Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, South Shetland Islands, Antarctic Peninsula, amazing wildlife, immense icebergs. A 10-day Antarctica voyage of a lifetime to the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula. Experience a land where penguins rub shoulders with seals and orcas and whales are often seen plying the icy waters.

Included Highlights
- 9 nights on board M/V Polaris
- All meals included on board the ship
- Expedition staff and naturalists
- All shore excursions and Zodiac cruises in Antarctica

Group Size - Max 68
Group Leader - 6 Expedition staff/naturalists.

Accommodation
Onboard the M/V Polaris there are twin-share cabins and suites, (all with ensuite bathrooms some with port holes) (9 nts). Please note that all cabins consist of two beds: Category 1 and 2 are have upper and lower berths, Category 3 has side by side beds. Double beds are available in Category 4, subject to availability.

Transport - M/V Polaris, zodiac.
Meals Included - All meals included on board the ship, drinks at additional charge.
Meal Budget - All meals included while on board. Drinks and tips while on the Polaris are not included.

Notes
1. It is highly recommended that you arrive in Ushuaia at least 1 day prior to embarkation. This is recommended to ensure that neither yourself nor your luggage are delayed. Please ask about pre tour accommodations that include arrival transfers and complimentary luggage pickup

2. Read this itinerary as a guide only; our exact route and program varies according to ice and weather conditions and the wildlife we encounter. Flexibility is the key to the success of this expedition. Visits to research stations depend on final permission.

Day 1 Arrive Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
Enjoy Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the World. Embarkation on M/V Polaris begins later in the afternoon at the port in Ushuaia. It Is highly recommended that you arrive into Ushuaia at least 1 day prior to embarkation. Please see joining instructions in the dossier or call for details.

Sitting on the shores of the Beagle Channel, Ushuaia actually means 'the bay facing westward' in the language of the original Yamna inhabitants. Once a penal colony (the presidio was disbanded in the 1940s) for political prisoners as well as hardened criminals, Ushuaia is now a major tourist attraction, particularly for people such as ourselves cruising to Antarctica. The town of 40,000 is also a major ski resort area for both alpine and cross-country skiers and offers magnificent hiking in Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego, the only coastal national park in Argentina.

Day 2-3 Drake Passage
Our adventure begins with a 400-mile crossing of the passage that bears the name of the 16th-century English explorer Sir Francis Drake. At some point on the second day we cross the Antarctic Convergence, a meeting of cold polar water flowing north and warmer equatorial water moving in the opposite direction. This mixing pushes nutrient rich waters to the surface attracting a variety of seabirds, whales and other species.

As we make the passage you have time to become acquainted with the ship and frequent the common areas that include the lounge, dining hall, library and the conference room where we meet our guides, ship’s crew and expedition staff. We also begin the lecture and information sessions to learn the extraordinary human and natural history of the Antarctic region.

Day 4-7 Antarctic Peninsula & South Shetland Islands
This is what we've all been waiting for - a chance to step foot on the Great White Continent! We normally attempt 2 excursions per day.

The Antarctic Peninsula is the most readily accessible part of the White Continent and has some of the best wildlife and scenery. There are enormous rookeries of Gentoo and Adélie Penguins and Blue-eyed Shags, Kelp Gulls, Cape Petrels, Snowy Sheathbills and Antarctic Terns are just some of the many birds found here in abundance. We are also likely to see Weddell, Crabeater and Leopard Seals, while Orca, Humpback Whales and Minke Whales are often encountered at close range. The Peninsula also has a remarkable history and, during the voyage, we will learn about some of the most important and dramatic expeditions to this remote corner of the world. Keeping a lookout from the Bridge or the deck of the ship, as we thread our way along the continent, you'll feel the same sense of excitement as many of those early explorers.

