Ultimate Antarctic Circle Crossing

After a warm welcome at the airport, you’ll transfer to one of the partnered premium resorts set within Patagonia’s natural surroundings. Take time to relax or explore Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world.

The optional evening briefing gives you the chance to ask questions and meet some of your fellow travelers.
 

Spend the morning relaxing at your hotel, visiting a museum, or browsing Ushuaia’s shops before your mid‑afternoon transfer to the ship. The Expedition Team and crew welcome you aboard and help you settle in, followed by a safety and orientation briefing and the Captain’s Welcome Dinner. Your Antarctic adventure begins.

Join Polar Experts as they share their vast knowledge of Antarctica, from its enchanting wildlife to its bold history. Participate in a pioneering Citizen Science program, or sit back and take in this fabled journey while catching glimpses of rarely-seen wildlife. Keep your binoculars handy to identify the many seabirds that escort the ship as it crosses the Antarctic Convergence into Antarctica’s waters and noticeably cooler temperatures, your cue to get ready for that first iceberg sighting, an unforgettable moment on every journey.

Over time, the volcanic activity of the South Shetland Islands has created a geology unlike any other. Here, you can expect a spectacular display of mountains, glaciers, and wildlife, including Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins, and it’s not uncommon to share the water’s edge with Elephant and Fur seals. Whales are often spotted as well. So, you’ll settle into your Zodiacs and kayaks and spend most of your day exploring. Whether on land or sea, in Zodiac or kayak, be prepared for a fully immersive introduction to this incomparable part of the world.

Heading south across the Bransfield Strait, you begin to see the breathtaking outline of the Antarctic Peninsula. Wildlife sightings, including penguins, whales, and fur seals, become more frequent, as do dramatic sculptural icebergs. With extra time to explore, possibilities abound. Visit historic sites like the huts at Damoy Point, keep an eye out for humpback whales in Wilhelmina Bay, and continue the twice-daily outings until you reach the crown jewel of this expedition, the jaw-dropping scenery through the Lemaire Channel. Weather permitting, you cross the Antarctic Circle at 66°33’S, an achievement that puts you in rare company. Following a tradition first established by sailors crossing the equator, you’ll celebrate the occasion by… (Sorry, you just have to be there), before heading onward toward any number of historic and rarely visited British Survey bases, after which you turn back north.

Heading north, you explore all the Antarctic Peninsula has to offer, including any number of spectacular bays and famed landing sites, maneuvering through dramatic channels as you traverse the wildlife-rich waters, encountering a wide variety of lively penguins, seals, and whales along the rugged coastlines and in the sea. There are always great opportunities to stop at several active scientific bases and historic landing sites along the way, as you leave no opportunity unseized upon in your quest to explore the very best of this magical place.

Depart this magical place and make your way north, once again heading across the Antarctic Convergence and the Drake Passage. You have one last hurrah as you celebrate the conclusion of your expedition with a special slideshow and a final meal together.

With huge smiles on weary, content faces, disembark in the morning, letting you catch a flight to Buenos Aires or stay in Ushuaia for more sights and adventure.