Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu, Antarctic & Buenos Aires.....my plans

[caramelo]

Antarctica aboard the MS Fram, Hurtigruten, February 23rd, 2009

 

 

If you are interested I would like to share with you the details of the trip that I will start in about 6 weeks to Antarctica aboard the MS Fram, Hurtigruten next February, in case this information might be of help to people travelling to these destinations in the future:

 

 

 

 

 

 

In short, the summary of the trip is as follows:

 

Arrival February 18th at night in Rio de Janeiro.

 

Thursday 19th: Rio de Janeiro: excursion to see Christ the Redeemer and the Sugar Loaf Mountain, etc.

 

 

Friday 20th: Flight to Iguazu, Brazilian side, arriving at approx. 7pm.

 

Saturday 21st: Iguazu, Brazil side: Have booked a shopping trip to Paraguay, and later a 10 minute helicopter trip over the Falls.

 

 

 

That night, dinner and show of the music and dance of the 3 countries (Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay):

 

We will also go to see the Friendship Bridge and the point of the triple border.

 

 

 

Sunday 22nd: We will go over and stay on the Argentinian side of the Falls, and spend the day in the Iguazu Park

 

 

 

Monday 23rd: Flight to Buenos Aires, arriving at approximately 3pm and will then join the rest of the group for the Hurtigruten trip at the hotel. In the evening we hope to see the show Tango "Esquina Carlos Gardel."

 

Tuesday 24th:Buenos Aires-Ushuaia-Embarkation (day 3)

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Ushuaia, the world's southernmost city.

 

We will be given an orientation tour of this popular and attractive resort town, surrounded by snow-capped mountains, rivers, and waterfalls, before boarding MS Fram. In the evening an informative welcome meeting will be held.

 

The Antarctica:

 

Wed. 25th and Thursday 26th : The Drake Passage

Less than two days will be spent crossing the Drake Passage. During the crossing numerous lectures will be held on fascinating Antarctica, considered one of the most breathtaking and beautiful continents. You will arrive in Antarctica on Friday 27th.

 

Mind you the Drake Passage can suffer rough waters like these!!!:

 

 

 

Thursday 26th to Monday 2nd of March: Antarctica

Antarctica, "The White Continent," is more than half the size of North America. On the Antarctic Peninsula you'll experience the narrow, glacier-lined Lemaire Channel, considered one of most beautiful passages in Antarctica where humpback and killer whales, various penguins, and elephant seals are a common sight and the breathtaking Neumayer Channel, with its majestic cliffs. Visits by PolarCirkel boats will be attempted in various locations (weather permitting), including:

• Whaler's Bay, on Deception Island, with its warm springs and black volcanic sand.

• Half Moon Island, with spectacular views of the surrounding mountains, famous for its large chinstrap penguin rookery, kelp gulls and Antarctic terns. Whale spotting is also common here.

• Yankee Harbor, home to a variety of seals and an estimated 4,000 gentoo penguin pairs. It is a common feeding area for whales as well.

• Cuverville Island, boasting the largest known colony of gentoo penguins in the Antarctic Peninsula.

• Neko Harbor, off spectacular Errera Channel, home to hundreds of gentoo penguins, Weddell and elephant seals, is believed to be part of mainland Antarctica.

• Almirante Brown, in Paradise Harbor, named for its beauty, with ice cliffs and floating icebergs, home to gentoo and chinstrap penguins.

• Petermann Island, home of the southernmost gentoo penguin colony, blue-eyed shags and Adelie penguins nest here too.

• Port Lockroy, surrounded by mountains, glaciers and ice shelves, and known for its gentoo penguins and blue-eyed cormorants.

• Wilhelmina Bay, feeding ground for whales and seals.

• Antarctic Sound, where huge mile-long tabular icebergs can be seen. The sound is also home to an estimated half-million Adelie penguins as well as gentoo penguins, leopard seals and killer whales.

• Brown Bluff, on the coast of the Antarctic Sound at the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Adelie penguins, gentoo penguins, kelp gulls and Cape petrels can be found here and Weddell seals are regular visitors.

Monday 2nd & Tues. 3rd of March: The Drake Passage

While you cross this stretch of water from Antarctica, a series of lectures will be held onboard summing up topics related to Antarctica.

