Atlantic Odyssey including Antarctic Peninsula to Cape Verde

Your trip starts at the edge of the world in Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city on Earth. Situated at the tip of South America, this small resort town on Tierra del Fuego is known as “The End of the World.” In the afternoon, you board your vessel and set sail, cruising through the mountain-lined Beagle Channel for the rest of the evening.

As you spend the next two days crossing the Drake Passage, you experience the same conditions faced by early polar explorers—cool salt air, rolling seas, and possibly the sight of a fin whale spouting. After crossing the Antarctic Convergence, where cold Antarctic waters meet warmer sub-Antarctic seas, you enter the circum-Antarctic upwelling zone. Here, both marine and birdlife shift dramatically. You may spot wandering albatrosses, grey-headed albatrosses, black-browed albatrosses, light-mantled sooty albatrosses, cape pigeons, southern fulmars, Wilson’s storm petrels, blue petrels, and Antarctic petrels.

Gray stone peaks sketched with snow, towers of broken blue-white ice, and dramatically different wildlife below and above. You first pass the snow-capped Melchior Islands and Schollaert Channel, sailing between Brabant and Anvers Islands.

Sites you may visit include:  
 
Danco Island – Activities here may focus on the gentoo penguins nesting on the island, in addition to the Weddell and crabeater seals that can be found nearby.

Neko Harbour – An epic landscape of mammoth glaciers and endless wind-carved snow, Neko Harbour offers opportunities for a Zodiac cruise and landing that afford the closest views of the surrounding alpine peaks.
 
Paradise Bay – You may be able to take a Zodiac cruise in these sprawling, ice-flecked waters, where there’s a good chance you’ll encounter humpback and minke whales.

Pléneau & Petermann Islands – If the ice allows it, you could sail through the Lemaire Channel in search of Adélie penguins and blue-eyed shags. There is also a possibility you’ll encounter humpback and minke whales here, as well as leopard seals.

Port Lockroy – After sailing through the Neumayer Channel, you may get a chance to visit the former British research station – now a museum and post office – of Port Lockroy on Goudier Island. You may also be able to partake in activities around Jougla Point, meeting gentoo penguins and blue-eyed shags. 
 
At the nearby sites, such as Damoy Point there may be the opportunity for snowshoeing to the old ski-way, this is also one of our favorite camping sites.

Wilhelmina Bay & Guvernøren  – This is a great place to spot humpback whales. You also may embark on a Zodiac cruise ending at the ghostly wreck of the Guvernøren, a whaling vessel that caught fire here in 1915. Around the Melchior Islands, amid a frozen landscape peopled with icebergs, you may encounter even more whales, leopard seals, and crabeater seals.

Conditions on the Drake Passage determine the exact time of departure.

On the way north while crossing the Drake, you’re again greeted by the vast array of seabirds remembered from the passage south. But they seem a little more familiar to you now, and you to them.

In the afternoon, new passengers embark in Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, located at the Beagle Channel. Sail through this scenic waterway for the rest of the evening

Spend these days sailing eastwards toward South Georgia. After passing the Antarctic Convergence, which is a natural boundary formed when north-flowing cold waters collide with warmer sub-Antarctic waters, enter the circum-Antarctic upwelling zone. Not only does the marine life change, but the bird life changes, too: A variety of albatrosses and petrels show up, along with Cape pigeons and southern fulmars. 

Today, visit some of the world’s top king penguin rookeries. This time of year you have a good chance of seeing these animals nesting on eggs, with their chicks nearby. The rookeries are sometimes overflowing, with penguins traveling to and from the beach.
Possible visits in this region include:

Salisbury Plain, St. Andrews Bay, Gold Harbour – Here you can see not only the massive king penguin colony but also elephant seals and limitless fur seal pups playing in the surf.

Grytviken – Have the opportunity to check out this abandoned whaling station, where king penguins walk the streets and elephant seals lie around like they own the place – because they basically do! You might also see the South Georgia Museum as well as Shackleton’s grave here.

Cooper Bay – This is a fine place for a Zodiac cruise, and this bay also houses a rookery of macaroni penguins. King penguins, pintails, and giant petrels may also appear here.

Moltke Harbour – Located in Royal Bay, this scenic spot gives you the chance to see the huge king penguin colony that lives here. 

A pleasant tailwind often accompanies the vessel through the westerlies, and on both sides of the Antarctic Convergence, you might see large numbers of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic seabirds.

You approach Gough Island for a Zodiac cruise around Quest Bay, weather permitting. Here, you may spot northern rockhopper penguins and sub-Antarctic fur seals. In past years, it has been possible to circumnavigate most of Gough Island’s 33-mile coastline, offering spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife.

The remote islands of Tristan da Cunha are known for their abundant birdlife, including rockhopper penguins, albatrosses, petrels, skuas, and terns. Your goal during this part of the voyage is to visit the small settlement on the west side of the main island, but you may also land at Seal Bay on the south side or Sandy Point on the east.  

In these incredible locations, you have the chance to encounter yellow-nosed albatrosses and sub-Antarctic fur seals while exploring a rarely visited region. You also plan to land at Nightingale Island and Inaccessible Island, both offering spectacular views of seabirds like yellow-nosed albatrosses and brown noddies.  

Two days are set aside at Tristan da Cunha in case of bad weather, but nature ultimately dictates the itinerary. Since the start of the Atlantic Odyssey cruise in 1998, rough conditions have canceled 35% of Tristan da Cunha landings. If a diversion is necessary, you will visit an alternative destination.

Seabirds and dolphins indigenous to this region often follow the vessel.

After you land at Jamestown on Saint Helena Island, you will have the opportunity to enjoy the area’s local culture, pleasant climate, and endemic bird life. You can pay a visit to Longwood House, where Napoleon died in exile; walk the 699-step Jacob’s Ladder, if you’re feeling ambitious; or snorkel the shallows offshore, seeing multitudes of tropical and subtropical fish. 

In the afternoon, new passengers embark in St. Helena. Take the opportunity to explore Jamestown, a uniquely situated city that offers plenty to see before you set sail.

Experience the local British culture, enjoy the tropical climate, and observe the endemic birds on this remote volcanic island. You can visit Longwood House, where Napoleon died in 1821, and if you’re feeling ambitious, consider tackling the 699-step Jacob's Ladder. If time allows, you can also enjoy small hikes or snorkeling in the shallows, where you’ll find a multitude of tropical and subtropical fish. Spend the rest of the evening sailing through this scenic waterway.

Today, you sail along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a massive underwater mountain range extending 16,000 km (10,000 miles) from the Arctic Ocean to Africa’s southern tip. In the evening, head to the aft deck for stargazing, where you can take in the highlights of the equatorial sky. If the weather is clear, you may spot these celestial wonders with binoculars or even the naked eye.

Joining you across the equator are Arctic terns and long-tailed skuas on their northbound spring migration. At this stage of the voyage, you hope for good weather as you attempt more stargazing on deck, watching as the polar star becomes visible on the northern horizon.

You sail by Ilheus do Rombo and São Filipe on Fogo Island, with a chance to spot Western Palearctic species. This gives you an excellent opportunity to observe diverse bird species and enjoy scenic island views from the water.

You arrive in the town of Praia on Cape Verde’s Santiago Island, disembarking later. Though no lunch is served, you are free to stay on board or store your luggage until disembarkation. If you have time, join an additional tour in and around Praia. Visit the historic Cidade Velha and its massive hillside fortress, built to defend against English raiders. Explore the oldest Christian church in the tropics and the slave whipping post in the main square. Or simply wander the streets of Praia, enjoying folk music spilling from tavern windows.