This small-ship expedition voyage discovers one of Antarctica’s hidden gems, the Weddell Sea, famed for its tabular icebergs, fascinating fossils and impenetrable pack ice,
The Weddell Sea was discovered in 1823 by the British sealer, James Weddell, and it was here in 1915 that Sir Earnest Shackleton’s ship, the Endurance became trapped in formidable sea ice. Embark on a true Antarctica expedition as you experience the incredible sea ice and enormous icebergs of the Weddell Sea.
An array of wildlife play and hunt in the Antarctic Sound, and we’ll keep watch for cetaceans that have migrated tremendous distances to feed on plentiful krill in Antarctica. Learn about the incredible fossil-rich volcanic islands from the onboard palaeontologist, and enjoy countless memorable wildlife encounters.
With luck, you’ll visit a large Adélie penguin colony, where some of the penguins breed on the rocky slopes of a small volcanic island. Nearby, large colonies of Antarctic blue-eyed shags jostle for space with nest-building Wilson’s storm petrels. You’ll discover a maze of sea ice on Zodiac cruises, and in the water we hope to see humpback, minke and orca whales as well as a variety of seals. Chinstrap and gentoo penguins are also likely sightings.
A typical Weddell Sea Explorer itinerary is shown below, however durations vary depending on expedition vessel and date.
Typical Itinerary
Day1: Embark in Ushuaia & stay overnight
Day2: Embark in Ushuaia & set sail
This morning is at leisure to explore Ushuaia. This afternoon, board your vessel and set sail on your expedition adventure to Antarctica!
Days3-4: Cross the Drake Passage
Cross the infamous Drake Passage to reach the Antarctic Convergence, the biological boundary of the Frozen South. When you cross the Antarctic Convergence, you arrive in the circum-Antarctic up welling zone. Our wildlife experiences begin as we enjoy watching and photographing the many seabirds - including wandering and black-browed albatrosses, southern fulmars and Antarctic, blue and Wilson’s storm petrels.
The first sightings of icebergs and snow-capped mountains indicate that you have reached the South Shetland Islands, a group of 20 islands and islets first sighted in February 1819 by Captain William Smith of the brig Williams.
Days5-9: Explore the Weddell Sea & Antarctic Peninsula
Spend the coming days exploring the Antarctic Peninsula and Weddell Sea. You’ll experience between 18 - 24 hours of daylight, meaning the days can be filled with adventure and exploration. Join Zodiac cruises along spectacular ice cliffs or among grounded icebergs, keeping watch for whales, seals and porpoising penguins. While ashore you can stretch your legs, wander along pebbly beaches or perhaps climb up snow-covered ridgelines to vantage points with mountains towering above, and ice-speckled oceans below. In addition, the ship will cruise some of the narrow, dramatic straits or linger in scenic bays to watch whales travelling or feeding.
This region also teems with vibrant exploration history, the most well-known being the story of Shackleton and his men, who were stranded on the pack-ice, following the sinking of the Endurance. The 28 men were isolated on the drifting pack-ice hundreds of miles from land, with no ship, no means of communication and limited supplies. The story of their survival and rescue is one of the greatest Polar stories.
You will have plenty of time to explore the amazing scenery, a pristine wilderness of snow, ice, mountains and waterways, and encounter a wide variety of wildlife. In addition to Adelie, you’re also likely to see gentoo and chinstrap penguins. There will be plenty of seabirds and encounters with Weddell, crabeater and leopard seals, and humpback, minke whales and orcas are also possible.
Days10-11: Sail back across the Drake Passage
Enjoy a final morning landing in the South Shetland Islands before you leave Antarctica and head north across the Drake Passage, searching for more seabirds and whales en route.
Day12: Arrive in Ushuaia & disembark
Please note: Exact itinerary and duration will depend on your chosen vessel, departure date and local conditions.
Key info
Duration and price excluding international flights: 12 daysfrom £12,165 ppSylvia Earle: from £12,165 pp
Greg Mortimer: from £12,245 pp
The remote eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula is one of the white continent's hidden gems. A deeply incised, 2,000-kilometre wide bay, the upwelling of cold water provides food for any creature hardy enough to withstand the intense cold. It is also famed for its huge ice shelves and flat-topped icebergs.
Find Out More about {acc:title}
The Antarctic Peninsula is the most accessible part of the great white continent with some of its best wildlife and scenery. Ice-choked waterways, sculpted icebergs, imposing glaciers and rugged mountains provide the backdrop to an area with more whales and dolphins than anywhere else on earth.
Find Out More about {acc:title}
The South Shetland Islands are situated north of the Antarctic Peninsula. Most of the land is permanently glaciated yet, despite the harsh conditions, the islands do support a large variety of seals, penguins – including Adelie and chinstrap - and seabirds – including Antarctic terns and giant petrels.
Find Out More about {acc:title}
Ideal for viewing: Adélie penguin, elephant seal, chinstrap penguin, gentoo penguin, southern right whale
The Greg Mortimer introduces an exciting new generation of ship for cruising in the Polar regions. Purpose-built for expedition cruising with a uniquely designed ice-strengthened hull to provide a more comfortable voyage, this small ship can venture into remote areas that larger vessels cannot reach.
Find Out More about Greg Mortimer
Described as ‘a floating ambassador for the conservation of the planet’, the brand new, purpose-built Sylvia Earle combines the latest in cutting-edge technology with maximum comfort for polar exploration, and was named after the world-renowned marine biologist and oceanographer.
Find Out More about Sylvia Earle
