ANTARCTICA WHALE WATCHING CRUISE – DISCOVERY & LEARNING VOYAGE

Starts and Ends in Ushuaia, Argentina.

11 Days and 10 Nights.

Explore the western Antarctic Peninsula on a late-season expedition designed around whale observation, combining Zodiac cruising, guided landings and expert interpretation in areas known for encounters with humpback and minke whales.

KMS Travel is a Chile-based destination management company registered with SERNATUR and affiliated with USTOA, ATTA and FEDETUR. We were named Chile’s Leading Destination Management Company 2025 by the World Travel Awards. We help travellers understand and compare Antarctic expedition formats, routes and vessels, working with established expedition operators. Our support includes trip selection, booking coordination and pre- and post-expedition arrangements in Chile and Argentina. Shipboard and Antarctic operations are provided by the expedition operator.

So, what are you waiting for to book the trip of a lifetime? Click the SEND ME DETAILS! button below, share your plans, and one of our local travel experts will get back to you within 24 hours.

From USD 7,800 pp (shared quadruple cabin) | Ask for special promotions | 4 departures (7 Mar 2027–26 Mar 2027) | Vessels: Hondius, Ortelius, Plancius.

Who This Antarctica Expedition Cruise Is Designed For

This voyage is designed for travelers who want more than a classic Antarctic cruise. It is ideal for wildlife enthusiasts, marine life lovers, and curious minds eager to deepen their understanding of whale behavior in one of the most biologically rich regions on Earth.

It suits guests who appreciate expert-led interpretation, patient Zodiac exploration, and extended time observing humpback and minke whales in places like Wilhelmina Bay and Paradise Bay. The program is especially appealing to photographers, nature-focused travelers, and those interested in the scientific and ecological context of Antarctica.

This expedition is not centered on luxury, but on immersion, learning, and meaningful encounters in the wild. Flexibility, adaptability to weather and ice conditions, and a genuine spirit of exploration are essential for fully enjoying this journey.

Route: Sailing roundtrip from Ushuaia across the Drake Passage to the South Shetland Islands and the western Antarctic Peninsula.

The voyage begins in Ushuaia, Argentina, navigating the Beagle Channel before crossing the Drake Passage and the Antarctic Convergence. After reaching the South Shetland Islands, the expedition continues along the western Antarctic Peninsula.

The route explores key areas including the Melchior Islands, the Gerlache Strait, Brabant and Anvers Islands, Neko Harbour and Paradise Bay, Port Lockroy, the Lemaire Channel, and the Pléneau and Petermann Islands. These waters—particularly around Wilhelmina Bay and the sheltered bays of the peninsula—are renowned for humpback and minke whale activity during the austral spring, alongside leopard seals, crabeater seals, and thriving gentoo penguin colonies.

After several days of flexible exploration depending on ice and weather conditions, the vessel returns northbound across the Drake Passage to Ushuaia.

For a broader overview of Antarctic routes and expedition formats, see our Antarctica Travel Guide.

Map showing the expedition route from Ushuaia across the Drake Passage to the South Shetland Islands and along the western Antarctic Peninsula, including the Lemaire Channel, Port Lockroy, and Paradise Bay.

Expedition Vessel: m/v Hondius

Hondius is the first-registered Polar Class 6 vessel in the world, meeting the latest and highest Lloyd’s Register standards for ice-strengthened cruise ships. Surpassing the requirements of the Polar Code adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Hondius represents the most flexible, advanced, innovative touring vessel in the polar regions, thoroughly optimized for exploratory voyages that provide you with the utmost first-hand contact with the Arctic and Antarctica.

All landings, Zodiac operations, and wildlife encounters are conducted under the strict guidelines of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO).

Excursions & Optional Experiences

Zodiac landings and Zodiac cruising for close-up whale encounters, glacier fronts, and wildlife-rich bays along the Antarctic Peninsula.

Guided shore walks at selected landing sites such as Neko Harbour, Danco Island, and Port Lockroy, with interpretation by experienced expedition staff.

Onboard educational programme focused on cetacean behaviour, Antarctic ecosystems, and polar conservation, including lectures and wildlife briefings.

Optional activities (at additional cost) may include camping, kayaking, and a diving course programme, subject to conditions and prior registration

All activities follow strict environmental and safety standards, in line with our Sustainability at KMS Travel – Ethical & Responsible Tourism framework.

Pre & Post Expedition: Ushuaia & Buenos Aires (Optional)

This expedition starts and ends in Ushuaia, Argentina. We can arrange optional pre- and post-expedition services to make your journey smoother, including hotel nights, airport transfers, and assistance with logistics before embarkation and after disembarkation.

If you would like to extend your trip, we can also help you add a short stay in Patagonia or Buenos Aires, combining the expedition with a city break and coordinated flight planning, depending on your travel dates and preferences.

Day 1: Ushuaia – embarkation

Your voyage begins where the world drops off. Ushuaia, Argentina, reputed to be the southernmost city on the planet, is located on the far southern tip of South America. Starting in the afternoon, you embark from this small resort town on Tierra del Fuego, nicknamed “The End of the World,” and sail the mountain-fringed Beagle Channel for the remainder of the evening.

