Weddell Sea, Elephant Island & The Circle

Your exciting Antarctica trip begins in Ushuaia, Argentina’s southernmost city, where you will arrive independently and make your way to the port to board your expedition vessel. Settle in to your comfortable cabin, explore your new surroundings and make your way to deck to watch as we sail through the scenic Beagle Channel and South America fades into the distance.

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 lectures and talks will begin, along with safety and bio-environmental briefings for your time in Antarctica. As we pass the Antarctic Convergence we will likely spot the first of many icebergs.

For our first adventure we plan to explore the rarely-visited Elephant Island, lands synonymous with Sir Ernest Shackleton. Shackleton and his men were stranded here over-winter during their Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, also known as the Endurance Expedition, and as we visit here you will learn all about Shackleton’s daring rescue mission to South Georgia. Conditions on Elephant Island are severe. The coastline is mostly made up of vertical rock and ice cliffs highly exposed to the elements. If possible you will take the Zodiacs to Point Wild, where the marooned members of Shackleton’s expedition miraculously managed to survive.

Welcome to Antarctica, a land of superlatives! Enchanting scenery, unique wildlife encounters and thrilling adventures await as we spend our days exploring by Zodiac and on foot to get up close to the action. Your exact itinerary here will be determined by weather and ice conditions with your captain choosing each day which areas to visit for optimum experiences.

We plan to sail into the Weddell Sea where colossal tabular icebergs herald your arrival to the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula. The list of places we may visit includes Devil Island which is home to a large colony of Adelie penguins. Sailing as close as possible to the northwest area of Erebus and Terror Gulf, we will hope to make land at the volcanic Beak and Eagle islands for some spectacular scenery and the chance to say you have stood in the “the hottest place in Antarctica”. We also plan to visit the incredibly remote Vega Island.

After an exploration of the Weddell Sea area we will sail west on to the Peninsula through the breath-taking scenery of the Orleans Strait and on to Mikklesen Harbor where we will hope for sightings of orca and humpback whales.

Having sailed above the Peninsula and through the incredibly scenic Lemaire Channel, we will arrive in the area of Port Charcot, where there is a cairn that was erected by the French Antarctic Expedition of 1903 – 05. We will then head for Petermann Island where a thrilling Zodiac cruise among the icebergs should reward in abundant birdlife sightings including gentoo penguins. There will also be excellent marine mammal observation opportunities with minke and humpbacks often being found here alongside crabeater and leopard seals.

As we reach the icy and wildlife-filled Crystal Sound, we will explore around the area in search of wildlife adventures before landing at Detaille Island. This remote island was once home to a British research station that is now an historic monument.

Next up will be the amazing Argentine Islands, with our first stop bringing us to the small and isolated archipelago of the Yalour Islands where a landing will bring us up-close to Adélie penguins and some of the most southerly gentoos in the world, along with walks along the unique tundra here. At the nearby Ukrainian research station, Vernadsky, a warm welcome awaits us as we hope to enjoy a tour of the facilities and a chat with the hardy scientists who spend their time here. There will be time for a visit to Wordie House, a well-preserved historic hut, as well as the post office that is always a popular spot for visitors to this remote area.

Your last adventure in Antarctica will take you to the Melchior Islands for some final activities before we set sail back into the Drake Passage.

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 bid farewell to your crew and fellow shipmates. After breakfast you will disembark and a group transfer will be provided to the airport for onward or homeward journeys.