Onto the Antarctic Ice
Trip type
Antarctic Peninsula
Trip length
10-13 Days
From
$6,300 -$16,750
Ship Comfort
Comfort & Adventure
Onto the Antarctic Ice - 10-13 Days - $6,300
Trip Summary and Itinerary Map
- 4-5 full days in Antarctica = 8-10 planned ‘off ship’ excursions depending on your preferred departure
- Wide selection of well priced voyages to choose from
- Antarctic operational experience since 1996
- Expedition staff to guest ratio of 1:10
- Kayaking & camping. Diving on limited departures (additional cost for each)
- Complimentary snowshoeing on early season departures when snow conditions allow
Operator's Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Ushuaia
Where the world drops off in Ushuaia, your voyage begins. Located on South America's far southern tip, this destination is the world's southernmost city. You'll embark on your vessel in the afternoon and sail into the mountain-fringed Beagle Channel for the remainder of the evening.
Days 2 & 3: Sailing on the Drake Passage
Over the next two days, you’ll enjoy some of the same experiences encountered by the great polar explorers who first charted these regions: rolling seas, cool salt breezes and maybe even a fin whale spouting up sea spray. After passing through the Antarctic Convergence – the continent's natural boundary, where north-flowing cold waters collide with warmer sub-Antarctic seas – you are in the circum-Antarctic upwelling zone. Both marine and avian life changes here. Wandering albatrosses, cape pigeons, southern fulmars and blue petrels are a few of the birds you might see.
Days 4 to 7: Entering Antarctica
Towers of broken blue-white ice and grey stone peaks sketched with snow welcome you to Antarctica. You first pass the snow-capped Melchior Islands and Schollaert Channel, before sailing between Brabant and Anvers Islands.
Sites you may visit include:
Danco Island – There are gentoo penguins nesting on the island, and Weddell and crabeater seals to be found nearby.
Neko Harbour – With mammoth glaciers and endless wind-carved snow, Neko Harbour offers opportunities for a zodiac cruise and a landing that affords the closest views of the surrounding alpine peaks.
Paradise Bay – You may be able to take a zodiac cruise in the ice-flecked waters, with a good chance that you’ll encounter humpback and minke whales.
Pléneau & Petermann Islands – If the ice allows, you could sail through the Lemaire Channel, searching for Adélie penguins and blue-eyed shags. You may also encounter humpback and minke whales here, as well as leopard seals.
Port Lockroy - After sailing through the Neumayer Channel, you may get a chance to visit the former British research station – now a museum and post office – of Port Lockroy on Goudier Island. You may also be able to partake in activities around Jougla Point, meeting gentoo penguins and blue-eyed shags.
Wilhelmina Bay & Guvernøren – A great place to spot humpback whales, you also may embark on a zodiac trip ending at the ghostly wreck of the Guvernøren, a whaling vessel that caught fire here in 1915. Amid a frozen landscape, around the Melchior Islands, you may encounter more whales, leopard and crabeater seals. Conditions on the Drake Passage will determine the exact time of our departure.
Days 8 & 9: Return to Ushuaia
Your return voyage will be far from lonely. While crossing the Drake, the vast number of seabirds from the passage south will greet you again, but this time, they'll seem a little more familiar.
Day 10: Ushuaia
Your adventure must eventually come to an end, so it’s now time to disembark in Ushuaia. You'll depart with memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies.
Why our customers love Swoop
The Antarctic Experts.
No Compromises
Our team has visited Antarctica over 150 times and has 100 collective years of polar experience, so from which trip is right for you to what shoes to bring - there’s no question we can’t answer.
Expert impartial advice at no extra cost
Choosing the right voyage is complicated, Swoop makes it easy. We offer no-nonsense advice on 1500 voyages across 30 ships to find you the right trip, cabin, price - and we don’t charge a fee.
The only B Corp certified Antarctic specialist
We want to protect Antarctica for future generations - which is why we became a certified B Corp and set up our own conservation fund. So your adventures can be a force for good.
A full concierge service, unlike booking direct
We leave nothing to chance in delivering your perfect trip and have over 6500 happy travellers to show for it. With a dedicated Antarctic co-ordinator & support throughout - you’re in safe hands.
