Crossing the Circle: Southern Expedition
Trip Overview
Trip Length: 14 Days
Price Point: Starting from $14,641/person (incl. mandatory transfer pkge)
Seasons Available: Winter, Spring
Setting foot on the 7th Continent is a rare achievement that few experience in their lifetime. Even more exceptional is the milestone of crossing the iconic Antarctic Circle. For most travelers, navigating south of 66°33′ S marks the highlight of the 14-day Crossing the Circle: Southern Expedition itinerary. Each day rewards you with stunning views of dramatic ice formations, humpback whales swimming alongside the ship, leopard seals diving beneath your Zodiac, penguins sliding off icebergs into crystal-clear waters, and giant petrels soaring above the crackling sea.
Activities & Sites
- Enjoy presentations on wildlife, history, glaciology & geology by the onboard polar experts
- Witness abundant Antarctic wildlife, including penguins, seals and whales
- Raise a toast to Ernest Shackleton
- Celebrate as you cross the Antarctic Circle
- See Antarctica from above with a helicopter flight-seeing trip
Day to Day Itinerary
- Day 1
Upon arriving in the cosmopolitan city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, known for its architecture and rich European heritage, you will independently transfer to your group hotel. - Day 2
After an early breakfast at the hotel, you’ll transfer to the airport and board a private charter flight to Ushuaia, Argentina.
Upon arrival, you'll be taken to a central downtown location where you can enjoy some free time to explore this charming port town before heading to the pier.
As the ship sets sail in the late afternoon, your Antarctic journey begins as you navigate through the historic Beagle Channel. Named after the ship on which Charles Darwin voyaged, the channel offers fantastic photo opportunities of stunning landscapes and seabirds. Eventually, it opens up to the Southern Ocean, leading you onward to Antarctica. - Day 3 - 4
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
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.
Every day, you'll embark on Zodiac excursions to explore local bays and landing sites, keeping wildlife at the forefront of your adventure. You’ll visit penguin rookeries and scout for humpback and minke whales, along with various seal species, including the elusive leopard seal.
Your Expedition Team will assist you at each landing, whether you're exploring the terrain, visiting research stations, or observing penguin colonies. You'll encounter Chinstrap, Adélie, and gentoo penguins, along with five different seal species. Days 5 to 7 are perfect for experiencing Ultramarine's exclusive helicopter-supported adventures.
Each day will be filled with wildlife spotting and the stunning beauty of Antarctica, as you listen to the icebergs and glaciers crackle and watch penguins waddle along the beach. Optional activities like Heli flightseeing, sea kayaking, or paddle excursions are available on select voyages for an additional cost. - Day 8 - 9
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
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
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
You will arrive in Ushuaia in the morning and disembark after breakfast. The mandatory transfer package includes a little taste of Patagonia with a Tierra del Fuego National Park tour before transferring to the airport for the return group charter flight to Buenos Aires.
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.
