Antarctic Circle Voyage

14 days
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4.8/5 Excellent
64 reviews  
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Private Guided
Here's a trip for those with the heart and soul of a true explorer! Far south beyond the imaginary line of the Antarctic Circle (latitude 66° 33') is a frozen zone of blue icebergs, gossamer pink light, shifting pack ice, and snowy mountains as far as the eye can see. This extreme southern latitude is truly one of the planet's last frontiers, a place few huma...
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Overview

Trip type
Private Guided
Lodging level
Luxury - 5 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

    • Cruise against the backdrop of spectacular ice formations and soaring mountains in the world’s most vast and pristine wilderness
    • Head south, really south, to the Antarctic Circle on our longest and most comprehensive Antartic Peninsula itinerary
    • Observe an incredible parade of wildlife, including seals, whales, seabirds, and thousands of penguins
    • Navigate islands, bays, and channels by kayak and Zodiac boat—or maybe opt for a night of glacier camping!

What's this trip about?

    Here's a trip for those with the heart and soul of a true explorer! Far south beyond the imaginary line of the Antarctic Circle (latitude 66° 33') is a frozen zone of blue icebergs, gossamer pink light, shifting pack ice, and snowy mountains as far as the eye can see. This extreme southern latitude is truly one of the planet's last frontiers, a place few humans have traveled, and when you cross the Circle, you'll enter the ranks of an elite few—an occasion to be marked by a celebration! Along the way to and from the circle, you'll travel along the breathtaking Antarctic Peninsula, taking time to explore and photograph many of its finest sights. Peninsula visits usually include places like the wildlife colonies at Paradise Bay, King George Island, and the enormously scenic Lemaire Channel, a narrow passage between sheer mountains.

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Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeIntimate group - 12 max
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportN/A
Start CityUshuaia
End CityUshuaia

Destinations

  • Antarctica

Trip includes

    • Expert leadership from an experienced team of naturalists
    • Advice from resident photographer
    • Accommodations as noted in itinerary (or similar)
    • All meals during the voyage prepared by onboard professional chefs
    • Coffee, tea, hot chocolate available throughout the day
    • Sightseeing as noted in the itinerary
    • All Zodiac excursions
    • Overnight camping, including all equipment necessary
    • Foul weather gear set (rain jacket, bib pants and Lacrosse gumboots)
    • Onboard medical doctor
    • Access to our special programs on board (such as hiking, photography)
    • Use of our multimedia room to download photos
    • Basic medical and evacuation insurance

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Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1: Arrive in Ushuaia and set sail

Be sure to arrive the day before boarding the ship so you'll have time to explore the charming Argentinian town of Ushuaia. Jagged mountains tower above Ushuaia’s small harbor, which is situated at the base of a stunning mountain range. In the mid-afternoon, we'll gat...

Days 2-3: At sea, crossing the Drake Passage
Sail across the 620 miles of the Drake Passage, passing over the Antarctic Convergence. Here the cold waters of the Antarctic meet the warmer seas of the Atlantic, and the surfacing nutrients attract a variety of species of seabirds and whales. The Drake Passage is noted...
Days 4-11: Explore the Antarctic Peninsula and the Circle
Our itinerary for the next few days must necessarily be flexible. We usually head straight south to the Antarctic Circle, then work our way back up the Antarctic Peninsula, cruising among the islands and into the bays and channels, with Zodiac shore landings as part of t...
King George Island (62° 02′S 58° 21′W)
Admiralty Bay, on King George Island, is a favored feeding ground for humpback whales. If we're lucky, we may see them feeding on krill.

Half Moon Island (62° 36’S, 59° 55’W)
East side of Livingston Island Right in the heart of the South Shetland Islands, the crescent-shaped Half Moon Island is located in a protected passage between Greenwich and Roberts Islands. The island was known to sealers as early as 1821, and sealers were notorious for...
Livingston Island (62° 40’S, 61° 00’W)
Wildlife flourishes on Livingston Island—Weddell and elephant seals, skuas, giant petrels, Antarctic terns and rookeries of chinstrap, gentoo and macaroni penguins.

Deception Island (62°58′S 60°39'W)
Deception Island is one of the few flooded volcanic calderas in the world that large ships may sail into and anchor. There are numerous anchorages within the caldera including Whaler's Bay and Baily Head.

Whaler’s Bay (62° 59’S, 60° 34’W)
To reach Whaler’s Bay it is necessary to sail through a narrow passage called Neptune’s Bellows. The bay was used by whalers from 1906 to 1931. We can explore rusting remains of abandoned whaling operations along on the beach, hike up volcanic slopes to view volcanic lakes, and even bathe in steaming thermal waters along the shore if the conditions are right.

Baily Head (62°58'S, 60° 30'W)
On the outside of Deception Island is Baily Head, where more than 100,000 chinstrap penguins pairs make their home, sometimes nesting nearly to the top of the crater rim itself. Because of the steep black sand beach, sea conditions must be just right for safe landings here.

