Cape Horn to the Cape of Good Hope
Trip Details
- Duration: 23 days days
- Visited Areas: Africa
Many colorful milestones line your route on this epic voyage from Cape Horn, at the tip of South America, to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. No place can compete with South Georgia when it comes to its abundance of wildlife: gentoo, macaroni and chinstraps. People stop dead in their tracks when they see their first king penguin colony — 300,000 on a single beach. Add the green tussock grass-covered landscapes of The Falklands, and the wandering albatross with its 11-foot wingspan — and you have one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on the planet. Visit Tristan da Cunha, an oceanic Eden, before ending in lively Cape Town. Your guides will change course for wildlife sightings, and your Zodiacs, kayaks and an Undersea Specialist will help you understand these remote lands.
All departures aboard the National Geographic Explorer are Photo Expeditions, see end of page for details.
Itinerary
Day 1: Depart Home
Fly overnight to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Day 2: Buenos Aires / Overnight Caesar Park Hotel
Arrive in Buenos Aires and check in to the excellent Caesar Park Hotel. This seductive city set along the Rio de la Plata has been the gateway to Argentina for centuries. You will have a guided overview of the city, seeing its Beaux Arts palaces, grand boulevards and the famous balcony forever associated with Eva Peron. Return to your hotel for a relaxing dinner.
Day 3: Fly to Ushuaia, Argentina / Embark Ship
This morning's LAN charter flight offers some rare views of Patagonia en route to Ushuaia, the worldÂ’s southernmost city. Take a catamaran cruise through PatagoniaÂ’s scenic Beagle Channel. Embark your ship, National Geographic Explorer.
Day 4: At Sea
Awake well into your journey en route to the Falklands, with time to settle in to shipboard life and hear talks from your staff preparing you for the exciting days ahead.
Day 5: Falkland Islands
Lace up your walking shoes and hike the tussock grass-covered landscape. Your staffÂ’s relationships ensure you see another side of the Falklands: meeting the rugged, friendly islanders who live in this isolated outpost of the United Kingdom. Visit the photogenic, Victorian town of Port Stanley. Hoist a couple at the local pub and stop at the Anglican Cathedral with its Gothic archway of whalebones.
Days 6-7: At Sea
En route to South Georgia, you traverse 750 nautical miles. Stop by the Bridge to meet the officers and keep watch for whales and seabirds.
Days 8-10: South Georgia
Renowned for its beauty and vast colonies of king penguins, this is also the final resting place for the legendary Antarctic explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton. You will make the most of your three days, with a flexible schedule to take advantage of the unexpected—perhaps watching a 40-ton whale surface off the bow. Walk the wild beaches. Paddle a kayak as curious fur seals play alongside. Hike mountain passes along Shackleton’s epic route. And stand in awe surrounded by 300,000 king penguins!
Days 11-14: At Sea
Enjoy the shipÂ’s amenities: have a massage, work out in the gym, savor time in the Observation Lounge, or listen to presentations by your expedition team.
Day 15: Tristan da Cunha
Land ho! On this leg of your voyage, experience firsthand the islands of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, with their volcanic origin and still-active cones to be seen en route. Tristan is primarily known for its wildlife, including rare northern rockhopper penguins and Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross. The fiercely proud islanders were evacuated to England in 1961, due to a volcanic eruption — with most voting to return to Tristan. A visit to this enchantingly remote but enterprising community provides the explanation: tropical weather, self-sufficient farming and a lucrative lobster trade. Meet the islanders, who are proud of their international status as ‘the remotest island,’ to learn firsthand about their culture and history — and discover what ‘rush hour’ is like on an island of 300 hardy souls.
Day 16: Nightingale & Inaccessible islands
With no humans, neighboring Nightingale and Inaccessible islands are a pristine wildlife haven, where you are likely to encounter ‘Life List’ species. Several endemic wildlife species, such as the unique Moseleyi rockhopper penguins and the Tristan albatross can only be observed along the Atlantic Ridge. One look at Inaccessible Island explains the name, as sheer cliffs rise from the sea. In 2004, it became a UNESCO Site in recognition of an ecosystem almost untouched by mankind, with many native species of plants and seabirds.
Days 17-20: At Sea
Last chance to linger in the library, enjoy a wellness treatment or send emails home saying “Don’t want this to end.” Celebrate the adventure at your farewell dinner.
Day 21: Disembark Cape Town, South Africa / Overnight Hotel
Disembark in Cape Town, the premier city in South Africa, celebrated for its great seaside location and vistas. For a spectacular view of the Cape, take a cable car to the top of the cityÂ’s landmark, flat-topped Table Mountain (weather permitting). Then visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, known for its remarkable collection of Cape flora. Check in to the Table Bay Hotel, on the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, with the rest of the day free to explore.
Days 22-23: Cape Town / Return Home
Depart Cape Town and board your return flight home.