Your itinerary
Day 1
Arrive in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Upon arriving in this splendid city, known for its architecture and rich European heritage, you will independently transfer to your group hotel (pre-expedition hotel night included in mandatory transfer package).
Day 2
Fly to Ushuaia and Embark
After an early breakfast at the hotel, the group will transfer to the airport and board our private charter flight to Ushuaia, Argentina.
Upon arrival, you will be transferred from the airport to a central downtown location to explore this quaint port town on your own before making your way to the designated meeting spot for transfer to the ship.
After a late afternoon embarkation, we will sail along the historic Beagle Channel, which transects the Tierra del Fuego archipelago in the extreme south of South America. Excitement builds in anticipation of your next stop: the Antarctic.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 3
Crossing the Drake Passage
Legendary for its high winds and rolling seas, you may get lucky and have surprisingly calm seas through the Drake Passage. Spend your time in the lounge or chatting with your fellow travelers. As you gain your sea legs during the crossing, our Expedition Team will begin their series of presentations to help prepare you for your upcoming Zodiac and land excursions. You officially enter Antarctica when your ship crosses the Antarctic Convergence, a biological boundary that fluctuates around 60° south.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 4
Crossing the Drake Passage
Legendary for its high winds and rolling seas, you may get lucky and have surprisingly calm seas through the Drake Passage. Spend your time in the lounge or chatting with your fellow travelers. As you gain your sea legs during the crossing, our Expedition Team will begin their series of presentations to help prepare you for your upcoming Zodiac and land excursions. You officially enter Antarctica when your ship crosses the Antarctic Convergence, a biological boundary that fluctuates around 60° south.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 5
South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula
The most common reaction upon reaching the 7th 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 travelers 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 glaciated 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, minkes, or perhaps orcas while on a Zodiac cruise. Each excursion will present a new array of creatures to fascinate 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 7th 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 travelers 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 glaciated 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, minkes, or perhaps orcas while on a Zodiac cruise. Each excursion will present a new array of creatures to fascinate 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 7th 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 travelers 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 glaciated 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, minkes, or perhaps orcas while on a Zodiac cruise. Each excursion will present a new array of creatures to fascinate 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 7th 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 travelers 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 glaciated 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, minkes, or perhaps orcas while on a Zodiac cruise. Each excursion will present a new array of creatures to fascinate 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
Crossing the Drake Passage
The journey back across the Drake Passage provides final opportunities to enjoy the crisp Antarctic air Spend time on the deck, watching for seabirds and scouting for whales, enjoy presentations by your Expedition Team and celebrate the experiences shared exploring Antarctica.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 10
Crossing the Drake Passage
The journey back across the Drake Passage provides final opportunities to enjoy the crisp Antarctic air Spend time on the deck, watching for seabirds and scouting for whales, enjoy presentations by your Expedition Team and celebrate the experiences shared exploring Antarctica.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 11
Disembark in Ushuaia, fly to Buenos Aires
You will arrive in Ushuaia in the morning and disembark after breakfast. Your Charter Flight & Hotel Package includes a transfer to the airport for the return group charter 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.
Lemaire Channel Scenic Sailing
Sail the Lemaire Channel, a narrow passage framed by soaring granite walls and mirrored water scattered with bergy bits. If the sea is calm, the reflections are surreal—mountains doubled, glaciers inverted—a corridor photographers know as the “Kodak Gap”.
First navigated by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition, this channel runs between Booth Island and the Antarctic Peninsula. Wildlife often concentrates here; keep watch for crabeater seals and minke whales surfacing on mirror-still water as the ship threads the icy narrows.
Deception Island Caldera & Whalers Bay Landing
When conditions allow, sail through Neptune’s Bellows into Deception Island’s flooded volcano and walk the black-sand shore of Whalers Bay. Steam sometimes curls from the tideline, a hint of geothermal heat beneath this stark amphitheatre of ash and snow.
Guides share the human story of the South Shetlands, pointing out the remnants of the Hektor whaling station, boilers and weathered tanks. A short hike toward Neptune’s Window reveals sweeping views across the caldera and the open Southern Ocean beyond.
Port Lockroy Museum & Penguin Post Office
Step ashore to visit Port Lockroy (Base A), a lovingly preserved British research outpost turned museum on Goudier Island. Explore exhibits on early science and daily life, meet the UKAHT team, and send a postcard from the Penguin Post Office—a tiny mailroom with a big reputation.
