Your itinerary
Day 1
Start Ushuaia, Argentina
Begin your journey in Ushuaia, a small but bustling port town at the tip of South America. This Argentine town is an ideal gateway for you to explore the southern extent of Patagonia while preparing for your adventure ahead. Get active in the mountains or enjoy handcrafted chocolate at a café in town.
Day 2
Board ship and sail along the Beagle Channel
The morning is free to explore Ushuaia and the surrounding area, to do some last minute shopping, stroll around Ushuaia and down to the port or maybe go for a walk in the nearby National Park. The transfer to the ship takes place in the afternoon. Once on board there is a get together for introductions to the expedition team, to learn about the ship and its layout, talk about the itinerary for the next 10 days and participate in the obligatory lifeboat drill. Departure from Ushuaia is normally around 6:00 p.m, and we set sail through the Beagle Channel in the early evening. The long days mean plenty of evening light in which to experience the beauty of the channel, and to perhaps enjoy your first wildlife sightings.
Meals: Dinner
Day 3
Cross the Drake Passage
Sea conditions in the Drake Passage can vary from dead calm (known as ‘Drake Lake’), to rough and stormy (known as ‘Drake Shake’). As you cross the Drake Passage our team of experts is out on deck to help you spot whales and identify seabirds. There is also a programme of talks, covering the wildlife, the ice, and polar history to prepare you for your adventure to the ‘White Continent’. The excitement intensifies as you cross the Antarctic Convergence, where the cold waters of the Antarctic Ocean meet the warmer waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. You feel the change as the air gets cooler. Huge icebergs loom up against the horizon in increasing numbers, and Wandering albatrosses, petrels and other birds which thrive in this cold, remote ocean are frequently seen.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 4
Cross the Drake Passage
Sea conditions in the Drake Passage can vary from dead calm (known as ‘Drake Lake’), to rough and stormy (known as ‘Drake Shake’). As you cross the Drake Passage our team of experts is out on deck to help you spot whales and identify seabirds. There is also a programme of talks, covering the wildlife, the ice, and polar history to prepare you for your adventure to the ‘White Continent’. The excitement intensifies as you cross the Antarctic Convergence, where the cold waters of the Antarctic Ocean meet the warmer waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. You feel the change as the air gets cooler. Huge icebergs loom up against the horizon in increasing numbers, and Wandering albatrosses, petrels and other birds which thrive in this cold, remote ocean are frequently seen.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 5
South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula
The most common reaction upon reaching the White Continent is a sense of reverence and awe. The experience is beyond words, since few places are as untouched and enduring as Antarctica. You will begin to appreciate why this region has long captivated the attention of explorers and travellers alike. Every time we visit Antarctica, we witness something new or unexpected, which means that your expedition will be unlike any other – creating a unique, personal experience.
Each day, you will take Zodiac excursions from the ship to explore local bays, channels and landing sites. Your Expedition Team will take care of you at each landing, whether you are hiking the Antarctic landscape, visiting a research station or consorting with Chinstrap, Adélie and Gentoo penguins, all of which can be found here. Keep an eye out for Weddell, Fur, Crabeater and Leopard seals as well as curious whales, such as Humpbacks, Fins, or perhaps Orcas while on a Zodiac cruise. Each excursion will present a new collection of creatures to delight you and keep your camera busy.
Amid the serene silence of Antarctica, noisy interludes become indelible memories, such as penguins squabbling over prized pebbles, or the boom and crack of a calving glacier.
