Antarctic Peninsula in Focus

The date of "Day 1" for each voyage reflects the date that you will embark on your ship. However, the price of your trip also includes additional services pre-voyage to ensure a hassle-free experience on arrival into Argentina. Once you have landed into Buenos Aires (on the day prior to your embarkation date) you will be met and transferred to your included 4-5* city centre hotel where you will spend the night. Please see the final paragraph of this itinerary for the included arrangements once you have disembarked.

After an early breakfast, this morning you will be transferred to the airport for your included charter flight down to the port city of Ushuaia in southern Argentina. Here, you will board your ship and set sail for Antarctica. After the mandatory safety briefings, head out on deck as you sail down the Beagle Channel. Here you are likely to spot your first wildlife of the trip including flocks of black-browed albatross, sea lions and perhaps even the odd Magellanic penguin.

The adventure begins in earnest as you head across the infamous Drake Passage with the help of the ship’s extra large stabilisers. Your sea days will be busy with preparatory educational briefings and presentations on topics such as the wildlife, history and geology of Antarctica. There will also be time to get out on deck to enjoy the spectacular sight of huge albatrosses and giant petrels gliding past the ship. Join in with citizen science activities to count the number and variety of bird species sighted, and help out with cloud surveys for a NASA observation project. As you draw closer to Antarctica, keep your eyes peeled for that first iceberg sighting!

Once you have arrived in glorious Antarctica, your Expedition Leader and the ship’s Captain will be working hard to maximise the opportunities for you to get off the ship and explore as much as possible. There is no fixed itinerary as every day the weather and ice conditions can (and do!) change, and impromptu wildlife opportunities such as whale sightings are seized upon wherever possible. Your expedition team of naturalist guides will be on hand to help you explore safely and to explain about this incredible ecosystem.

During your time in Antarctica you may be heading out on Zodiac cruises, crunching through brash ice to look for snoozing seals hauled out, or penguins taking a break on a sculptural iceberg. There are 50 shades of blue as the light dances across the ice and water - it’s a photographer’s dream. Alternatively, you might be heading ashore to fully experience the sound, sight and smell of cacophonous penguin rookeries. Watching these adorable characters waddle past can’t fail to put a smile on your face. Look out also for predatory skuas on the aerial hunt for a penguiny snack, whilst in the water leopard seals patrol looking for opportunities to pounce. There may be the opportunity to hike uphill for breathtaking views out across the Antarctic Peninsula.

Other times the ship itself might be the best platform, with ship cruising often being the perfect way to soak up the incredible landscapes. Whether you’re squeezing through the photogenic Lemaire Channel or gliding through iceberg-strewn channels, make sure to spend some time in the toasty Jacuzzi or the infinity pool looking out at the ice - it’s a surreal feeling.

As you bid Antarctica farewell, the ship will head northwards back towards South America. The educational program will continue, and if you don’t feel up to attending in person, you can watch the lectures live-streamed onto your cabin’s widescreen television. Why not check out the sauna with its views out to sea, or if you’re feeling energetic the window-filled gym is the perfect place to work off all the delicious desserts.

This morning you will arrive back in civilisation and disembark in Ushuaia. Here you will be taken to the airport for your charter flight back up to Buenos Aires; from here you can make your own arrangements for onward travel home.