Experience a summer adventure south of the Antarctic Circle

• 18-day expedition cruise from Buenos Aires to Antarctica via Cape Horn and the Drake Passage, with 11 days exploring the wonders of Antarctica.
• With the milder summer weather, we’ll aim to journey below the Antarctic Circle to the secluded and magnificent Marguerite Bay.
• There are opportunities for whale watching, seeing young penguins, hiking, kayaking, ice-cruising, and even camping on the Antarctic ice.

Enjoy 11 days in Antarctica

Join your Expedition Team for ice-cruising activities, shore landings and fascinating lectures. You’ll get close to colossal glaciers and icebergs. We’ll observe Antarctic wildlife in their habitat—colonies of penguins, seals, whales and seabirds, maybe even kayaking or hiking past them.

South of the Antarctic Circle

During the Antarctic summer, new routes through the sea ice below the Antarctic Circle become possible. Aboard your hybrid-powered, ice-class expedition ship, we’ll set course for Marguerite Bay and islands along the way, looking out for Adélie penguins and visiting remote research stations.

What’s included

Take a look at what you can look forward to on this 17-day expedition cruise.

Flights

• Flights in economy class between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia

Hotel

• Overnight in Buenos Aires before the expedition cruise, including breakfast

Transfers

• Transfer from the hotel in Buenos Aires to the airport before the expedition cruise
• Transfers between the Ushuaia airport and the ship, including a brief tour of the town

Expedition Cruise

• Expedition cruise in a cabin of your choice 
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including beverages (house beer and wine, sodas, and mineral water) in restaurants Aune and Fredheim
• Fine-dining À la carte restaurant Lindstrøm is included for suite guests
• Complimentary tea and coffee
• Complimentary Wi-Fi on board. Be aware that we sail in remote areas with limited connection. Streaming is not supported.
• Complimentary reusable water bottle to fill at onboard water refill stations
• English-speaking Expedition Team who organize and guide activities, both on board and ashore
• Range of included activities

Onboard activities

• Experts from the Expedition Team deliver detailed lectures on a variety of topics
• Use the ship’s Science Center, which features an extensive library and advanced biological and geological microscopes
• The Citizen Science program allows guests to contribute to current scientific research projects
• The onboard professional photographer will give tips and tricks for taking the best landscape and wildlife photos
• The ship has hot tubs, a sauna, an outdoor and indoor gym, and an outdoor running track
• Participate in informal gatherings with the crew, such as daily recaps and the next day’s preparations

Landing activities

• Escorted landings in a small boat (RIB) while in Antarctica
• Loan of boots, trekking poles, and all equipment needed for the activities
• Complimentary wind- and water-resistant expedition jacket
• Expedition photographers will help configure your camera settings before landings

What’s not included

• International flights
• Travel insurance
• Luggage handling
• Optional shore excursions with our local partners
• Optional small-group activities with our Expedition Team
• Optional treatments in the onboard wellness and spa area

Route overview

We’ll help you plan where to go, when to visit and how long to stay

DAY 1

The beat of Buenos Aires

Fire and flavor in Argentina’s capital

With its fusion of faded European splendor and Latin American panache, an overnight stay in Buenos Aires is the ideal way to start your Antarctic adventure. Why not arrive early to explore more or join our optional Pre-Program to tour wild Patagonia.

DAY 2

Setting sail from Ushuaia

Flying south to Ushuaia where you’ll board your ship

Your adventure begins with an early morning flight to Ushuaia, where you’ll meet your hybrid-powered expedition ship, MS Fridtjof Nansen, 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 settle into your cabin and explore the comforts and amenities on board. Later, you’ll join your Expedition Team for a welcome dinner.

DAY 3–4

Get set for Antarctica

Centre on science before your Antarctic adventure

As we cruise from Ushuia to Antarctica 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 sustainable as possible, and about the Citizen Science projects you can join. Relax and meet your fellow adventurers. Take an invigorating swim, enjoy a spa treatment and look out for icebergs, whales and albatrosses.

DAY 5–15

Antarctica: another world

Experience Antarctica in all its natural majesty

Nothing quite prepares you for it. 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. 

Huge colonies of penguins huddle on the ice floes, avoiding the cunning leopard seals that hunt them. Majestic, migrating whales glide among amazing icebergs, hunting the shoals of krill they feed on. Bird enthusiasts should look skywards to spot some of 45 species of Antarctic seabirds that live here, such as skuas, jaegers, petrels and terns.

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. You’ll spend an exciting 11 days busily exploring several of many possible landing sites. Rest assured, each day will offer something different and thrilling.

We’ll aim for Marguerite Bay and explore islands along the way, and you’ll join the Expedition Team on landings and ice cruises whenever opportunities present themselves. You may even get a chance to go kayaking among the icebergs on an optional activity. 

Back on board, join Citizen Science projects and onboard lectures, where you’ll learn more about polar exploration, this precious habitat, and how we can all protect it.

DAY 16–17

Back through Drake Passage

Your adventure draws to a close

After 11 days of exhilarating exploration, your action-packed expedition cruise, taking in the wonders and wildlife of Antarctica, nears its end. As we make the return trip Ushuaia, enjoy this time at sea. 

Join the Expedition Team in the Science Center to delve into areas of interest in more depth and contribute your findings to Citizen Science projects. Enlist the help of our onboard photographer with the editing of your photos.  

Relax with a treatment in the Wellness Spa or take in the fresh sea air from the on-deck pool or hot tubs. Spend time in the Explorer Lounge with the new friends you’ve made on your trip, sharing experiences over a drink.

DAY 18

Ushuaia and Buenos Aires

Enjoy an expedition finale in Buenos Aires

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

If you’re not ready for the adventure to end just yet, why not join our optional Post-Program to tour the magnificent Iguazu Falls. Summer is the best time to visit and it’s a memorable way to wrap up your travels. Or you can stay and enjoy the sights of Buenos Aires before heading home.

Are you ready for your Antarctic Expedition? Give me a shout and let’s begin planning: