HIGHLIGHTS
Whale safari
One of the greatest sources of joy and wonder found on our cruises is
when we make contact with the gentle giants of the seas, the whales.
Pléneau Island
Petermann Island
Located just south of the Lemaire Channel, Petermann Island is a stony
and partially glaciated landmass known for its Adélie
penguins
Paradise Bay
A breathtakingly beautiful bay offering classic views of colossal ice
formations and iconic Antarctic wildlife
Lemaire Channel
A classic route for our expeditions to Antarctica, this iconic waterway
serves as the gateway to the southern Antarctic Peninsula
Neko Harbour
A pleasant beach in Antarctica’s larger Andvord Bay, Neko
Harbour is a scenic landing site that offers great views of gentoo
penguins and a nearby glacier
Wilhelmina Bay
Between the glacial Gerlache Strait and the west coast of Graham Land
lies Wilhelmina Bay, its expansive waters scattered with islands and
icebergs
Neumayer Channel
A glacier-fringed waterway just southeast of Gerlache Strait, Neumayer
Channel separates Anvers Island from Wiencke Island
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
|
| Start Date | End Date | Quadruple Porthole | Triple Porthole | Twin Porthole | Twin Window | Twin Deluxe | Superior | Junior Suite | Grand Suite |
|---|
| Mar 14, 2025 | Mar 23, 2025 | 6,300 | 7,150 | 7,800 | 8,000 | 8,650 | 9,250 | 9,700 | 11,200 |
| Mar 10, 2026 | Mar 20, 2026 | 7,400 | 8,450 | 9,250 | 9,700 | 10,450 | 11,150 | 11,700 | 13,500 |
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
|
| Start Date | End Date | (Starting from)
Quadruple Porthole | (Mid-range)
Twin Deluxe | (High-end)
Grand Suite |
|---|
| Mar 14, 2025 | Mar 23, 2025 | 6,300 | 8,650 | 11,200 |
| Mar 10, 2026 | Mar 20, 2026 | 7,400 | 10,450 | 13,500 |
ITINERARY
Day 1: End of the world, start of
a journey
Your voyage begins where the world drops off. Ushuaia, Argentina,
reputed to be the southernmost city on the planet, is 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
mountain-fringed Beagle Channel for the remainder of the evening.
Day 2 – 3: Path
of the polar explorers
Over the next two days on the Drake Passage, you enjoy some of the same
experiences encountered by the great polar explorers who first charted
these regions: cool salt breezes, rolling seas, maybe even a fin whale
spouting up sea spray. After passing the Antarctic Convergence
– Antarctica’s natural boundary, formed when
north-flowing cold waters collide with warmer sub-Antarctic seas
– you are in the circum-Antarctic upwelling zone. Not only
does the marine life change, the avian life changes too. Wandering
albatrosses, grey-headed albatrosses, black-browed albatrosses,
light-mantled sooty albatrosses, cape pigeons, southern fulmars,
Wilson’s storm petrels, blue petrels, and Antarctic petrels
are a few of the birds you might see.
Day 4 – 7:
Entering Antarctica
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.
Sites you may visit
include:
Danco Island – Activities here may focus on the gentoo
penguins nesting on the island, in addition to the Weddell and
crabeater seals that can be found nearby.
Neko Harbour – An epic landscape of mammoth glaciers and
endless wind-carved snow, Neko Harbour offers opportunities for a
Zodiac cruise and landing that afford the closest views of the
surrounding alpine peaks.
Paradise Bay – You may be able to take a Zodiac cruise in
these sprawling, ice-flecked waters, where there’s a good
chance you’ll encounter humpback and minke whales.
Pléneau & Petermann Islands – If the ice
allows it, you could sail through the Lemaire Channel in search of
Adélie penguins and blue-eyed shags. There is also a
possibility you’ll encounter humpback and minke whales here,
as well as leopard seals.
Port Lockroy – After sailing through the Neumayer Channel,
you may 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.
At the nearby sites, such as Damoy Point there may be the opportunity
for snowshoeing to the old ski-way, this is also one of our favourite
camping sites.
Wilhelmina Bay & Guvernøren –
This is a great place to spot humpback whales. You also may embark on a
Zodiac cruise ending at the ghostly wreck of the Guvernøren,
a whaling vessel that caught fire here in 1915. Around the Melchior
Islands, amid a frozen landscape peopled with icebergs, you may
encounter even more whales, leopard seals, and crabeater seals.
Conditions on the Drake Passage determine the exact time of departure.
Day 8 - 9: Familiar seas,
familiar friends
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.
Day 10: There and back
again
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.
Hondius (Expedition, 170-guests)
MV Hondius offers luxury accommodation for up to 180 passengers. The ship has a luxury standard while Oceanwide's signature cozy and informal atmosphere. Hondius the strongest ice-strengthened vessel will be in the polar regions and will be equipped with stabilizers, and great trips for advanced, innovative exploratory quality in the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Voyage
aboard the indicated vessel as indicated in the itinerary
- All
meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee
and tea.
- All
shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac.
- Program
of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced
expedition staff.
- Free
use of rubber boots and snowshoes.
- Luggage
transfer from pick-up point to the vessel on the day of embarkation, in
Ushuaia.
- Pre-scheduled
group transfer from the vessel to the airport in Ushuaia (directly
after disembarkation).
- All
miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the programme.
- Comprehensive
pre-departure material.
- Free 1.5 GB of daily Wifi
Excluded
from this voyage
- Any
airfare, whether on scheduled or charter flights.
- Pre-
and post- land arrangements.
- Passport
and visa expenses.
- Government
arrival and departure taxes.
- Meals
ashore.
- Baggage,
cancellation and personal insurance (which is strongly recommended).
- Excess
baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry,
bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges.
- The
customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for stewards and other
service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided).