Sailing around the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula we hope to navigate Antarctic Sound, or ‘iceberg alley’ as it is often called, where huge tabular icebergs drift north from the Antarctic continent. If we opt for this northerly route due to weather and ice conditions, we hope to land to see its vast Adélie Penguin rookeries. If the southern route is chosen we hope to visit areas where glaciers fill the calm waters with a mind-boggling vista of icebergs; this is where we hope to set foot on the Antarctic Continent itself. Also on this route is a possible visit to a former British scientific station that has recently been renovated to serve as one of the most isolated and intriguing museums in the world. The station also acts as a post office and we have a unique opportunity to send postcards home. During the voyage we hope to navigate some of the most beautiful waterways in the world (if they are not choked with pack ice and icebergs); narrow passages between towering rock faces and spectacular glaciers that are so impressive they are a highlight of the trip for many people.

Antarctica is a continent of superlatives. It is the coldest, windiest, driest, iciest and highest of all the major landmasses in the world. It is the continent with the longest nights and the longest days and it is home to the world’s greatest concentration of wildlife. It is also one of the last true wilderness areas left on earth – largely unchanged since the early explorers and whalers first landed on its inhospitable shores less than two centuries ago.

The continent itself is roughly circular with a spindly arm, called the Antarctic Peninsula, reaching northwards towards Tierra del Fuego. South America is the nearest landmass, some 600 miles away. Considerably larger than either the United States or Europe, and twice the size of Australia, the continent is surrounded by a frozen sea that varies in area from one million square miles in summer to 7.3 million square miles in winter. Beyond the ice are the waters of the vast Southern Ocean, which encircles Antarctica in a continuous ring several hundred miles wide. The Southern Ocean isolates the continent from the warmer waters of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans to the north and this meeting point, called the Antarctic Convergence, is the ecologically defined northern boundary of the region.

The area abounds with wildlife activity. Penguins gather with their fast-growing chicks, whales are seen in great numbers, seals haul out onto ice floes and beaches, and numerous albatrosses and other seabirds trail in our wake. We may visit scientists working in modern research bases, and there is plenty of time to enjoy the sheer beauty and the breathtaking scenery of ice-choked waterways, blue and white icebergs, impressive glaciers and rugged snow-capped mountains.

Whales
Thanks to the abundance of the small, shrimp like krill as the basis of the food chain, many species of whales make the water south of the Antarctic Convergence their summer home. Some of the species found in the frigid southern waters include: the Humpback Whale who consumes over a ton of krill each day; the Southern Right Whales easily identified by the whitish callosities on the jaws and forehead; the Sperm Whales made famous in Moby Dick; the Killer Whale which is actually not a whale at all but the largest of the dolphin family; the Sei Whale which can achieve speeds up to 55 km/h over short distances; the playful Minke Whales very common in the peninsula area; the Fin Whale who can attain a length of 25 to 27 meters making them the second largest whales; and the Blue Whale which is not only the largest whale in the oceans but also the largest animal that has ever lived.

Penguins
The common name for all flightless, aquatic birds, penguins are only found south of the equator. Penguins have been grouped into 18 species and 6 genera, with most making their homes in Antarctica and the sub Antarctic islands, though others are native to the coasts of Australia, South Africa, South America, and the Galapagos Islands. Penguins are speedy and agile swimmers, but extremely slow on land. The regions we visit aboard Polaris are inhabited by 4 different species including the Adelie Penguin named after French explorer Dumont d’Urville’s wife; the Chinstrap Penguin identified by the distinctive black line connecting the black cap to below the chin; the Gentoo Penguin with its orange bill and white flash above and behind its eyes; the Macaroni Penguin who number roughly 12 million and are easily identified by the orange tassels meeting between the eyes.

