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Antarctica - Beyond the Polar Circle - Whale Watching

A breathtaking expedition beyond the legendary Polar Circle where whale-rich waters and pristine landscapes await.

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Length

12 Days

Embark

Ushuaia

Disembark

Ushuaia

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Highlights

Witness late-summer wildlife spectacles: humpback whales feeding on krill and penguin chicks preparing to fledge
Cross the iconic Antarctic Circle, joining the select few who venture this far south into the world’s most remote wilderness
Explore awe-inspiring sites like Neko Harbour, the dramatic Lemaire Channel, and the abandoned research station on Detaille Island

This 12-day expedition takes you deep into the Antarctic Peninsula, past the renowned Antarctic Circle, where late-summer wildlife abounds and landscapes are frozen in awe-inspiring beauty. Departing from Ushuaia, Argentina, you’ll sail through the Drake Passage, following the footsteps of early explorers, encountering soaring albatrosses and possibly fin whales along the way.

As late summer draws in, humpback whales feast on krill while penguin colonies bustle with chicks learning to survive. Your journey includes incredible landings at sites like Deception Island’s volcanic harbor, Neko Harbour’s glacier-clad landscapes, and the serene, ice-filled waters of Paradise Bay. Zodiac cruises allow you to get closer to leopard seals, whales, and striking icebergs. Adventurous souls can even kayak amid the ice or hike along penguin-dotted shores, and there is even the option to dive in Antarctica’s frigid waters (experience with cold-water diving and dry-suit dives of at least 30 is a must though).

Crossing the Antarctic Circle will leave you with a profound sense of achievement, knowing you’ve ventured where few have been. This expedition is ideal for those seeking immersion in nature’s most untouched realm, offering even the most seasoned of explorers a life-changing experience. You’ll return with memories of majestic glaciers, rare wildlife, and the deep sense of wonder that only the farthest reaches of the world can evoke.

Ships

No departures available at this time

Standard Activities

Photography Workshops

Penguin Watching

Whale Watching

Zodiac Cruises

Itinerary Day to Day

Day 1

End of the world, start of a journey

Your voyage begins where the world drops off. Ushuaia, Argentina, reputed to be the southernmost city on the planet, is located on the far southern tip of South America. Starting in the afternoon, you embark from this small resort town on Tierra del Fuego, nicknamed “The End of the World,” and sail the mountain-fringed Beagle Channel for the remainder of the evening.

Ushuaia

Embarkation Point

Days 2-3

Path of the polar explorers

Days 4-9

Sights of late summer Antarctica

Options for Antarctic Peninsula activities are many, and no less great during the late summer. Humpback whales are prolific in this region, gorging themselves on krill before their migration north. The penguin chicks are also fledging, stirring up activity on the beaches while sleek leopard seals lie in wait, poised to attack the less fortunate ones.

Sites for your Antarctic adventures may include:

Livingston Island – Here you find a wide variety of gentoo and chinstrap penguins on Hannah Point, as well as southern giant petrels and elephant seals hauling out onto the beach.

Deception Island – Actually a subducted crater, this island opens into the sea and creates a natural harbor for the ship. An abandoned whaling station, and multiple bird species – cape petrels, kelp gulls, brown and south polar skuas, and Antarctic terns – can be seen here. Wilson’s storm petrels and black-bellied storm petrels also nest in the ruins of the whaling station in Whalers Bay.

Cuverville Island – A small precipitous island nestled between the mountains of the Antarctic Peninsula and Rongé Island, Cuverville houses a large colony of gentoo penguins and breeding pairs of brown skuas.

Neko Harbour – An epic landscape of mammoth glaciers and endless wind-carved snow, Neko Harbour offers opportunities for a Zodiac cruise and landing that afford the closest views of the surrounding alpine peaks. You might also be able to set foot on the continent here.

Paradise Bay – You could take a Zodiac cruise in these sprawling, ice-flecked waters, where you have a good chance of seeing humpback and minke whales.

