Crossing the Circle in Style

Day 1: Arrive in Buenos Aires

Arrive into the elegant capital city Buenos Aires today, making your own arrangements to transfer to your group hotel where your pre-cruise hotel night is included in the mandatory transfer package.

Please note that select departures dates follow an amended itinerary, beginning with an included pre-cruise night in Ushuaia rather than in Buenos Aires. These Ushuaia-starting departures do not include the charter flights between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia, which must be purchased independently.  For these trips we strongly recommend that you add in a stay in Buenos Aires prior to flying down to Ushuaia for your included pre-night.

Day 2: Flight to Ushuaia & Embarkation

After an early breakfast at your Buenos Aires hotel, the group will transfer to the airport and board a private charter flight to Ushuaia, Argentina.

Upon arrival, you will be transferred from the airport to a central downtown location giving you some time on your own to explore this quaint port town before making your way to the pier. The ship sets sail in the late afternoon and you begin your Antarctic journey, passing along the Beagle Channel. Named after the famed ship on which Charles Darwin voyaged, keep your camera ready as this is a great location to spot black-browed albatross in the water along with Magellanic penguins and sea lions. Eventually the channel opens up to the wild Southern Ocean, and you will sail onwards to Antarctica.

For those travelling on Ushuaia-starting trips, you will have the morning at leisure to relax and explore Ushuaia.  Perhaps take a half day trip into the Tierra del Fuego National Park or explore the quirky Maritime Museum in the old prison.  In the afternoon you will embark on the ship and set sail as above.

Days 3 & 4: At Sea

The waters of the Drake Passage can be unpredictable but we always hope for clear skies and a calm ocean. There is plenty of time to stare out at the sea, get to know your fellow travellers and chat to your Expedition Team. Time will be spent preparing for the exciting days ahead, with numerous informative and educational lectures from your Expedition Team. You'll learn about everything from the fascinating history of whaling and explorers in Antarctica to the safety procedures you need for the vessel and Zodiac landings.

Days 5 to 7: Antarctic Peninsula & South Shetland Islands

Leaving the Drake Passage in our wake, we make our final approach to Antarctica. You will need your cameras ready, as the continent's coastline comes into view. You'll see plenty of icebergs floating by and be captivated as curious whales spout and breach from the ocean before your eyes.

There is no doubt that it's exciting to see all of this from onboard the ship, but your true exploration begins when you disembark and set foot on the White Continent. There are several potential landing sites we may visit; weather will dictate specific landings but regardless of where we disembark, each place presents a new collection of wildlife and natural attractions.

Your days will be busy, spent spotting wildlife and being mesmerised by the beauty of Antarctica. Listening to the crackling and crumbling sounds of icebergs and glaciers and watching penguins waddling on the beach will become your daily entertainment. Kayaking with whales and camping on the ice are a couple of optional activities available to you on selected voyages.

Days 8 to 9: Antarctic Circle

Most expeditions to the Peninsula do not reach this far south, so crossing the Antarctic Circle is an impressive achievement.  You and your fellow shipmates will celebrate in style with a well-earned glass of champagne! Enjoy a toast and take pride in knowing you've made it to a part of the world visited by very few people.

Days 10 & 11: Along the Peninsula

By now, you'll be able to separate Adelie, chinstrap and gentoo penguins and differentiate between a leopard, fur or Weddell seal. Formerly strange terms like "bergy bits" and "pancake ice" will seem normal now too, yet there are still many tales to be told. Heading back towards the Drake, zodiac excursions will continue to fill your days and the Expedition Team will help fill in any blanks that remain in your newly acquired knowledge of the Antarctic.

Days 12 & 13: Towards Ushuaia

Antarctica fades away but you'll certainly be left with a collection of memories to last a lifetime. Conversations with newfound friends will make passing the Drake Passage fly by. Your Expedition Team will finish off their series of lectures, perhaps with a slideshow of some of the great landing sites you've visited and wildlife you've seen over the course of your voyage.

Day 14: Disembarkation

You will arrive in Ushuaia in the morning and disembark after breakfast. Say goodbye to the ship and your Expedition Team.

For departures with the mandatory transfer package, there will be an included tour of Tierra del Fuego National Park tour before you are transferred to the airport for the return group charter flight to Buenos Aires.  For those departures where arrangements end in Ushuaia, you will need to book an onward flight out of Ushuaia departing after 12 noon.

NOTE: This itinerary is for guidance only as each voyage will vary depending on ice and weather conditions, and opportunities to see wildlife. Flexibility is key and all part of the adventure of an expeditionary cruise.