Antarctica & South Shetlands Discovery Voyage

Your discovery and learning expedition will begin in Ushuaia, Argentina, where after having arrived independently you will embark your ship in the afternoon. As you settle in to your cabin, your ship will sail through the scenic waterway of the Beagle Channel. You may want to spend some time on deck capturing the sight of the city fading into distance behind you and looking out for the seabirds that follow the ship.

During these two days we will sail across the famous Drake Passage, encountering a variety of seabirds along the way. You may want to spend some time on deck in search of bird sightings including wandering, grey-headed, black-browed and the beautiful light-mantled sooty albatross, southern fulmars, Wilson's storm, blue, Cape and Antarctic petrels. There may also be whale sightings, and your programme of entertaining and informative workshops, exhibitions and presentations will begin, along with safety and bio-environmental briefings for your time in Antarctica. As we pass the Antarctic Convergence and sail close to the Shetland Islands we will spot the first of many icebergs.

Welcome to the indescribable lands of Antarctica! Upon arrival in this enchanting ice wonderland we will sail directly to “High Antarctica”, passing the Melchior islands and the Schollaert Channel between Brabant and Anvers Island. The Antarctic Peninsula is famed for its icy beauty and bountiful wildlife, and during our time here we will optimize the experience to get the very best of everything. Each day your experienced captain and crew will assess the weather and ice conditions to create a flexible itinerary to allow you to discover as much of this penguin’s playground as possible.

Sites that may be visited include Danco Island in the Errera Channel where activities may be focused around the Gentoo penguins nesting high on the island as well as Weddell and Crabeater seals that may be on and around the island. In Neko Harbour we may have the opportunity to set foot on the Antarctic Continent in a magnificent landscape of huge glaciers calving at sea level. Zodiac cruising around here will be an unforgettable experience and for those who have booked kayaking this will offer another spectacular way of enjoying the landscape surrounded by ice incrusted alpine peaks.

In Paradise Bay with its myriad icebergs we may again have the opportunity to set foot on the Antarctic Continent. Again, we may offer an opportunity for a zodiac cruise in the inner parts of this amazing waterway. In this area, we have good chances to see Humpback whales and Minke whales. For those who have chosen to participate in the optional camping on ice activity this is most likely to be the area chosen for this excursion. Throughout your time in Antarctica a wide range of activities will be enjoyed daily, but for many the ultimate experience is a camping on ice expedition. You will have the chance to make camp like a true polar adventurer, with quality tents provided, and spent the night surrounded by nothing but ice and the Antarctic silence.

Another possible spot for camping on ice is close to the former British research station of Port Lockroy on Goudier Island. Here the excursions will be mostly centred around the good populations of blue-eyed shags and gentoo penguins that are found here. Kayaking and shore walks will offer great chances to get up-close to the penguins along the shore. You could also take the chance to visit the famous Port Lockroy Post Office at the end of the world.

After a thorough exploration of the peninsula your ship will start its course northwards towards the South Shetland Islands.

Please note, kayaking and camping on ice are not included in the price of the voyage and should be booked in advance of departure as numbers are limited. Snowshoeing is included and does not incur an additional charge.

After exploring the Peninsula we arrive in the South Shetland Islands area for an extra day of discovery. These windswept volcanic islands are often shrouded in mist creating an eerie atmosphere, but as we get closer we will discover the many delights they hold. The islands are home to numerous penguins including Gentoo and Chinstrap and are also a great spot for birding, with Southern Giant Petrels, thousands of Cape petrels and many Kelp gulls, Brown and South polar skuas and Antarctic terns frequenting the area.

We plan to sail through the spectacular Neptune’s Bellows and into the flooded caldera of Deception Island where we will make land. There is a lovely variety of flora here with mosses, lichens and flowering grasses creating an impressive contrast to the ice-filled waterways, and there are great possibilities for hikes across this fascinating and desolate volcanic landscape. Alternatively our itinerary may bring us to Half Moon Island, where we are likely to find Chinstrap penguins and Weddell seals hauled out on the beach near the Argentinean research station Camara.

As our exhilarating time in Antarctica comes to end it’s time to head back north through the Drake Passage where again the ship will be followed by a vast array of seabirds. Enjoy the last presentations from your team of noted naturalists and take the time to dissolve all of the unforgettable memories you will have made on your once in a lifetime expediton.

As we sail back through the scenic Beagle Channel and arrive in Ushuaia in the early morning it’s sadly time to say goodbye to your crew and fellow shipmates. After breakfast you will disembark and a group transfer will be provided to the airport for onward or homewards journeys.