Classic Antarctica

Embark in Ushuaia

Board Terra Nova Adventurer in the afternoon and meet the expedition team and fellow travellers. After finding your cabin, the essential safety briefing introduces the ship and emergency procedures before sailing into the Beagle Channel. Ushuaia and the mountains of Tierra del Fuego gradually fall behind as the voyage turns towards open water.

Plan to reach Ushuaia at least one day before embarkation. The buffer protects the voyage from domestic flight disruption and gives you time to recover before the Drake. We can advise on sensible flights, accommodation and transfers needed to reach the ship.

Drake Passage southbound

The Drake normally takes around two to two-and-a-half days. Conditions can range from gentle to energetic, and stabilisers help without removing the motion of open ocean. Albatrosses and petrels often use the wind around the ship, making the outer decks worthwhile places to spend time.

Every guest attends the mandatory IAATO briefing, which explains behaviour around wildlife, protection of landing sites and responsible travel in Antarctica. Clothing, bags, boots and equipment are inspected and cleaned during biosecurity checks, preventing seeds and other foreign material from reaching the continent. Activity and zodiac briefings make sure the first excursion is not spent learning unfamiliar procedures at the gangway.

South Shetlands and Peninsula

These four days are the expedition core. Each morning begins with the latest assessment of wind, ice and wildlife. A landing may lead to a penguin colony, snowshoe route or viewpoint above a bay; a zodiac cruise may instead explore ice formations, seals resting on floes or whales feeding along the Peninsula. The programme is responsive by design, not a fixed sequence of ports.

With 14 Zodiacs and up to 98 guests, the ship has more than enough small craft to move everyone without dividing the expedition into long, slow rotations. That matters on a short voyage: less time waiting at the gangway means more time can be used ashore or among the ice. Back aboard, returning lifejackets, cleaning boots and preparing gear in the mudroom quickly become part of the daily rhythm.

Camping places are limited and should be requested early. Kayaking and snowshoeing do not currently require advance sign-up before embarkation. Snowshoeing, trekking, practical photography guidance, morning yoga and the polar plunge add variety, although weather, terrain and wildlife always determine what can operate.

Possible locations include the South Shetland Islands and sites along the western Peninsula, but Antarctica does not operate to a port schedule. The evening recap explains what was seen and why the team made its choices, followed by the provisional plan for the next day.

Drake Passage northbound

Turn north for the return crossing, with time for final lectures, workshops and wildlife watching. The outward journey is about anticipation; the return is better suited to reviewing photographs, talking through what you observed and understanding how the pieces of the expedition fit together.

Disembark in Ushuaia

Arrive in Ushuaia in the morning and disembark after breakfast, normally around 08:00-08:30. Avoid an early onward flight. An airport transfer is planned for guests flying that day; we will confirm its timing for your departure and help arrange a sensible connection away from the ship.