Crossing the Circle

Upon arrival, enjoy a warm welcome and transfer to the luxurious Arakur Resort & Spa or another top hotel in Ushuaia. Relax or explore the world’s southernmost city before an evening briefing to meet fellow travelers and ask questions.

Enjoy a relaxing morning at the hotel or explore Ushuaia’s museums and Argentinean leather markets before your mid-afternoon transfer to the ship. Meet the Expedition Team, settle in, and attend a safety briefing before the Captain’s welcome dinner as you set sail for Antarctica!

Join the Polar Experts as they share their vast knowledge of Antarctica, from its enchanting wildlife to its bold history. Participate in the 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 you cross the Antarctic Convergence into Antarctica’s waters and noticeably cooler temperatures.

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. Settle into your Zodiacs and kayaks, and spend most of the 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, begin to see the breathtaking outline of the Antarctic Peninsula. Wildlife sightings, including penguins, whales, and fur seals, become more frequent, as do dramatic ice sculptures. Should Antarctica’s unpredictable weather and ice permit, you will be among the lucky few to cross the Antarctic Circle, where the sun remains in the sky for 20 hours a day. Following a tradition first established by sailors crossing the equator, we’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, we’ll explore all the Antarctic Peninsula has to offer, including any number of spectacular bays and famed harbors, 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.

Leave this magical place and make your way north, once again heading across the Antarctic Convergence and the Drake Passage. Have one last hurrah as you celebrate the conclusion of the 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.