Every day will be different, having been carefully crafted by your Expedition Team to inspire and educate you about this wonderful part of the world.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 6
South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula
The most common reaction upon reaching the White Continent is a sense of reverence and awe. The experience is beyond words, since few places are as untouched and enduring as Antarctica. You will begin to appreciate why this region has long captivated the attention of explorers and travellers alike. Every time we visit Antarctica, we witness something new or unexpected, which means that your expedition will be unlike any other – creating a unique, personal experience.Each day, you will take Zodiac excursions from the ship to explore local bays, channels and landing sites. Your Expedition Team will take care of you at each landing, whether you are hiking the Antarctic landscape, visiting a research station or consorting with Chinstrap, Adélie and Gentoo penguins, all of which can be found here. Keep an eye out for Weddell, Fur, Crabeater and Leopard seals as well as curious whales, such as Humpbacks, Fins, or perhaps Orcas while on a Zodiac cruise. Each excursion will present a new collection of creatures to delight you and keep your camera busy.Amid the serene silence of Antarctica, noisy interludes become indelible memories, such as penguins squabbling over prized pebbles, or the boom and crack of a calving glacier.Every day will be different, having been carefully crafted by your Expedition Team to inspire and educate you about this wonderful part of the world.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 7
South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula
The most common reaction upon reaching the White Continent is a sense of reverence and awe. The experience is beyond words, since few places are as untouched and enduring as Antarctica. You will begin to appreciate why this region has long captivated the attention of explorers and travellers alike. Every time we visit Antarctica, we witness something new or unexpected, which means that your expedition will be unlike any other – creating a unique, personal experience.Each day, you will take Zodiac excursions from the ship to explore local bays, channels and landing sites. Your Expedition Team will take care of you at each landing, whether you are hiking the Antarctic landscape, visiting a research station or consorting with Chinstrap, Adélie and Gentoo penguins, all of which can be found here. Keep an eye out for Weddell, Fur, Crabeater and Leopard seals as well as curious whales, such as Humpbacks, Fins, or perhaps Orcas while on a Zodiac cruise. Each excursion will present a new collection of creatures to delight you and keep your camera busy.Amid the serene silence of Antarctica, noisy interludes become indelible memories, such as penguins squabbling over prized pebbles, or the boom and crack of a calving glacier.Every day will be different, having been carefully crafted by your Expedition Team to inspire and educate you about this wonderful part of the world.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 8
South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula
The most common reaction upon reaching the White Continent is a sense of reverence and awe. The experience is beyond words, since few places are as untouched and enduring as Antarctica. You will begin to appreciate why this region has long captivated the attention of explorers and travellers alike. Every time we visit Antarctica, we witness something new or unexpected, which means that your expedition will be unlike any other – creating a unique, personal experience.Each day, you will take Zodiac excursions from the ship to explore local bays, channels and landing sites. Your Expedition Team will take care of you at each landing, whether you are hiking the Antarctic landscape, visiting a research station or consorting with Chinstrap, Adélie and Gentoo penguins, all of which can be found here. Keep an eye out for Weddell, Fur, Crabeater and Leopard seals as well as curious whales, such as Humpbacks, Fins, or perhaps Orcas while on a Zodiac cruise. Each excursion will present a new collection of creatures to delight you and keep your camera busy.Amid the serene silence of Antarctica, noisy interludes become indelible memories, such as penguins squabbling over prized pebbles, or the boom and crack of a calving glacier.Every day will be different, having been carefully crafted by your Expedition Team to inspire and educate you about this wonderful part of the world.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 9
Sail back through the Drake Passage
Leaving the Antarctic Peninsula behind, our ship heads back across the Antarctic Convergence and the Drake Passage. The crossing is completed with the rounding of Cape Horn, weather permitting.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 10
Sail back through the Drake Passage
Leaving the Antarctic Peninsula behind, our ship heads back across the Antarctic Convergence and the Drake Passage. The crossing is completed with the rounding of Cape Horn, weather permitting.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 11
Disembark and end in Ushuaia
In the early morning we arrive back in Ushuaia where your voyage ends. You will be transferred either to town on to the airport for your onward flight to Buenos Aires.
Meals: Breakfast
What’s included
What’s not included
Additional information
Food
All meals while on the ship are included.