What our customers think of Onto the Antarctic Ice
Onto the Antarctic Ice trips scored 4.8/5 from 81 reviews
10/10 - Breathtaking. The expedition team were very helpful and knowledgeable about the Antarctic.
Travelled: January 2024
Todd Robichaux - USA
10/10 - Great food, the crew and Captain were wonderful.
Travelled: January 2024
Diana Scollard - USA
10/10 - The experience was top notch from start to finish. The staff were my favorite thing about the trip, tied with the penguins of course. Across the ship, from the front desk staff to the cleaners to the guides and dining crew, staff were consistently kind and helpful. The guides were absolutely amazing - so knowledgeable, patient, and kind.
Travelled: December 2023
Leslie Fulton - USA
10/10 - I got to see and learned so much during this trip. The expedition team answered my questions and helped me throughout the trip.
Travelled: December 2023
Nidia Eileen Diaz - USA
Exceeded our expectations. Superb job done by the team, especially the leader.
Travelled: November 2023
Perumpillavil Govind - India
10/10- Our expedition leader, Ali, planned an incredible trip for us. It was truly special to be able to visit so many sites over the 5 days we were in Antarctica and actually get to stand on the continent.
Travelled: February 2023
Leanne Matthews - USA
10/10 - It was a bucket list trip we saw everything there was to see
Travelled: February 2023
Ruth Fraser - South Africa
10/10- It was the perfect mix of adventure, unique experience and educational / fulfilling vacation as I could have imagined.
Travelled: January 2023
Gene Piper - USA
10/10 - From the initial orientation to the care taken of passengers on the ship and outings, the food, the educational presentations, the view of Antartica provided all exceeded my expectations.
Travelled: December 2022
Linda Nolte - USA
10/10 - I’ve wanted to go to Antarctica for about 18 years. It was a bucket list adventure. I was able to camp, cruise the Antarctica waters, and kayak around glaciers and icebergs.
Travelled: December 2022
Natalie Dewberry-Moore - USA
The expedition team were experts in their fields and provided a lot of great information during their lectures. This was a truly accessible tour and trip. Their team was willing to help everyone regardless of the ability.
Travelled: December 2022
Natalie Dewberry-Moore - USA
It is a jam-packed day with 2 outings each day, you wake up in a different location and during lunch you're moving again. Was it cold? Yes but it was so worth it!
Travelled: December 2022
Chelsea Davis - USA
Every member of the team brought a different focus to our experience. They were engaging, passionate and worked very hard to ensure we had the best experience possible.
Travelled: December 2022
Rebecca Brown - USA
Most memorable moment: Waking up the first day in Antarctica with the sun shining, surrounding mountains covered in snow, porpoising penguins, and beautiful blue waters.
Travelled: December 2022
Charlie Barchett - USA
10/10 - The trip is totally amazing.
Travelled: December 2022
Manuel Gutierrez - USA
All the guides and crew were very well prepared and knowledgeable. The expedition is very well planned even for weather changes. The food aboard is great, the zodiac cruising, landings were exceptional. The kayaking experience was the best with great kayaking guides in beautiful locations.
Travelled: December 2022
Christian Cancino Martinez - USA
The expedition team were very knowledgeable and friendly. The lectures were great (ice, whales, seals, icebergs, weather, Antarctic politics, etc.). They were highly skilled with the Zodiacs which gave us the peace to enjoy the cruising.
Travelled: December 2022
Christian Cancino Martinez - USA
10/10 - It was incredible.
Travelled: December 2022
Bryna Chadwick - USA
An unique, once in a life time experience.
Travelled: December 2021
Xin Jing - USA
The staffs are amazing - very knowledgeable and professional. All lectures that I attended were given by excellent speakers.
Travelled: December 2021
Xin Jing - USA
SO MANY PENGUINS. SEALS. WHALES. Birds. But really SO MANY PENGUINS. When they promised penguins I thought it was one of those "you nearly always see a couple" but no, we saw thousands upon thousands of them. I saw gentoo, chinstrap, and even a handful of Adelie. I wasn't expecting the variety of other birds either!
