Hebridean Sky - Antarctic Peninsula

Despite its small size, the city of Ushuaia is the world’s southernmost city, the capital of Tierra del Fuego and the main starting point for voyages to Antarctica. Explore the city and admire the views of the Beagle Channel and the Andes Mountains surrounding Ushuaia. Highlights of Ushuaia include the award-winning Museo Marítimo y del Presidio de Ushuaia, (Maritime & Prison of Ushuaia Museum), located in Ushuaia’s former prison in buildings dating back to 1906, and nearby Tierra del Fuego National Park that can be reached by the “End of the World Train”. Stroll along the main street of Avenida San Martin with its many cafes, shops and restaurants, explore the Argentinean leather markets and maybe taste a succulent lamb dish for which Patagonia is famous.

The morning is free to explore Ushuaia at your leisure. Embarkation on the Hebridean Sky begins in the afternoon at the port in Ushuaia. You will be greeted by our Expedition Team and ship’s officers at a safety and orientation briefing followed by the Captain’s welcome dinner. After dinner, relax and take in the mountainous scenery on our early evening sail down the Beagle Channel past magellanic penguin, rock cormorant, and sea lion colonies.

The Drake Passage spans 965 kms (600 miles) from the top of South America to the South Shetland Islands. Among the wildlife spotting opportunities as we sail south are the albatrosses, prions, and petrels that frequently follow the ship. Our Expedition Team will be out on deck, looking for the whales and dolphins that may also be seen in the area. Our team of Antarctic experts will hold informative and entertaining presentations on the wildlife, history and geology of Antarctica, preparing us for what lies ahead. Helpful briefings on environmental regulations and expedition safety will also be held in the comfortable lounge. The length of our journey depends on sea conditions but we should approach the South Shetland Islands of the Antarctic Peninsula in the evening of Day 4.

The land of superlatives, Antarctica! Our Expedition Leader and Captain will create a flexible itinerary based on weather, ice, and opportunity. The route will highlight the most scenic bays and channels of the Peninsula with stops at penguin rookeries, seal wallows, bird colonies and whale feeding areas as well as sites of historic and scientific interest. The trip may include picturesque Neko Harbour, sheltered Paradise Harbour, the humpback whale favoured Wilhelmina Bay, the striking Lemaire Channel, the wildlife-filled Penola Channel, or the majestic Neumayer Channel. We may stop at an active scientific base such as Poland’s Arctowksi or Ukraine’s Vernadskiy as well as a historic base such as U.K.’s Port Lockroy or Wordie House. Adelie, chinstrap and gentoo penguins abound, and Weddell, crabeater and elephant seals are often found hauled out to rest along with predatory leopard seals and the aggressive Antarctic fur seal. Minke and humpback whales are frequent visitors in the late season and orca sightings are also common.

We will continue our presentation series and wildlife spotting as we sail back to Ushuaia and reflect on beautiful Antarctica and its fragile future. We arrive into Ushuaia in the early hours of Day 11.

We disembark the ship in the morning. Morning disembarkation allows you to catch a flight to Buenos Aires or stay in Ushuaia to explore further.