Pléneau & Petermann Islands – If the ice allows it, you may sail through the Lemaire Channel in search of Adélie penguins and blue-eyed shags. There’s also a good chance you’ll encounter humpback and minke whales as well as leopard seals.

Crystal Sound – Your journey takes you south along the Argentine Islands to this ice-packed body of water, and from here across the Polar Circle in the morning.

Detaille Island – You may make a landing at an abandoned British research station here, taking in the island’s lofty mountains and imposing glaciers.

Fish Islands – Further north you encounter one of the southernmost Adélie penguin and blue-eyed shag colonies in the Antarctic Peninsula.

Melchior Islands – These islands offer a beautiful landscape rich with icebergs. Leopard seals, crabeater seals, and whales are found here, and there are excellent opportunities for kayaking and diving.

Conditions on the Drake Passage determine the exact time of departure.

Antarctic Peninsula

Livingstone Island

Deception Island

Cuverville Island

Neko Harbour

Paradise Bay

Pléneau Island

Petermann Island

Crystal Sound Channel

Detaille Island

Fish Islands

Melchior Islands

Days 10-11

Familiar seas, familiar friends

Day 12

There and back again

Route Map

There are 14 main destinations visited

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Cabin Details

Extra Activities

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Diving

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Extra Activities

Antarctica’s dazzling icecaps, colossal glaciers, and towering mountains are rivaled only by the white-sand beaches and lush flora of the sub-Antarctic islands. Both areas host a large variety of penguins, whales, seals, and seabirds.

During these dives, you may observe penguins, fur seals, and perhaps even leopard seals. Many of the sub-Antarctic islands are also rich with krill, one of the prime food sources for many marine species and therefore highly useful in locating wildlife.

General information on our diving activity

Divers must be experienced with cold-water, dry-suit diving.
We aim for one to two dives per day (one in the morning, one in the afternoon).
Our ability to dive depends on local ice and weather conditions.
All dive guides are certified and experienced experts in their field.
We offer basic equipment on board (e.g., tanks, compressors, and weights), but divers must bring their own personal gear.
We make dives from our Zodiac boats.
Our maximum dive depth is around 20 meters / 65 feet.
We may observe sea squirts, squat lobsters, spider crabs, soft corals, anemones, peacock worms, dogfish, sea snails, crabs, sea butterflies, shrubby horsetails, jellyfish, sea hedgehogs, kelp walls, and several species of starfish.
Please contact us for details on booking this activity

Weather in the polar regions

In Antarctica’s Southern Hemisphere summer (December to February), temperatures are generally close to freezing, varying between -5 to 8°C (23 to 46°F). Combined with the strong katabatic winds of this area, the cold can often feel even colder.

Warm and waterproof clothing (and a flexible attitude) is required for Antarctica. Severe weather may lead to the cancellation of landings and dives, as excursions can only take place in safe conditions.

Program changes due to weather and ice

We know our dive destinations in great detail and are always exploring new sites, but every dive can encounter surprises. It is important to remember that nature calls the shots in the polar regions. Personal expectations that are not met are not grounds for reimbursement.

Please note that our itinerary is always subject to safe local conditions. It is always possible that ice, weather, or wildlife will force us to change our sailing schedule. It is also possible that certain bays or fjords will be closed because of ice.

In such cases, we always have planned alternatives. But again, these alternatives are not grounds for reimbursement. When changing the itinerary, we assure you that the captain, expedition leader, and dive leader will do their utmost to provide you an equally good replacement program.

Dive experience and qualifications

Our polar dive voyages are not for beginners. They are meant for experienced divers who are familiar with cold-water, dry-suit diving. You must have logged at least 30 such dives to participate.

Before departure, please present an internationally accepted diving certificate and logbook. Also, we ask that you include copies when completing your diver personal information form.

The first dive of our voyage will be a “check dive” to try out your gear and assure our dive leader that you have enough experience to participate. This is for your safety and that of our guides.

