Trip Overview

Explore the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, crossing the Drake Passage and flying back

Revel in the excitement of crossing the famed Drake Passage after embarking from Ushuaia, with the convenience of a northbound return flight at the end of your expedition. Minke and humpback whales or Adélie penguins floating on ice floes may greet you as you travel to the northernmost tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.

The surreal silence in this vast wilderness may overwhelm at first, but playful, charismatic wildlife and your intrepid travelling companions keep you grounded. You’ll develop a new appreciation and understanding of Antarctica’s extreme contrasts – harsh mountain peaks and fragile ecosystems; stark, lonely icescapes; and populous, gregarious penguins.

At a Glance

• 7 nights on the ship, 1 night hotel in Ushuaia, 1 night hotel in Punta Arenas
• Expedition cruising in comfortable conditions

Is This Trip for You?

Travelling conditions: The voyages are designed to be as flexible as possible, taking advantage of circumstances and events as they occur, as well as passengers’ wishes and interests wherever possible. The atmosphere on board is relaxed and friendly with expedition staff, including naturalists and Polar experts, on hand and the opportunity to mingle with people from all over the world. The ship is kept warm, clean and comfortable with a wet/mud room to hang gear and store boots for the next adventure.

On the Zodiac cruises, you sit still most of the time with the potential for some sea spray and a cold headwind – if you are not dressed appropriately you will get cold. On the shore excursions, most landings are wet, which means the Zodiacs beach and you are helped to slide into the ankle-deep shore break before walking up onto dry land (wellington boots are issued to all passengers). There are, of course, no paths, so be prepared for slippery, rough terrain and sometimes fairly deep snow. Back on board the ship after each adventure, you can have a sauna and/or a hot shower and then relax with a tea, coffee, hot chocolate or something stronger from the bar.

Adventure options:

• Sea kayaking: Imagine gliding across the surface of a bay in the presence of icebergs and glaciers. Our sea kayaking is a great way to intimately explore your surroundings. A small group of kayakers will plan to go out multiple times per voyage as an alternative to shore landings or Zodiac cruises. The number of opportunities to kayak is weather dependent and will be conducted only during calm conditions. Prior kayaking experience is required, and you must be able to do a wet exit to participate. Beginners interested in kayaking should consider the paddling excursion.
• Paddling excursion: If you’re interested in kayaking but would like to try something a bit less demanding than sea kayaking, you’re the perfect candidate to sign up for a one-time paddle on our stable sit-on-top kayaks – perfect for anyone with minimal or no kayaking experience. Rotating groups of passengers will be taken out on calm days, with our expert guides always present to provide instruction and help connect you with the Polar sea.

Polar itineraries: All Polar itineraries should be treated as a guide only – it is possible that, among other things, the capricious nature of wind, visibility and ice, intelligence from previous sailings, changes in local landing regulations or the expert opinion of the crew may lead to adjustments to the published route.

Booking conditions: As with all Polar adventures and voyages, the booking conditions for this trip differ from our standard conditions. The required deposit is 25% per person of your selected travel arrangements (minimum £1,000 per person or equivalent in booking currency) and the balance of the price of your travel arrangements must be paid at least 133 days before your departure date. The deposit is non-refundable, and at 133 days before departure date, our cancellation penalties are 100% of the cost.

Group

The Exodus group forms part of the ship’s complement, enjoying the relaxed, intimate and informal atmosphere, which breaks into smaller groups to facilitate the frequent excursions. We offer these cruises in conjunction with our partner, Quark Expeditions, and Exodus participants join an international group, not all of whom have booked through Exodus. Occasionally, some of these may be younger than our stated minimum age for this trip. We work with many fine expedition leaders and Polar experts, bringing a diversity of interests including zoology, Polar history, geology, ornithology and ocean sciences. The ship’s operating crew have many years of experience in Polar regions and are committed to ensuring a safe and memorable journey. Each day, your cabin is serviced by the housekeeping crew, and your meals served by the friendly and attentive restaurant staff. There is also a resident medical officer.