Wednesday 4th : Disembarkation-Ushuaia-Buenos Aires

In the morning, you will reach the Argentinean city of Ushuaia. Ushuaia is reckoned to be the most southerly city in the world and is situated on Tierra del Fuego Island south of the Magellan Strait. After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Buenos Aires. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel.

 

Arriving in Buenos Aires at approximately 11:40 am. If there is no delay with the flight, we have booked for 3pm a City Tour of Buenos Aires. This takes about 3 hours and includes visiting: Plaza de Mayo, Cathedral, Casa Rosada, San Telmo (old town), La Boca (Italian neighborhood), Caminito, Puerto Madero, Palermo Park, Recoleta (fashion district), Colon Theater, Obelisk, July 9 Avenue, its monuments, museums, mausoleum of Eva Peron, architecture, churches, and typical residential neighborhoods, etc.

 

Thursday 5 of March, Day Trip from in Buenos Aires to Colonia, Uruguay by Hydrofoil boat (one hour), and back, including transfers, tour of the city and lunch.

 

In the evening, back in Buenos Aires, dinner and entertainment Opera Pampa: Gaucho style show:

 

 

 

 

Friday 6th: Buenos Aires : Return flight home.

 

If anyone has any questions please let me know. If not, I will post a review with photos upon my return

 

Bye for now.

[WildEye]

Sounds like a wonderful trip.

 

We are going on the Fram from 4/2-16/2 to Marguerite Bay. Just 25 days now until we leave for Buenos Aires. Staying there for a couple of days extra. Iguzau falls would have been wonderful to experience, but we didn't have time for it.

[ycchien]

We are going in February 2010 with another cruise line but are very interested in your pre-cruise tour from Rio to Buenos Aires. If your tour is set up by some agent there, could you please kindly share with us?

[caramelo]

Hi,

 

Firstly I posted the wrong map by mistake......this is the correct one:

 

Wild Eye: Hope you have a fantastic trip......

In case you didn´t know, I just found this news that there will be a photographer aboard offereing a free workshop for those who want to learn how to improve their photography, plus they will be giving a fee CD to the passengers with the professional photos:

HURTIGRUTEN ADDS UNIQUE PROGRAM TO FIVE ANTARCTICA CRUISES - AWARD-WINNING

PHOTOGRAPHERS TO OFFER WORKSHOPS AND ASSIST PASSENGERS IN CAPTURING MEMORIES

 

Photographers Will Provide Free CD of Photos and Trip Information and

Sell DVD With Additional Extras

 

New York, NY, November 2008 -- Passengers wishing to learn more about capturing the memories of their once-in-a-lifetime Hurtigruten Antarctica Exploration Cruises will now be assisted by award-winning photographers and videographers. Hurtigruten has signed on with Australian-based Theme Media to provide these professionals, who will offer lectures and guidance on how to photograph these unique environments and develop CD/DVD Travel Journals to document their vacation. Five sailings will offer this no-cost added bonus -- Nov. 26, Dec. 4 and 12, 2008, and Feb. 2 and 22, 2009; all of the sailings save Feb. 2 are 13-day adventures aboard the world's newest and most deluxe expedition ship, MS Fram. The Feb. 2 sailing, also aboard the MS Fram, is a new 17-day itinerary and heads off to the rarely-visited Marguerite Bay, home to the only known breed of emperor penguins on the west side of Antarctica.

 

Passengers will receive a free CD containing the professional photographers/videographers images, maps, logbook, crew names and other important facts about their particular cruise. A DVD Travel Journal, with additional images, interviews, film, etc. we be offered for $75.

 

Award-winning photographer Camille Seaman, aboard for the first three sailings, concentrates her work on the fragile environment of the polar regions. Her photos have been exhibited at the National Academy of Sciences and the Peabody Essex Museum, among others, and have been published in most top magazines and newspapers. She also teaches workshops on photography and self-publishing. Fulbright scholar and filmmaker Tori Hogan comes aboard for the February 4, 2009 sailing, offering her 60-country experience on photographing and filming in connection with international aid organizations. Tori is also the CEO of an innovative start-up social enterprise she co-founded named "Beyond Good Intentions." Sandra Walser, aboard for the Feb. 22 voyage, is a freelance photographer and journalist specializing in the polar regions. Her photographic work, appearing in print and online media throughout the world, was born of a passion she discovered while in kindergarten in Switzerland.

