Expedition Antarctica - The Great Penguin Adventure 2025
Join PolarQuest on a magnificent Antarctica cruise with the possibility of sighting seven different species of penguins! We are proud to once again sail off to Antarctica on board the small and comfortable expedition ship, Ocean Nova, carrying a maximum of only 78 passengers. We sail from Ushuaia in Argentina, to the Falkland Islands, home to charming rockhopper penguins and graceful albatrosses. Our next stop is the remote island of South Georgia, a wildlife haven said to have more wildlife per square meter than any other place on the planet. Watching the huge elephant seals fight for their harems and being greeted by hundreds of thousands of breeding king penguins is a truly unbelievable experience. We then continue to the most remote and isolated continent - Antarctica. Here, we explore the dramatic landscapes with gigantic icebergs, scenic channels, and bustling penguin colonies. Welcome on board!
- The Ultimate Antarctica Cruise
- Travel in a Small Group – Maximum 78 Passengers
- Experience the World’s Most Remote Continent
- Visit the Wildlife Haven of South Georgia
- Opportunity to Sight 7 Different Species of Penguins
- See the Gigantic Elephant Seals Fight for Their Harems
- Marvel at Huge Icebergs
Itinerary
Day 1: Ushuaia, Argentina
Our great Antarctic adventure starts in Ushuaia, beautifully surrounded by snow-covered mountains, where we stay one night at a centrally located hotel. This little town is also referred to as the “End of the World”.
Day 2: The expedition cruise begins
In the morning, you will have the opportunity to explore Ushuaia on your own before meeting your guides and fellow travellers for lunch. In the afternoon, we board the Ocean Nova and sail out through the Beagle Channel - our great Antarctic expedition has begun! If we're lucky, we might even see penguins - keep an eye out for swimming Magellanic penguins in the Beagle Channel!
Day 3: At sea
We spend a day at sea followed by a range of sea birds such as petrels, fulmars and albatrosses that gracefully follow our ship. Whales and dolphins may also be seen in the surrounding waters and our polar experts start their exciting lecture program.
Day 4: West Falkland
Our plan is to explore the western islands of the archipelago, which are isolated and windswept but home to many seabirds and migratory birds including the black-browed albatross. Weather permitting, we go ashore and explore Saunders Island a penguin hotspot that is one of the only places on earth where 4 penguin species nest side by side. Here we can find gentoo, rockhopper, king and Magellanic penguin rookeries as well as nesting black-browed albatross. You can sit on the white sand beach watching the penguins come and go while the striated caracaras patrol overhead.
Day 5: Stanley, East Falklands
We visit Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands. As we wander through the charming streets with small houses and learn how this quiet harbour was once a major port in the 19th century for ships attempting to round the waters of Cape Horn. We also make a stop in Stanley’s famed philatelic museum with its impressive collection of historic stamps.
Day 6 - 7: Southern Ocean
We sail southeast, South Georgia bound. The anticipation grows especially when we cross the Antarctic Convergence and notice a dramatic drop in temperature. Shipboard presentations will continue, featuring the exciting history and abundant wildlife of South Georgia. Wildlife will guide us into the island; keep a lookout in the ocean for whales, seals and penguins swimming and diving.
Day 8 - 11: South Georgia
Majestic mountains, mighty glaciers and beaches full of king penguins greet us on the island of South Georgia. We arrive in the beginning of summer when there are few ships in the vicinity and the peaks of the dramatic mountain ranges are still snow-covered. If you are interested in wildlife, South Georgia is a true oasis. Hundreds of thousands of penguins greet us at places like St. Andrew’s Bay and Salisbury Plain. Huge elephant seals lounge on sandy beaches and this time of the year we may see dramatic fights for a position as the king of a harem. The island is also home to several other species of penguin such as macaroni, gentoo and chinstrap penguin, along with the playful and fiesty fur seals. South Georgia played a significant role in Shackleton’s epic adventure. After his ship Endurance sank, he crossed the treacherous ocean in an open lifeboat to reach the islands. We hope to visit Shackleton’s grave at Grytviken, once an active whaling station, which now houses a charming small museum.
Day 12 - 14: At sea
We now set sails towards the world’s most remote continent – Antarctica, faithfully accompanied by many seabirds. Our polar experts continue to fill our minds with heroic stories of some of the earliest daredevils to explore Antarctica. We also keep our eyes open for the first iceberg, which may appear on the horizon at any time now!
Day 15 - 18: The South Shetland Islands & the Antarctic Peninsula
This is a true Antarctic expedition cruise and our exact route the following days is subject to weather and ice conditions. Below are examples of places we may visit.
We hope to go ashore at Elephant Island, where we will learn more about the famous Antarctic adventures of Sir Ernest Shackleton. This island was a place of refuge in 1916 for Shackleton and his crew after his ship was destroyed by pack ice in the Weddell Sea more than 100 years ago. Following the loss of their ship the men reached Elephant Island after a harrowing ordeal on drifting ice floes. They established a camp at a place they called Point Wild, named after Shackleton’s commander Frank Wild and now the home of nesting chinstrap penguins.
We will spend some time cruising among the South Shetland Islands just off the Antarctic Peninsula. Dazzling wildlife sightings await us on our excursions to some of the islands including King George, Half Moon, Barrientos or Livingston. Adélie, chinstrap and gentoo penguins thrive here, as do several species of seal. Hopefully, we will also have chance to visit the flooded volcanic caldera of Deception Island. Along the coastline of the South Shetlands we keep our eyes open for humpback whales foraging for krill.
