12-Nights Antarctica Basecamp Adventure Cruising from $11,950

MT Sobek: Antarctica Basecamp Adventure Cruising

Day 1 Depart from Ushuaia
Begin your voyage at "the End of the World", as the town of Ushuaia is known. This afternoon you will board your vessel, get settled into your cabin, and begin cruising the Beagle Channel through the Tierra de Fuego archipelago. Marvel at mountain views on either side as you set sail for the seventh continent, Antarctica!
Accommodation: m/v Ortelius


Day 2 Begin Crossing Drake Passage
Follow the path of early polar explorers into the renowned Drake Passage. Imagine their wooden vessels plying this route with the wind in their sails and their crews' hearts full of anticipation. Step out onto the deck to breathe in the salty air and perhaps catch a glimpse of a spouting whale in the distance or a seabird overhead.
Accommodation: m/v Ortelius
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Day 3 Pass the Antarctic Convergence
Continue south across the passage, named after 16th-century English explorer Sir Francis Drake. Reach the Antarctic Convergence, where Antarctic waters meet southern seas, forming a natural biological boundary. Notice the change in temperatures, and marine and avian species. Watch for Antarctic birds such as wandering albatrosses and southern fulmars as you near land.

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Day 4 Arrive in Antarctica
Awake in an icy world where craggy peaks emerge from the snow and passing icebergs dazzle electric blue in the sunlight. Cruise past the mountainous Melchoir Islands and into Schollaert Channel, flanked by Brabant and Anvers Islands. You have a full week to explore the Antarctic Peninsula with your ship as a base for an array of adventures on land and sea.

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Day 5 Explore Antarctica
Your route will be determined by the conditions, with the captain and your guides choosing the best locations for each exciting day. For instance, you might anchor at Wiencke Island in Neumayer Channel, where protected waters offer excellent opportunities to get out in a Zodiac or kayak on the water, watching for icebergs, fur seals, and spellbinding views. Or strap on some snowshoes or crampons for an inland foray on the island.

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Day 6 Discover Antarctic Inhabitants
Learn about the people who lived and worked on the shores of the white continent with a stop at Port Lockroy on Goudier Island. This was once the location of a British research station, and today the site of a museum and the southernmost post office in the world! Here you can find gentoo penguins and blue-eyed shags, and if the conditions are right, camp out overnight!

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Day 7 Watch for Antarctic Wildlife
Cruise through the Lemaire Channel, also known as Kodak Gap, where towering mountains gird iceberg-filled waters, to arrive at Pleneau and Petermann Islands. Watch for leopard seals and minke and humpback whales as you pass through the channel. There's a good chance of meeting Adelie penguins on shore. Head out for glacier walks, mountaineering, and more here, or find adventure wherever the conditions take you.

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Day 8 Capture Surreal Antarctic Scenery
Take a photo workshop to help you capture the almost unbelievable colors that change as the light shifts and captivates your attention. One place to practice your skills is Neko Harbor, where you can see tremendous mountain peaks and photograph massive glaciers and snow formations. Riding in a Zodiac allows you to get different angles and motor in close to the mountains.

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Day 9 Learn Early Antarctic History
Go back in time in Paradise Bay, a breathtaking inlet framed by towering glaciers which was once a haven for whalers seeking refuge. While their numbers may have dwindled, majestic whales still migrate through these waters. On land there are two research stations, one Chilean and one Argentinian, as well as a sizeable population of gentoo penguins. You can camp here under Antarctic skies, once again imagining the early explorers looking up at the same stars.

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Day 10 Enjoy Your Last Day in Antarctica
Savor the last adventures as the ship prepares to head northward. Pass back by Melchior Islands, keeping an eye out for breaching whales and seabirds. If conditions allow, stop at the South Shetland Islands for one more day of ship-based adventures on land and sea. Your departure is carefully timed for the best conditions to cross Drake Passage.

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Day 11 Depart Antarctica
Entering the Drake Passage once more you are filled with extraordinary memories of adventuring through Antarctica. Not only have you experienced some of the enchanting landscapes, unique wildlife, and mesmerizing sea ice, you have pushed your own boundaries kayaking, snowshoeing, maybe even camping and mountaineering in Antarctica!

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Day 12 Cross the Drake Passage
Watch for final sightings of seabirds and marine mammals on your second crossing of this epic passage. Settle in to swap stories, share photos, and toast your adventure with fellow travelers. Rest and catch up on journaling or species lists as you head back towards Ushuaia.

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Day 13 Depart Ushuaia
Disembark in the morning with time to catch your departing flight to Buenos Aires.

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