Antarctic Express: Cruise South, Fly North | World Explorer

Your adventure begins in Ushuaia, Argentina. This quaint city at the southernmost tip of South America is your gateway to Antarctica. The city itself provides a wide range of jewelry shops, cafes, gear shops and restaurants to explore before your voyage. Outside the city, snowcapped mountains and hiking in Tierra del Fuego National Park offer ample adventure activities to explore nature.

You will embark in the afternoon, with a journey through the picturesque Beagle Channel. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled while you're out on deck as the channel is home to a wide variety of wildlife including seabirds and seals.

Rainbows are common here too, creating a great photography opportunity to kick off the start of your Antarctic adventure.

Legendary for its high winds and rolling seas, you may get lucky and have surprisingly calm seas through the Drake Passage. Spend your time in the lounge or chatting with your fellow travelers.

As you develop your sea legs during the crossing, our Expedition Team will begin their series of presentations to help prepare you for your upcoming Zodiac and land excursions. You officially enter Antarctica when your ship crosses the Antarctic Convergence, a biological boundary that fluctuates around 60° south.

The most common reaction upon reaching the 7th Continent is a sense of reverence and awe. The experience is beyond words, since few places are as untouched as Antarctica. You will begin to appreciate why this region has long captivated the attention of explorers and travelers alike. Every time we visit Antarctica, we witness something new or unexpected, which means that your expedition will be unlike any other— creating a unique, personal experience.

Each day, you will take Zodiac excursions from the ship to explore glaciated bays, channels and landing sites. Your Expedition Team will take care of you at each landing, whether you are hiking the Antarctic landscape, visiting a research station or observing chinstrap, Adelie and gentoo penguins, all of which can be found here. Keep an eye out for Weddell, fur, crabeater and leopard seals as well as curious whales, such as humpbacks, minkes, or perhaps orcas while on a Zodiac cruise. Each excursion will present a new array of creatures to fascinate you and keep your camera busy.

Amid the serene silence of Antarctica, noisy interludes become indelible memories, such as penguins squabbling over prized pebbles, or the boom and crack of a calving glacier.

Every day will be different, having been carefully crafted by your Expedition Team to inspire and educate you about this wonderful part of the world.

With only the Drake Passage ahead, you’ll disembark on King George Island before flying to Punta Arenas, Chile.

Once you’re in Punta Arenas, we’ll transfer you from the airport to your hotel, where you’re free to explore and enjoy a final dinner on your own, before your homeward journey.

After breakfast, you are free to continue on your own travels or make your way to the Punta Arenas airport for your homeward flights.

Please note: Cruise itinerary is subject to change depending on weather conditions, ice conditions and other factors.