We continue south along the Antarctic Peninsula, where pack ice still covers large parts of the bays, and we watch the experienced officers navigate our ice-strengthened ship. We cruise through labyrinths of icebergs some of which may have resting penguins looking curiously back at us. In good ice conditions, we hope to set foot on the Antarctic continent in Hope Bay or Paradise Harbour. The scenery here, from the colossal icebergs to the seemingly endless Antarctic ice sheet, is truly breath-taking.
Day 19 - 20: Drake Passage
As we leave this magical place, heading across the Drake Passage, time will be spent sharing and reflecting on the wonderful experiences of the last few days. As we approach the South American continent its possible to see whales, dolphins and seals. We celebrate the conclusion of our Antarctic expedition with a farewell dinner on board.
Day 21: Ushuaia, Argentina
In the early morning we disembark in Ushuaia and explore this quaint little town on our own.
Please note: Our exact route will depend on ice and weather conditions. The planned itinerary will be updated throughout the voyage in order to take advantage of favourable conditions. Flexibility is the key to a successful expedition!
Pre and post cruise extension
For those of you who want to experience the bustling city of Buenos Aires we offer a pre and post cruise extension, including two hotel nights, sightseeing, dinner and flight Buenos Aires – Ushuaia with return. Please contact us for more information.
WHAT MAKES SOUTH GEORGIA SO SPECIAL?
In the middle of the Southern Ocean lies South Georgia. With nearly 3000 metre peaks, impressive glaciers and sandy beaches, the island offers some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. Everywhere, on the beaches and rocks, in the water and air, wildlife abounds. The sound of hundreds of thousands of king penguins is very powerful! It is an incredible experience to be among all these curious creatures. Here, we also have chance to meet the huge elephant seals, which can weigh as much as four tons and have over 200 females in one single harem! The newborn seal pups have just begun to explore the world and are eager to get acquainted. Their immense, black eyes win every visitor’s heart! With no land-based predators on the island, the wildlife has no fear of humans. This creates a truly magical setting for meeting the animals and watching them go about their day undisturbed.
The Package Travel Directive – protects the traveller’s rights
When you have booked a trip with PolarQuest, you are protected by the Package Travel Directive. This includes that you have the right to rebook your trip or cancel and receive a full refund, if your Government, or other relevant authorities, have implemented restrictions against travelling. This includes documented quarantine requirements in the country you are travelling to. However, free cancellation is only possible when it is less than 30 days to departure, provided the travel restrictions are still in place and clearly will affect your trip. You are also entitled to a full refund, should PolarQuest cancel the trip for any reason whatsoever.
SMALL GROUPS – GREAT EXPERIENCES
Sustainability is at the heart of everything PolarQuest does. We travel in small groups and strive to have minimal impact on the environment. A small ship such as Ocean Nova also offers a more relaxed atmosphere, greater focus on the destination and more time ashore, compared to a larger vessel. Most vessels that visit Antarctica takes between 120 and 500 passengers, but to visit Antarctica in a group of merely 78 passengers invites to a more exclusive as well as more sustainable experience. The Ocean Nova also has a very low fuel consumption per passenger, one of the lowest in the business.
The ship Ocean Nova
The expedition ship Ocean Nova (sister ship to our popular M/S Quest) was built in Denmark in 1992 and in 2006 she was completely refurbished and has now a career as a small and comfortable expedition ship. The Ocean Nova takes up to 78 passengers in twin and triple cabins, all with exterior views and en suite facilities. In your cabin you also find a desk with a chair as well as storage space for clothes and equipment.
In the dining room you are treated to delicious meals and in the panorama lounge you can enjoy a drink with breath-taking views of the surrounding polar landscape. This is where your guides entertain and educate you with lectures on the area’s flora, fauna and history.
On board there is also a library with a collection of polar books and DVDs. Passengers are welcome on the bridge around the clock and there is always something to see or search for from the spacious observation decks. The atmosphere on board Ocean Nova is relaxed and very friendly. Travelling with this small expedition ship offers an entirely different experience and perspective than you get on a larger and more conventional cruise ship.
Cabins & prices
Cabin category | Price per person | ||
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Triple cabin | Bunkbeds | USD 15 990 | |
Twin cabin | Bunkbed | USD 18 990 | |
Twin cabin | 2 lower beds | USD 20 490 | |
Double cabin* | Double bed | USD 20 490 | |
Single cabin | Bunk bed | USD 36 090 |
*There are only a few double cabins on the ship. Please send an enquiry and we will get back to you with availability.
Price includes
- 19 nights on board the expedition ship Ocean Nova
- 1 hotel night in Ushuaia
- Lunch Day 2
- All meals on board
- Coffee, tea, chocolate on board the ship
- All excursions and activities
- 8 polar expert guides
- Guiding ashore and lectures on board
Not included
- Airfare to and from Ushuaia, Argentina
- Travel and cancellation insurance
- Personal expenses on board such as in the bar, the shop or laundry service
- Gratuity to the ship’s crew
Departures & booking
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or wish to make a reservation.
Booking requestDeparture | Return |
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9 November 2025 | 29 November 2025 |