If our dive leaders feel that any diver does not meet the necessary experience, they can exclude that diver from the dive program. In this event, Oceanwide Expeditions cannot be held responsible and will grant no claims for reimbursement.

All divers are required to follow the instructions of dive leaders and guides at all times. All divers are participating 100% at their own risk, which is also the case during land excursions.

Expedition team, excursions, & dive leaders

Our expedition team consists of one expedition leader and multiple guide-lecturers. All members of the team are extensively experienced in working in the polar wilderness.

Every morning after breakfast, you will be informed of the day’s program (position of the vessel, general information about the area, itinerary, and expected wildlife during the excursions). The excursions will then be evaluated in the afternoon and after dinner.

Occasionally, the expedition team will organize lectures, sometimes supported with slide shows, to inform the passengers about various features of the polar environment.

Our dive leaders are highly experienced instructors assisted by one or two dive guides. The main language of all guides and dive operations is English unless otherwise stated.

Special note: Safety first

Diving in the remote polar regions is no more dangerous than normal scuba diving as long as you follow one important rule: safety first.

All divers looking for dangerous stunts or deep dives are asked to refrain from this activity. There are no decompression chambers in Antarctica or the Arctic, medical care is almost non-existent, and there is hardly any infrastructure. Although we have a doctor on board the vessel for first-aid assistance, we cannot accept risky ventures from any divers.

DIVE PROCEDURES

Approach to dive site

In normal circumstances, the number of divers per Zodiac is six passengers as well as one driver-guide. Always watch your valuable gear when embarking and disembarking the Zodiacs. We are not liable for the loss of individual equipment.

The voyage starts with a check dive so that all divers can get used to the cold water, try out their equipment, and determine the weights they need. Before each dive, there will be a briefing about the dive site, weather and ice conditions, and the procedure of the dive.

Currents

Water currents can be present anywhere and at any time. The dive guides will select a dive spot that is safe and also give information about returning to the Zodiacs if needed. Normally there is very little current where we dive, if any.

Dive buddy

Dives will be made using the buddy system. The dive guide will not be in the water to accompany and lead divers. Rather, dive guides stay on the surface for the divers’ safety. Divers are expected to be experienced enough to read their compasses and depth gauges and look after each other. Buddy teams are important, so we let our divers match themselves as much as possible. In cases where divers have not paired up or are in doubt, dive guides sit with divers to discuss their expectations and experience. We try to pair people of similar interests and experience. If there is an uneven number of divers and three-person groups are not feasible, dive guides will accompany divers.

Dive guide-to-diver ratio

Our programs allow for six divers per dive guide, with a preferred maximum of 24 diving passengers per voyage. Groups larger than 24 will need to split dive activities, and we also may reduce the number of dives so that we can safely manage activities.

Drifting pack ice

This is a real hazard. If pack ice approaches while divers are underwater, it can be hard to see people if they surface in the middle of it. For this reason, it is important to only dive around icebergs that are hard aground or floating in water clear of brash or pack ice. Many of the dive sites have slopes or faces that go deeper than the 20 meters (65 feet) maximum limit for our dives. Divers must act responsibly and show self-discipline.

Equipment

Once you have settled into your cabin, you will be given an area to store and hang your equipment. Every diver is expected to prepare their own equipment in advance of each dive. Bring your own spare parts for regulators and dry suits in case of leaks or damage. Divers are expected to set up and carry their own equipment in and out of the Zodiac as well as up and down the gangway.

Number of dives

We plan for one to two dives per day, but an exact number of dives cannot be given due to the possibility of variable ice and weather conditions.

Visibility

Ample pack ice often means flat water with clear visibility. Little pack ice can mean plankton blooms, because there is more daylight and possibility of swells. But the ice and weather conditions are different every year, so there is no way to predict them.

