Route Description - Weddell Sea – In search of the Emperor Penguin, incl. helicopters
This Weddell Sea Expedition – Emperor Penguin Encounter explores the remote icy wilderness of the Weddell Sea, offering a rare opportunity to witness one of the planet’s most extraordinary wildlife spectacles. Using onboard helicopters, guests fly deep into the ice to search for emperor penguins near Snow Hill Island, alongside sightings of Adélie and Gentoo penguins and other Antarctic birdlife. Depending on ice conditions, landings may allow close access to a remote colony of thousands of breeding pairs—an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience in one of the most inaccessible regions on Earth, where nature ultimately dictates the journey.
Day 1 - End of the world, start of a journey
The voyage begins where the world drops off. Ushuaia, Argentina, reputed to be the southernmost city on the planet, is located at the far southern tip of South America. In the afternoon, guests embark from this small resort town on Tierra del Fuego, known as “The End of the World,” and sail through the mountain-fringed Beagle Channel for the remainder of the evening.
Day 2 - 3 - Path of the polar explorers
Over the next two days in the Drake Passage, guests experience conditions similar to those faced by the early polar explorers who first charted these remote waters. Expect rolling seas, cool salt winds, and occasional sightings of fin whales. After crossing the Antarctic Convergence, where cold polar waters meet warmer sub-Antarctic seas, the vessel enters the circum-Antarctic upwelling zone. Here, seabird life changes dramatically, with wandering albatrosses, grey-headed albatrosses, black-browed albatrosses, light-mantled sooty albatrosses, cape pigeons, southern fulmars, Wilson’s storm petrels, blue petrels, and Antarctic petrels commonly seen following the ship.
Day 4 - 7 - Entering Antarctica (Weddell Sea and emperor penguin region)
The vessel may sail into the Weddell Sea via the Antarctic Sound, where massive tabular icebergs mark the arrival to the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula. This region offers one of the most remote highlights of the voyage: the search for emperor penguins. Using both the vessel and helicopters, there is a strong chance of locating colonies, along with opportunities for scenic flights and landings in otherwise inaccessible areas.
Helicopter-supported excursions may include flights over the west slopes of the Antarctic Sound, where layered sandstone cliffs, volcanic formations, glaciers, and sea ice create a vast frozen landscape. Emperor and Adélie penguins may be observed on ice floes alongside skuas and petrels.
At Duse Bay, guests may land near a historic refuge hut and explore snow-covered terrain and lichen-rich rock formations. At Seymour Island, fossil-rich sedimentary landscapes reflect the history of early Antarctic exploration.
If deeper access into the Weddell Sea is possible, Zodiac landings may include Devil Island, home to a large Adélie penguin colony; Brown Bluff, known for its dramatic volcanic cliffs and large rookeries; and Gourdin Island, where chinstrap, gentoo, and Adélie penguins are commonly seen.
Day 8: Drake via Deception Island
The vessel visits Deception Island for the final landing of the voyage, either at Pendulum Cove or Whalers Bay depending on conditions. This volcanic caldera features black sand beaches, abandoned whaling stations, and geothermal landscapes. In the afternoon, the vessel begins the return crossing of the Drake Passage.
Day 9 - 10 - Familiar seas, familiar friends
During the return voyage across the Drake Passage, guests once again encounter the rich diversity of seabirds seen on the southbound journey. Albatrosses, petrels, and storm petrels follow the vessel, now appearing more familiar as the journey continues northward.
Day 11 - There and back again
Every expedition eventually comes to an end. Guests disembark in Ushuaia, taking with them memories of vast ice landscapes, remote wildlife encounters, and one of the most extraordinary environments on Earth.