Paradise Bay (64° 53’S, 62° 52’W)
Its name is appropriate, as it is one of the Antarctic Peninsula’s best-known scenic locations! Here we can make a landing on the continent itself, and enjoy panoramic views from the top of a hill (and have fun sliding back down). Along the cliffs you can see nesting sea...
Orne Harbor (64° 37’S, 62° 32’W)
A steep climb to the summit of Orne Island, located on the east side of the Gerlache Strait, provides a 360-degree panoramic view of the strait and the surrounding islands and mountains. Some chinstrap penguins nest at the very top; these are the “mountain climbers” of the penguin world, preferring a “room with a view” from the top of the cliffs.

Cuverville Island (64° 41’S, 62° 38’W) Errera Channel
We'll visit the peninsula's largest gentoo penguin colony—approximately 5,000 pairs nest here—situated on a rocky beach on the north end of Cuverville Island. Southern Giant Petrels, Kelp Gulls, and Antarctic Terns also breed on the island. We can also cruise by Zodiac o...
Paulet Island (63° 35’S, 55° 47’W) South of Dundee Island
Located in the northwestern Weddell Sea, Paulet Island is home to a large rookery with hundreds of thousands of Adélie penguin pairs and their chicks. Here you'll also find the remains of the hut of Captain Carl Anton Larsen of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition, construct...
Lemaire Channel (65° 4’S, 63° 54’W)
A cruise through a breathtakingly narrow channel, with mountain walls rising thousands of feet straight out of the water, is one of the highlights of a trip to Antarctica. Minkes, humpbacks, and orcas are occasionally spotted, and leopard and crabeater seals sometimes fr...
Days 12-13: At sea, crossing the Drake Passage
Homeward bound on the Drake Passage. On this final leg of our remarkable journey, we'll relax and review our adventures, as well as keep a watch for seabirds and marine mammals. Near the end of our journey, we’ll sail around Cape Horn on our way to Ushuaia (weather permi...
Day 14: Return to Ushuaia and fly home
We'll plan to arrive back in Ushuaia in the early morning. Our arrival is dramatic as dawn breaks over the town. The setting is spectacular, with sparkling mountains directly behind the city, and if it’s clear, we’ll see the higher peaks of Chile to the west. After breakfast on board the ship, we'll transfer to the airport and fly home.

Breakfast

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Dates & Availability

Price From $10,895
Price per day$778
Last Updated: 9/3/2018

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with MT Sobek (Mountain Travel Sobek).

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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MT Sobek (Mountain Travel Sobek) Reviews & Ratings

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Tish

Aug 2023

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Recommend Japan hikes but not with Mt Sobek

First, let me say our tour guide Tomomi S. is hands down THE best tour guide I’ve ever had - knowledgeable, fun and made great efforts to ensure that we were comfor...

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Anne

Dec 2019

MT Sobek (Mountain Travel Sobek) Company Reviewsby MT Sobek (Mountain Travel Sobek)

Spectacular scenery

Spectacular scenery, great hiking, and fascinating conversations with...

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Andrea

Dec 2019

MT Sobek (Mountain Travel Sobek) Company Reviewsby MT Sobek (Mountain Travel Sobek)

Truly enjoyable

Thanks to MT Sobek this trip was seamless and truly enjoyable. The accommodations, logistics, and guides were all excellent. I always felt safe, cared for, and well ...

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MT Sobek (Mountain Travel Sobek)

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Mountain Travel began with the belief that there is a little bit of adventure in everyone. The early days were fueled by the passions of outdoor enthusiasts who loved exploring wild places. 40 years later, we offer almost 200 adventures to destinations worldwide.

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In keeping with our founders' adventurous spirit, Mountain Travel Sobek is constantly seeking innovative new trips throughout the world. You will always find an array of new trips to exotic locales in our trip list in addition to the classic adventures for which we are renowned. So whatever your level of adventure, there is a Mountain Travel Sobek adventure just right for you.

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Our groups are intentionally kept small—usually less than 15 people—to allow you a more intimate experience with the people and wildlife you encounter on your Mountain Travel Sobek adventure. With such a small number of people, we can take advantage of many unexpected invitations and opportunities that would be impossible with larger groups.

Our guides often have very close ties to the local community and we are readily welcomed into the lives of the local folk. We may be invited to share lunch with a Turkish family or visit an artist's studio in Tuscany. Don't forget to ask us about the time we spent Thanksgiving at a Fulani "festival of the cows" in the Dogon lowlands of Mali—now there's something we won't soon forget!

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Logistics

What's excluded

    • International airfare; meals not noted on itinerary; pre-cruise or post-cruise hotel accommodation; airport transfers in Ushuaia; insurance other than basic medical and evacuation insurance noted above (we strongly recommend you purchase the supplementary trip insurance offered by Mountain Travel Sobek, which includes trip cancellation insurance); optional tipping to expedition staff and crew; excess baggage charges; airport taxes (international—varies by location); cost of medical immunizations; and items of a personal nature (sodas, alcoholic beverages, laundry, etc.).
Cancellation policy

If written cancellation is received: Cancellation fee will be:

120 days or more prior to departure amount of deposit

119 days or less prior to departure 100% of Land/Cruise Cost

Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Additional Information
Trip ID
mtsobe-AntCirVoyMouTra

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