Sylvia Earle
Aurora Expeditions' 130-guest X-BOW ship, small enough for plenty of landings and set up for kayakers, divers and ski tourers.
Antarctic Peninsula by small expedition ship: 13 nights
About this journey
A night in Buenos Aires and one in Ushuaia, then 11 nights on a small expedition ship across the Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula, with Zodiac landings among penguin colonies and cruises through the ice.
- 13 nights
- December to March
- Buenos Aires, Ushuaia and Antarctic Peninsula
What is included
- Return economy flights from London Heathrow to Buenos Aires, with one connection each way
- Return flights between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia
- One night in Buenos Aires and one in Ushuaia, bed and breakfast
- The 11-night voyage aboard Sylvia Earle in a balcony cabin, with all meals on board
- Zodiac landings and cruises, and talks by the expedition team
- Private transfers in Buenos Aires and Ushuaia
Not included
- Travel insurance, which must include emergency evacuation cover for Antarctica
- Optional paid activities on board, such as sea kayaking
- Gratuities for the ship crew
- Drinks outside dinner
Day by day
Open any day for the detail. Everything here can move: add a night, swap a hotel, change the order.
Buenos Aires
Land in Buenos Aires after the overnight flight. A walk through San Telmo and Recoleta, a steak dinner and an early night before the flight south.
Ushuaia
Fly to Ushuaia at the southern tip of Argentina, on the Beagle Channel. A walk in Tierra del Fuego National Park if there is time, and a spare night here protects you against a delayed flight.
Embark
Board in the afternoon and sail out along the Beagle Channel in the evening light, with the mountains of Tierra del Fuego on both sides.
The Drake Passage
Two days at sea across the Drake Passage. The expedition team gives talks on wildlife and history, and albatrosses and petrels follow the ship. The crossing can be rough, so bring whatever works for you against seasickness.
The Antarctic Peninsula
Landings and Zodiac cruises twice a day where the weather allows, among gentoo, chinstrap and Adélie penguin colonies, seals hauled out on the ice and whales in the channels. The route changes daily with the ice and the wind.
Back across the Drake
Two days at sea back to South America, with time to sort photographs, attend the last talks and watch for seabirds from the deck.
Disembark and fly home
Disembark in Ushuaia in the morning and fly to Buenos Aires to connect with the overnight flight home to London Heathrow.
Where you stay
The properties this route is planned around. We can suggest alternatives at a different price point.
Ways to make it yours
Sea kayaking
Join the small kayaking group for paddles among the ice when conditions allow. Places are limited and are booked before departure.
Three nights in Patagonia
Add three nights in Torres del Paine or El Calafate on the way home for the granite towers and the Perito Moreno Glacier.
Business class flights
Upgrade the long-haul flights to business class in both directions. We quote the fare at the time of booking.
Dates and seasons
Planned for December to March, when Antarctica is at its best. Outside those months it still works, with different trade-offs; ask us.
When to go to AntarcticaAsk about this journey
Tell us your dates and who is travelling, and your specialist will send a tailored version of this route.
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