hello. i'll be in South America from late October to appx February/March and really want to go to Antarctica while i'm "so close". does anyone know if i'll be able to find a tour once i'm already there? i know it's super pricey but i wonder if i can find a cheaper tour once i'm already in South America/Patagonia.

also, i don't know much about how to get down to Patagonia. i plan to travel by bus for the rest of the trip. is this a realistic way to get to Patagonia, and if so, roughly how long would it take?

thanks!

Hey there!

I totally support your desire to sail to the Antarctic peninsula. Having said that, I have read of a couple of travelers who managed to get a last-minute ticket once they arrived in Ushuaia, but they took a gamble. If you ABSOLUTELY HAVE to do this cruise, the safest thing to do is book your ticket well ahead of time. Buuuuut it is pricier that way. It really depends on how badly you want to sail.

As for travel to Patagonia, I've read in another thread that the roads can get pretty ugly in Chile, so it's therefore recommended to bus it through Argentina.

I did just that in 2001. I was on my way through South America when I arrived in Ushuaia and discovered there were last minute tickets on sale at the travel agency Rumbo Sur there. Instead of paying US$4200 for a two week trip to the Antarctic Peninsula, I got it for US$1600. Last year I think you could get ten day trips with Gap for about US$2500, but their boat sank, so I'm not sure what's your cheapest option this year. #8D)

Anyway, I had a delightful experience going to Antarctica, and you can read almost all about it in a chapter in a travel book I've written, One for the Road. It's a free download from http://bjornfree.com/ if you want to have a look at it.

It remains to be seen what your chances are this winter (/southern summer). I think it's best if you arrive in Ushuaia early in January, but you could also try e-mailing the people at Rumbo Sur before that, see http://www.rumbosur.com.ar/ingles/rantartida.htm . If the financial turmoil that is going on continues, I reckon many cruises will be cancelled, limiting your options. But I also reckon some will still run, and that there will be fewer passengers around to go on them. If it's just you, there's a really good chance there's a single berth for you at a decent price.

Good luck with that!

Bjørn

quote:

I think it's best if you arrive in Ushuaia early in January,

I'd agree with that, maybe even December. When I was in Ushuaia last year there were companies that were offering last minute tickets. I think you could still be looking at 3-4K though and you might have to sit around a few weeks to make it happen.

quote:

also, i don't know much about how to get down to Patagonia. i plan to travel by bus for the rest of the trip. is this a realistic way to get to Patagonia, and if so, roughly how long would it take?

During the summer you can bus down through Patagonia and on to Ushuaia. The buses generally weave in and out of Chile/Argentina. It is quite a long distance and its a trip within itself.

i just booked a trip november 30th because of last minute cancellations...i am paying 3360 for a bed that should be 7000