Southern Explorations

Antarctica is one of the least visited tourist destinations on the planet - Let us get you there!

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Antarctica Cruises - Select Cruise By Itinerary - Southern Explorations

Antarctica Cruise Itineraries

Select from the list below for details about that itinerary and scheduled departures for that itinerary.
Choosing an Antarctica Travel Itinerary
A classic Antarctic Icescape

A classic Antarctic Icescape

Off the beaten track is a relative term. Though tourists are allowed to visit some 200 sites in Antarctica, most choose to stop at the top thirty-five. Even these sites receive only hundreds of visitors each year, not thousands, attracting seasoned travelers with environmental and wildlife interests, who aren’t deterred by a little cold weather and some polar blasts. Antarctica is one of the least visited tourist destinations on the planet.
Emperor Penguins coming ashore

Emperor Penguins coming ashore

The shortest route to Antarctica is from Argentina’s most southerly city, Ushuaia, a 386-mile cruise across Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula that juts out from the mainland. The peninsula is the primary destination of Antarctica tours due to its proximity, and because, here, the coast tends to be free of ice during the five month November to March Antarctic tourist season.
Many Antarctica travel itineraries embarking from Ushuaia also visit islands in the vicinity that lie within or just beyond the Antarctic Convergence, including South Georgia, the South Shetland Islands and the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas). Antarctic travelers and visitors come to South Georgia to observe its abundant wildlife that arrive during the summer season, including 95% of the world’s fur seals, 50% of the world’s southern elephant seals, and millions of penguins and other marine birds. The South Shetlands have many accessible landing sites rich with Antarctica historic significance, and the islands provide an opportunity to see a wide array of marine animals and bird species. The two Falkland Islands are a haven for seals, penguins and albatrosses as well as being home to a small human population, primarily of British descent.
The largest Antarctic cruise ships travel to more distant destinations in Western Antarctica such as the Weddell Sea that borders the peninsula and the Ross Sea. Ships that travel to East Antarctica in the Indian Ocean depart from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, all much longer Antarctic trips with less frequent departures. All of the cruise ships on Southern Explorations’ Antarctica tours embark from Ushuaia.
Snowy Sheathbills

Snowy Sheathbills

In accordance with the strict environmental protection guidelines of the Antarctic Treaty, Antarctica tour itineraries must be approved in advance and may be suspended, modified or canceled if deemed a threat to the Antarctic ecosystem and wildlife. Antarctica tour ships must acquire permits to enter government-protected areas, must ensure adequate passenger supervision by trained, experienced Antarctic guides and have approved management and monitoring plans for emergencies and waste disposal. Cruise ship operators are required to inform passengers about the Antarctic Treaty’s provisions, conduct evacuation and other safety drills onboard and submit a follow-up report detailing the activities that took place during the cruise.
To give you a general idea of the types of Antarctica trips and vacations we offer, please read about our itinerary categories.

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