A 14-day Antarctic expedition aboard World Voyager, crossing the legendary Drake Passage and venturing beyond 66°33’ south to one of the great symbolic frontiers of polar travel.
Few travellers ever set foot on the 7th Continent. Fewer still cross the Antarctic Circle.
Antarctic Peninsula: Crossing the Circle is a 14-day expedition designed for travellers who want a deeper and more ambitious Antarctic journey. Travelling aboard World Voyager, the voyage begins in Buenos Aires, continues by private charter flight to Ushuaia, then sails across the Drake Passage toward the South Shetland Islands, the Antarctic Peninsula and, conditions permitting, beyond 66°33’ south.
This is not a conventional cruise. It is a field-led polar expedition shaped by ice, weather, wildlife and expert interpretation. Each day may bring Zodiac cruising, shore landings, guided hikes, photography, polar presentations, citizen science opportunities and encounters with penguins, seals, whales, glaciers and remote Antarctic bays.
The crossing of the Antarctic Circle is the emotional milestone of the journey: a rare moment at sea, reached by relatively few travellers, and celebrated in the presence of ice, wind, latitude and silence.
Journey at a Glance
Expedition Name: Antarctic Peninsula: Crossing the Circle
Region: Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Circle
Duration: 14 days
Operational Start / End: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Ship Embarkation / Disembarkation: Ushuaia, Argentina
Ship: World Voyager
Ship Capacity: Up to 168 guests
Staff and Crew: 125 staff and crew
Ice Class: 1B
Core Experience: Drake Passage crossing, Antarctic Peninsula exploration, Zodiac cruising, shore landings, guided hiking, penguin colonies, seals, whales, glaciated bays, Science & Discovery programming and the attempt to cross the Antarctic Circle.
Pricing
Available on request, according to departure date, suite category, availability and any special offers valid at the time of proposal or reservation.
Departure Dates
16 February to 1 March 2027
14 days, start and end in Buenos Aires
24 January to 6 February 2028
14 days, start and end in Buenos Aires
Availability, suite categories, final routing and applicable offers should be confirmed privately before proposal.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Buenos Aires, Argentina
The journey begins in Buenos Aires, a cosmopolitan city known for its architecture, European heritage and cultural depth.
Guests arrive independently and make their way to the designated group hotel. The pre-expedition hotel night is included as part of the Charter Flight and Hotel Package. This first day allows time to settle in, prepare luggage and receive details for the following day’s flight south.
Day 2: Fly to Ushuaia and Embark World Voyager
After breakfast, the group transfers to the airport for the private charter flight to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world.
On arrival, guests have time to explore the port town before boarding World Voyager in the late afternoon. The ship then sails through the historic Beagle Channel, named after the vessel on which Charles Darwin voyaged. The channel offers early photographic opportunities of landscapes, seabirds and Tierra del Fuego’s dramatic southern edge before the voyage opens toward the Southern Ocean.
Days 3 and 4: Crossing the Drake Passage
The Drake Passage is one of the defining thresholds of Antarctic travel.
During the two-day crossing, guests begin to enter the rhythm of expedition life. The Expedition Team leads presentations on wildlife, photography, glaciology, polar history and the ecology of the region. Time on deck may bring sightings of seabirds and the first sense of the immense oceanic scale that separates South America from Antarctica.
The crossing also gives guests time to meet the Expedition Team, prepare for Zodiac operations and understand the environmental protocols that guide responsible travel in Antarctica.
Days 5 to 7: South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula
Arrival in the Antarctic Peninsula brings a sense of scale that is difficult to describe: sculpted icebergs, glacier fronts, silent bays, snow-covered mountains and wildlife moving through a landscape that still feels almost untouched.
Each day is shaped by conditions. Guests may explore by Zodiac through channels, bays and landing sites, visit penguin rookeries, walk ashore under the supervision of expert guides, or search for humpback and minke whales, leopard seals, crabeater seals, Weddell seals and seabirds.
The region is home to chinstrap, Adélie and gentoo penguins, along with five species of seals. Zodiac cruising offers a close and carefully managed perspective on ice, wildlife and shoreline details that the ship cannot reach.
Depending on conditions and availability, optional activities may include sea kayaking, paddling excursions or stand-up paddleboarding.
Days 8 and 9: Antarctic Circle
These are the milestone days of the voyage.
If conditions allow, World Voyager pushes south to cross the Antarctic Circle at 66°33’ south. The crossing is celebrated on deck, marking a polar achievement reached by very few travellers.
