Seven Days at the Bottom of the World
Penguins, ice cathedrals and 24-hour daylight on the White Continent
Trip Overview
This high-octane week plants you on the Antarctic Peninsula for daily Zodiac cruises threading sapphire icebergs, shore hikes through quarter-million-strong penguin rookeries, and nights anchored in glacier-lined bays beneath an apricot midnight sun. The pace is Active, expect two excursions daily plus onboard science talks. Yet softened by an expedition ship that hands out hot chocolate after every landing. You will taste Antarctic air, sharp with brine, hear leopard seals exhale beside the dinghy, and feel glacier ice fizz like champagne against your tongue. The highlight reel: camping on fast ice, watching humpbacks breach beside the bow, and photographing a cathedral-sized ice cave glowing electric blue.
Pace
Active
Daily Budget
$850-1,200 per person per day
Best Seasons
Late October to early March when antarctica weather is mildest and wildlife most active
Ideal For
First-time polar travelers, Wildlife photographers, Adventurous couples, Bucket-list cruisers
Day-by-Day Itinerary
A complete plan for every day of your trip
1
Departure & Drake Passage Crossing
Drake Passage
Set sail from Ushuaia, spot albatross, and brace for the legendary Drake.
Morning
Board the Ocean Endeavour at Ushuaia port
Smell diesel mingle with salt spray as cranes swing orange Zodiacs overhead. Snap photos of the Beagle Channel's rim of snowy peaks shrinking astern while guides fit you for knee-high rubber boots in the mud room.
Arrive in Ushuaia the night before. Boarding starts at 4 p.m. sharp
Lunch
Buffet in the Polaris Restaurant
Afternoon
Safety drill & mandatory IAATO briefing
Feel the floor begin to pitch while instructors teach the 'Antarctic stomp', one hand for the ship, one for yourself. Hear the wind whistle through the open deck doors as you practice donning life-vests.
Evening
Welcome dinner + photography lecture
Sit with the expedition photographer on the port side for window light
Where to Stay Tonight
Twin-berth cabin on deck 4 (Ocean Endeavour expedition ship)
Central location minimizes seasickness in Drake swells
See all Antarctica accommodation options →Pack seasickness patches before sailing. The Drake can roar without warning
Day 1 Budget: $0 (all meals included)
2
First Ice, First Penguins
South Shetland Islands
Wake to floating icebergs and step ashore at Barrientos for gentoo crowds.
Morning
Zodiac cruise around Barrientos Island
Feel the air turn knife-sharp as you glide past sculptures of turquoise ice. Hear chinstrap penguins trumpet from cliffside nests while leopard seals nap on floes like spotted slugs.
Lunch
Grab-and-go soup & sandwiches on the outer deck
Afternoon
Shore landing at Aitcho Island
Sink ankle-deep in guano as curious gentoo chicks peck at your boots. Smell krill breath on the wind and photograph orange lichen splashed across black volcanic stones.
Evening
Recap & BBQ on the rear deck
Try the grilled Patagonian scallops while watching a crimson sunset smear the horizon
Where to Stay Tonight
Same ship cabin (Ocean Endeavour)
Anchored in calm waters of Enterprise Cove
See all Antarctica accommodation options →Bring a second memory card. Penguins are relentless models
Day 2 Budget: $0
3
Port Lockroy Postcards & Lemaire Channel
Port Lockroy & Lemaire Channel
Mail a souvenir postcard from the world's southernmost post office before threading the Kodak Gap.
Morning
Visit Port Lockroy base & museum
Step into 1940s Britain: the radio still crackles and the air smells of paraffin. Stamp postcards while a lone gentoo hops across the wooden floorboards and staff serve tea in chipped Royal Navy mugs.
Buy Antarctica-branded postcards onboard the night before, they sell out fast
Lunch
Back onboard for lamb tagine and quinoa salad
Afternoon
Transit Lemaire Channel
Stand on the bow as granite spires glide past like silent judges. Hear only the splash of bergy bits and the click of cameras while the ship squeezes between Booth Island and the Peninsula's sheer cliffs.
Evening
Anchor in Pléneau Bay for golden-hour photography
Shoot icebergs glowing topaz at 11 p.m. under perpetual daylight
Where to Stay Tonight
Pléneau Bay anchorage (Ocean Endeavour cabin)
Sheltered water good for overnight stays and early Zodiac launches
See all Antarctica accommodation options →Stand on the starboard side during Lemaire transit for mirror-calm reflections
Day 3 Budget: $5
4
Camp on the Ice & Kayak with Whales
Petermann Island
Sleep in a bivy bag on fast ice and paddle beside humpback flukes.
Morning
Kayak excursion around humpback feeding grounds
Slide into glass-calm water the color of glacier runoff. Feel the chill seep through neoprene while a humpback exhales a fishy plume five meters away, its barnacled fluke arching like a cathedral window.
Pre-book when you reserve the cruise, only 10 spots per sailing
Lunch
Picnic on the snow: thermos lentil soup, cheese & dried fruit
Afternoon
Snowshoe hike to Petermann summit
Crunch up a 200-m ridge for 360° views of ice plates grinding together. Hear distant avalanches rumble like thunder as skuas wheel overhead against a cobalt sky.
