Day 1: Ushuaia Embark the Antarctic cruise ship MV Ushuaia and meet your expedition and lecture staff. After you have settled into your cabins we sail from Argentina to Antarctica along the famous Beagle Channel and the scenic Mackinlay Pass, beginning your Antarctic expedition cruise. Day 2 - 3: Crossing the Drake Passage Named after the renowned explorer, Sir Francis Drake, who sailed these waters in 1578, the Drake Passage also marks the Antarctic Convergence, creating a great upwelling of nutrients which sustains the biodiversity of this region. On this Antarctica voyage, as we sail across the passage, the lecturers will be out with you on deck to help in the identification of Antarctica’s wildlife. The Ushuaia’s open bridge policy allows you to join our officers on the bridge and learn about navigation (or just enjoy the view!). Upon reaching the South Shetland Islands - a group of twenty islands and islets - you’ll be met with sightings of stunning icebergs and picturesque snow-capped mountains. With favourable conditions in the Drake Passage our lecturers and naturalists will accompany you ashore as you experience your first encounter with the penguins and seals on Day 3. Days 4 to 7* or 8: Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands The South Shetland Islands are a haven for wildlife. Vast penguin rookeries, beaches ruled by Antarctic fur seals and Southern elephant seals make every day spent in this amazing island group unforgettable. Sailing through the narrow passage into the flooded caldera of Deception Island is breathtaking. King George Island, the largest of the South Shetland Islands, features colonies of nesting Gentoo and Chinstrap Penguins, Kelp Gulls, Blue-eyed Cormorants, Antarctic Terns and Southern Giant Petrels and is home to scientific bases of many different countries. Chinstrap and Gentoo Penguins as well as elephant seals await you at Livingston Island. The Antarctic Peninsula’s remarkable history will provide you with a type of excitement often only associated with the early explorers. You will have plenty of time to explore its amazing scenery, a pristine wilderness of snow, ice, mountains and waterways, and an incredible wide variety of wildlife. Apart from penguins and seabirds you are very likely to see Weddell, crabeater and leopard seals as well as Minke, killer (orca) and humpback whales at close range. We hope to navigate some of the most beautiful waterways (depending on the ice conditions): the Gerlache Strait, the Neumayer Channel, and the LEMAIRE CHANNEL, the latter are narrow passages between towering rock faces and spectacular glaciers. We plan to make at least two landings per day and possible landing sites may include: PARADISE BAY - Perhaps the most aptly named place in the world and here we attempt a landing on the continent proper! After negotiating the iceberg-strewn waters of ANTARCTIC SOUND, we hope to visit the bustling Adélie Penguin (over 100,000 pairs breed here) and Blue-eyed Cormorant colonies on Paulet Island. The Nordenskjöld expedition built a stone survival hut here in 1903. Today its ruins have been taken over by nesting penguins. Further exploration may take you to the MELCHIOR ISLAND group, CUVERVILLE ISLAND, PORTAL POINT, NEKO HARBOUR, PLENEAU ISLAND and if ice conditions permit, to PETERMAN ISLAND for a visit to the southernmost colony of Gentoo Penguins. Days 8-9* or 9-10: Drake Passage We leave Antarctica and head north across the Drake Passage. Join our lecturers and naturalists on deck as we search for seabirds and whales and enjoy some final lectures. Take the chance to relax and reflect on the fascinating adventures of the past days on the way back to Ushuaia. Day 10* or 11: Ushuaia We arrive at the port of Ushuaia in the early morning and disembark after breakfast. Please note: The above itinerary is a guide only. Our exact route and program will vary to take best advantage of local weather, ice conditions and opportunities to view wildlife. Changes will be made by the captain and/or expedition leader to facilitate the best results from the prevailing conditions. A daily program sheet will be issued on board. Flexibility is the key to success of this Antarctic expedition cruise. *The 9 night/10 day departures offer one day less in the area of the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands compared to the 10 night/11 day departures.