Please note: Read this itinerary as a guide only; our exact route and program varies according to ice and weather conditions - and the wildlife we encounter. Flexibility is the key to the success of this expedition. Visits to research stations depend on final permission.


Days 1 & 2: Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

Arrive in Ushuaia, a small city surrounded by rugged peaks and glaciers, and transfer independently to our conveniently located hotel. Late the following afternoon, the Expedition Team gets you settled aboard your ice-strengthened ship as we sail into the Beagle Channel to start your Antarctic expedition.

Days 3, 4 & 5: Across the Drake to the South Shetlands

We enter the Drake Passage, named for Sir Francis Drake, the explorer who proved that Tierra del Fuego was not linked to a further southern continent. Various seabirds, including the Wandering Albatross, accompany us on our crossing. We also sail through the Antarctic Convergence, which – as one of our specialists will be happy to explain, poring over a map in the lounge – is a natural boundary formed by the meeting of cold Antarctic and warmer Subantarctic waters. By Day 4 we should reach the South Shetland Islands, where we plan to visit penguin rookeries and walk remote beaches sighting Antarctic fur seals and southern elephant seals. We also hope to visit one of the archipelago's many research bases. Conditions permitting, the Captain will try to sail through a narrow passage into the sunken volcanic caldera of Deception Island, where you can test the thermal waters of Pendulum Cove.

Days 6, 7, 8 & 9: Antarctic Peninsula

There will be many unforgettable close-ups in the days ahead, but if you painted the broader canvas of your Peninsula experience it would begin with endless vistas of windswept ice; jagged mountain peaks crowned with snow; massive glaciers descending into the sea; and our ship winding through deep blue waters dotted with floating icebergs. Then there is the wildlife: Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adélie Penguins; Weddell, crabeater and leopard seals; orcas; humpback and Minke whales; and every kind of bird, from Blue-eyed Shags and Snowy Sheathbills to Kelp Gulls, Cape Petrels and Antarctic Terns. With this as an overture, let's look at a few highlights: We typically sail first to Paradise Bay or nearby Neko Harbor – each home to penguins and seals – before continuing on to the large Gentoo Penguin colonies at Port Lockroy. Close by is one of the world's most out-of-the-way museums: established in 1944 as a secret wartime outpost by James Marr (who as a Boy Scout explored Antarctica with Sir Ernest Shackleton), the former British scientific station includes a post office from which you can mail cards home. Around this point in the journey, those who opted for polar camping will set off with their expedition tents for an unforgettable night on the ice. Next, if conditions allow, we navigate the Neumayer and Lemaire Channels, taking in stunning views as the ship passes between towering rock faces and spectacular glaciers. Travelers who've chosen the sea-kayaking option enjoy an even more dramatic perspective as they paddle among the icebergs. Often we make a Zodiac landing on Petermann Island, a nesting area for Adélie and Gentoo Penguins, skuas and Blue-eyed Shags. Weather permitting, we may also sail up to the Peninsula's northern tip into Iceberg Alley – where massive pieces of the ice shelf have calved into the Antarctic Sound – and land on Paulet Island to visit its Adélie Penguin rookery.

Days 10, 11 & 12: Back across the Drake to Ushuaia

Leaving the Peninsula, we sail back across the Drake Passage, keeping an eye out for whales, penguins, seals and myriad species of bird. When not out on deck, you can enjoy more presentations, compare notes and digital photos, or simply relax in the ship's lounge chatting over drinks with other travelers and the Expedition Team. After a last breakfast aboard, transfer to town or head directly to Ushuaia airport to catch your outbound flight.