Evening
Optional overnight camp on ice
Zip into a bivy sack and listen to the floe creak while Orion sparkles above
Where to Stay Tonight
Open-air ice bivy OR return to ship cabin (Expedition bivy sack provided)
Once-in-a-lifetime chance to sleep on the seventh continent
See all Antarctica accommodation options →Pack chemical toe warmers, night temps drop below freezing even in summer
Day 4 Budget: $150
5
Great destination Harbour Science Station
Great destination Harbour
Tour a working Argentinian research base and toast the continent with glacier ice.
Morning
Guided visit to Almirante Brown Station
Climb a red metal staircase to the weather deck where scientists track glacier retreat. Smell diesel generators and fresh bread from the mess while viewing GPS plots showing ice loss since the 1950s.
Lunch
BBQ on the ship's rear deck
Afternoon
Zodiac cruise to Skontorp Cove ice cave
Motor beneath an arch of electric-blue ice where compressed crystals refract the sun into sapphire light. Feel the hull scrape gently against the cave wall as leopard seals peer up from the shadows.
Evening
Glacier ice whisky tasting
Sip 12-year Glenfiddich over thousand-year-old glacier cubes in the lounge
Where to Stay Tonight
Neumayer Channel anchorage (Ocean Endeavour)
Quiet bay for restful night before polar plunge
See all Antarctica accommodation options →Ask the bartender to save you glacier ice, melts slower than freezer cubes
Day 5 Budget: $10-15 for drinks
6
Polar Plunge & Neko Harbour Glacier
Neko Harbour
Earn bragging rights with a 0 °C swim then watch a glacier calve from a safe ridge.
Morning
Polar plunge off the ship's gangway
Step off the platform into water that knocks breath from your lungs like a punch. Feel every nerve fire as crew haul you back up via harness to a waiting shot of schnapps and applause.
Volunteer early, the line gets long once word spreads
Lunch
Hot chocolate & cookies served on deck post-plunge
Afternoon
Hike to Neko Harbour glacier overlook
Clamber over granite slabs slick with guano to a viewpoint 80 m above the bay. Hear the glacier groan like an old door before a bus-sized chunk crashes down, sending up a salt-water geyser.
Evening
Captain's dinner and slideshow competition
Submit your best penguin shot, winners get a bottle of Antarctic ice vodka
Where to Stay Tonight
Gerlache Strait (Ocean Endeavour)
Mid-strait anchorage cuts next day's Drake crossing
See all Antarctica accommodation options →Wear a swimsuit under your gear for the plunge, changing in cold wind is brutal
Day 6 Budget: $0
7
Drake Rattle & Farewell
Drake Passage
Debrief with naturalists while albatross escort the ship north to Ushuaia.
Morning
Final onboard science lecture
Taste Antarctic krill butter on toast while a marine biologist explains how these shrimp-like creatures support the entire polar food web. Trade e-mails with new friends in the lounge as the ship rolls gently.
Lunch
Build-your-own salad bar plus empanadas
Afternoon
Parka swap & disembarkation briefing
Fold your orange loaner parka into its bag, feel the lighter fabric of real clothes again. Watch Cape Horn appear like a chipped tooth on the horizon while staff outline customs procedures.
Evening
Dock in Ushuaia, tender to pier
Stretch legs on the pier before airport transfer
Where to Stay Tonight
Ushuaia town (Hotel Los Cauquenes)
Late-night arrival needs airport shuttle at 4 a.m. next morning
See all Antarctica accommodation options →Book flights after 11 a.m. to absorb Drake delays
Day 7 Budget: $140 hotel night
Practical Information
Everything you need to know before you go
Getting Around
All movement within Antarctica is by expedition ship and inflatable Zodiac boats. The Ocean Endeavour carries 199 passengers and 20 Zodiacs, launching from a stern platform. Internal transfers between anchorages run nightly while passengers sleep.
Book Ahead
Reserve the cruise itself 9, 12 months ahead, add kayaking and camping options at booking, and secure complete antarctica travel insurance covering medical evacuation.
Packing Essentials
Waterproof mittens, merino base layers, camera rain sleeve, polarized sunglasses, seasickness meds, and flip-flops for ship interiors.
Total Budget
$6,000, 8,500 for the week including cruise, parka loan, alcohol, and tips
Customize Your Trip
Adapt this itinerary to your travel style
Budget Version
Swap the Ocean Endeavour for the 88-passenger Ocean Nova, book an inside triple cabin, and skip paid add-ons like kayaking. This shaves roughly $2,000 off the week.
Luxury Upgrade
Upgrade to the 200-passenger Silver Wind with butler suites, helicopter sightseeing, and private Zodiac charters. Add a pre-cruise night at Arakur Ushuaia Resort & Spa.
Family-Friendly
Choose the Ocean Endeavour's dedicated family departures with onboard youth guides, snow-castle building on shore, and earlier meal times.
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