Days 2–3: Ushuaia – Antarctica

Over the next two days on the Drake Passage, you enjoy some of the same experiences encountered by the great polar explorers who first charted these regions: cool salt breezes, rolling seas, maybe even a fin whale spouting up sea spray. After passing the Antarctic Convergence – Antarctica’s natural boundary, formed when north-flowing cold waters collide with warmer sub-Antarctic seas – you are in the circum-Antarctic upwelling zone. Not only does the marine life change, the avian life changes too. 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 are a few of the birds you might see.

Days 4 –8: Antarctica

Gray stone peaks sketched with snow, towers of broken blue-white ice, and dramatically different wildlife below and above. You first pass the snow-capped Melchior Islands and Schollaert Channel, sailing between Brabant and Anvers Islands. Sites you may visit include:

Danco Island – Activities here may focus on the gentoo penguins nesting on the island, in addition to the Weddell and crabeater seals that can be found nearby.
Neko Harbour – An epic landscape of mammoth glaciers and endless wind-carved snow, Neko Harbour offers opportunities for a Zodiac cruise and landing that afford the closest views of the surrounding alpine peaks.
Paradise Bay – You may be able to take a Zodiac cruise in these sprawling, ice-flecked waters, where there’s a good chance you’ll encounter humpback and minke whales.
Pléneau & Petermann Islands – If the ice allows it, you could sail through the Lemaire Channel in search of humpback and minke whales, as well as leopard seals.
Port Lockroy – After sailing through the Neumayer Channel, you may get a chance to visit the former British research station – now a museum and post office – of Port Lockroy on Goudier Island. You may also be able to partake in activities around Jougla Point, meeting gentoo penguins and blue-eyed shags.

At the nearby sites, such as Damoy Point there may be the opportunity for snowshoeing to the old ski-way, this is also one of our favourite camping sites.

Wilhelmina Bay & Guvernøren – This is a great place to spot humpback whales. You also may embark on a Zodiac cruise ending at the ghostly wreck of the Guvernøren, a whaling vessel that caught fire here in 1915. Around the Melchior Islands, amid a frozen landscape peopled with icebergs, you may encounter even more whales, leopard seals, and crabeater seals.
Charlotte Bay – We might encounter a variety of wildlife, including gentoo penguins, Weddell seals and possibly some migrating whale species such as humpback whales or minke whales.

Conditions on the Drake Passage determine the exact time of departure.

Days 9–10: Antarctica – Ushuaia

En route to South Georgia, you now cross the Antarctic Convergence. The temperature cools considerably within the space of a few hours, and nutritious water rises to the surface of the sea due to colliding water columns. This phenomenon attracts a multitude of seabirds near the ship, including several species of albatross, shearwaters, petrels, prions, and skuas.

Day 11: Ushuaia – Ushuaia Airport

Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. It’s now time to disembark in Ushuaia, but with memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies. Group transfer to the airport.

Included:

Voyage aboard the indicated vessel as indicated in the itinerary
All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, water, coffee and tea. No other drinks are included.
All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac. Camping and kayaking are optional activities with an extra cost.
Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff.
Free use of rubber boots and snowshoes.
Luggage transfer from pick-up point to the vessel on the day of embarkation, in Ushuaia.
Pre-scheduled group transfer from the vessel to the airport in Ushuaia (directly after disembarkation).
All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the programme.
Comprehensive pre-departure material.
NOT Included: nights before or after the cruise, gratuities (guidelines will be provided), visas, extra expenses, insurances, other beverages, anything not mentioned as included.
PLEASE NOTE: All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. Landings are subject to site availabilities, permissions, and environmental concerns per IAATO regulations. Official sailing plans and landing slots are scheduled with IAATO prior to the start of the season, but the expedition leader determines the final plan. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises. The average cruising speed for our vessel is 10.5 knots.

Payment Policies

An initial deposit of 20% (non-refundable) per person is required to book a cabin.
The balance is due in full 90 days prior to departure.
Payment options:
- Local US bank transfer
- International wire transfer
- Credit Cards (applies approx 4% to 5% extra)

Cancellation Policies and Other Important Information

Cancellation of a reservation must be done via email. The following terms will apply:

Cancellations received up to and including 90 days prior to departure: penalty 20% (deposit NON-refundable).
Cancellations received between 89 and 60 days prior to departure: penalty of 50% of the total price.
Cancellations received between 59 and the departure date: penalty of 100% of the total price.
Upon cancellation, the passenger releases the cancelled cabin back to the shipping company.
We strongly recommend that all guests protect their travel investment by purchasing a trip cancellation and interruption insurance policy as protection against unforeseen events.
Full-ship charters and reservations made by and for groups of 8 travellers or more are subject to payment and cancellation conditions to be agreed upon in the contract.
We require participants to be adequately covered by a travel insurance policy that covers aero-medical evacuation from Antarctica in the case of a medical emergency during the trips, including emergencies related to pre-existing health conditions and pandemics.
Children: Children under 16 with parents may receive 40% discount in Grand Suite, Superior, Triple (sharing with 2 parents/adults) and Quadruple Cabins (sharing with 3 parents/adults). Upon request (some voyages may be excluded).