This is a rawer expression of Antarctica, where sea ice, extended daylight, Weddell seals and the underlying structure of the Antarctic marine ecosystem become part of the experience. The itinerary remains flexible, as ice and weather determine how far south the ship can travel and where exploration is possible.
Days 10 and 11: Northbound Along the Peninsula
As the ship begins its northbound course, the expedition continues with further Zodiac excursions, wildlife observation and possible shore landings.
By this point, the language of the polar world becomes familiar: bergy bits, pancake ice, tabular ice, gentoo colonies, Weddell seals, leopard seals, humpbacks and the changing light of the Antarctic coast.
The Expedition Team continues to adapt the route in real time, looking for wildlife, safe landing opportunities, calm Zodiac cruising conditions and meaningful sites along the Peninsula.
Days 12 and 13: Crossing the Drake Passage
The return across the Drake Passage offers time to reflect on the expedition and absorb the scale of the journey.
Guests may attend final presentations, review photography, watch for seabirds and whales from deck, and share impressions with fellow travellers. The Expedition Team typically closes the educational programme with recaps, discussions and a visual review of the voyage.
Day 14: Disembark in Ushuaia and Fly to Buenos Aires
World Voyager arrives in Ushuaia in the morning. After breakfast, guests disembark and transfer for the included group charter flight back to Buenos Aires.
The charter flight is scheduled to arrive at Buenos Aires’ international airport in the late afternoon. For secure onward planning, flexible international flights or an additional night in Buenos Aires may be recommended.
World Voyager: Designed for Discovery
World Voyager is a modern expedition ship built for science, discovery and refined polar exploration.
The ship accommodates up to 168 guests and is supported by 125 staff and crew. Its 1B ice classification makes it suitable for Antarctic expedition travel, while its design brings the outside environment into almost every part of the onboard experience.
Key features include:
All-balcony suites with direct views into the polar wilderness
Science Hub for guest learning, research interaction and expedition interpretation
Presentation theatre for expert lectures and daily briefings
Rolls-Royce propulsion technology for a comfortable, fuel-efficient sailing experience
Restaurant and spacious lounges designed for conversation after off-ship exploration
Observation areas for wildlife and landscape viewing
L’Occitane spa treatments
Sauna
Self-directed hot-and-cold hydrotherapy
Panoramic running track
Fitness centre
Health-conscious dining for recovery and comfort during the voyage
The ship is especially suited to travellers who want a modern polar vessel with a strong educational layer, comfortable public spaces and direct visual connection to the Antarctic environment.
Included Activities
Activities are always subject to weather, ice, safety and operational conditions, but may include:
Zodiac cruising
Shore landings
Guided hiking
Presentations by polar experts
Photography guidance
Polar plunge, scheduled once per expedition if conditions permit
Science & Discovery programming
Citizen science activities, including seabird surveys, whale observations and water sampling
Wildlife observation from ship and shore
Optional Adventure Activities
Optional activities vary by departure and must be requested in advance, as spaces are limited.
Possible options include:
Sea kayaking
Paddling excursion
Stand-up paddleboarding
Sea kayaking is designed for guests with prior kayaking experience and may take place multiple times during the voyage, weather permitting. Paddling excursions offer a gentler one-time experience on stable sit-on-top kayaks, suitable for guests with minimal or no kayaking background. Stand-up paddleboarding takes place in calm bays and harbours, accompanied by a safety Zodiac.
Science & Discovery
A dedicated Science Hub aboard World Voyager supports the educational identity of the expedition.
Guests may interact with scientists, researchers and Expedition Guides, explore digital learning displays and engage in citizen science. Activities may include documenting whale sightings, conducting seabird surveys from deck, joining interactive water sampling, and learning how field research contributes to understanding birds, whales, seals and Antarctic marine ecosystems.
This dimension gives the journey additional depth. Antarctica is experienced not only as scenery, but as a living polar system shaped by ice, weather, wildlife, ocean conditions and climate-sensitive habitats.
Possible Excursion Sites
The final route is determined by sea, ice and weather. Possible sites in the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands may include:
Cierva Cove
A glaciated bay known for sculptural icebergs, floating ice and possible seal or humpback whale sightings later in the season.
Cuverville Island
A gentoo penguin rookery set on a rocky beach, with giant petrels and kelp gulls also breeding in the area.
Damoy Point
A historic British Antarctic Survey site with a preserved hut, penguin rookery and views of the mountains of Anvers Island.
