Program Starts/Ends: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Embarkation: Ushuaia, Argentina
Disembarkation: Ushuaia, Argentina
Cruise duration is 16 days/15 nights.

Live out your Antarctica dream on this exceptional 17-day voyage aboard our luxury ice-class expedition ship. Your journey to this icy wilderness starts with the notorious two-day Drake Passage sea crossing. Following in the footsteps of legendary explorer Ernest Shackleton, we visit South Georgia. Here you will clamber onto beaches crammed with millions of penguins and take home everlasting memories. Get ready for fabulous photo opportunities of magnificent icebergs as we sail around the Antarctic Peninsula. This immersive cruise is the ultimate Antarctica journey that will make for the trip of a lifetime.

Trip Highlights

• Celebrate your inner strength as you brave the notorious Drake Passage
• Discover the island where explorer Ernest Shackleton spent his last days
• Pop into the post office and buy stamps from islanders who call this remote part of the world home
• Mingle on beaches with thousands of rockhopper, gentoo and king penguins
• Join our expert team of polar specialists on board our boutique expedition ship and share in their vast experience of these icy regions

Day 1: Buenos Aires, Argentina (hotel night)

You may arrive in Buenos Aires at any time during Day 1 of your itinerary. Upon arriving in this splendid city, known for its rich architecture and European heritage, you will independently transfer to your group hotel (pre-night hotel included).

Day 2: Fly to Ushuaia and Embark

After breakfast at the hotel, the group will transfer to the airport and board our private charter flight to Ushuaia, Argentina.

Ushuaia is the gateway to the White Continent. Found at the southernmost tip of South America in Argentinian Patagonia, the city is often described as “the End of the World”. The city’s mountain backdrop rises above the harbour and entrance to the Beagle Channel. The town itself is walkable and has a few small museums as well as pubs, restaurants and cafes.

Embarkation will occur in the late afternoon.

Day 3-4: Drake Passage

As you cruise to your next port of call, spend the day at sea savouring the ship’s facilities and learning about your destination’s many facets from the knowledgeable onboard experts. Listen to an enriching talk, indulge in a relaxing treatment at the spa, work out in the well-equipped gym, enjoy some down- time in your cabin, share travel reminiscences with newly found friends: the options are numerous.

Day 5: South Shetland Islands

While the South Shetlands’ proximity to Antarctica makes the ice-bound sea impassable during winter (April to October), these are the first islands to see snow melt in spring (November) and the slightly warmer temperature means that the fauna is also different from what you see in Antarctica proper. As we go ashore by Zodiac, notice ferns, grasses, lichens and native flora that have more in common with Patagonia than they do with Antarctica.

Day 6-8: Antarctic Peninsula

Among captivating glaciers, majestic icebergs and snowy islands, the Antarctic Peninsula is where most visitors to the White Continent will live out their Antarctica dream. The Antarctic Peninsula, the most accessible area of the continent, hosts several scientific bases and some of the most interesting wildlife scenery, such as the extremely photogenic Lemaire Channel. Shore excursions might include Petermann Island, where among Adelie penguins, blue-eyed shags and skuas, huge, lumbering elephant seals haul out.

Day 9-10: At sea

Days at sea are the perfect chance to relax, unwind and do whatever takes your fancy. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, trying to spot a whale from the deck, reading a chapter or two, or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to the green days spent exploring on land.

Day 11-13: South Georgia

Often called the “Galapagos of the Poles”, South Georgia has a number of landing sites where you get up close to half a million king penguins or three million breeding pairs of macaroni penguins, making up the largest population in the world. If you are lucky you will also see harrumphing elephant seals – from a distance! We also visit Grytviken, the historic whaling station where legendary British explorer Ernest Shackleton (1874–1922) is buried.

Day 14-16: At sea

As you sail, you’ll bask in the endless comforts of your ship. From the deck, marvel at the dramatic sea views. Relax with a nurturing facial treatment or massage in the spa or delve into the ship’s learning resources. Or, simply take refuge in your cabin and enjoy the opportunity to rest.

Day 17: Disembark in Ushuaia and Fly to Buenos Aires

You will arrive in Ushuaia in the morning and disembark after breakfast. Transfer to the airport for the return group charter flight to Buenos Aires.

Please note: Itinerary changes and surprising experiences are part of expedition cruise life. The world has a habit of amazing us with incredible things when we yield to the unexpected. Join us with an open mind and a sense of adventure and you’ll find that this can pay off in the most rewarding ways.