 

Regarding the cruise tour, I found a lot of the information and help here on this forum which was fantastic........ here are my details:

 

We booked all our flights ourselves (except the flights Buenos Aires to Ushuaia and back which are with Hurtigruten) as we live in Spain so our flights were easier ourselves. We then found a company called ISANGO:

 

http://www.isango.com/

 

We booked with them the "Rio de Janeiro Scenic Tour" which is 3 days / 2 nights, and includes being collected and transfered from the airport to the Sofitel Hotel, and also includes the excursion to the Christ Redeemer / Sugar Loaf, and after the stay, the transfer back to the airport:

 

http://www.isango.com/Product/Rio_de_Janeiro_Scenic_Tour_(Hotel_Sofitel)_2970.aspx

 

We then booked our own flight from Rio de Janeiro to Iguazu with Tam Linhas.

 

On this forum we found the recommendations of the tour company :

 

http://www.defrantur.com/ingles/

 

We have organized with them to collect us at the airport and transfer us to our hotel in Foz de Iguazu on the Brazilian side. The hotel we reserved directly ourselves by internet: The Hotel Mercure Grand.

 

Then we booked with ISANGO, the Shopping Excursion to Paraguay:

 

http://www.isango.com/Product/Shopping_Tour_in_Paraguay_1097.aspx

 

and also with them the 10 minute helicoper trip over the Iguazu:

 

http://www.isango.com/Product/Helicopter_Tour_over_Iguassu_Falls_1088.aspx

 

(although there is now a different price on their internet site......our was a total of 170 euros for the 2 adults).

 

DEFRANTUR will also collect us and bring us from the Brazilian hotel to the one on the Argentinian side of the falls and will show us the Triple Frontera (Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay).

 

We will do the Iguazu Park on our own.

 

We then have our own flights again from Iguazu to Buenos Aires and will go to the Hotel booked for the group with Hurtigruten.

 

We have transfer from the airport to the hotel with DEFRANTUR and also through them we have the Tango show "Esquina Carlos Gardel".

 

When we return from the Antarctic we will be transfered together with the rest of the Hurtigruten group to the hotel. We should arrive at the airport in Buenos Aires at approx. 11:40am so if there are no long flight delays we will be collected at our hotel in Buenos Aires by DEFRANTUR for the 3 hours city tour booked for 3pm.

 

Then we got our local travel agent who booked the Hurtigruten trip to find out what hotel Hurtigruten had for us in Buenos Aires (which is the NH City) and booked an extra night in the same hotel with our travel agent so as not to have to change hotels.

 

The trip to Uruguay we had to book ourselves. All of the tour guides give you the link to BUQUEBUS but it seems that they can not book it or Buquebus doesn´t give them commissions so this we did ourselves. In our case we have the advantage as we live in Spain that we are fluent in the Spanish language, so we had no problem booking this. Buquebus is the Ferry Company who do the crossings to Uruguay, Colonia.....we picked the fast service (1 hour crossing) with a city tour and luch included. This is their link:

 

http://www.buquebus.com/BQBWeb/servlet/com.buquebus.web.ArmaOfertasPrincipalEng

 

We took the top left option: daily packages...

http://www.buquebus.com/BQBWeb/servlet/com.buquebus.web.compra.paquetes.ListadoPaquetes?parBase=ENG

 

and took the FAST SHIP, booked our date and payment was inmediate by credit card.

 

We we come back, we booked the evening Opera Pampa Guacho Show also through DEFRANTUR, and we also booked again through them that the collect us at our hotel the following day to transfer us to the airport for our flight home to Spain.

 

So in summary, we are using only 2 companies for the whole trip ISANGO and DEFRANTUR.

 

I have read many recommendations for Defrantur but I havn´t as yet found people with personal experience with Isango!!! I will let you know soon how I get on!!!

 

Hope this information is of some help to you. :)

 

 

[Jade13]

Wow Caramelo. Thank you for the details. You are really going everywhere/seeing everything. We are traveling to/from BA so we could leave excess luggage at our hotel (InterContinental) prior to going to Iguazu Falls. How will you deal with the excess luggage on the intra country flights or did you just figure the extra costs into your budget? Or, maybe you are traveling super light?

