As travel destinations go, Antarctica is the definition of “extreme”: extreme cold, extreme sports, and most importantly, the extreme beauty of its glacial landscapes. With our Antarctica Tours & Cruises, you’ll be able to experience this magical place in all its glory. Embarking from Patagonia, you’ll witness the stark force of the southern oceans while en route to a host of indelible adventures. Searching for wildlife by Zodiac, kayaking, camping: it’s all here in our guided intros to one of the Earth’s last remaining frontiers.
Antarctica Tours & Cruises
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Classic Antarctica Cruise Aboard the Ushuaia
10 Days/9 Nights from $5,210
Discover the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula on this Classic Antarctica cruise. The journey’s first sightings will be of icebergs and snow-capped mountains…
Antarctica Express Air-Cruise
6 Days/5 Nights from $5,995
Travel from Ushuaia, Argentina, through the Beagle Channel to Cape Horn before cruising across the Drake Passage to King George Island, the largest of the…
Weddell Sea Quest Aboard the Ushuaia
11 Days/10 Nights from $8,570
Navigate from South America to Antarctica and back on this fascinating expedition cruise. After crossing the Drake Passage, the first stop is the Weddell Sea…
Antarctica – Discovery and Learning Voyage Aboard the Plancius
11 Days/10 Nights from $8,650
Travel to the southernmost part of the world to explore the wildlife of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands on this captivating voyage…
Antarctica – Discovery and Learning Voyage Aboard the Ortelius
11 Days/10 Nights from $8,650
Travel to the southernmost part of the world to explore the wildlife of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands on this captivating voyage…
Polar Circle Quest Aboard the Ushuaia
12 Days/11 Nights from $8,810
Setting off from Ushuaia, Argentina, you will cross the Drake Passage on the way to the continent of Antarctica. Your first sightings will be of…
Antarctic Peninsula – Basecamp Plancius
13 Days/12 Nights from $9,100
Basecamp Plancius offers adventure seekers the opportunity to camp for two nights on the Antarctic Peninsula and to kayak, snowshoe, or mountain hike, amidst the awe-…
Weddell Sea – Emperor Penguin Voyage
11 Days/10 Nights from $11,750
This itinerary includes a visit to one of nature’s most fascinating spectacles, the Emperor Penguin rookery south of Snow Hill Island in the Weddell Sea…
Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and the Antarctic Peninsula
19 Days/18 Nights from $13,550
Explore the Falkland Islands and South Georgia en route to the Antarctic Peninsula on this fascinating journey. The Falkland Islands are located 310 miles east…
5 Best Antarctica Cruises for 2023-24
| Tour Name | Price | Duration | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Antarctica Cruise Aboard the Ushuaia | $5,210 | 10 Days | Discover the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula on this Classic Antarctica cruise. The journey’s first sightings will be of icebergs and snow-capped… |
| Antarctic Peninsula – Basecamp Plancius | $9,100 | 13 Days | Basecamp Plancius offers adventure seekers the opportunity to camp for two nights on the Antarctic Peninsula and to kayak, snowshoe, or mountain hike amidst the… |
| Weddell Sea – Emperor Penguin Voyage | $12,100 | 11 Days | This itinerary includes a visit to one of nature’s most fascinating spectacles, the Emperor Penguin rookery south of Snow Hill Island in the Weddell Sea… |
| Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and the Antarctic Peninsula | $13,550 | 19 Days | Explore the Falkland Islands and South Georgia en route to the Antarctic Peninsula on this fascinating journey. The Falkland Islands are located 310 miles east… |
| Classic Antarctica Air-Cruise | $13,595 | 8 Days | Fly from Punta Arenas, Chile to King George Island in the South Shetlands to avoid the rough seas of the Drake Passage and discover the… |
Antarctica Cruise Information
When is the best time to travel to Antarctica?
Antarctica is only accessible by tourists from November to March, when the pack ice has broken up, and the 20 hours of sunlight per day brings warmer temperatures. See all Antarctica FAQ.