Typical meals
The ship’s galley offers good-quality service and cuisine throughout, with excellent chefs preparing international menus, including vegetarian dishes. If there is one constant on board, it is that you’ll enjoy delicious meals. While meal times may change due to landings and wildlife sightings, you’ll always be served three well-prepared meals per day. Vegetarians and vegans can be well catered for on this adventure – please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests so our local team can be well prepared.
Breakfast: Buffet style – unlimited tea and coffee, a selection of fruit juices, hot options including bacon and eggs or omelettes, a selection of bread and toast and jam/honey/marmalade, fruit and cereal.
Lunch: Three-course set meal or the occasional buffet or barbecue.
Dinner: Three courses with a starter of soup, salad or anti-pasto, a choice of three mains with at least one vegetarian and one seafood option and a dessert of sweet pudding or ice cream or fruit, tea and coffee.
Drinks: Complimentary coffee, tea, cocoa and water stations are available around the clock, while soft drinks and juices are available during meals and when the bar is open—all included in the cost of your package. Enjoy complimentary select beer, wines and select cocktails during bar service hours and dinner as part of the “Raise a Glass and Stay Connected Free” program. Premium wines and champagne are available at extra cost and can be billed to your shipboard account. The well-stocked bars on the ship are open late morning, afternoon and evening, though hours may occasionally change to accommodate the expedition schedule.
Drake Passage Crossing & Seabird Watch with Expert Talks
Cross the open ocean to Antarctica and cross the Drake Passage, scanning the waves for whales while wandering albatrosses and petrels glide in the updraft. Feel the shift as you pass the Antarctic Convergence, where frigid southern waters meet warmer currents—often heralded by cooler air and the first towering bergs on the horizon .
Between deck watches, join engaging polar lectures on wildlife, sea ice and exploration, delivered by your expedition team to deepen understanding of the “White Continent” and sharpen your spotting skills for landings to come .
Zodiac Cruises in Antarctic Bays & Channels
Board robust inflatables for Zodiac cruises among cathedral-like bergs and along shimmering glacier faces. From water level, brash ice crackles and seals lounge on floes; in quiet moments the surface mirrors sky and ice while whales may surface nearby, their breath hanging in the cold air .
Guided by polar-qualified staff, the Zodiacs weave into sheltered coves and narrow channels for safe, respectful viewing distances. These outings place you close to the textures and colors of Antarctic ice—electric aquamarines, glassy blues—perfect for thoughtful photography and observation .
Guided Shore Landings: Penguin Colonies of the Peninsula
Make a wet landing to step ashore among penguin colonies and watch Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adélie penguins commuting along snowy “highways.” Observe pebble-stealing courtship, careful nest-tending and the bustle of colonies while keeping a respectful distance set by your guides .
Beyond the rookeries, look for Weddell, Fur, Crabeater and Leopard seals hauled out on ice or patrolling the shallows. In the hush of the landscape, even small sounds carry—right up to the boom and crack of a calving glacier that punctuates the Antarctic silence .
Research Station Visit & Polar Science Briefing
When conditions and permits allow, visit a research station to glimpse daily life at the edge of the world. Walk past weathered flags and fuel drums to modest labs where scientists track wildlife, sea ice and climate, gaining first-hand context for the data behind Antarctic headlines .
Expedition staff add perspective with field notes on the region’s ecology and the challenges of operating in extreme conditions. The encounter turns abstract “polar science” into human stories of patience, precision and resilience in the world’s largest natural laboratory .
Deception Island Caldera Landing & Whalers Bay Walk (conditions permitting)
Approach the smoking volcano of Deception Island and, if seas allow, enter the caldera of Deception Island through narrow Neptune’s Bellows. Land on black volcanic sands where ice meets ash, and trace relics of the island’s storied past along the beach and rust-red shorelines .
The steep tuff slopes and jagged peaks create a stark amphitheatre—an Antarctic outpost long admired by explorers for its dramatic form. Subtle geothermal warmth sometimes steams from the shore, adding to the otherworldly mood of this natural harbor .
