Your itinerary
Day 1
Start Ushuaia, Argentina
You may arrive in Ushuaia at any time today. Many choose to arrive a day or two before embarkation day to explore this quaint port city at the bottom of South America, and the surrounding region.
Day 2
Embark in Ushuaia
Your luggage is collected from the hotel lobby and transferred to your cabin on the ship. Meet at a designated location near the pier, usually about 4pm, and board the waiting buses for your transfer to the ship. After a late afternoon embarkation, we 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: Antarctic.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 3
Cross the Drake Passage
There are few places in the world as evocative as Antarctica, much of it is indescribable and can only be fully appreciated through the human eye.
Our first sightings are from the ship itself. The captain and expedition team keep their eyes out for whales and seabirds and will alert us to any sightings. Our team of expert lecturers also provide in-depth explanations of the geology, history and wildlife of the region.
Even more exciting are our daily excursions to land. Walking up to a beach dotted with penguins and seals is the most intimate way to experience the unique wildlife of Antarctica. Each landing is different and weather dependent, but every day presents new sightings and photo opportunities. We may take a Zodiac cruise in search of whales and icebergs in Pléneau Island one day, followed by a hike to a chinstrap rookery the next day. From the booming shot of a calving glacier at Petermann Island to the complete silence of night in Antarctica, each day offers exciting opportunities.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 4
Cross the Drake Passage
There are few places in the world as evocative as Antarctica, much of it is indescribable and can only be fully appreciated through the human eye.
Our first sightings are from the ship itself. The captain and expedition team keep their eyes out for whales and seabirds and will alert us to any sightings. Our team of expert lecturers also provide in-depth explanations of the geology, history and wildlife of the region.
Even more exciting are our daily excursions to land. Walking up to a beach dotted with penguins and seals is the most intimate way to experience the unique wildlife of Antarctica. Each landing is different and weather dependent, but every day presents new sightings and photo opportunities. We may take a Zodiac cruise in search of whales and icebergs in Pléneau Island one day, followed by a hike to a chinstrap rookery the next day. From the booming shot of a calving glacier at Petermann Island to the complete silence of night in Antarctica, each day offers exciting opportunities.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 5
South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula
The most common reaction upon reaching the Seventh Continent is a sense of reverence and awe. The experience is beyond words, since few places are as untouched as Antarctica. You 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 your expedition will be unlike any other, creating a unique, personal experience. Each day, you take Zodiac excursions from the ship to explore glaciated bays, channels and landing sites. Your expedition team takes care of you at each landing, whether you are hiking the Antarctic landscape, visiting a research station or observing chinstrap, Adélie and gentoo penguins, all of which are 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 presents 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 is 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 Seventh Continent is a sense of reverence and awe. The experience is beyond words, since few places are as untouched as Antarctica. You 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 your expedition will be unlike any other, creating a unique, personal experience. Each day, you take Zodiac excursions from the ship to explore glaciated bays, channels and landing sites. Your expedition team takes care of you at each landing, whether you are hiking the Antarctic landscape, visiting a research station or observing chinstrap, Adélie and gentoo penguins, all of which are 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 presents 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 is 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 Seventh Continent is a sense of reverence and awe. The experience is beyond words, since few places are as untouched as Antarctica. You 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 your expedition will be unlike any other, creating a unique, personal experience. Each day, you take Zodiac excursions from the ship to explore glaciated bays, channels and landing sites. Your expedition team takes care of you at each landing, whether you are hiking the Antarctic landscape, visiting a research station or observing chinstrap, Adélie and gentoo penguins, all of which are 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 presents 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 is 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 Seventh Continent is a sense of reverence and awe. The experience is beyond words, since few places are as untouched as Antarctica. You 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 your expedition will be unlike any other, creating a unique, personal experience. Each day, you take Zodiac excursions from the ship to explore glaciated bays, channels and landing sites. Your expedition team takes care of you at each landing, whether you are hiking the Antarctic landscape, visiting a research station or observing chinstrap, Adélie and gentoo penguins, all of which are 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 presents 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 is 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
Disembarkation and fly to Punta Arenas
After your week of exploration, say goodbye to your expedition team and disembark at King George Island. Your two-hour flight across the Drake Passage to Punta Arenas, Chile, brings your adventure to an end. After your group transfer to the hotel, you are free to explore and enjoy an evening on your own, in the city or at the hotel to reminisce about the sights and sounds of Antarctica.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 10
End Punta Arenas
After breakfast, you are free to continue on your own travels or make your way to the Punta Arenas airport for your homeward flights.
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.
