DISCOVERING THE GREAT WHITE CONTINENT 22DEC24

In the morning, you will take a domestic flight to Ushuaia.

Before boarding Exploris One, you’ll have the chance to go on an excursion to discover the Tierra del Fuego, after which you’ll make your way back to the ship which will be docked off Ushuaia’s shore. Its captain and crew will welcome you aboard for the first night of your Antipodean stay. Being at “land’s end” allows us to shift perspectives: the city looks tiny in contrast to the never-ending horizon. On our first night aboard the ship, we will begin our navigation on the Beagle Channel, one of the most important maritime routes of the Tierra del Fuego, second only to the Magellan Strait.

Depending on weather conditions, we will have two days – perhaps even less – to prep for the day when we will finally step onto the “great white continent”. During the first conferences and information meetings, our expedition team will further hone your explorer’s spirit. Our common desire for exploration goes hand in hand with our desire to preserve this environment.

As environmentally conscious sea travellers, we put into practice what we preach: for example, our equipment is cleaned so that no foreign elements can reach Antarctic lands.

As we edge closer towards the continent, beanies and gloves will be needed as we go out onto the deck to admire the waves and the birds’ synchronised movements. Cape petrels, southern giant petrels and albatrosses follow our ship as we head towards land.

During five whole days, Exploris One will sail from one natural wonder to the next. Our itinerary is dictated by sea and weather conditions: our expedition leader will decide which stops to make based on these factors. The itinerary laid out below is subject to change.

We might come across some interesting marine animals, for example. Indeed, we’re not the only ones who are aware that Brabant Island and Anvers Island form a shield against the tumult of the Antarctic Ocean. Both humpbacks and minke whales seek shelter in the tranquil waters of the Gerlache Strait. There, we will delight in the majestic sight of these mammals, as delicate as they are gigantic.

From the comfort and safety of your Zodiac, artfully dodging the early season’s brash ice and “bergy bits,” you begin to anticipate your first face-to-face encounter with Antarctica’s majesty.

A little bit further, a ride on a Zodiac will allow us to get up close to an ice sheet that has detached from the continent, with Southern Hemisphere summer heat. Our naturalist guides will help us to decipher this icy geometry, and with their help, we might spot some blue-eyed cormorants hiding in the nooks of the surrounding cliffs.

The Antarctic is full of sounds: the crackling of a humongous glacier as it melts; the yelps of the gentoo penguins as they build their nests. Their constant bickering is probably not the best example of cooperation…! You might spot a Weddell seal – which you will be able to correctly identify, thanks to our naturalists’ lessons – lounging on the ice. Cameras at the ready! Today, we are in intimate conversation with the wildlife.

This program is subject to change: depending on the weather conditions and the flora and fauna we encounter, our itinerary may vary.

Whether you’re in a kayak or a Zodiac, don’t forget to look down as well as up. This time of year, the water is so clear, opportunities for wildlife sightings are literally everywhere.

The British researchers who spend the whole Southern Hemisphere summer doing research in their base of Porto Lockroy seem just as heroic as old-school explorers. They welcome us into the only available shop for thousands of kilometres, from which you can send postcards via the southernmost postal service in the world. They spend a few hours with us on board Exploris One, describing the daily life of their “summering” under a sun that never really sets.

We have one last stopover in the Peninsula at Cuverville Island before heading towards the South Shetland Islands. Atop the island’s highest hill, we’ll enjoy a breathtaking panorama that looks onto the Gerlache Strait. Our stopovers, however, are never set in stone: deviations from our itinerary are not only likely – they are welcome!

This program is subject to change: depending on the weather conditions and the flora and fauna we encounter, our itinerary may vary.

Exploris One is already heading North, towards civilisation. We’ll find traces of civilisation already at Deception Island, where the defunct whaling station of Whalers Bay is still standing. Even from afar, the vestiges of this now-decried activity are impressive: there are ovens to melt whale fat, wooden houses for the workers, and cemeteries for those who perished while working this perilous job. This era of mass whale hunting has long since ended in Antarctica, an industry as damaging to men as it was for the survival of these species. All that remains is the melancholy poetry of these ruins.

This completes the animal panorama of our cruise. Weather permitting, the expedition team might suggest a hike to reach the summit of the island, so that we can be at one with this beautiful nature for a few more hours.

This program is subject to change: depending on the weather conditions and the flora and fauna we encounter, our itinerary may vary.

Paradise Bay is… paradise for a Zodiac ride. The sea is often covered with pack ice dislodged by the return of the austral summer: thanks to our knowledgeable naturalist guides, we can interpret this icy geometry.

At Neko Harbour, we alternately listen to the creaking of an impressive glacier and the yapping of Adélie penguins building their nests. Their fiercely competitive squabbles over every pebble provide us with a serious lesson in etiquette… On the beach, a Weddell seal – with a full belly and a round cat-like muzzle – digests without concern for our presence. The day ends with the moving impression of having intimately conversed with nature.

Wilhelmina Bay, nicknamed the “whale bay” due to its reputation as an important feeding site for humpback and minke whales. A Zodiac outing amidst whales will remain forever in your memories, and what could be more extraordinary to celebrate this New Year.

It was named in honor of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands by Adrien de Gerlache, a Belgian explorer, during his Antarctic expedition in the early 20th century.

Program subject to change. We are first and foremost privileged guests of these extreme lands where nature dictates its law. Programs may vary from day to day, making each cruise a unique experience

Exploris One is setting sail once again across the Drake Passage. Crossing the Antarctic Convergence, the boundary beyond which water temperatures rise, we leave the Southern Ocean for the South Atlantic. We enter the realm of the Furious Fifties and Screaming Forties. Sometimes, all the “beasts” are tamed, and the crossing proves to be a gentle return to reality.

Final lectures delivered by our naturalists, final exchanges of photos, addresses, contacts… So that the end of the journey is not the end of the adventure.

Final lectures delivered by our naturalists, final exchanges of photos, addresses, contacts… So that the end of the journey is not the end of the adventure.

During this final stage, concluding the Drake Passage and before navigating the Beagle Channel towards Ushuaia, a significant highlight awaits us with the crossing of Cape Horn.

Crossing Cape Horn aboard Exploris One is a captivating and enriching experience, offering a unique opportunity to witness the majesty of nature and the maritime heritage of this legendary region.

Final lectures delivered by our naturalists, final exchanges of photos, addresses, contacts… So that the end of the journey is not the end of the adventure.

Disembarkation in the morning, after breakfast.

Transfer to Ushuaia airport for your flight to Buenos Aires.

Arrival in Buenos Aires around midday.