Antarctic Cruise to the Late Summer Sun

Start your adventure in style

Your trip starts with an overnight stay in Santiago, Chile’s energetic cultural center. Packed with museums, beautiful architecture, and restaurants, the city checks all of the boxes you’d expect of a South American capital. You’ll see that sites and attractions abound, so you’ll only be limited by time, not choice. If you have time, head to the Mercado Central fish market to sample the classic Chilean seafood stew, caldillo de congrio.

With so much to offer, we understand if you want more time to explore the capital. That’s why we recommend coming a few days early. We offer an optional South America Winelands tour, or a Chilean Patagonia tour, both of which are Pre-Programs.

Island adventures

You’ll leave Santiago early in the morning and fly to Punta Arenas, the largest city in Chilean Patagonia. This is a place of old world, romantic charm, where discovery lies around every corner. It’s also one of the southernmost cities in the world.

Your expedition ship MS Maud awaits. A mandatory health and safety session will be held for everyone after boarding. Afterward, you will meet some of the crew and the Expedition Team, who will be your guides, hosts, and travel companions.

Prepare for your Antarctic adventure

Heading south, before reaching Antarctica, we must first experience the legendary Drake Passage – a ‘rite of passage’ if you will – a two-day crossing where sea conditions can vary dramatically. It’s named after Sir Francis Drake, who discovered it by chance when his boat was blown south by heavy winds.

Visit the Science Center and find out what lies ahead. Your Expedition Team will deliver lectures on Antarctica, including its history, wildlife, and ecosystems. Learn how to make your visit as safe and as low-impact as possible and discover the Citizen Science projects you can join.

Use this time to enjoy all the onboard comforts at your disposal. Relax in the hot tubs or the panoramic sauna, look out for icebergs, whales, and albatrosses on deck, or unwind in our Explorer Lounge & Bar.

The most remote and starkly beautiful place on Earth

Nothing prepares you for your first sight of Antarctica’s immense, frozen beauty. Icebergs, sculpted by nature, float in the straits. Gentoo, chinstrap, and Adélie penguins watch from the shores while seabirds soar overhead. Nature is in charge.

During the next five days, you’ll explore several landing sites. There are more than 20 possible sites on and around the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands. It doesn’t matter where we go or what we do, every day will be thrilling and unlike anything you’ve experienced before.

We might sail into a flooded volcanic caldera or land in icy bays where remnants of whaling paraphernalia lie abandoned. You may also have the chance to kayak among icebergs and seals or snowshoe to a stunning viewpoint.

Bird enthusiasts should look skyward for Antarctic seabirds such as skuas, petrels, and terns. Through onboard lectures and onshore talks, you’ll learn more about this precious ecosystem and how we can all protect it for the future.

Relax at sea as we head toward South Georgia.

After five unforgettable days in Antarctica, we’ll turn around and head back north across the Drake Passage. You’ll have plenty of time to relax on board as we sail toward South Georgia.

In South Georgia, you explore an archipelago filled with impressive and diverse wildlife. As we sail, the Expedition Team will inform you about what you can expect, including information about South Georgia’s fauna, history, and geology, as well as the legendary Norwegian whalers of yesteryear.

Explore wildlife-rich South Georgia

South Georgia’s abundant fauna has earned it the nickname of the ‘Serengeti of the Southern Ocean’. Its unique position, free from sea ice, makes the island an ideal breeding site for large colonies of penguins, as well as other seabirds and seals. In fact, it is listed as an Important Bird Area, home to albatrosses, petrels, shags, skuas, and terns.

During three days in the area, we’ll land as often as we can to explore the wilderness and observe the wildlife. We’ll also try to reach Grytviken, the final resting place of legendary Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. Nature always calls the shots on our expedition route. Our experiences will vary depending on that day’s conditions and we adapt to find the best possible experience.

Relax and reflect at sea.

As we continue our voyage of exploration, take time to pause and reflect on our journey. Immerse yourself in informative lectures from the Expedition Team and learn more about our destinations. You might learn about how tectonic activity formed the mountain ranges around us, and then examine rock samples, ice cores, or skeletal recreations in the onboard Science Center.

If you want to keep in shape, head to the gym and get your blood pumping. MS Maud has a range of onboard facilities for you to enjoy, so take some time to discover the panoramic sauna or simply sit on deck in a hot tub and watch the seas roll by. Prolong your adventure!

Enjoy birding and hiking on these green islands

The Falkland archipelago is filled with seamless horizons and white sand beaches teeming with birdlife. Only the occasional farm dots the landscape. You’ll find grassy hills and wildflowers, in contrast to the vast whiteness of Antarctica. You can also enjoy a community walk around Stanley, taking in the Jubilee Villas gardens, Christ Church Cathedral, and the Historic Dockyard Museum.

Our landings, hikes, and excursions are – as always – subject to weather conditions. We hope to visit albatross and penguin colonies, where seals can often be found as well, getting as close as possible without disturbing them.

Enjoy your last few days at sea

With Antarctica, South Georgia, and the Falkland Islands behind us, it’s time to relax and rejuvenate as we head toward our final port of call. Spend time with new friends and enjoy the expertise of your Expedition Team throughout our last three days together as we sail north to Buenos Aires.

After a 23-day experience at sea, surrounded by some of the most remote, awe-inspiring scenery known to man, how do you call it quits? You just don’t. The experience continues, both in your memory and the knowledge you now carry with you. It lives in the stories and photos you will bring back to your friends and family. We hope your experience has been inspiring and that it renewed your awe of nature and reignited a passion to protect it.

Disembark and enjoy this fabulous city

Home to a proud and diverse community of ‘porteños’, or ‘people of the port’, Buenos Aires is a sensuous fusion of faded European splendor and Latin American panache.

There are plenty of places to explore, including many ‘parrillas’ serving authentic Argentine steak. This is the renowned birthplace of the tango, so maybe you’d like to practice your dance moves.

After such an extraordinary adventure, we understand if you’re not ready to head home. If that’s the case, you can join one of our optional Post-Programs and stay a little longer.