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Day 3 in Ushuaia
Does Tauck have any sightseeing during day 3 in Ushuaia before boarding the ship ? If so, what is there to see ? On Days 4-5 in the Drake Passage - are the waters in late January too rough to see whales ? We are already excited for January 27, 2024 departure - anyone out there going ?
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I don't know if Tauck has any time, but if you have time, we took a 4 wheel adventure excursion in Ushuaia that was interesting and exciting. I'd recommend it.
We went before Covid and had a delicious grilled lunch cooked on site for us in a small house in or near a park. Drove through the park for a stop that entailed a walk and some bird watching. Had a little time for t-shirt shopping in town before boarding ship.
thx for the replies. hope the grilled lunch still part of plan !
We did Antarctica during the pandemic, and this was our lunch stop. No outdoor grilling.
thx for pics Sealord !
This is what you can look forward to. Spectacular trip … only equaled by Africa.
THX Sealord ! As of today, our best 3 Tauck trips are - Tanzania & Zanzibar as well as Jordan & Egypt and also Peru & Galapagos. Hopefully, Antarctica joins that status. 71 days until our initial flight.
We went around January 18th of last year, and had great weather.
Beautiful crisp and clear day!
Why is no one using the pool on such a sunny day? 😂
There were people who used the pool, but they had children who were probably driving the train. There is not much to do for kids while aboard the ship. The water was warm, but they looked very cold when they got out.
perfect weather ! hope we get as lucky.
You might notice that we look a lot colder in the Zodiac than on the ship. The water was thirty two degrees, so Zodiac travel was very cold. In the sunshine on the ship it was pretty pleasant. We even ate lunch outdoors a number of times. When it was cloudy and the wind was blowing it was definitely Antarctica. We did experience wind, and rain, and snow, but most of the time the weather was great. And Drake’s Passage was almost like a pond. We had a rough ride a couple of times, but we did not get the fifty foot seas that are frequently encountered.
Any commentary on Ponant dinner menus on the Antarctica trip ? Is it mainly French cuisine, or are there American choices each evening ? We have heard the breakfast and lunch are quite tasty, with great pastry ! Tauck literature implies no need for sport coat for any dinner on this trip - is that true ? thx in advance.
The food was good. It was not predominantly French, and I personally think Windstar has better food. That being said, they sometimes serve crepes in the lounge that are”to die for”. They are wonderful. We are not “foodies” so nothing but the crepes linger in my memory. The croissants were good but the best we ever had were at the Intercontinental in Marseille.
thx Sealord. appreciate your insight and previous photos !
We have been back from the trip for about 10 days. The Europeans on the ship tended to dress up more, but very few Tauck guests wore jackets or ties. There is a white "gala" dinner, and a white shirt with a collar, or even a black/white check shirt will fit in just fine (but wearing white isn't necessary). Overall, we were pleased with the quality and variety of the food and drink. There are plenty of American-ish food options, including burgers and steaks if one so chooses. One of the restaurants on the ship is more formal with a menu, and the other is casual with a buffet and carving station.
To your original post, I think the amount of free time you get in Ushuaia will depend on trip specific timing. Our group had very little free time on Day 3 (the ship wanted us to board at 3:30), but quite a bit when the ship got back to port early from Antarctica. A coach drove us around town with a local guide, and then we had approx. 90 minutes to wander and shop. There is a main drag with many shops and cafes, and a modest handicraft market (locally made stuff) close to the water.
Whales? We saw many humpbacks throughout our time in Antarctica, including two very close encounters from the Zodiacs. You are much more likely to see them in the calmer waters around the peninsula rather than in the Drake. We also enjoyed two good sightings of pods of Orcas. My guess is that you will see even more whales than we did with your late January departure.
You will appreciate taking a single trekking pole (with a basket) on the hikes.
Spectacular trip. The views never stop. Go out on the Zodiacs anytime they let you. Also, bundle up and spend quiet time on the decks with binoculars. Amazing what you will see.
I have videos with as many as three whales broaching together, but I don’t know how to post them if that is possible.
We will see how this works. You have to click the center symbol, then the forward arrow in the lower left corner. Thanks to Alan. He taught me how to do this.
It came out fine.
MGCGKC - thx so much for reply. appreciate the detail about the time onboard the ship. glad you enjoyed the adventure. just blown away by the fact we will set foot on Antarctica very soon ! and Sealord - your video came out perfect. thx !