Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Your Antarctic adventure begins with an overnight stay in the southernmost city in the world - Ushuaia, Argentina. If you arrive early, there are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy around the Tierra del Fuego archipelago; the city also offers a wide range of shops for dining and shopping.
Day 2: Embarkation Day
Today you join your ship and head south towards Antarctica! Named for the British ship HMS Beagle, the Beagle Channel will be your gateway to the south, charming you with an abundance of birdlife. You’ll likely spot penguins, cormorants, petrels, and black-browed albatross here. Once through the channel you’ll say goodbye to land and prepare to spend your first night at sea.
Day 3-4: Crossing the Drake Passage
The Drake Passage, named after Sir Francis Drake, is the legendary body of water that separates South America and Antarctica. Smooth or rough, the crossing of the Drake is a rite of passage for any true Antarctic adventurer. These two days will give you time to get to know the Expedition Team and your fellow shipmates while participating in educational programs onboard.
Day 5-8: Antarctic Peninsula
After a couple of days at sea, you’ll finally arrive at the Antarctic Peninsula. You can expect icebergs to become a more common occurrence as we approach land and make your way along the western coast of the Peninsula. Possible landing sites include Melchiors, Wilhelmina Bay, Cuverville Island and Orne Harbour. Glaciers, penguin colonies and breaching humpback whales will highlight your days, while friendly seals are plentiful in these waters as well. You can also expect to encounter what is arguably the most formidable Antarctic predator - the fearless leopard seal.
Day 9-11: Antarctic Sound & the Weddell Sea
Having sailed northwards along the Peninsula you will begin your passage through the Antarctic Sound. This stretch of water separates the western side of the Peninsula from the Weddell Sea and is riddled with huge pieces of ice emanating from the Larsen Ice Shelf, so have your cameras ready!
Your Expedition Team will educate you in all things ice, as this sea is home to the world’s most impressive floes and tabular icebergs - exponentially bigger and more visually impressive than on the other side of the Peninsula. Antarctic Sound itself offers great places for you to get ashore and stretch your legs at landing sites that are home to nesting Adelie and gentoo penguins. Snow and pintado petrels as well as kelp gulls also call this area home.
Once your ship passes through the Sound, it will be time to venture out by Zodiac to cruise amongst the sea of ‘ice giants’ that float here – among the largest icebergs you’re likely to see anywhere. If conditions permit, continue further south to the historic hut on Snow Hill Island, which contains objects from a 1902 Antarctic expedition and now functions as a living museum.
Your journey then turns northwards, with Paulet Island being one of your possible landings. The island is a 350 meter high volcanic cone that juts dramatically out of the sea. You’ll discover this island to be a bird and seal paradise. Over 100,000 pairs of Adelie penguins breed here, along with blue-eyed shags, snowy sheathbills and kelp gulls. Fur and Weddell seals haul out onshore here, while leopard seals often hunt offshore.
Day 12: South Shetlands
The South Shetlands will be sure to add variety to your voyage as your time spent in Antarctica comes to a close. Just north of the Peninsula, the South Shetlands offer landings where you can see the vegetation of Antarctica - tiny mosses, lichens and algae. You’ll want to give your cameras a final workout here too, as this will be your last day to photograph the seals and penguins of Antarctica.
Day 13-14: Drake Passage to Ushuaia
As you cross the Drake on the way back to Ushuaia, the lecture program continues. Armed with a collection of new memories and stories, reminiscing about the sights and sounds of Antarctica is inevitable. Share photos with your newfound friends, or, weather permitting, spend time on deck and enjoy your last days at sea.
Day 15: Disembark in Ushuaia, Argentina
After breakfast aboard the ship, your ships staff will transfer you and your luggage to the airport for your homeward flights.
Dates & Prices
Per person starting at
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Kate was great to work with in the planning stage. She was prompt, helpful, and efficient. Our tour guide, Edwin, was knowledgeable and passionate. We were very happy to have traveled with Adventure Life, it made the trip easy and a true pleasure. We could concentrate on enjoying the experience rather than the details of travel.
Lisa Bridge
TrustScore 4.8 | 175 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 175 reviews on
1 day ago
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
3 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
4 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.