Begin your journey in Ushuaia, a small, but bustling port town at the tip of South America. This Argentinean town is an ideal gateway for you to explore the southern extent of Patagonia while preparing for your adventure ahead. Get active in the mountains or enjoy some hand crafted chocolate at a café in town.

The Beagle Channel sets you on your way as the ship sails in the late afternoon. The channel opens up to the vastness of the Southern Ocean, where your next land sighting is along the Antarctic Peninsula. Named after the famed ship in which Charles Darwin voyaged, the channel presents many great photo opportunities to capture sea birds hovering overhead.

The waters of the Drake Passage are unpredictable, so hope for clear skies and a calm ocean. Time over these two days are spent preparing for the exciting days ahead, with numerous educational and informative lectures from your Expedition Team. Learn about everything from safety procedures to the history of whaling in Antarctica.

With the Drake Passage left in your wake, make a final approach to Antarctica. Get your camera ready as the continent’s coastline makes its first appearance, signaling the start of your adventure in the realm of the Antarctic. See plentiful icebergs floating by and be fixated on the surface of the ocean as curious whales spout and breach before your eyes.

As exciting as it can be from onboard the ship, your true exploration occurs when you disembark and set foot on the great continent. There are several potential landing sites, including Neko Harbor, Orne Harbor or Paradise Bay. While weather dictates which specific landing sites you visit, each one presents a new collection of wildlife and natural attractions.

Your days are busy spotting wildlife and being mesmerized by the beauty of Antarctica. Watch penguins waddling on the beach and listen to the crackling and crumbling sounds of icebergs and glaciers, while kayaking with whales and camping in Antarctica are a couple of optional activities available on selected voyages.

Crossing the Antarctic Circle is an impressive achievement, as most expeditions to the Peninsula do not reach this far south, which is officially noted at 66° 33' S. You and your shipmates can celebrate in style with a well-earned glass of champagne! Make a toast and take pride in knowing you’ve made it to a part of the world still visited by very few people.

By now, your knowledge of Adelie, chinstrap and gentoo penguins is matched by your ability to differentiate between a leopard, fur, or Weddell seal. Terms like ‘bergy bits’ and pancake ice seem normal too, yet there are still many tales to be told. As you head back towards the Drake, Zodiac excursions continue to fill your days, while the Expedition Team helps fill in any blanks that remain in your newly-acquired knowledge of the Antarctic.

Re-crossing the Drake, Antarctica fades away and you are left with a collection of memories to last a lifetime. Excited conversations with your newfound friends make the time passing the Drake Passage fly by, independent of weather and sea conditions. Your Expedition Team rounds up their series of lectures as well, perhaps with a slideshow of some of the great landing sites and wildlife you visited over the course of your voyage.

Today say goodbye to your Expedition Team and your fellow travelers. Disembark in the morning so that you may catch your homeward-bound flights.