 

So, it doesn't look like with Paraquay you will have time to walk around the park on the Brazil side? I guess you can't do anything. We decided not to go to Paraquay (although the extra passport stamp would be nice) because we had to pay for a Visa for the day in Brazil. We have/had plans to take the helicopter (our tour guide just said it could not be booked in advance but is US $100.00 per person on the spot, but $300.00 for the entire helicopter if we can't find a 3rd passenger) but my DH thinks even $200.00 is a waste of money for a 10 minute "thrill ride" so does not want to do it.

 

Do citizens from Spain need a Visa for Brazil or Paraquay?

 

Also, thank you again for the help with the ferry to Colonia. I think (hope) we have the correct tickets/vouchers. It's terrible not being able to read them :)

[WildEye]

I have been reading the US pages of hurtigruten, which have a much more detailed information about the trips. And am very happy about them offering their photo "workshop" program. Our cruise to Marguerite bay is one of those that have one available.

 

I found about this a few weeks ago, and its mostly by chance, since this was announced some 9-10 months after we booked our trip.

 

As luck would have it, the first of the two marguerite bay trips was fully booked, so we had to get on the second one... Which now will have the Photo workshop. :)

[caramelo]

Jade13.....I am hoping to travel reasonably light but it is not easy!!! The main problem is our flight from Iguazu to Buenos Aires only allows 15 kilos!!! Our advantage is that there are no formal nights or gala dinners like on other cruises, so that is a lot of clothes and weight that we will save on. Then my idea is mainly layers, like t-shirts and polos and fleece over them. The t-shirts and polos can suit both the hot weather and cold weather with layers over them. Then we will bring less amount but use the washing machines aboard. The heacy jacket I will carry on my arm. All our heavy things are mainly photographic equipment which we will take in our hand luggage (with wheels)...... and cross our fingers that we don´t have to much excess luggage. I did laugh today reading an article which said that those who go to the Antarctic are generally equipped for temperatures of 50 degrees below zero!!! hahaha

 

Wild Eye: As you are going before us....have you already received your final documents? My reason for asking you, or anyone else who might know about this, is regarding the Jackets which are provided by Hurtigruten. I have heard they are very waterproof but are not so warm. I have heard or read that others use their own jackets UNDER the one provided by Hurtigruten. So my question is do you order a bigger size than your normal size????? My jacket is similar to this one......so I would need at least one size bigger:

 

Also, as a normal European size I would either take a Medium or size 42 / 44 (English maybe 12 or 14)....... so what size jacket should I ask for?

Also they provide the boots, and we will have heavier and thicker than normal socks.......does one also order one size bigger than usual?

Jade13, The Paraguay shopping is only a 2 hour trip and we will be finished everything by lunchtime, so we should have the whole afternoon free to see the Iguazu park.

I also have the advantage that as a European we don´t need visas for any of the countries.

[Jade13]

 

I also have the advantage that as a European we don´t need visas for any of the countries.

 

That makes a big difference. If it didn't cost me much I would go over the bridge too!

[freddie]

Jade - You might want to reconsider your decision not to take the helicopter ride over Iguazu Falls. Yes, it is kind of expensive and not very long. However, that "thrill ride" offers the opportunity to see the magnificent falls from a perspective not remotely available from land.

 

When we visited Igauzu, we stayed at the hotel on the Argentine side and were able to walk the trails on both the Argentine and Brazilian sides, see the falls from the water in the zodiacs that take you right into the mist of the falls, and finally from the air in the helicopter. We would repeat any of those fantastic experiences in a moment, particularly the helicopter ride. One cannot grasp the enormity of the falls and the river leading into them from land.

 

The helicopter ride above the falls is a "ten-minute splurge" that will be etched into your memory for your lifetime. Anytime you hear the theme from "The Mission" you will remember with great awe that immense body of water and jungle.

 

Sometimes, splurges make sense, especially those like the copter trip over Iguazu, for a once-in-a-lifetime engraving onto your memory and soul.