Travelled: December 2021
Steve Alpert - USA
The expedition team was extremely knowledgeable and made an effort to interact with each of the guests creating a very welcoming environment.
Travelled: December 2021
Amy Smith - USA
It was amazing to be able to see penguins and other birds, plus seals up-close on the excursions. We also saw lots of wildlife from the ship.
Travelled: December 2021
Claire Torrey - USA
Our ship encountered a huge group of feeding humpback whales. We were surrounded by them for approx. 1.5 hours as we watched them feed, play, breech, dive...it was an enchanting experience. I never thought I would be so up-close to these beautiful creatures.
Travelled: December 2021
Claire Torrey - USA
The expedition team was amazing! The team had such a great variety of experience and backgrounds. They were friendly and helpful, and if they didn't know the answer to a question, they would find out.
Travelled: December 2021
Claire Torrey - USA
I feel so fortunate to have been able to experience this clean and unspoiled part of the earth. It has inspired our family to pay even more attention to environmental issues than before. This is due in part to the education and exposure to the issues by the Expedition Team's lectures and conversations, as well as just the experience of being there and seeing in person.
Travelled: December 2021
Claire Torrey - USA
The almost untouched and surreal scenery and unique wildlife experiences have me wanting to look into Arctic expeditions!
Travelled: December 2021
Mohit Kallianpur - USA
The expedition team was PHENOMENAL. They were educated, kind, timely, and responsible. They were extremely knowledgeable and if they did not know something, they had the documents to look it up.[...] This was the best staff we have ever had on a trip!
Travelled: December 2021
Lisa Weeks - USA
As the days continued with lectures, landings, and Zodiac cruises, nothing was less than perfect. Each lecture was exactly the time it was supposed to be. Each meal was hot and delicious. Each landing we got a greeting from Sara letting us know about where we were. Each Zodiac cruise had a leader that knew what they were doing and took care of us.
Travelled: December 2021
Lisa Weeks - USA
The guides were amazing and knowledgeable. The Zodiac provided opportunities for close encounters with the land and sea of Antarctica.
Travelled: December 2021
Jade Griffin - USA
They worked tirelessly to ensure all passengers had daily activities and fun. I felt like they never took a day off and I'm so glad to have met such smart and caring individuals.
Travelled: December 2021
Jade Griffin - USA
We saw whales, various types of seals, penguins, and birds. My favorite encounter was w/ a Leopard Seal while kayaking; the seal seemed to be having fun with us, creating waves and swimming quickly underneath the water to change his position before we could snap a photo. We also saw a group of Ocra hunting another whale - it was a magical moment as the sun was setting and we had just finished a BBQ dinner / party on the back deck.
Travelled: February 2020
George Parson - Australia
Our trip was amazing!! Crew and Expedition leaders were AWESOME! Very professional and always placed safety first.
Travelled: December 2018
Josie & Carmen Castro - Canada
The scenery and wildlife were terrific and it was a pleasure to meet with many of the passengers on the boat. The experience was very much as expected and greatly enjoyed. I felt that we were given expert information before going ashore each time, as well as informative lectures throughout the trip.
Travelled: February 2018
Charles & Denise - UK
This was absolutely the right cruise for us and I've already recommended it to several people. It exceeded my expectations. Being able to experience nature in its natural state was a once in a lifetime experience. All of the crew on the ship were wonderful.
Travelled: January 2018
Karyn & Richard - California
Excursions were the highlights of the trip. I can't point a finger to any of them saying that one was the best. They were all fantastic!
Travelled: January 2018
Zoltan & Stephen Nemeth - Florida
It was a perfect choice. For the price, we paid we definitely feel the trip delivered. You always have to remember: mother nature is in charge. The crew was professional and made sure we were always informed, well prepared and well educated before every excursion.
Travelled: January 2018
Zoltan & Stephen Nemeth - Florida
We were very pleased with Swoop and were thrilled with the quick and helpful responses we received from you. The cabin and voyage recommended were perfect for us.
