Antarctica Whale Journey

Welcome to Ushuaia, the gateway to Antarctica. Take your included transfer from the airport to your hotel. Tonight, you’ll meet fellow guests and our local team in Ushuaia during a welcome briefing at your hotel. If you have some time to spare before the meeting, we suggest you head downtown to do some souvenir shopping or taste some classic Argentinian flavours at one of Ushuaia's fantastic local restaurants.

An arrival transfer from the airport on day one is included in your voyage fare. Please speak to an Intrepid booking agent to organise this.

Enjoy some free time to explore Ushuaia and the surrounding area before boarding the Ocean Endeavour this afternoon. Once settled, you’ll cast off and make your way through the Beagle Channel towards the infamous Drake Passage. Named after Charles Darwin’s historic ship The Beagle, the deep open water of the channel presents many great photo opportunities.

Be sure to wave goodbye to South America if you're not too busy snapping away at the incredible landscapes – your next land sighting will be the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands.

The Drake Passage is one of the most famous bodies of water on the planet. It can be a little rough, but if weather conditions are good, you can head out on the outer decks for a chance to spot ocean dwellers like whales and dolphins, or perhaps seabirds including the spectacular wandering albatross, prions and petrels.

Over the next two days, you'll get to know your expedition team experts as our comprehensive lecture program gets underway. Our polar experts will share their knowledge of the Antarctic region so you can gain a great understanding of its wildlife, history and geology and help prepare you for the adventure that lies ahead.

Your expedition team are experts on the marine life that inhabit these parts and will help scout for sightings as you join them on the Ocean Endeavour's bridge and spacious outer decks. With favourable conditions, you are scheduled to arrive at the Antarctic Peninsula late on the evening of day four.

The Antarctic Peninsula is known for a high number of wildlife sightings in front of stunning backdrops of mountains, icy landscapes and water, which combine to provide incredible scenes as you search for whales migrating along the coast.

The peak of the migration season (February and March) is the best opportunity to see these majestic ocean dwellers, as all Antarctic whale species migrate long distances, feeding in the cold, nutrient-rich Southern Ocean during the southern summer. The most common species found in the region are humpback, minke and fin whales, as well as orcas.

As whale season is in full swing, you may like to participate in one of our exciting on-board citizen science projects, the Happy Whale Project, where you can upload photos of whale’s tails (flukes) online, along with details of where the images are taken, which are then used to analyse and identify the individual whale and track its movement across the oceans. Sightings can happen from the outer decks of the ship or during a Zodiac excursion, or on the ship's bridge with your captain, where our open bridge policy allows you into the command centre of the Ocean Endeavour for a look at the inner workings of your expedition and access to the best place to spot whales.

An average day on board begins with a wake-up call from your expedition leader around 7:00 a.m., giving you time to prepare for the day before joining fellow guests for breakfast in the Polaris Restaurant. You will usually have two excursions per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, with a delicious lunch served on the Ocean Endeavour in between excursions.

As the Ocean Endeavour starts its return journey north to our home port of Ushuaia, now is your time to reflect on your amazing journey. We’re scheduled to reach the relatively calm waters of the Beagle Channel by the evening of day ten.

This evening, your final meal together in the Polaris restaurant is often a highlight of our Antarctic adventurers, so live it up and enjoy it as you celebrate an incredible adventure with fellow guests and expedition team members.

Disembark the Ocean Endeavour after breakfast as your Antarctic expedition comes to an end and the memories of an amazing adventure begin. Transfer to Ushuaia airport is included if you are departing today.

A departure transfer to the airport is included in your voyage fare if you are flying out today. Please speak to an Intrepid booking agent to organise this.

If you are flying out today, please do not book your flight to depart Ushuaia before midday in case of any delays caused by unfavourable weather conditions.