Danco Island
A small island home to gentoo penguins and excellent Zodiac cruising opportunities in the Errera Channel.
Detaille Island
Located just south of the Antarctic Circle, with a preserved British Antarctic Survey hut dating from 1956.
Enterprise Island
A protected cove once used by whalers, with Zodiac cruising around historic remains and opportunities to search for humpback whales.
Lemaire Channel
One of the most scenic passages on the Peninsula, running between the cliffs of Booth Island and the Antarctic Peninsula.
Mikkelsen Harbor
A bay surrounded by ice cliffs, refuge history, whaling remains, Weddell seals and gentoo penguins.
Neko Harbour
A landing site where gentoo penguins inhabit a bay once used by a floating whale factory ship.
Paradise Harbor
A wide natural harbour framed by mountains, glaciers, ice cliffs and floating ice, with an Argentine summer research base.
Petermann Island
A site near the Lemaire Channel with gentoo penguins, Adélie penguins, shags and south polar skuas.
Port Lockroy
A historic British base, now a museum and post office, with a large gentoo penguin population.
Wilhelmina Bay
Known for humpback whales, calm waters, cliffs, glaciers and possible bubble-net feeding.
Yalour Islands
A chain of islands with Adélie penguins, lichen-coloured terrain and iceberg-rich Zodiac cruising.
Deception Island
A flooded volcanic caldera reached through Neptune’s Bellows, with historic whaling remains, penguins, seals and dark volcanic landscapes.
Half Moon Island
A crescent-shaped island with chinstrap penguins and several breeding Antarctic bird species.
Yankee Harbour
A gentoo penguin rookery, glacier views, sealing history and the possibility of longer walks along an expansive beach.
Inclusions
Rates generally include:
A 3-in-1 expedition parka to keep
Leadership throughout the voyage by an experienced Expedition Team
Zodiac transfers and cruising according to the daily programme
Shore landings according to the daily programme
Shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping
All meals, snacks, soft drinks and juices on board
Complimentary select beer, wines and cocktails during bar service hours and dinner
Coffee, tea and cocoa available around the clock
Formal and informal presentations by the Expedition Team and guest speakers
Photographic journal documenting the expedition
Loan of waterproof expedition boots for landings and Zodiac cruising
Hair dryer and bathrobes in every cabin
Basic complimentary Wi-Fi on one device, where service permits
Luggage handling aboard the ship
The Charter Flight and Hotel Package generally includes:
One night pre-expedition hotel accommodation in Buenos Aires with breakfast
Group flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia
Group flight from Ushuaia back to Buenos Aires
Group transfer from hotel to airport in Buenos Aires
Group transfer from Ushuaia airport to the ship and return
Exclusions
Rates generally do not include:
International airfare
Passport and visa expenses
Government arrival or departure taxes not specifically mentioned
Travel insurance, including baggage, cancellation, interruption and medical cover
Excess baggage fees on international and domestic flights
Mandatory waterproof pants or other personal gear not listed as included
Laundry, bar, spa and personal charges unless specified
Premium Wi-Fi packages
Voluntary gratuities for expedition staff and shipboard crew
Additional overnight accommodation
Arrival and departure transfers unless explicitly stated
Optional adventure activities not listed as included
Possible Extensions
Because the journey begins and ends through Buenos Aires and Ushuaia, pre- or post-expedition travel can be arranged privately.
Options may include:
Buenos Aires private cultural stay
Recoleta, Palermo and San Telmo
Tango evening
Argentine dining and parrilla experiences
Iguazú Falls extension
Ushuaia Maritime Museum
Tierra del Fuego National Park
Patagonian hiking and nature experiences
Exclusive Elite Travel Perspective
For Exclusive Elite Travel clients, Antarctic Peninsula: Crossing the Circle is a strong choice for travellers who want more than a first landing in Antarctica.
The itinerary has the foundations of a classic Antarctic expedition: Drake Passage, Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetland Islands, Zodiac cruising, penguin colonies, seals, whales and glaciers. Its distinction is the southward ambition. Crossing the Antarctic Circle gives the voyage a clearer sense of achievement, depth and polar identity.
This is especially suited to travellers who value meaningful milestones, expert-led interpretation, scientific context and the experience of travelling beyond the expected edge of the map.
A request begins with preferred departure date, suite category, appetite for optional adventure activities and any desired pre- or post-expedition arrangements.