Travelled: January 2018
Nancy - North Carolina
Loved the trip. Weather was good for the first four days after arrival. Staff and guides were top notch. Very calm, capable and knowledgeable.
Travelled: January 2018
Nancy Stagner - United States Of America
The voyage lived up to the expectations and the crew were knowledgeable, committed to the sanctity of Antarctica. Completely satisfied - food was excellent.
Travelled: December 2017
Pauline - Australia
Penguins were definitely the highlight. I could have watched them for hours. Lemaire Channel was spectacular though we had to turn around at the end due to iceberg blocking the way. We saw many whales - fin, humpback and orca.
Travelled: March 2017
Nathalie Lemaire - United States Of America
I really enjoyed seeing all of the wildlife on this trip. We saw dolphins chasing the boat. We got up close and personal with humpback whales. We saw orcas chasing or playing with seals and hunting penguins in the sea.
Travelled: March 2017
Eileen - New Jersey
We landed at Paradise Bay and walked across a pebble beach while penguins and seals were cavorting and inquisitive. Our first real ice walk. Spotted our first adelie among the gentoo penguins!
Travelled: March 2017
Graham and Angela - UK
Review:
About The Ship
- A highly ice-strengthened Polar Class 6 vessel
- Spacious lecture theatre for the comprehensive educational programme
- State-of-the-art power management systems to help reduce environmental impact
- Modern décor with a cosy and informal atmosphere
- Sheltered Zodiac boarding zone for easier entry into the boats
- Camping, kayaking and snowshoeing available on select departures
Prices, Departures and Inclusions
Prices quoted below are per person based on 2 people sharing. Cabin availability changes all the time so please contact us for up-to-date details and information on specific cabin availability.
2024
2025
2026
* Note: Prices are per person. Paid in USD ($) - figure above is based on today's exchange rate. Actual cost $6300
Additional Notes
The length of the voyages are as follows:
- 23-Mar-2026: 10 days long
- All other departures: 11 days long
Departures on 10-Mar-2026 and 23-Mar-2026 have a whale watching focus.
The departure on 22-Jan-2026 includes a complimentary workshop where guests will learn about the history, theory and practice of land and sea navigation.
Single Supplement And Child Policy
For those travelling solo who want their own cabin, the single supplement is 1.7 times the cost of a single berth. Please contact us for details. There is no single supplement for passengers willing to share a cabin.
Children aged 8 years old or over are permitted on this trip. On select departures, children under 16 may receive a 40% discount. Please contact us for details.
Optional Adventure Activities
Enhance your trip with the following add ons. Limited places per activity.
Get in contact to check availability.
Activity | Cost | Additional Information |
---|---|---|
Camping | $225 | Select departures from November to February. Fee is USD $250 for 2025-26. |
Kayaking | $560 | Kayaking competency required. Select departures. |
Polar diving | $640 | Limited spaces available. Cold water and dry suit experience required. Select departures. Additional charge of between USD $640 and USD $1600, depending on voyage and season. |
Snowshoeing | Complimentary | Select departures, as long as snow conditions allow. Snowshoes provided. |
Includes
- Voyage aboard the vessel as indicated in the itinerary
- Accommodation and meals during the voyage on full board
- All shore excursions and zodiac activities
- Educational lectures by expert onboard polar guides
- Access to an onboard doctor and basic medical services
- Loan of rubber boots and snowshoes for the voyage's duration
- Luggage transfer from pick-up point to the vessel on the day of embarkation, in Ushuaia
- Pre-scheduled group transfer from the vessel to the airport in Ushuaia (directly after disembarkation)
- Comprehensive pre-departure information
- Port taxes and any entry fees to landing sites
Excludes
- Flights to and from points of embarkation/disembarkation
- Any additional pre/post land services, including meals
- Transfers not specified in the itinerary
- Optional adventure activities (e.g. kayaking)
- Visa, passport and any vaccination expenses
- Airport arrival or departure taxes
- Personal travel insurance
- Items of a personal nature - laundry, beverages, etc
- Customary staff gratuity at the end of the voyage
- Additional onboard purchases (i.e. gift shop)
Questions about this Voyage?
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