Antarctica – Base Camp

The Base Camp cruise to the Antarctic Peninsula offers you a myriad of ways to explore and enjoy the Antarctic region. This expedition will allow you to hike, snowshoe, kayak and even camp under the polar Antarctic skies.

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PLEASE NOTE: This itinerary is for guidance only. The program may vary depending on ice, weather and wildlife conditions. Landings are subject to site availability, permits and environmental concerns as per IAATO regulations. Official sailing plans and landing slots are scheduled with IAATO prior to the start of the season, but the expedition leader determines the final plan. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruising. The average cruising speed for our vessel is 10.5 knots.

• Day 1: End of the world beginning of a journey

Your journey begins where the world ends. Ushuaia, Argentina, known as the southernmost city in the world, is located at the southern tip of South America. During the afternoon you will embark in this small Tierra del Fuego city – called “At the End of the World” – and sail the rest of the day along the scenic Beagle Channel flanked by mountains.

• Days 2 – 3: The path of the polar explorers

Over the next two days in the Drake Passage, you will experience life from the perspective of the polar explorers who first mapped these regions: cool salty breezes, rough seas, perhaps even a fin whale snorting sea spray.

Crossing the Antarctic Convergence – the biological boundary of Antarctica formed from the meeting of the warmer waters of the sub-Antarctic seas with the cold Antarctic waters – you will find yourself in the circum-Antarctic upwelling zone.

Not only is there a change in marine fauna but also in avifauna. Wandering albatrosses, gray-headed albatrosses, black-browed albatrosses, light-mantled albatrosses, checkerboard petrels, storm petrels, blue petrels and Antarctic petrels are some of the bird species that can be sighted.

• Days 4 – 10: Entering Antarctica

Rocky gray peaks sprinkled with snow, cracked blue-white ice towers, and completely different wildlife above and below. You will first pass the snow-capped peaks of the Melchior Islands and the Schollaert Channel, sailing between the Brabant and Antwerp Islands.

Some of the sites you can visit include:

Neumayer Channel – It is possible for the boat to position itself here, kicking off the many base camp activities in the protected waters around Wiencke Island. You can enjoy the splendor of this alpine environment on Zodiac or kayak tours, or if you are in the mood for hiking, inland there are possible snowshoeing or low-difficulty mountaineering options. Naturally, favorable weather conditions determine the possible activities.

Port Lockroy – After sailing through the Neumayer Channel you may be able to visit the former British base – now a museum and post office – of Port Lockroy on Goudier Island. Activities are also possible at neighboring Jougla Point, where you will find Gentoo penguins and blue-eyed cormorants. At nearby sites, such as Damoy Point, there may be the opportunity to snowshoe to the old ski slope, this is also one of our favorite places to camp.

Pléneau and Petermann Islands – Ice conditions permitting, it is possible to navigate the Lemaire Channel in search of Adélie penguins and blue-eyed cormorants. There is also the possibility of seeing humpback and Minke whales as well as leopard seals. Kayaking, glacier hiking and more ambitious mountaineering are potential activities at this site.

Port Neko – An epic landscape of giant glaciers and endless snow carved by the wind, Port Neko offers opportunities for a Zodiac cruise and a landing that will allow you to get a close-up view of the surrounding alpine peaks.

Paradise Bay – Here you will have the opportunity to camp like a true polar explorer, enjoying a supreme adventure during the Antarctic night.

Errera Channel – Possible landing sites in this area include Danco and Cuverville islands, but also the lesser known (but equally picturesque) Orne Island and Georges Point on Rongé Island.

Conditions in the Drake Passage will determine the exact time of departure.

• Days 11 – 12: Familiar Seas, Familiar Friends

The return journey is far from solitary. During the Drake crossing you are once again greeted by the seabirds that accompanied you on the journey south. But this time they will be more familiar to you, and you to them.

• Day 13: Round trip

Every adventure, no matter how great, must eventually come to an end. It’s time to disembark in Ushuaia, but with memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure takes you.