The Best Places to Visit on an Antarctic Cruise
Antarctica owes its name to the Greek word ‘Antarktikos’, which means opposite to the Arctic. That’s why it’s also known as ‘the land of no bears.’ But don’t be deceived. Although it lacks the striking, white-furred terrestrial mammals of its Arctic counterpart, the Earth’s southernmost and driest continent is by no means devoid of life…
The Antarctic Peninsula
This northward extension of Antarctica bends toward the southern tip of South America, located only 600 miles (970 km) away, and it’s the most populated area of the white continent, with 43 research stations versus 37 distributed throughout the remaining territory. Because of its expansive ice sheet, wildlife in Antarctica is restricted to the sea and shores, which host over 200 nesting sites for 32 bird species, including eight of the world’s 18 penguin species. This is a great place…
The South Shetland Islands
Comprised of 11 islands and named after the Shetland Islands north of Scotland, this archipelago is a popular stop along Antarctic cruise routes and with good reason. It’s not only the scenery of many significant moments in the history of Antarctic exploration, but also provides great sites for viewing birds and marine mammals such as the southern elephant seal. King George Island, the largest one in the archipelago and considered the unofficial capital of Antarctica, is the second largest…
The Weddell Sea
Largely covered by ice shelves, or ice sheets floating on the sea, the Weddell Sea is a key spot along the Antarctic cruise route and a place of many tales of bold and intrepid voyages. It’s named after British captain James Weddell, who explored the area in 1823 during his third expedition to the Southern Ocean. While sailing, be alert in case you get to see the awe-inspiring emperor penguins or the Weddell seals, the most southerly breeding terrestrial mammal in the world…
South Georgia Island
Circling back to South America, after a U-turn through the Weddell Sea, this island was a famous base among whalers and scientific expeditions during the 19th century. With three fourths of its area covered by snow and the rest by tundra vegetation, this almost barren island might seem an unlikely place to live. But at least four penguin species call this place home, and in St. Andrews Bay you’ll find the largest colony of king penguins…
The Falkland Islands
Finally, before returning to firm-ground, you will find the Falkland Islands, an archipelago that is officially a British territory, although it has been historically disputed by Argentina due to its proximity to its shores. Their rocky and windy terrains harbor one of the largest colonies of the Southern rockhopper penguin, the smallest penguin species of Antarctica. The abundance of wildlife in these islands attracts killer whales, one of the apex predators of the Antarctic ecosystem…
Antarctica Wildlife
Antarctica Cruise Ships
Greg Mortimer / Hondius / Le Boreal / Magellan Explorer / Ocean Nova / Ortelius / Plancius / Sylvia Earle / Ushuaia
Antarctica Travel Articles
Arctic Cruise Versus Antarctic Cruise: What’s The Difference?
To many of us, the North and South Poles are similar – massive areas of snow and ice, with uncompromising conditions and barren landscapes. In our mind’s eye, perhaps there’s a polar bear or penguin involved, too. However, take a closer look and you’ll find myriad differences between an Arctic cruise and an Antarctic cruise, from geography and climate to wildlife and activities…
A Brief History Of Antarctic Exploration
Antarctica may only be the fifth largest continent, but in many other ways it is ahead of the pack. It is the driest, coldest and windiest continent, and it also has the highest average elevation. It is the only continent with no permanent residents and it is home to 90% of the world’s ice and 70% of global fresh water reserves. Although the idea of a Terra Australis Incognita (Undiscovered Southern Land) was first proposed by the Greco-Roman thinker Ptolemy as early as…
10 Cool Facts About The Penguins Of Antarctica
Penguins have inspired human imagination for centuries. They’re cute and cuddly. They can’t fly but are great swimmers and divers. They breed in large colonies, and they’re only found in the Southern Hemisphere. The black and white feathers serve to protect penguins by misleading predators. From the air…
8 Cool Facts About The Seals Of Antarctica
They look so harmless, warm, and fluffy that everybody loves them. Sometimes too much. Although they’re common throughout the world, seals are mainly found in the Arctic and Antarctica. There are two types of seals. You can tell them apart because some seals don’t have external ears and are better swimmers…
Following In The Footsteps Of Antarctica Explorer Ernest Shackleton
On August 30, 1916, a ship bearing the celebrated British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton sailed up to a tiny beach on Elephant Island in the South Shetland Islands off the Antarctic Peninsula. There, huddled on the beach, were 22 men from Shackleton’s third failed Antarctica expedition. Half-starved, freezing, and filthy…
The Bonanza Of Wildlife In Antarctica
In Antarctica, the “White Continent” at the bottom of the earth, humans – mostly scientists and support personnel working at the research stations there – come and go after a few months or years. None are permanent residents. But Antarctica does have millions of annual residents: its wildlife. And they are some of…
