Antarctic Peninsula – Basecamp Plancius

Your voyage begins where the world drops off: Ushuaia, Argentina, reputed to be the southernmost city on the planet, located on the far southern tip of South America.  Starting in the afternoon, you embark from this small resort town on Tierra del Fuego – nicknamed “The End of the World” – and sail the scenic, mountain-fringed Beagle Channel for the rest of the evening.  Overnight aboard the ship.  (D)

Note: We advise all passengers to plan to arrive in Ushuaia one night before the cruise departure.

Over the next two days on the Drake Passage, you catch a taste of life from the perspective of the polar explorers who first braved these regions: cool salt breezes, rolling seas, maybe even a fin whale blasting up sea spray.  After passing the Antarctic Convergence – Antarctica’s natural boundary, formed when north-flowing cold waters collide with warmer subantarctic seas – you are in the circum-Antarctic upwelling zone.  Not only does the marine life change, the avian life changes too: A variety of albatrosses and petrels show up, along with Cape pigeons and southern fulmars.  Then, near the South Shetlands Islands, the first icebergs flash into sight.  Overnight aboard the ship.  (B,L,D)

Gray stone peaks sketched with snow, towers of broken blue-white ice, and dramatically different wildlife below and above.  You first pass the snow-capped Melchior Islands and Schollaert Channel, sailing between Brabant and Anvers Islands.  The basecamp concept lets you feel more like a resident than a visitor, getting the most out of all available activities.  Here are all the places you might go:

Neumayer Channel – The vessel may position itself for the multi-activity basecamp here.  The protected waters around Wiencke Island become a veritable playground for all manner of activities.  You can enjoy the splendors of this alpine environment at sea, with Zodiac and kayaking trips.  Or if you’re among the walkers, there are possible snowshoe hikes and mountaineering (soft climb) options farther inland.  Naturally, favorable weather conditions determine the possible activities.

Port Lockroy – After sailing through the Neumayer Channel, you get a chance to visit the former British research station – now a museum and post office – of Port Lockroy on Goudier Island.  You may also be able to partake in activities around Jougla Point, meeting gentoo penguins and blue-eyed shags.

Pléneau & Petermann Islands – If the ice allows it, you can sail through the Lemaire Channel in search of Adélie penguins and blue-eyed shags.  There’s also a good chance you’ll encounter humpback and minke whales here, as well as leopard seals.  Kayaking, glacier walks, and more ambitious mountaineering are potential activities in this location.

Neko Harbour – An epic landscape of mammoth glaciers and endless wind-carved snow.  Opportunities for Zodiac cruising, kayaking, and walking provide you the closest possible view of this location’s ice-crusted alpine peaks.

Paradise Bay – You have the chance to pitch camp here like a true polar explorer (but with a better tent), enjoying the supreme overnight Antarctic adventure.

Errera Channel – Possible sites in this area include Danco Island and Cuverville Island, but also the lesser known (though equally picturesque) Orne Island and Georges Point on Rongé Island.

On your last day of near-shore activities, you pass the Melchior Islands toward the open sea.  Keep a sharp lookout for humpback whales in Dallmann Bay.  You might also shoot for Half Moon Island, in the South Shetlands, with further chances for activities.  Conditions on the Drake Passage determine the exact time of departure.  Overnight aboard the ship.  (B,L,D)

Your return voyage is far from lonely. While crossing the Drake, you’re again greeted by the vast array of seabirds remembered from the passage south.  But they seem a little more familiar to you now, and you to them.  Overnight aboard the ship.  (B,L,D)

Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. It’s now time to disembark in Ushuaia, but with memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies.  (B)