Drake Passage & Beyond: An Antarctic Expedition Cruise

Day 1 - Ushuaia

Arrive in Ushuaia, where a representative will meet you and transfer you to your pre-voyage hotel. If you’ve already arrived, please make your own way to the hotel (check-in from 3:00 pm).

This afternoon, stop by the hospitality desk (3:00–7:00 pm) to collect luggage tags, confirm participation in tomorrow’s optional Lake Escondido tour, and receive embarkation details. Late arrivals will find a welcome pack at check-in.

The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at leisure. Meals are not included.

Day 2 - Embarkation

After breakfast, you may join the optional Lake Escondido tour, featuring scenic drives through glacial valleys, forests, and the Andes, with panoramic views and a traditional Fuegian lamb barbecue.

Alternatively, enjoy free time before meeting for your transfer to the port. Once onboard, settle in and attend mandatory briefings. This evening, meet your fellow travelers and expedition team at a welcome dinner as your Antarctic adventure begins.

Day 3 to 4 - Drake Passage Crossing

Settle into your stateroom and make yourself comfortable! The onboard gym, wellbeing centre and well-equipped library are yours to discover, and your expedition team will offer a series of presentations on Antarctica’s history, wildlife and environment to help enrich your experience. You will also be invited to collect your Muck Boots and attend important briefings on biosecurity, wildlife-watching guidelines and Zodiac safety, in preparation for your first landing in Antarctica.

On day four, the excitement is palpable as you near the South Shetland Islands and the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, with everyone converging on the observation decks to spot their first iceberg. Now that you’re south of the Antarctic Convergence the ocean takes on a whole new character, as you’re surrounded by porpoising penguins and dramatic icebergs. The memory of your first iceberg sighting is likely to remain with you for a lifetime. Time and weather permitting, we may attempt our first Antarctic landing in the late afternoon.

Day 5 to 9 - Antarctic Peninsula

Arriving in Antarctica is an unforgettable experience, from your first sight of icebergs to breathing some of the purest air on Earth. Once there, you’ll explore the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands, with nearly 24 hours of daylight allowing for full and flexible days.

Your experienced expedition team will shape each day based on weather, ice conditions, and wildlife opportunities. Most days include two excursions, such as Zodiac cruises through icy waters, guided shore landings, and optional hikes across pristine landscapes. Along the way, you may encounter penguins, seals, whales, and dramatic glacier scenery.

There are also opportunities for scenic cruising through narrow channels, relaxing onboard while taking in the views, or visiting the bridge for a different perspective. For the adventurous, a polar plunge may be offered during the voyage.

Onboard, you’ll enjoy engaging lectures on topics like wildlife, history, and polar science, as well as optional participation in hands-on citizen science projects. Whether you prefer a more active or relaxed pace, the experience is flexible and designed to make the most of this extraordinary destination.

Day 10 to 11 - Drake Passage Crossing

Enjoy a final morning landing in the South Shetland Islands before we re-enter the Drake Passage for our return journey to South America.

With lectures and film presentations to complete our Antarctic experience, there is still plenty of time to enjoy the magic of the Southern Ocean and the life that calls it home. There is time for reflection and discussion about what we have seen and experienced. We hope you become ambassadors for Antarctica telling your family, friends and colleagues about your journey to this magical place, advocating for its conservation and preservation so that they might one day visit the region to experience what you have been lucky to see and do here.

As we approach the tip of South America, our Captain may sail close to legendary Cape Horn, weather and time permitting.

Day 12 - Disembark in Ushuaia

During the early morning, we cruise up the Beagle Channel, before quietly slipping into dock in Ushuaia, where we will be free to disembark around 8.00 am. Farewell your expedition team and fellow passengers as we all continue our onward journeys, hopefully with a newfound sense of the immense power of nature.

All excursions are included, as detailed in the itinerary above. Various activity levels are available, and the onboard expedition leader will guide you through each option, from easy to moderate to more active experiences.

Optional Activities

Camping from $165 per person Low impact activity

Snowshoeing from $370 per person Moderate level activity

Ushuaia City Stay – 2 days from $636 per person

Santiago & Valparaiso Explorer – 6 days from $1,436 per person

Buenos Aires & Iguazú Falls Explorer – 6 days from $1,185 per person

Atacama Desert Adventure – 4 days from $1,875 per person