Antarctica & Patagonia Expedition

Your Antarctica and Patagonia expedition cruise begins in vibrant Valparaíso. Known as the 'Jewel of the Pacific', it’s built on steep hillsides overlooking the ocean and you'll love discovering this friendly UNESCO-listed city. Filled with enticing scents and sounds, it’s an exhilarating maze of alleyways, colourful houses and mercados packed with local produce – take it all in on a funicular ride up to Cerro Alegre and Concepción.You can explore more of the region on one of our optional Pre-Programmes.  

Get into expedition mode Over the next two days at sea, you'll learn more about the wonders we'll encounter during our trip. Members of the Expedition Team will be experts in anything from oceanography and geology to ornithology and history. Drop in on their fascinating lectures, as well as hands-on presentations in the Science Center. Grab your binoculars and scan for rare wandering albatrosses and petrels. Make the most of your onboard facilities, and spoil yourself with a spa treatment in the wellness area, or enjoy the infinity pool, hot tubs, running track, sauna and gym. 

Receive a warm welcome in Caleta Tortel We continue off the well-trodden path to visit isolated Caleta Tortel. Lying at the mouth of Río Baker, Chile's largest river, this charming village is home to around 500 inhabitants. Instead of streets, a maze of boardwalks connects the close-knit community, spreading over the water and around the mountain base. If conditions permit, you'll be able to investigate the milky blue waters here by kayak. While exploring the village, you'll come across locals selling handicrafts and you may even be treated to a performance by folk dancers. 

Wild Patagonia: Fjords, Culture and Glaciers  We continue our adventure deep into the Chilean fjords with fantastic opportunities for scenic cruising aboard the ship and in our small expedition boats too. Adventure awaits in this wild and stunning landscape!  As we sail through the maze of the Patagonian waterways, depending on tidal conditions, we hope to visit Puerto Edén, an enchanting village only accessible by sea. The 250-strong community here are some of the last remaining members of the Indigenous Kawésqar people, offering a fascinating insight into Patagonian culture.   Continuing further south, we will cruise the majestic fjords, taking in the incredible scenery along the way. Enjoy the fresh sea air as we glide past untouched isles, glaciers and green mountains, looking out for marine wildlife who often swim alongside the ship. Our exploration continues within Alberto de Agostini National Park, all the way up to glaciers such as Garibaldi or Pia. Here, the Andes tumble into the Pacific and great glaciers calve ice into the beautiful fjords. If conditions allow, we'll reach the glacier at the head of the fjord for some of the most breathtaking glacial scenery.  

Get set for Antarctica  Over the next two days, we'll navigate the legendary Drake Passage towards Antarctica. En route, you'll find out what lies ahead and how to make your visit as safe and as sustainable as possible.In the Science Centre, the Expedition Team will give lectures about Antarctica’s fauna, history and geology, as well as the impact of climate change and plastic pollution. You can also get involved in our Citizen Science projects. 

The Antarctic Sound is a stretch of water named after the first ship to have passed through this body of water from the Bransfield Strait to the Weddell Sea in 1902. The Antarctic eventually sank and crew and scientists had to spend quite some time in this area before they could be rescued. Sites that have to do with this story - like Hope Bay or Paulet Island - are sometimes visited. At Paulet, Hope Bay and Brown Bluff Adelie and Gentoo Penguins breed, as do Kelp Gulls and Cape Petrels, Snow Petrels and Skuas. The Sound’s main attractions are the spectacular tabular icebergs that come from the Larsen Ice Shelf further south.

The Antarctic Sound is a stretch of water named after the first ship to have passed through this body of water from the Bransfield Strait to the Weddell Sea in 1902. The Antarctic eventually sank and crew and scientists had to spend quite some time in this area before they could be rescued. Sites that have to do with this story - like Hope Bay or Paulet Island - are sometimes visited. At Paulet, Hope Bay and Brown Bluff Adelie and Gentoo Penguins breed, as do Kelp Gulls and Cape Petrels, Snow Petrels and Skuas. The Sound’s main attractions are the spectacular tabular icebergs that come from the Larsen Ice Shelf further south.

Some 770 kilometers (478 miles) south of Cape Horn, the South Shetland Islands are usually the first land seen in Antarctica. Separated from the Antarctic Peninsula by the Bransfield Strait, nine major islands make up the group. The region was the first to be exploited by sealers in the early 19th century, and because of its proximity to South America, it still is the most visited by scientists and tourists. Chinstrap, Adelie, Gentoo and Macaroni Penguins all breed here. In addition, because it is the warmest part of the continent, large moss beds as well as orange, black, grey and green lichens grow –even hair grass and pearlwort manage to survive. Leopard seals, Weddell seals, crabeater seals, Southern elephant seals and Antarctic fur seals can be seen in the water and on the beaches.

Relax and learn as we cruise to Argentina  After incredible days in Antarctica, we sail back across the Drake Passage towards warmer weather in Argentina, giving you an opportunity to enjoy the onboard facilities.  You can take part in art workshops, or perhaps enjoy a treatment in the spa. Get active in the gym or admire the views from the panoramic sauna. Relax in the outdoor pool or soak in the on-deck hot tubs. Visit the Science Centre and find out more about the things you've seen or use the time to sort through your photos.  Enlist the help of the Expedition Team to help identify species captured in your photos.   

From Ushuaia to Buenos Aires  Your expedition cruise ends in Ushuaia, the main city in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina’s southernmost province. From here, you’ll take a flight back to Buenos Aires, but it doesn’t have to be the end of your adventure.Why not join one of our optional Post-Programmes before heading home.