Crossing the Circle: Southern Expedition
Trip Overview
Trip Length: 14 Days
Price Point: From $14,641
Seasons Available: Winter, Spring
Setting foot on Antarctica is a rare and life-changing achievement, but crossing the Antarctic Circle—beyond 66°33′ S—is an even more extraordinary milestone. For many, this is the pinnacle of the 14-day Crossing the Circle: Southern Expedition, an adventure that unfolds amid towering ice formations, breaching humpback whales, and playful penguins diving into crystal waters. Glide through icy channels in a Zodiac, where leopard seals slip beneath the surface, and watch giant petrels soar above the frozen expanse. Beginning in 2021, this journey is elevated aboard Ultramarine, a state-of-the-art expedition vessel designed to push the limits of polar exploration. With its unparalleled adventure options—including breathtaking flightseeing tours—this ship offers an Antarctic experience unlike any other. Whether you’re marveling at the raw, untouched beauty of the White Continent or embracing the thrill of venturing where few have gone before, this is more than a voyage—it’s a defining moment in your journey as an explorer.
Activities & Sites
- Be one of the few travelers to venture to 66°33’S
- Enjoy presentations on wildlife, history, glaciology & geology by the onboard polar experts
- Witness abundant Antarctic wildlife, including penguins, seals, and whales
- Visit Antarctic research stations
- Raise a toast to Ernest Shackleton
- See Antarctica from above with a helicopter flight-seeing trip
Day to Day Itinerary
- Day 1: Ushuaia
Begin your journey in Ushuaia, a small but bustling port town at the tip of South America. This Argentine town is an ideal gateway for you to explore the southern extent of Patagonia while preparing for your adventure ahead. Enjoy active outings in the mountains or sample handcrafted chocolate at a café in town. - Day 2: Beagle Channel
As the ship sets sail in the late afternoon, you will begin your Antarctic journey, passing through the historic Beagle Channel. Named after the famed ship on which Charles Darwin traveled, the channel presents great photo opportunities of landscapes and seabirds. Eventually the channel opens up to the Southern Ocean, and onwards to Antarctica. - Day 3/4: Drake Passage
Your days at sea are filled with presentations led by your Expedition Team on photography, wildlife, glaciology, and history. You can also spend time on deck looking for wildlife or chatting with your shipmates over a drink at the bar. - Day 5/7: South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula
Reaching the Antarctic Peninsula often elicits a sense of reverence and awe. This untouched region captivates explorers and travelers alike, ensuring that each expedition offers something new and unique. Each day, you will take Zodiac excursions from the ship to explore local bays, channels and landing sites. With wildlife always at the forefront of our minds, you will visit penguin rookeries, scout for humpback and minke whales, and search for a number of southern seal species, including the elusive leopard seal. - Day 8/9: Antarctic Circle
Crossing the Antarctic Circle is both a memorable experience and impressive achievement, as few travelers reach so far south. If conditions allow crossing this famed latitude of 66°33 ́ S, you'll toast the first explorers who ventured here, and you can raise a glass and take pride in knowing you’ve made it to a part of the world visited by very few people. This is raw Antarctica, home of the midnight sun, Weddell seals, and your best chances of encountering sea ice—the very foundations of the Antarctic marine ecosystem. - Day 10/11: Northbound along the Peninsula
By now, your knowledge of Adélie, chinstrap and gentoo penguins will be matched by your ability to differentiate between a leopard, crabeater and Weddell seal. Terms like ‘bergy bits’ and ‘pancake ice’ will become part of your vocabulary, yet there are still many tales to be told. As you head north, Zodiac excursions will fill your days, and your Expedition Team will continue looking out for species of seabirds, seals and whales that may have eluded you on your journey south. - Day 12/13: Drake Passage
As you recross the Drake, Antarctica fades away, leaving you with a collection of memories to last a lifetime. Excited conversations with your newfound friends will make the crossing fly by, regardless of weather and sea conditions. Your Expedition Team will round up its series of presentations as well, with a slideshow of the adventures you've shared and wildlife you’ve witnessed over the course of your voyage. Be sure to take some time to reflect on everything you’ve experienced so far. - Day 14: Ushuaia
Today, you’ll say goodbye to your Expedition Team and fellow travelers, disembarking in the morning to catch your homeward flights or continue your travels on your own.
Ultramarine
Equipped with two twin-engine helicopters, multiple embarkation points, and a bespoke Zodiac hangar, Ultramarine offers a robust menu of adventure activities, spontaneous excursions and intimate wildlife engagement. Together an innovative mix of sustainability features that converts waste into energy and eliminates the environmental impact of waste transportation, Ultramarine is the perfect choice for active, conscious-minded guests looking for a unique adventure. Spacious suites are thoughtfully outfitted with premium amenities, while the ship provides plenty of areas, both inside and out, to witness incredible Antarctic wildlife including a spacious observation deck and a wrap-around deck with panoramic views.
With these incredible activities in Antarctica, you can elevate your Antarctic adventure into something even more remarkable.
Read more
Antarctica is the same but with a different lens: retracing Shackleton footsteps in 2024
Read more
For enthusiasts who wish to reach the 7th continent, the ULTRAMARINE --
Read more