to the nurse and get meclizine for my seasickness because it took me out. Once I got to sleep through most of it, the voyage became much easier.
Going through the challenge of the Drake Passage felt well worth it once we sighted our first ice shelf. After two days on the open ocean, feeling every swell and movement, that iceberg reminded us why we took this journey.
The way nature has carved these monoliths of ice feels like a scene out of a sci-fi movie. As we made our way into calmer waters and into a sea of white and blue ice, it felt like we’d left Earth and gone to another planet.
Throughout the journey, the lack of sound struck me the most. All around, the only noises we heard were seabirds, penguins, and ocean waves. As someone who grew up in a city, I became so accustomed to the sounds of cars honking, people shouting, planes overhead, and other noises that I learned to tune them out as background noise. So, I immediately noticed their absence.
Penguins and Whales of Antarctica
The wildlife of the Final Continent will leave you in absolute awe. A picture is worth a thousand words, so here are a few of my favorites.
Ushuaia, Argentina
The expedition ended in Ushuaia, back where we embarked. Due to a workers’ strike in Argentina on the day we arrived back, we had an extra day in town. We took a local trolley tour of the city, learning the history of how it developed in the midst of such stunning nature.
If you ever get the chance to take an expedition to Antarctica, I highly recommend doing so. This truly turned into the journey of a lifetime. I’m so fortunate that I had this opportunity.