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Active Antarctica Expedition

Experience the Antarctic Peninsula by Land, Sea and Ice

Experience Antarctica from every angle on an activity-led expedition combining Zodiac exploration and guided landings with paddling, snowshoeing, snorkelling and the chance to camp overnight on the ice.

Sailing from Ushuaia, you’ll cross the Drake Passage before spending seven days exploring the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands. Each day is shaped by the weather, sea ice and wildlife, allowing the expedition team to choose the strongest landing sites and the most rewarding conditions.

Paddle through sheltered bays surrounded by sculptural icebergs, walk across snowy ridgelines, snorkel in clear polar waters and, conditions permitting, spend a night beneath the Antarctic sky. Along the way, search for penguins, seals, whales and seabirds while learning about the region’s wildlife, glaciology and history from specialist polar guides.

This is an Antarctic expedition for travellers who want to do more than simply observe. With the core activities included and a full week available for exploration, it offers an unusually varied and immersive introduction to the White Continent.

Why You’ll Love This Trip

Experience Antarctica from the water, the ice and beneath the surface through a varied programme of included activities.
Paddle through sheltered bays surrounded by icebergs, glaciers and wildlife.
Try snowshoeing across Antarctic snowfields and climb to panoramic viewpoints above the coastline.
Snorkel in polar waters and discover a rarely seen perspective of Antarctica’s underwater environment.
Spend seven days exploring the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands.
Look for gentoo, chinstrap and Adélie penguins alongside seals, whales, albatrosses and giant petrels.
Travel with an experienced expedition team who adapt each day to the weather, wildlife and ice conditions.

Day by Day Example Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Ushuaia

Arrive in Ushuaia, the world’s southernmost city and the starting point for your Antarctic expedition. You’ll be met on arrival and transferred to your pre-voyage hotel, where the remainder of the day is free to explore independently.

Visit the expedition hospitality desk during the afternoon to collect your luggage labels, confirm arrangements for the following day and ask any final questions. Ushuaia has a lively waterfront, several excellent seafood restaurants and views across the Beagle Channel, making it an atmospheric place to begin your journey south.

Overnight: Ushuaia hotel, to be confirmed

Sl Nws Antarctica December Landscape Credit Andrew James

Day 2: Tierra del Fuego and Embarkation

After breakfast, you may join an included excursion into the landscapes surrounding Ushuaia. Travel through the valleys, forests and peatlands of Tierra del Fuego towards Garibaldi Pass, where elevated viewpoints overlook Lake Escondido and, in clear conditions, Lake Fagnano.

Continue towards the lake shore for a traditional Fuegian lunch before returning to Ushuaia. Alternatively, spend the morning exploring the city at your own pace.

Later, transfer to the harbour and board your expedition ship. After settling into your cabin, join the mandatory safety and expedition briefings before sailing through the Beagle Channel. This evening, meet your expedition team and fellow travellers over a welcome dinner as the voyage towards Antarctica begins.

Overnight: Expedition ship

Days 3–4: Crossing the Drake Passage

Sail across the Drake Passage, the legendary stretch of ocean separating South America from the Antarctic Peninsula. These two days provide time to adjust to life at sea and prepare for the active programme ahead.

The expedition team will introduce Antarctica’s wildlife, geology, history and conservation through lectures and informal presentations. You’ll also complete the necessary activity briefings and biosecurity procedures before the first landing.

Spend time outside watching for wandering albatrosses, giant petrels and other Southern Ocean seabirds following the ship. Indoors, relax in the observation lounges or make use of the onboard gym, sauna and Jacuzzis.

By the afternoon of Day 4, you may begin to see the first icebergs and the mountainous outline of the South Shetland Islands. Subject to timing and conditions, there may be an opportunity for an initial landing before evening.

Overnight: Expedition ship

Days 5–11: Exploring the Antarctic Peninsula

Spend seven days exploring the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands, where glaciers, towering mountains and ice-filled bays provide a spectacular backdrop for daily adventure.

With no fixed itinerary, your expedition team will adapt each day to the weather, sea ice and wildlife, combining Zodiac cruises with guided shore landings. Search for gentoo, chinstrap and Adélie penguins, leopard, Weddell and crabeater seals, and humpback or minke whales as you explore this remarkable wilderness.

Alongside daily excursions, enjoy included activities such as paddling, snowshoeing, snorkelling and, conditions permitting, camping on the Antarctic continent. There may also be opportunities for photography workshops, citizen science projects and the exhilarating polar plunge.

Overnight: Expedition ship

Days 12–13: Return Across the Drake Passage

Enjoy a final morning of exploration in the South Shetland Islands, conditions permitting, before the ship turns north and begins the return crossing to South America.

Continue watching for whales, albatrosses and petrels from the outer decks while the expedition team completes its programme of lectures, presentations and voyage recaps. These quieter days provide time to review photographs, reflect on the journey and discuss the wildlife, landscapes and conservation challenges encountered during the expedition.

As the ship approaches the southern tip of South America, there may be an opportunity to sail close to Cape Horn if weather, time and sea conditions allow.

Overnight: Expedition ship

Days 12–13: Return Across the Drake Passage

Enjoy a final morning of exploration in the South Shetland Islands, conditions permitting, before the ship turns north and begins the return crossing to South America.

As the ship approaches the southern tip of South America, there may be an opportunity to sail close to Cape Horn if weather, time and sea conditions allow.

Overnight: Expedition ship