Named after the vessel on which famous naturalist Charles Darwin sailed through the area, the rugged Beagle Channel will greet you from the plane window on the approach to Ushuaia. It’s here, in this scenic seaside village that your journey to South Georgia and the Antarctic begins. After settling into your hotel, enjoy one of the
city’s many restaurants serving local seafood and Argentine cuisine or stretch the legs with a hike to the Martial Glacier taking in views of the surrounding valleys and mountains.

From the wharf in Ushuaia, you will board the Ocean Endeavour before setting sail to enjoy the pastel colors and fleeting wildlife of an afternoon and dusk on the Beagle Channel.

Sailing east, your time at sea can be spent learning from your on-board team of experts and guides through talks, workshops or casual conversation. Or take to the Ocean Endeavour’s esplanade deck for panoramic views of the southern skies and the rare albatross that frequent them. These wanderers of the ocean will guide you toward your next destination while lecturers in ornithology, geology, glaciology and biology will prepare you to understand this remote and unique wilderness.

On day six of the expedition, hanging glaciers and the echoing howls of adolescent fur seals will emerge from the morning fog of South Georgia. It’s on these very shores that famed Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackelton landed his crew of the James Caird in search of help for his party stranded on Elephant Island. Spend the next several days retracing some of Shackleton’s steps, visiting his grave at the ex-whaling station of Grytviken and wandering among hundreds of thousands of king penguins in dramatic South Georgian light. Across the island, dark volcanic beaches are backgrounded by hanging glaciers and penguin species nest among tussock grass along hikes to alpine lakes. For keen birders, one might even spot the South Georgia pipit - the world’s most southerly endemic passerine.

After a thorough exploration of this remote and rugged land, bid farewell to South Georgia and turn toward the Antarctic Peninsula. Sailing further south each day, it’s here that the Southern Ocean comes into a whole new realm; where icebergs appear on the horizon at Cape Petrels flank the Ocean Endeavour as you gain sight of the frozen continent on the horizon. During these two days, the out onboard education program will continue with a focus on the Antarctic marine life, history and geopolitics of the area.

Day 12 will see the Ocean Endeavour sailing among the icebergs and penguin colonies of the world’s last true wilderness - the Antarctic continent. As you approach the peninsula from the north, begin the immersive Antarctic experience with more zodiac excursions cruising among the brash ice or landing at some of the area’s most celebrated vantage points. To begin the true Antarctic wildlife experience, immerse yourself within the sights and sounds of a gentoo or chinstrap penguin colony - a chance to marvel at these aquatic birds and witness their brief summer activities in this frozen land. Across the following days, the Ocean Endeavour will venture even further south, your captain seeking the most prized of pristine Antarctic wilderness and aiming to access such famous sites as Neko Harbour, Port Lockroy and the Lemaire Channel. Along the way, the experts on the vessel’s bridge will be scanning for seals and the marine leviathans that call these waters home during the austral summer. Here, among the ice, continue your exploration with snowshoeing, camping, kayaking and even take the chance for a polar plunge - a concise swim in Antarctic waters.

In celebration of all that South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula have given you over the previous days, bid farewell to the seventh continent from the decks of the Ocean Endeavour with a toast to the Antarctic at sunset.

Arrive into Ushuaia early this morning, and disembark after a final breakfast aboard the Ocean Endeavour. After saying your farewells to your Expedition Team and
the crew of the Ocean Endeavour, you will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight, or you may like to spend extra days in Ushuaia, giving you time to explore this fascinating town and the surrounding areas.