12 day Highlights of Antarctica Expedition Cruise

As the sea below you transforms into a vivid crystal blue and the first towering icebergs slowly come into view, you might wonder if you’ve arrived on another planet. Here, you’ll breathe the freshest air on Earth.

You’ll gaze up at the clearest skies you’ve ever seen and sink into the most profound silence you’ve ever heard. Icebergs, glaciers, volcanoes, and vast expanses of pure white snow offer a stunning display of natural beauty like never before. Beneath this initial impression of unparalleled tranquillity lies a lively world.

You’ll be charmed by waddling penguins as they nonchalantly inspect you before diving elegantly into the water. You’ll observe families of seals basking on rocks, soaking up the sunshine between dives. You might even wake to the sight of humpback whales breaching right outside your cabin window. You’ll also have the opportunity to learn more about these captivating creatures and their habitats. Join our expert expedition team for wildlife spotting, attend onboard lectures delivered by local researchers, and participate in citizen science projects during your time with us.

Here is what the 12 day Highlights of Antarctica Expedition includes: 

• Flights from UK/Europe to Buenos Aires
• Transfer to hotel in Buenos Aires
• 1 night stay in Buenos Aires with breakfast (Emperador Hotel or the Hilton Hotel)
• Transfer from hotel to airport
• Flight Buenos Aires to Ushuaia
• Transfer from Ushuaia to your ship
• Stay in a cabin of your choice
• 10 night Highlights of Antarctica Expedition cruise
• All-inclusive: wine, beer and spirits available at meals and throughout the day and evening. Meals and take-aways available throughout the day during Fredheim restaurant opening hours
• Escorted landings with small expedition boats
• Loan of boots, trekking poles, and all equipment for activities
• Onboard science programme
• A complimentary water bottle to refill on board and take home
• A polar expedition jacket, a backpack, or another piece of HX kit
• Professional photos from your trip taken by our onboard photographer
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Gratuities included
• Use of sauna, hot tubs, pool, fitness room, lounges and more
• Transfer from ship to Ushuaia Airport
• Flight from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires
• Flight from Buenos Aires to UK/Buenos Aires
• ATOL & ABTA protection for your peace of mind

Prices from £6680 per person based on two sharing

For more information please call +44 (0) 1793 939 035 or drop us an email on sales@arcticdirect.co.uk

Example Itinerary

Day 1. The beat of Buenos Aires  

Feel the Rhythm of Bustling Buenos Aires

An overnight stay in Buenos Aires is the ideal way to start your Antarctic adventure. Home to a proud and diverse community of porteños, or ‘people of the port’, this city is a sensuous fusion of faded European splendour and Latin American panache. There are plenty of places to explore, including many parrillas serving authentic Argentine steak. Or maybe you’d like to practice your dance moves in the famous hometown of the tango.

Want more time in Buenos Aires? Why not join an optional pre-expedition programme.

Day 2. Early start in Ushuaia

Setting off at the Bottom of the World

Your adventure begins with an early morning flight to Ushuaia, where you’ll meet our hybrid-powered expedition ship, specially designed for sustainable cruising in polar waters. This bustling port is the capital of Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego Province. Set against the magnificent backdrop of the Martial Glacier, Ushuaia vies for the title of the world’s southernmost city. After a briefing from your Expedition Team, you’ll have time to locate your cabin and explore the comforts and amenities on board.

Day 3- 4. Get set for Antarctica

Cross the Drake Passage

On the two-day crossing through the Drake Passage, the Expedition Team will equip you with all you need to make the most of your polar expedition. Visit the onboard Science Center and find out what lies ahead. Listen to experts talk passionately about Antarctica’s history, the science beneath the ice, and the impact of climate change and plastic pollution. You’ll learn how to make your visit as safe and as low-impact as possible, and about the Citizen Science projects you can join. There’s plenty of time to relax, so unwind in the spa and wellness area, enjoy some delicious cuisine, and meet fellow travellers in the Explorer Lounge & Bar.

Day 5-9. Antarctica: another world

Experience Antarctica in All Its Natural Majesty

Nothing prepares you for your first sight of Antarctica’s immense, frozen beauty. Surrounded by looming glaciers and icebergs the size of floating cathedrals, Antarctica will fill you with wonder. Perhaps the most surprising part of Antarctica is the silence. It’s a stillness that’s broken every so often by the locals – the wildlife.

Whales begin to arrive in greater numbers by December and January. This is also when the first penguin chicks hatch, and seeing the clumsy clumps of feathers run around is always a charming sight. February and March offer peak whale-watching opportunities, when large amounts of krill lure them to the area. Here, nature is king, and we are mere observers. Our experienced Captain will continually monitor conditions to create the best possible itinerary for your adventure. Rest assured, each day will offer something different and thrilling. You’ll join the Expedition Team on landings and ice-cruises and may even get a chance to go kayaking among the icebergs.

Back on board, the Expedition Team will continue their lectures, helping you grow in your insights of the frozen continent. Over five magical days, you’ll experience this amazing world in a way that will stay with you for a lifetime.

Day 10-11. Returning to warmer waters

Heading Back North Across the Drake Passage

After five incredible days, you’ll have experienced so much in Antarctica. Your head will likely be filled with a swirling kaleidoscope of special memories and impressions. The next couple of days will be a chance to reflect on your adventure to the seventh continent.

As your mind tries to conjure up the magical Antarctic scenery, now could be a good time to sift through your photos and videos to recapture a sense of its magnitude. Why not take the chance to unwind in the sauna, or enjoy a few relaxing spa treatments in the wellness area?

Day 12: Ushuaia and Buenos Aires

From Ushuaia to Buenos Aires

Your expedition cruise ends in Ushuaia, the main city in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina’s southernmost province. From here, you’ll take a flight back to Buenos Aires, but it doesn’t have to be the end of your adventure.

Why not join an optional post-programme before heading home?

When is the best time to visit?

To experience the very best of Antarctica, you’ll want to choose the month of your visit wisely. From April to September, the region is plunged into darkness, with treacherous winds and unbreakable ice. The expedition season runs from late October through to late March, giving us the opportunity to experience this captivating region to the fullest. The best time to visit Antarctica tends to be during the summer period from November to March. Wildlife is most active during those months and the days are at their longest. Penguins court and nest in October and November, hatch in December and January, and February and March are prime months for whale-watching.

The Southern Lights (Aurora Australis) peak season is from March – September.