 

Cheers, Fred

[Jade13]

Jade - You might want to reconsider your decision not to take the helicopter ride over Iguazu Falls. Yes, it is kind of expensive and not very long. However, that "thrill ride" offers the opportunity to see the magnificent falls from a perspective not remotely available from land.

 

When we visited Igauzu, we stayed at the hotel on the Argentine side and were able to walk the trails on both the Argentine and Brazilian sides, see the falls from the water in the zodiacs that take you right into the mist of the falls, and finally from the air in the helicopter. We would repeat any of those fantastic experiences in a moment, particularly the helicopter ride. One cannot grasp the enormity of the falls and the river leading into them from land.

 

The helicopter ride above the falls is a "ten-minute splurge" that will be etched into your memory for your lifetime. Anytime you hear the theme from "The Mission" you will remember with great awe that immense body of water and jungle.

 

Sometimes, splurges make sense, especially those like the copter trip over Iguazu, for a once-in-a-lifetime engraving onto your memory and soul.

 

Cheers, Fred

 

 

Thanks Fred. I will talk to DH. He is always trying to save money but I tend to put together the most comprehensive (and usually costly with private guides) tours wherever we go. Even though we have a guide taking us from the Sheraton across into Brazil for the day, the next morning we are walking the trails in Argentina on our own. The guide doesn't think it will be a problem finding a third person for the helicopter. It is now $300.00 US cash for the helicopter which can carry three.

 

Btw, which boat tour did you do? Our guide has us scheduled for (Brazil side) Marcuso Safari & boat although I asked for "rafting". Now he says we can decide on the rafting while there. I think its a bit too much water (plus down time for the guide). I can't find anyone who has done both and can not figure out if its this same company that does both the motorized "raft" and real rafts with paddles. Any ideas?

[minke]

Caramelo, I assume Hurtugruten still use the same boots procedure as we had on Nordkapp in 06. If so, you do not keep the same pair of boots (ie in your cabin) for the whole trip. Boots are kept on racks in the polarCirkel boat loading area. You are called down in your respective groups (rotated) in time to select a right size pair & get them on. Worked well on our trip & did not hear of anyone not getting the right size. I normally take euro size 43 shoes & selected 45 off the shelf to allow for thick socks in the boots. Jacket was warm enough for me with several layers on, in fact was too hot a few times! Yesterday our UK news reported even England was colder that Antarctica!

[WildEye]

Wild Eye: As you are going before us....have you already received your final documents? My reason for asking you, or anyone else who might know about this, is regarding the Jackets which are provided by Hurtigruten. I have heard they are very waterproof but are not so warm. I have heard or read that others use their own jackets UNDER the one provided by Hurtigruten. So my question is do you order a bigger size than your normal size????? My jacket is similar to this one......so I would need at least one size bigger:

 

 

Also, as a normal European size I would either take a Medium or size 42 / 44 (English maybe 12 or 14)....... so what size jacket should I ask for?

 

Also they provide the boots, and we will have heavier and thicker than normal socks.......does one also order one size bigger than usual?

 

Jade13, The Paraguay shopping is only a 2 hour trip and we will be finished everything by lunchtime, so we should have the whole afternoon free to see the Iguazu park.

 

I also have the advantage that as a European we don´t need visas for any of the countries.

 

Our TA, Kystopplevelser (Hurtigrutens sales and tour operator in Norway) told us that they generally recommended Parkas "one size larger than what you normally use". Hopefully they will fit when we get there... I ordered a XXXL because of this. I think they might have a few "spares" in stock so to exchange for people who have gotten their sizes mixed up. Fitting clothes on a list of paper / internet is just not easy enough.

 

The Parkas supplied are mainly to combat the winds and sea conditions on zodiac/polarcirckel-boat cruises. They are not designed to keep you warm. Our travel documents have information about what to bring in addition to the jacket and boots provided on the ship:

* Wind and waterproof pants

* Warm hat/cap

* Scarf

* Warm gloves or mitts (I have bought a pair of glove liners of Merano wool, a pair of crosscountry skiing gloves (very flexible for operating camera equipment), and a waterresistant mitt as an outershell with a fleece liner.)

* Long underwear, preferably wool

* Warm wool or fleece pullover/jacket

* Warm socks, preferably wool (plural - more than one pair...)

