Antarctic Explorer (trip)

Antarctic Explorer

  • Airport, near Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
  • Boats, Barges & Small Ship Cruises
Antarctica, South America

from $5,495* per person12 DaysNovember, December
Boutique accommodations Exertion level: 2
Operator: AdventureSmith Explorations 12 people max
This itinerary is delivered at a comfortable pace. Shore landings will be in the Peninsula. There is an in-depth education program, covering all aspects of the biology, politics and history of Antarctica. Beginning and ending in Ushuaia, Argentina, your small ship cruise to Antarctica will experience the wildlife and scenic highlights of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands. This expedition is perfect for first-time polar travelers or travelers with limited time to experience Antarctica.

Be as active as you want to be. All trips include up close exploration on guided hikes, shore walks and small craft excursions. Optional activities include kayaking, camping, cross country skiing or mountaineering. No experience is necessary for activities but advanced reservations are required as space is limited.

Antarctic Explorer cruise is for adventurers looking for a satisfying overview of the continent's most appealing features - penguin rookeries, historic sites and beautiful icescapes. The Captain and Expedition Leaders continually assess daily weather conditions and wildlife opportunities, taking advantage of the extended daylight to maximize time ashore. You will become one of the fortunate few to have set foot on the continent of Antarctica. A pre cruise hotel overnight in Ushuaia is included in the price.

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Locations visited/nearby

Antarctica, South America

0 testimonials about this trip.

1 testimonial about the provider, AdventureSmith Explorations:

  • Reviewer: R. and D. Ivanova

    Galapagos Motor Yacht Eric/Letty/Flamingo Cruise

    Thank you for the most incredible experience! We just came back from our trip to the Galapagos. We were on the Eric - a terrific yacht and an even greater team. The islands are beyond belief, but I wanted to tell you how perfect the entire trip was.  Everything went incredibly smoothly from our arrival (late) in Quito where our guide was waiting for us despite the late hour, to all transfers, luggage and ticket arrangements - everything. Our guides were fabulous, as was the entire crew, including the Captain.  AdventureSmith Explorations did a terrific job!

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Itinerary

Day 1 - Ushuaia, Argentina
Upon arrival at the Ushuaia airport you are met by our local representative and transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is free to explore this 'frontier town' at leisure.

Accommodations: Hotel Albatros or similar
Included Meals: none

Day 2 - Embark Antarctic Explorer Cruise
After embarkation in the early afternoon, you will sail down the Beagle Channel. Keep watch on deck for seabirds, penguins and rainbows.

Accommodations: Sea Spirit, Vavliov, Clipper Adventurer, Ocean Nova
Included Meals: dinner

Days 3-4 - Crossing the Drake Passage
Prepare for rough water, but do not be disappointed if your crossing is smooth sailing. The Drake is always changing

Land is usually sighted for the first time late afternoon on Day 4 at the South Shetland Islands, which lie to the north of the Antarctic Peninsula. Visit vast penguin rookeries, land on beaches ruled by Antarctic fur seals and observe wallowing southern elephant seals. You may also visit one of the many research bases in the archipelago or look for Antarctica's only two flowering plants, which thrive here during the short southern summer. Often the ship sails through the narrow passage leading into the sunken caldera of Deception Island. Here, if the tide allows, you may dip your toes in the thermal waters of Pendulum Cove.

Accommodations: Sea Spirit, Vavliov, Clipper Adventurer, Ocean Nova
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Days 5-8 - South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula
Many factors play a role in shaping the expedition's progress. We attempt to leave the ship to explore in a range of activity levels at least twice a day. Perhaps, you'll fell salt spray on your face as the Zodiac weaves in and around grounded icebergs in Pleneau Bay. You could scamble to the top of a craggy hill for an unforgettable view of an icy charm near Port Lockroy. You could sit quietly on a pebbled beach to wait for a curious penguin chick to approach or take a plunge into the icy waters of Neko Harbour.

Explore the highlights of the Antarctic Peninsula with adventurers who enjoy camping, kayaking, cross-country skiing, mountaineering and other active pursuits. Over the course of the austral spring and summer, the sun lingers longer and longer, melting snow and ice. Wildlife abounds: chicks hatch and fledge, and pods of whales breach in a deep bay where a calving iceberg has churned up krill, the local delicacy.

The natural cycle of life ensures that every expedition is different. And that every expedition is full of surprises! In Antarctica, silence is so complete that interruptions become indelible memories; noisy penguins squabbling over prized pebbles, the boom and crack of a calving glacier near Petermann Island. Then there is the sound of breathing as your arms pump and your legs power you up an incline on cross-country skis. As you sail from island to shore to bay during four days in the Peninsula, the Expedition Team provides opportunities for contemplation or to test your endurance and to engage your curiosity.

Accommodations: Sea Spirit, Vavliov, Clipper Adventurer, Ocean Nova
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Days 9-10 - Drake Passage to Ushuaia
Activities during the return voyage depend on the conditions of the Drake. A smooth crossing is a busy crossing.

Accommodations: Sea Spirit, Vavliov, Clipper Adventurer, Ocean Nova
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 11 - Ushuaia
Disembark after breakfast and transfer by bus to the Antarctic Unit office located at the entrance to the pier. If you are departing on the morning flight, the transfer continues to the airport.

Accommodations: n/a
Included Meals: breakfast

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