THE SEVENTH CONTINENT

ANTARCTICA

This is the classic Antarctic expedition, done properly. Cross the legendary Drake Passage aboard a purpose-built expedition vessel, then step onto the most pristine continent left on Earth. Every day brings new landings, new wildlife, ice formations that don't look real until you're standing in front of them. It's a full introduction to Antarctica, exploration and comfort balanced with real expertise behind every landing.

Note that everything you see here is an example of what your trip could look like. Your adventure will be tailored specifically to you.

WHEN TO GO

DURATION

NOV - MAR

14 NIGHTS

LANGUAGE

ENGLISH

CURRENCY

USD

ESTIMATED COST

$24,800

per person, excl. int'l flights

(based on two adults sharing)

Why this adventure

Antarctica has a way of putting everything else in perspective. Scale overwhelms here, silence goes deeper than it does anywhere else, and nature runs entirely on its own terms. This trip is built for travelers who want the real thing, not a distant glimpse of it. Expert guides, Zodiac landings, real time spent walking among penguins and glaciers, all of it adds up to a connection with the landscape that's genuinely personal. It's adventurous without tipping into extreme, immersive without giving up comfort, and unforgettable in the quiet stretches between landings just as much as the landings themselves.

Journey flow

It starts at the edge of the map in Ushuaia, boarding an expedition vessel before the Drake Passage crossing begins. The Southern Ocean gives way to ice-strewn water gradually, and the anticipation builds right along with it. Days settle into Zodiac excursions once you're in, remote beaches, glacier fronts, penguin rookeries, all guided by polar experts who know how to actually read this landscape. Between landings there's real time for panoramic views from the ship, solid lectures, and long stretches on deck just watching icebergs drift past. Nothing here runs on a fixed script, weather and wildlife write the day instead.

Take it farther

For travelers who want more, a suite upgrade with a private balcony is worth it for the glacier views alone, watching ice drift past from your own window changes the whole rhythm of the trip. A pre- or post-trip stay in Patagonia or Buenos Aires adds real context before or after the crossing. Extended photography or wildlife interpretation workshops sharpen what you're actually seeing, and combining this with a Falkland Islands or South Georgia extension turns a deep introduction into something considerably more complete.

Customize this itinerary

Every trip we design is built around you: your pace, your curiosity, your definition of a good day. No set departures, no group tours, no one-size-fits-all anything. If this itinerary sparks something in you, let's talk about what that could look like for you specifically.

START YOUR JOURNEY

Adventure highlights

EXPERT-LED EXPLORATION

Polar guides, naturalists, and historians who turn every landing into something with real depth behind it. The difference between seeing Antarctica and actually understanding it comes down to guides like these.

WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS

Gentoo, chinstrap, and Adélie penguins, seals hauled out on ice, whales breaching close enough to feel unreal. Natural habitat this untouched is genuinely rare almost anywhere else.

DAILY ZODIAC LANDINGS

Remote beaches, glaciers, sculpted ice formations, all reached by Zodiac with guides who make each stop feel like more than a photo opportunity. This is where the continent stops being scenery.

DRAKE PASSAGE CROSSING

The same legendary route early explorers sailed, now aboard a ship built for real stability and comfort. It's a rite of passage in its own right, and the days at sea set up everything that follows.

How it unfolds

DAYS 1-2

THE DRAKE PASSAGE

The crossing itself is a genuine event, open ocean, seabirds trailing the ship, the first real sense that you're leaving everything familiar behind. Onboard lectures start laying the groundwork here, context that makes the following days land with more weight.

DAYS 3-11

THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA

Nine full days built around no fixed schedule at all. Zodiac landings, penguin rookeries, glacier fronts, whales surfacing at the water's edge, all of it shifting daily based on ice and weather. This is the trip's real center of gravity, and the extra days here compared to a shorter itinerary mean more landings, more range, and more room for the continent to actually surprise you.

DAYS 12-14

THE RETURN CROSSING

The Drake again, this time with real time to sit with everything you just saw. Lectures continue, the ship's lounge fills with conversation, and the light stretches long into evenings that feel entirely different heading north than they did heading south.

Where you could stay

SEABOURN PURSUIT

An all-suite expedition ship carrying up to 264 guests, sister ship to Seabourn Venture and nearly identical in capability, PC6 Polar Class rating, two onboard submarines, twenty-four Zodiacs, an expert expedition team of nineteen. The interior design leans warmer and more tropical in its accents than its sister ship, a subtle distinction that mostly shows up in the itineraries it typically runs. Every suite has its own veranda, and the onboard rhythm balances real polish with genuine expedition capability.

PONANT LE COMMANDANT CHARCOT

A true icebreaker, not just an ice-strengthened ship, holding a Polar Class 2 rating that puts it in a different category from nearly every other passenger vessel in the region. Hybrid propulsion combining liquefied natural gas and electric power keeps the environmental footprint unusually low for a ship this capable, and onboard guests get a gastronomic restaurant curated by a Michelin-starred chef, an indoor and outdoor pool, and suites that all include a private balcony or terrace. This is the choice for guests who want to go further into the ice than a conventional expedition ship can manage.

SILVERSEA SILVER ENDEAVOUR

For those who want to skip the Drake Passage, this is the most luxurious expedition ship ever built, with a PC6 polar class rating, a 1:1 crew-to-guest ratio, and all-suite accommodation with private butler service. Five restaurants, vapor fireplaces throughout the ship, and carpets designed in the gray, white, and blue palette of Antarctica herself. The expedition team includes glaciologists, ornithologists, and marine biologists who run daily lectures and guide every landing. At this tier of Antarctic travel, the ship is as much a part of the experience as the continent.

Ready to start planning?

All Peregrine trips include:

Every trip we design starts from scratch, built around how you travel and what you're actually after. No fixed routes, no shared departures, no compromises. If something on this page resonated, that's a good place to start a conversation.