 

We also bought insulation inlay soles to use with the boots. I dont know if they are needed, but they didn't cost that much.

 

Other things we have gotten, are sunglasses, both of us use glasses, so have gotten pairs with our normal "strength".

 

Extra memory cards for the videocamera, and photo camera.

 

I will be looking at some binoculars this week.

[caramelo]

Thanks Minke and WildEye! That´s a great help. :)

[parischris]

Jade13.....I am hoping to travel reasonably light but it is not easy!!! The main problem is our flight from Iguazu to Buenos Aires only allows 15 kilos!!! Our advantage is that there are no formal nights or gala dinners like on other cruises, so that is a lot of clothes and weight that we will save on. Then my idea is mainly layers, like t-shirts and polos and fleece over them. The t-shirts and polos can suit both the hot weather and cold weather with layers over them. Then we will bring less amount but use the washing machines aboard. The heacy jacket I will carry on my arm. All our heavy things are mainly photographic equipment which we will take in our hand luggage (with wheels)...... and cross our fingers that we don´t have to much excess luggage. I did laugh today reading an article which said that those who go to the Antarctic are generally equipped for temperatures of 50 degrees below zero!!! hahaha

 

Wild Eye: As you are going before us....have you already received your final documents? My reason for asking you, or anyone else who might know about this, is regarding the Jackets which are provided by Hurtigruten. I have heard they are very waterproof but are not so warm. I have heard or read that others use their own jackets UNDER the one provided by Hurtigruten. So my question is do you order a bigger size than your normal size????? My jacket is similar to this one......so I would need at least one size bigger:

 

 

Also, as a normal European size I would either take a Medium or size 42 / 44 (English maybe 12 or 14)....... so what size jacket should I ask for?

 

Also they provide the boots, and we will have heavier and thicker than normal socks.......does one also order one size bigger than usual?

 

Jade13, The Paraguay shopping is only a 2 hour trip and we will be finished everything by lunchtime, so we should have the whole afternoon free to see the Iguazu park.

 

I also have the advantage that as a European we don´t need visas for any of the countries.

 

There isn't any need to stress over the parka size. Hurtigruten will have a 'parka exchange' session for parkas that turn out to be too big/too small when everyone is on board. Minke is right about the wellies as well.

 

Cheers

[caramelo]

Another ....maybe stupid question: I never normally take tablets and I don´t usually suffer from seasickness...... but it appears that one could expect quite rough waters crossing the Drake Passage. Can anyone recommend good tablets for seasickness...... maybe ones available in Europe or even UK ones? They should be reasonably strong ones or ones that have a good effect if the seas are really very rough with high waves. Do they require a doctors presciption?

[WildEye]

When going to the doctor to get our medical checkup in order for the trip, my doctor recommended either taking "Prostafen" tablets (available over the counter in Norway), or Scopoderm patches (need a prescrition).

 

The patches last for up to 72 hours, and you can take them off when they are not needed. Just apply them behind the ear.

 

We will be bringing the a packet of the pills too, just in case. While using the patches crossing the drake if it gets Rock and Roll.

[caramelo]

Thanks again WildEye :)

[freddie]

Caramelo - When we went to the Falklands, South Georgia and the Antarctic on The Hanseatic in 2007, we had great results from the motion sickness tablets called, "Scopace". They have a similar active ingredient to the patches, scopolamine, but have the very distinct advantage over the patches of taking effect very quickly (within hours) and then leaving the system just as quickly once you no longer need to take them. Further, one can take one tablet or two, depending on body weight.

 

We only needed them for two different days of our 18 days on the ship and were very glad that they left our bodies so quickly once we were in calm waters and didn't need them any longer. The side effects are dry mouth and dry mucous membranes, as with all scopolamine drugs. Therefore, you should take some plain saline nasal spray with you, as well as sugar-free lozenges to suck on.

 

We are completely sold on this product, Scopace; and the travel clinic we use has added it to its recommended list. Here is the website to get some additional info and a comparison between these tablets and the patch (which we also took and never used):

http://www.motionsickness.net/versus.html .

 

Cheers, Fred

[caramelo]

Only 8 days to go..... the following video gives a good idea as to what I could expect to see. Press on the option after "quote"......

 

 

 

 

I leave on Wednesday of next week.... :)