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  • Ushuaia

    Ushuaia

    Located on the southernmost tip of South America and the gateway to the Antarctic and South Atlantic, it is easy to see how port town Ushuaia earned its nickname the “End of the World”...
  • Drake Passage

    Drake Passage

    Considered by many polar travellers to be the gateway to Antarctica, the Drake Passage is a common feature for cruises to the Antarctic Peninsula...
  • Antarctic Peninsula

    Antarctic Peninsula

    The ultimate expedition
    You don't take a holiday to Antarctica ‒ you make a trip of a lifetime...

Start your Antarctica adventure in Ushuaia, taking a day to explore the city or hiking to Marshall Glacier. Embark your boat in the afternoon and start your voyage with a lecture from your expedition leader, before settling in for the night. The next two days will see you cross Drake Passage, an 800km stretch of water known for its abundance of seabirds, whales and iceberg sightings, before landing on the White Continent at the South Shetland Islands, Bransfield Strait and the Antarctic Peninsula itself. Expect to make two landings each day (dependent on weather), where you’ll see penguins, seals, whales and some of the most remote and inspiring scenery in the world.

Key information

Destinations Antarctic Peninsula
Activity Cruise & Sailing, Luxury, Nature & Wildlife
Physical Level Easy
Season Season November - March

This itinerary would cost from $4,990 per person with our Antarctic Peninsula specialist.

Suggested itinerary

Take a trip to the end of the world

Take a trip to the end of the world

Day 1 in Ushuaia

Located on the southernmost tip of South America and the gateway to the Antarctic and South Atlantic, it is easy to see how port town Ushuaia earned its nickname the “End of the World”. The starting point for many Antarctica cruises and tours to nearby Isla Yécapasela (penguin island), the town is a busy hub for adventure tourism — with hiking, scuba diving, sea kayaking, sailing and skiing all on offer. Beer-enthusiasts shouldn’t miss getting a pint from Cervecería Beagle, the world's southernmost brewery.

Cross the formidable Drake Passage

Cross the formidable Drake Passage

Day 2–3 in Drake Passage

Considered by many polar travellers to be the gateway to Antarctica, the Drake Passage is a common feature for cruises to the Antarctic Peninsula. Straddled between Chile’s Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica, this infamous waterway is named after the 16th-century English explorer Sir Francis Drake.

Don't miss

Whale watching

Whale watching

Antarctica is one of the best places on earth to see whales. From orcas to humpbacks, minke to sperm, the relative isolation whales have enjoyed in the Antarctic means they are curious of ships and even approach them.

Explore the Antarctic Peninsula

Explore the Antarctic Peninsula

Day 4–11 in Antarctic Peninsula

You don't take a holiday to Antarctica ‒ you make a trip of a lifetime.

This colossal frozen netherworld is bigger than the USA. The sun doesn’t rise for six months of the year and it's constant daylight the rest. It's the most untouched, alien place on our planet ‒ but the rewards are exceptional. Antarctica’s landscapes are surreal: utterly immense rolling icefields, icebergs the size of stadiums, glassy seas deeper than a skyscraper.

Its wildlife is abundant and utterly unperturbed by people. Armies of penguins waddle across the ice, train-sized humpback whales and orcas breach from the inky depths, seals flounder on the snowfields. On a calm day, when the sunlight bounces off every surface, the silence is all-encompassing. It's like nowhere else on earth.

Don't miss

Penguins in Paradise Bay

Penguins in Paradise Bay

Home to gentoo penguins and the occasional humpback whale, Paradise Bay is a must-stop on any Antarctica cruise. Come to see penguins diving off ice floes and huge chunks of jagged ice surrounding the harbour. Wrap up — Paradise Bay’s temperatures remain below freezing year round.

Get your camera ready at Lemaire Channel

Get your camera ready at Lemaire Channel

Antarctica is a land of beauty, but perhaps the best views are reserved for the 1km stretch of Lemaire Channel, located between the mainland and Booth Island. It’s so photogenic that travellers have nicknamed it Kodak Gap.

Postcards from Port Lockroy

Postcards from Port Lockroy

This British research base was founded in 1944 and abandoned in 1962, and now operates as a museum staffed by volunteers. They operate the centre as it was in the 1940s, which means no internet or TVs, but you can buy and send postcards from one of the most southerly Post Offices in the world.

Sea kayaking

Sea kayaking

Not all excursions are on dry land! Your ship may carry kayaks, giving you a chance to explore the ice floes under paddle power.

Book this itinerary

This route booked with one of our specialist tour operators would cost from $4,990pp. Pricing varies by accommodation class, and can be tailored to suit your budget.

Pricing is typically inclusive of hotels, transfers, meals, and all guided excursions and activities.

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