Moment 01
Among the icebergs
Zodiac cruises through a silent world of blue ice, far larger and stranger than any photograph.
Antarctica.
The White Continent
Antarctica is the last great wilderness, a continent of mirror-still bays, cathedral icebergs, and wildlife utterly unbothered by human company. Reaching it is a journey in itself, and arriving feels like stepping onto another planet.
Most voyages sail from Ushuaia, Argentina, crossing the Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula, where days are filled with Zodiac cruises among the icebergs, landings beside vast penguin rookeries, and the chance to watch whales feed in the channels. Purpose-built expedition ships carry experienced naturalists and the equipment (kayaks, Zodiacs, even submersibles on some lines) to get you close to it all.
The season runs the austral summer, November through March, with each month offering something different: pristine ice and courtship early on, hatching chicks and abundant whales toward the end. We'll match you to the ship, the cabin, and the timing that suit you, and handle the gateway logistics in South America.
- The region
- Antarctic Peninsula
- Voyage length
- 10–14 nights
- The ship
- Small expedition ship & Zodiacs
- Season
- Nov–Mar only
What you'll remember
Moments along the way.
Moment 02
Penguin colonies
Land beside rookeries thousands strong: gentoo, chinstrap, and Adélie penguins at arm's length.
Moment 03
Whales & wildlife
Humpbacks and minkes feeding in the channels, with seals hauled out on the floes.
Moment 04
Crossing the Drake
The legendary passage to the white continent, seabirds wheeling off the stern.
Moment 05
The Lemaire Channel
Glide through a mirror corridor of ice and sheer black rock.
Moment 06
The polar plunge
A heart-stopping dip in the Southern Ocean, or a quiet kayak among the bergs.
The route
A sample sailing.
5 stops · Ushuaia to Lemaire Channel
Tap a stop to jump to that day · drag to explore
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1 Days 1-2Ushuaia & the Drake Passage
Embark at the end of the world and cross the legendary Drake, with seabirds wheeling off the stern.
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2 Day 3South Shetland Islands
First landings among penguin colonies and the weathered relics of the old whaling era.
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3 Day 4The Antarctic Peninsula
Zodiac cruises among towering icebergs and a landing on the white continent itself.
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4 Day 5Lemaire Channel
Glide through the most beautiful passage in Antarctica, its mirror water walled by ice and rock.
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5 Days 6-7Among the ice
Kayaking, whale watching and days shaped entirely by the weather and the wildlife.
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6 Days 8-9The Drake & home
Recross the passage with the expedition team's lectures, and disembark at Ushuaia.
Every sailing we book is tailored: this is a starting point, not a package.
When to go
The best time to sail.
Antarctica sails the austral summer and nothing else — roughly November to March, when the sea ice loosens enough to let ships in. Inside that window the month matters: early for unbroken snow and courtship, the heart of summer for chicks and the longest days, the tail for whales and softer fares. Outside it, the pack closes and the Peninsula belongs to no one.
November–December
Pristine snow, dramatic ice and penguin courtship under the longest days of the season.
January–February
The warmest months, with hatching penguin chicks and abundant whales.
March
Superb whale watching and golden light as the season winds down.
April–October
No sailings: the pack ice closes in and the Peninsula is unreachable until November. The move now is to lock in the coming season's ship and cabin.
Good to know
Antarctica cruise questions.
How do you get to Antarctica?+
Most voyages sail round trip from Ushuaia, Argentina, crossing the Drake Passage to the Peninsula. Some lines fly guests across the Drake to save time.
How long is an Antarctica cruise?+
Classic Peninsula voyages run 10 to 12 nights including the Drake crossings. Fly-cruise options are shorter, and adding South Georgia or the Falklands extends the trip by about a week.
When is the best time to go?+
The season runs November through March. Early summer brings pristine ice and courtship; later, penguin chicks and whales. We match the month to what you most want to see.
Is the crossing rough?+
The Drake Passage can be lively. Modern stabilized expedition ships handle it well, and fly-cruise options skip it entirely.
From the journal
Reading on Antarctica.
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Antarctica?
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