DIVE EQUIPMENT

Please bring the following equipment yourself:

Dry suit with hood
Two sets of warm underwater garments
Dry gloves or wet gloves/mitts adequate for sub-zero waters
Two freeze-protected regulators. (We dive with special bottles that have two separate outlets, and we use 12L steel tanks fitted with a Y or H valve configuration and DIN or Yoke (INT) adaptable connections.)
Stabilizing jacket or BC with quick-release capability and sufficient lift capacity
Pressure gauge
Compass watch
Knife and torch
Mask, fins, and snorkel

Dry suits

These are the only adequate protection in Arctic and Antarctic waters, which can be as cold as –1°C (30°F). The type of dry suit you use is not important so long as it fits you, is waterproof, and you are comfortable using it.

Neoprene dry suits have the benefit of good stretch and extra insulation. Shell suits provide no extra insulation but are lighter and dry quicker. They serve only to keep you dry and require extra layers of garments under the suit. If possible, bring a small dry suit repair kit.

Dry suit accessories

If a hood is not attached to your dry suit, you will need to bring one. A 7mm neoprene hood with face and neck seal is recommended.

Regular 7mm neoprene semi-dry gloves or mitts may also be used with any dry suit and are relatively easy to use. Three-finger mitts are warmer than five-finger gloves. You can also use special dry gloves that seal against rings on the arm of the dry suit.

To prevent glove squeeze and promote warmth, short pieces of surgical tubing or straws can be inserted under your wrist seals to allow air exchange between your suit and gloves. This type of glove requires additional practice, as they can fall off if not used correctly.

Face masks

We recommend a standard mask, but the type of mask you use is not critical. You may use a full-face mask if you are experienced with them. Commercial defogging agents work well for polar diving.

Please keep an extra face mask handy in case your regulator free flows. Straps can also become brittle in cold weather, so we highly recommend bringing a spare strap and mask.

Insulating undergarments

The colder the water, the more (and thicker) layers of undergarments are required. We recommend you wear two or three layers, depending on your suit.

As the first layer, you should wear a set of polypropylene liners. This material helps absorb moisture from the body. As the second layer, wear thick insulating material like fleece, synthetic pile, Thinsulate, or similar. As the final outer layer, we suggest a windproof shell.

The one-piece jumpsuit style is the most common and comfortable configuration of dive wear. It is available in a variety of thicknesses, depending on your dry suit and the water temperature.

Post-dive clothing

It is important to bring a warm hat and warm waterproof gloves to wear before, and especially after, your dives.

Regulators

Normal regulators will not function where we dive, since both the first and second stage could freeze. You are therefore required to bring two sets of regulators (first and second stage) suitable for cold-water diving.

Price

Please contact us for more information.

What's Included

Voyage aboard the indicated vessel as indicated in the itinerary
All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee and tea.
All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac.
Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff.
Free use of rubber boots and snowshoes.
Luggage transfer from pick-up point to the vessel on the day of embarkation, in Ushuaia.
Pre-scheduled group transfer from the vessel to the airport in Ushuaia (directly after disembarkation).
All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the programme.
Comprehensive pre-departure material.

What's Excluded

Mandatory travel insurance
Any airfare, whether on scheduled or charter flights
Pre- and post- land arrangements.
Passport and visa expenses.
Government arrival and departure taxes.
Meals ashore.
Baggage, cancellation and personal insurance (which is strongly recommended).
Excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges.
The customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided).

We’ll carefully listen to your aspirations and curate an impartial shortlist of personalized polar cruise recommendations—and pre- and post-cruise extensions—to match your desired experience.

Next we’ll place a free, no obligation, 24-hour cabin hold on your preferred cruise option whilst we discuss the final details. Book and relax safe in the knowledge you’ll be paying the lowest price guaranteed.

Then we’ll provide you with our expert packing advice, insider travel tips, and more to ensure you are fully prepared for—and maximize your enjoyment of—your once-in-a-lifetime Antarctica expedition.

Antarctica - Beyond the Polar Circle - Whale Watching

Highlights

Ships

Standard Activities