Crossing the Antarctic Circle

You will 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 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 will be 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.

Time over these two days will be spent preparing for the exciting days ahead, with educational and informative lectures from your Expedition Team, along with time on deck birdwatching and looking out for whales. 

You'll see plentiful icebergs floating by and be fixated on the surface of the ocean as curious whales spout and may even 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 we may visit, including Neko Harbor , Petermann Island, or Pleneau Island. While weather dictates which specific landing sites we can visit, each one presents a new collection of wildlife and natural attractions.

Your days will be busy spotting wildlife and being mesmerized by the beauty of Antarctica. Watching penguins waddling on the beach and listening to the crackling and crumbling sounds of icebergs and glaciers will become your daily entertainment 

Crossing the Antarctic Circle is an impressive achievement!  Celebrate in style with a well-earned glass of champagne! With a toast to the first explorers who ventured this far south, you can take pride in knowing you've made it to a part of the world still visited by very few people.  

If you haven't had your fill of Antarctic wildlife and icebergs by now, you'll surely be satisfied by the time we return to the Drake Passage. We'll continue to journey onto land and out by Zodiac twice daily as we travel north along the western Peninsula. Your Expedition Team will also be on the lookout for any species of penguins, seals and whales that may have eluded you on the journey south.

Re-crossing the Drake, Antarctica fades away and you'll be left with a collection of memories to last a lifetime.  

Arrive in the morning and disembark