Day 1 - Ushuaia, Argentina
This expedition to Antarctica begins with a night in a hotel in Ushuaia, Argentina.

Day 2 - Embarkation Day
After embarkation, you cruise down the Beagle Channel. From the deck, birders can add albatross, penguins and petrels to their life list. Later in the evening everyone should be on deck to watch the sure-footed Channel pilot clamber down to the boat sent to collect him.

Day 3-4 - Crossing the Drake Passage
Prepare for rough water, but do not be disappointed if your crossing of the Drake Passage is smooth sailing. The world's roughest stretch of water is continually changes.

Day 5-8 - South Shetland Islands & the Peninsula
Many factors play a role in shaping the expedition's itinerary – weather, ice and the presence of wildlife. Perhaps, you'll feel salt spray on your face as the Zodiac weaves in and around grounded icebergs in Pleneau Bay. Scramble to the top of a craggy hill for an unforgettable view of a splendid chasm near Port Lockroy. Sit quietly on a pebbled beach to wait for a curious penguin chick to approach. Or take a plunge into the icy waters of Neko Harbour.

During this cruise itinerary, explore the highlights of the Peninsula with travelers who enjoy kayaking, camping, cross-country skiing, and mountaineering.

The natural cycle of life ensures that every expedition is different. And that every expedition itinerary is full of surprises! In Antarctica, silence is so complete that interruptions become indelible memories; noisy penguins squabbling over prized pebbles, the boom and crack of a calving glacier. For some, there is the sound of breathing: Arms pump and legs power you up an incline on cross-country skis.

As you sail from island to shore to bay, the Expedition Team makes time for contemplation, tests your endurance and engages your curiosity.

Day 9-10 - The Drake Passage
Return to Ushuaia across the Drake Passage.

Day 11 - Disembarkation in Ushuaia
After breakfast aboard, we transfer the group to the airport for homeward flights.

[Please note that on 12-day expeditions, your cruise itinerary includes an extra day in the Antarctic Peninsula.]

Clipper Adventurer

This sister-ship of Lyubov Orlova, built in 1975, underwent a $13 million conversion in 1998. She has a proud reputation as a well-appointed, elegant expedition ship for softer adventures. The ship is equipped with Zodiacs for shore landings and ocean level, cruising, yet offers fine dining, and a cabins with exterior views and facilities en suite.

Akademik Ioffe

Built for the Russian Academy of Science, the Akademik Ioffe was designed to travel quietly, during hydro-acoustic research. The ship is exceptionally stable, yet maneuverable. External stabilizers and a built-in trimming system provide exceptional stability. Akademik Ioffe has an ice-strengthened hull and a cruising speed in open water of 14.5 knots.

The ship has been updated to carry passengers in a casual and comfortable style. While not opulent, this ship is very well designed for polar exploration. It carries a fleet of zodiacs for cruising and shore excursions, and it has a limited number of kayaks for water level exploration. The outside deck space is plentiful and includes and observation deck above the bridge.

Akademik Sergey Vavilov

Originally designed for hydro-acoustic research, the ship is quiet and exceptionally stable, yet manoeuvrable. External stabilizers and a built-in trimming system provide exceptional stability.

The Akademik Sergey Vavilov has an ice-strengthened hull and is powered by a 5,000 kilowatt diesel twin engine which give it a cruising speed in open water of 14.5 knots. Bow and stern thrusters provide maximum maneuverability, while a shallow draft permits passage through channels impassable by larger ships.

The Vavilov is equipped with Zodiacs for ocean level exploration and kayaks for optional paddling among ice floes in Spitsbergen and Greenland.

The cabins are simple, yet comfortable. This is not an opulent ship, but it is well designed for exploration exploration of remote regions.

Ocean Nova

This ship delivers clean, crisp Scandinavian styling and a reputation as an excellent ship in the Antarctic. Built to sail the ice-choked waters of Greenland, Ocean Nova’s ice-strengthened hull has enabled the ship to park in the ice of the Weddell Sea!

The Ocean Nova comfortably accommodates 68 passengers in 37 outside cabins, all featuring private facilities. It features a glass-enclosed observation lounge and presentation room, excursive room, clinic, and an excellent polar-themed library. The Ocean Nova carries a fleet of zodiacs for cruising and shore landings.