HISTORICAL FIGURES
Some of the bravest and best known explorers have sailed south in search of adventure and recognition. James Cook, the most travelled explorer of his time, was the first to circumnavigate Antarctica and the first to cross the Antarctic Circle. Roald Engebreth Gravning Amundsen, who led the first expedition to reach the South Pole and reached the pole on December 14, 1911. Captain Robert Scott, famous for being 35 days late, arriving at the South Pole on January 17, 1912 only to find the dark green tent and a note left by Amundsen. All 5 men in the Scott expedition perished on their way back from the pole. The best-known adventurer would have to be Sir Ernest Shackleton. On his attempt at the South Pole his ship, Endurance, was captured by pack ice in the Weddell Sea on January 19, 1915. The ship was destroyed by heavy ice, forcing he and his men to travel over the ice and sea to Elephant Island. However, because the island was uninhabited, Shackleton and 5 others made the 1300 km voyage for help to South Georgia, arriving at Stromness Harbour whaling station on May 20, 1916.

Day 8-9 Drake Passage
Today we leave Antarctica and head north across the Drake Passage. In between bird watching and whale watching and enjoying some final lectures by our expedition staff, this is a chance to relax and review the adventures of the past week before returning to Ushuaia.

Day 10 Depart Ushuaia
And so our adventure comes to a close. We'll say our goodbyes as we disembark in Ushuaia in the morning.

Please note: While it is our intention of adhere to the route described above , there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations. On the first day of your tour, your expedition leader will give you an expedition overview.

Price (International Flights Not Included):

* Other Cabin Classes available, please call for rates: Lower Forward Twin, Lower Twin, Main Forward Twin, Main Dec Twin, Captain's Deck Twin, Superior Twin, Suite Double.

+ $300 USD Local payment - Most of our adventure tours involve a Local Payment that is paid to the Leader/Representative in cash on day 1 of your tour. This Local Payment is put towards local expenses, such as arranging internal flights as well as entrance and guide fees. Local Payments also reduce the need to wire or transfer funds which can become very expensive. This lowers our operational costs so we can pass the savings on to you. The local payment is in addition to, and is not included in, the base tour price.

If you wish to add extra nights accommodation before or after your trip, or would like to request an airport arrival transfer, you may do so via our online booking form. The prices quoted here are for informational purposes only. All prices are per person; hotel prices are per person per night; City Breaks are per person per package.

City: Ushuaia

City Breaks include two nights accommodation, an airport arrival OR departure transfer, and a city tour. Note that City Breaks hotels may not be the same as the tour starting point hotel if purchased in conjunction with a tour.

Explorer Quick Facts

• lounge and onboard library
• fully outfitted lecture hall
• small gym, sauna and pool
• cabins with private bat and outside view
• attractive dining room serving international cuisine
• medical clinic and onboard doctor
• gift shop
• topside observation deck with 360° unobstructed view
• double, ice-hardened hull ice rating 1A1 ice A
• large fleet of Zodiacs

Explorer’s notable features include: a capacity for 108 passengers; a lecture hall fully outfitted for informal meetings and natural history lectures; a cozy lounge and bar with onboard library; an attractive full-service dining room serving international cuisine; a medical clinic and doctor; a gift shop; a small gym, swimming pool and sauna; and comfortable cabins all with portholes and private bathroom. Explorer carries a large fleet of Zodiacs — offering an unmatched opportunity to commune with breathtaking seas and explore remote undeveloped shores. Safety is paramount aboard Explorer — vigilant maintenance and refurbishing have kept her robust, comfortable and in compliance with marine safety standards; and her crew is comprised of seasoned polar mariners.

Those who have traveled aboard Explorer know she is not a glamorous cruise ship but rather something superior to that — an intimate, comfortable and immensely capable partner in adventure! Our ship was purpose-built for rugged and safe expedition voyages. At just under 250 feet, she has a particularly shallow draft and a double ice-rated hull which enables her to forge into marine territories that elude other more cumbersome ships. Her go-anywhere size also makes her intimate — aboard Explorer you’ll find a remarkable atmosphere of camaraderie! Whether you are on the topside observation deck with it’s 360° view, in the cozy lecture room or lounge, or paying a visit to the bridge, you will be in fine and interesting company.