Established in 1944 and maintained by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, Port Lockroy also hosts a monitored gentoo colony used for long-term studies. Access is dependent on station operations, permits and weather conditions.
Wildlife Watching from Deck & Bridge
Join naturalists on deck to scan for blows, tail-lobs and porpoising penguins as the ship transits straits and bays. Binoculars pick out sleek backs of minke whales, while snowy sheathbills and terns work the air above glassy seas and sculpted bergs.
Guides offer tips on behavior and identification—how to watch for humpback whales in the Gerlache Strait or pick a wandering albatross by wingspan during the Drake. It’s unhurried, contemplative time with the Southern Ocean’s resident wildlife.
Polar Plunge
Embrace the moment and take the Polar Plunge, a brief, exhilarating dip in the icy Southern Ocean under the careful supervision of the expedition team. A secure tether, quick entry and a brisk climb back aboard keep the focus on the thrill.
Wrapped in towels with a hot drink in hand and the cheering expedition team nearby, you’ll feel the prickle of cold give way to pure elation—a rite of passage on many Antarctic voyages, offered once when conditions permit.
Paddling Excursion: Water-Level Antarctica (Optional)
Join an optional paddling excursion to explore calm coves by stable, sit-on-top craft with expert guides. Glide at water level among bergy bits, watch penguins porpoising ahead and feel the hush as your paddle dips through glassy blue water near tidewater glaciers.
This small-group experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour, with limited spaces and weather/ice conditions determining availability. It’s a tranquil, slow-motion perspective that amplifies the silence of the ice.
Drake Passage Crossing & Seabird Watch
Settle into expedition life as you cross the Drake Passage, scanning the sky for wandering albatross and giant petrels carving effortless arcs above the swells. From the outer decks, feel the clean bite of polar air and the rhythm of the ship meeting long Southern Ocean rollers.
Far south, the Antarctic Convergence marks your entry into colder, nutrient-rich waters that attract whales and seabirds. Naturalists are on hand to discuss behavior, migration and identification while you chart a storied route toward the ice.
Polar Experts Presentations: Wildlife, History & Ice
Join expert-led presentations that bring Antarctica’s living and human history into focus—from the Heroic Age from Amundsen to Shackleton to the remarkable adaptations of penguins and seals. Learn how glaciers flow, sea ice forms and tabular icebergs break away to drift like frozen cathedrals.
These engaging sessions deepen each shore visit and Zodiac cruise, equipping you with context, identification tips and thoughtful environmental guidelines that help you explore responsibly in a pristine, protected realm.
Zodiac Cruises Among Icebergs & Glaciated Bays
Board a Zodiac to nose quietly through brash ice and sculpted bergs in ice-choked bays like Paradise Harbor. The water glows blue beneath overhanging ice, and the silence is pierced by the exhale of humpback whales or the bark of a leopard seal hauled out on a floe.
Guides interpret geology and wildlife behavior as you skirt towering ice cliffs and wildlife-rich shorelines. These intimate cruises invite you to pause for photos and reflection at water level, where Antarctica feels close enough to touch.
Antarctic Peninsula Shore Landings & Hikes
Set foot on the 7th Continent and follow crunching paths over packed snow to penguin rookeries and panoramic headlands. Share space with gentoo, Adélie and chinstrap penguins, and watch skuas patrol overhead while bergs drift in quiet coves below.
Expedition guides lead short hikes to scenic viewpoints and interpret the landscape’s geology and ecology. Sites commonly include places like Cuverville Island or Neko Harbour, chosen for wildlife and safety, with strict biosecurity ensuring your crunching polar snow leaves no trace.
Beagle Channel Sail-away from Ushuaia
Embark and sail along the historic Beagle Channel, tracing the edge of Tierra del Fuego with views of the snow-capped Martial Range, Navarino Island and cormorants wheeling above. As the ship sets its course, the red-and-white Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse flashes a farewell while kelp gulls ride the wind in your wake.
Named for HMS Beagle and Charles Darwin, this storied waterway guided early surveyors and modern expeditions alike. It’s a serene send-off that invites you to pause for photos and reflection as mountains fade and the Southern Ocean beckons.
