Welcome to Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world. Your representative will be waiting for you to transfer you to your hotel. You will be informed at the hotel of your journey and details of embarkation. If you happen to arrive early, there are a surprising amount of ways to entertain yourself. Check out the Museo Maritimo to brush up on the history of the region. Take a stroll down Avenida San Martin if you are after any last-minute essentials before departing. Enjoy a traditional meal at a local restaurant and sample some of Argentina's famous red wine.

This afternoon you’ll board the Ocean Endeavour, settle into your cabin and begin cruising down the stunning Beagle Channel, named for Charles Darwin’s ship. The channel transects the Tierra del Fuego archipelago in the extreme south of South America, the most southerly national park of South America. The Expedition Team and the Ship’s Officers will be waiting to welcome you aboard. This evening you sail along the wildlife-rich Beagle Channel, towards the White Continent of Antarctica. As you leave the lights of Ushuaia behind, look out for Magellanic Penguins, Rock Cormorants, Petrels, and Black-browed Albatross from the deck as well as noisy sea lion colonies.

The time has come to cross the Drake Passage, the legendary body of water named after English explorer Sir Francis Drake. If the conditions are right, enjoy some time out on deck to spot dolphins, orcas, or perhaps albatross. If the waters are a little rough, the Ocean Endeavour is equipped with some seriously lush facilities for you to take advantage of. As well as safety briefings, a comprehensive lecture program will run throughout the journey delivered by experts in Antarctica’s history, geology, and biology, Dr. Freidlaender, and his team of researchers. With any luck, make it to land by early evening on Day 4 – a moment that always brings much excitement.

The adventure truly begins once the Antarctic Convergence is left in your wake and exchanged for four incredible days of exploring the Antarctic Peninsula. Stare wide-eyed at glaciers, mountains and for an unimaginable array of wildlife as the sheer magnitude and rawness of the area comes to light. Every day is a new adventure, and you’ll explore ice-filled bays and channels as well as Antarctica itself on Zodiac excursions and by foot. While the landscapes will no doubt take your breath away, and Antarctica is all about the wildlife. Visit penguin rookeries, spot humpback whales, minke whales, and look out for leopard seals, all while calving glaciers crack through the immense silence. As you head out on your guided Zodiac cruises and immersive shore landings, the research team traveling with you will take another Zodiac to search for whales. 

Dr. Friedleander and his team will deploy non-invasive tracking tools to gather data such as whale orientation, movement, and speed me. The team will use suction-capped devices with two cameras attached, providing a first-person (or first-whale!) view of underwater lives. The researchers will be using drone technology to track whale size and movement from above, as well as to observe krill populations in the southern oceans. While they may be exploring different regions to you on any given day, they will report back regularly at the evening recap presentations. Dr. Friedlaender presents engaging research lectures worldwide and will contribute to your onboard lecture program as well as being available for less formal interactions on the vessel.

As you leave the Antarctic Peninsula, we begin our return leg to Ushuaia. Grab the opportunity to share photographs with fellow travelers, enjoy some final lectures from polar experts and speak with the WWF-Australia team about their whale research findings from their time on the Peninsula. Ultimately, Dr. Friedlaender and his team hope that their research will lead to the establishment of an Antarctic marine protection area, preventing krill fishing in the region, and safeguarding the health of baleen whales. With The Intrepid Foundation helping to facilitate this research voyage and supporting WWF-Australia’s Protecting Antarctic Giants project, this is a cause to get behind. Your last days onboard are also a great opportunity to make use of Ocean Endeavour’s health and wellness facilities, including its saunas, spa, heated pool, yoga classes, and gym.

Arrive in Ushuaia early this morning and disembark after a final breakfast aboard the Ocean Endeavour.

After saying your farewells to your Expedition Team and the Ocean Endeavour crew, transfer you to the airport for your onward flight, or you may like to spend an extra few days in Ushuaia, giving you time to explore this fascinating town and the surrounding areas.