Scenic Navigation through Iceberg Alley
Stand at the rail as the captain navigates Iceberg Alley, a corridor of sculpted ice where sunlight ignites searing blues and greens in crevasses and arches. Each berg is unique—wind-carved ridges, meltwater pools, translucent blue walls—an ever-changing gallery of floating giants .
In calm conditions, mirror-like water doubles the spectacle; in a breeze, whitecaps fringe the floes. Photographers relish the low angles and shifting light from the ship’s varied viewing decks, creating striking, sense-of-scale compositions .
On-Deck Whale Watching & Glacier Viewing
Spend unhurried time on the ship’s multi-height outer decks for on-deck wildlife watching. Scan for Humpback, Fin or Orca whales, watch tail flukes rise against distant ice cliffs, and follow seabirds as they carve the wind beside the ship with effortless grace .
Ocean Explorer’s tiered vantage points are ideal for long-view photography, helping you pick out blows, breaches and glacier textures as naturalists share field tips right at the rail. It’s Antarctica in panorama—ever-present, ever-compelling .
Cape Horn Approach & Maritime Lore (weather permitting)
On the homeward leg, conditions may allow the ship to round Cape Horn, the storied headland where Atlantic and Pacific swells collide. From the observation decks, feel the breadth of ocean and the pull of history at this celebrated waypoint of global navigation .
Your expedition staff bring the scene to life with tales of trade routes, heroic voyages and the evolution of modern seafaring that now makes this passage safer for explorers and scientists alike .
Polar Lectures & Expedition Briefings
Join engaging polar lectures and daily briefings with naturalists, historians and polar experts covering wildlife behavior, ice dynamics and the human story of exploration. These sessions equip you to recognize seabirds, interpret whale activity and appreciate the forces that shape the Antarctic realm .
The ship’s presentation lounge fosters lively discussion and questions, turning deck sightings into deeper understanding of the White Continent and its fragile ecosystems—context that enriches every landing and Zodiac cruise .
Sea Kayaking Program (Limited Availability)
Paddle in small groups on a Sea Kayaking program for a water-level view of brash ice, bergy bits and cliff-backed coves. The gentle dip of blades and the echo of distant ice create a serene rhythm as wildlife drifts by at respectful distance .
Offered at additional cost and highly weather-dependent, this guided activity has very limited places and is bookable on tour. It’s a compelling way to experience the peninsula’s quiet corners beyond the ship and Zodiacs .
Paddling Excursion by Inflatable Kayak
Sample Antarctica from the water on a one-time paddling excursion in stable inflatable kayaks. Glide across sheltered bays among small floes, savoring the hush and the glow of blue ice while guides set an easy, enjoyable pace .
Available at additional cost, this outing is weather- and ice-dependent and bookable on tour. It’s an accessible taste of human-powered exploration that pairs beautifully with your Zodiac cruises and shore landings .
Antarctic Camping on the Ice
Venture ashore for a rare chance to camp on the Antarctic ice, bedding down in expedition-grade gear beneath polar twilight. Hear the soft scuff of penguins in the distance and the muted sighs of shifting ice while the ship’s lights glow far across the bay .
Spaces are very limited, strictly weather-dependent and offered at additional cost, bookable on tour. Conducted under tight environmental protocols, this simple night amplifies the scale, silence and purity of the Seventh Continent .
Beagle Channel Evening Sail from Ushuaia
Embark from the world’s southernmost city to cruise the Beagle Channel, where long austral light brushes the serrated Fuegian Andes and sea birds wheel above the water. Step onto open decks to watch for cormorants and sea lions as the ship threads between kelp-fringed islets—often your first wildlife sightings of the voyage .
This scenic strait forms the gateway to Patagonia’s fjords and the Southern Ocean. In calm conditions the water reflects snowy peaks; in brisk weather, whitecaps sharpen the seascape. Expedition staff offer pointers on what to watch for, setting an informed tone for the days of exploration ahead .