Scenic Cruising in Glaciated Channels (Lemaire Channel When Conditions Allow)
Gather at the rail as the ship noses into narrow waterways—sometimes the celebrated Lemaire Channel—framed by sheer rock walls and hanging glaciers. On calm days, mirror-still waters double the peaks; in fresh snowfall, the scene softens into misty mountain passes of monochrome beauty.
Often dubbed the “Kodak Gap,” this route showcases Antarctica’s dramatic relief and shifting light. The bridge team navigates bergy bits with quiet precision while the expedition staff highlights geology, sea ice textures and ideal vantage points for your photographs.
Polar Experts’ Lectures on Wildlife, History and Glaciology
Settle into the lounge for presentations by Polar experts that bring the White Continent into focus—whale behavior, penguin ecology, glaciology and geology, and the logistics that safeguard the environment. Expect clear, engaging talks supported by maps, images and live spotting updates.
These sessions stitch context to every landing—ice dynamics shaping coastlines, bio-rich currents feeding seabirds, and stories of heroic-age explorers who first charted these coasts. You’ll step ashore with sharper eyes and a deeper appreciation for Antarctic science and stewardship.
King George Island Landing & Polar Desert Walk
Disembark by Zodiac to set foot in the South Shetland Islands, crossing volcanic beach and frost-shattered terrain toward the island’s airstrip. When permitted, routes may pass near research outposts such as Frei Station or Bellingshausen, underscoring Antarctica’s unique international presence.
This polar desert landscape reveals hardy lichens, weathered boulders and distant ice domes—an austere counterpoint to the wildlife-rich Peninsula. Your team manages timing and conditions carefully; the walk offers a reflective final taste of the field before your northbound flight.
Sea Kayaking in Antarctic Bays (Limited Availability)
Glide away from the ship to experience sea kayaking amid brash ice and quiet coves, matching strokes to the rhythm of catspaw ripples and distant humpback blows. Low to the water, every sound carries—penguin splashes, ice pops, the hush of mirror-calm bays.
This small-group program is at additional cost and bookable on tour (weather, ice and experience requirements apply). Spaces are limited; sessions operate only when conditions allow to ensure safety and an intimate wilderness feel.
Guided Paddling Excursion (Stable Inflatable Kayaks)
Try a one-time paddling excursion in stable, sit-on-top inflatable kayaks for a relaxed, close-to-the-surface glide among ice sculptures and bergy bits. Guides set an easy pace, sharing wildlife insights as you savor the close-to-the-water perspective of an Antarctic cove.
Offered at additional cost and bookable on tour, this experience does not require prior kayaking expertise. Departures are limited and depend on weather, sea state and operational windows identified by the expedition team.
Drake Passage Crossing & Open-Ocean Wildlife Watch
Join your expedition team on deck to cross the Drake Passage while scanning the waves for wandering albatross, petrels and fulmars carving vast arcs on the wind. Keep binoculars ready—fin and humpback whales on the horizon can surface in these nutrient-rich waters.
This is the realm of the Antarctic Convergence, where cold polar and warmer subantarctic seas mingle, fueling life and legend. Briefings and sea-day talks enrich the crossing, connecting oceanography to the wildlife patterns you witness in real time.
Zodiac Iceberg Cruise at Pléneau Island or Similar
Bundle up and cruise by Zodiac among sculpted bergs in the famed iceberg alley of Pléneau Island or a comparable site. From this low vantage, water-level views reveal blue veins in ice, penguins porpoising nearby and, with luck, resting Weddell or leopard seals on floes.
Nicknamed an iceberg “graveyard,” Pléneau collects fantastically shaped remnants carried by wind and current. Your guide interprets the forms—arches, spires, tabular slabs—and the quiet mechanics of Antarctic ice, balancing close encounters with strict wildlife and safety protocols.
Penguin Colony Shore Landing & Hike
Climb into Zodiacs and step ashore on the Seventh Continent to follow flagged routes through snow and rock to bustling rookeries of gentoo, Adélie and chinstrap penguins. Pause beside penguin highways as birds commute between nests and sea, and listen for pebble-offering courtship rituals.
Guides explain life cycles—from egg incubation to the chaotic crèche—and how krill-rich seas sustain this abundance. Expect bracing air, distant glacier rumbles, and strict 5-metre wildlife guidelines that protect habitat while allowing superb observation and photography.
Beagle Channel Sail-out from Ushuaia
Settle onto the outer decks to sail along the historic Beagle Channel, threading between the Tierra del Fuego archipelago and snow-etched Andean spurs. Watch cormorants wheel over slate-grey water as distant glaciers catch the light and Patagonian skies shift from steel to rose.
Named for HMS Beagle of Darwin fame, this storied passage has long guided explorers and research vessels. The scene sets an expeditionary mood—bracing air, snow-etched peaks, and a sense of southbound purpose—before open ocean awaits beyond the headlands.
