Best of Antarctica: Whale Journey (Ocean Endeavour)

Welcome to Ushuaia, the gateway to Antarctica. Take your included transfer from the airport to your hotel. Tonight, you’ll meet your fellow travellers and your local team in Ushuaia during a welcome briefing at your hotel. If you have some time to spare before the meeting, we suggest you head downtown to do some souvenir shopping or taste some classic Argentinian flavours at one of Ushuaia's fantastic local restaurants.

This morning is yours to explore Ushuaia or the Tierra del Fuego National Park, the most southerly national park in South America. Tierra del Fuego National Park offers a range of hiking trails that lead you through the stunningly beautiful and dramatic scenery of snow-capped peaks, lush meadows, rugged coastline, glaciers, waterfalls and lakes. Look out for guanaco, Andean foxes, muskrats and the North American beaver. Birds found here include the Andean condor, Magellanic oystercatcher, kelp goose, austral parakeet and torrent duck. In the afternoon, transfer to the port of Ushuaia to embark the Ocean Endeavour, your home on the sea during your Antarctic adventure. After meeting your fellow passengers and Expedition Team and settling into your cabin, set sail through the historic Beagle Channel towards Antarctica. Soak up the incredible views as you glimpse your last sight of Argentina, then head inside to join the excitement and learn more about what’s to come over the coming days.

Spend two days travelling across the legendary waters of the Drake Passage, named after the British seafarer Sir Francis Drake, towards the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands. If conditions allow, there will be a chance to enjoy the outer deck spaces, scouting for dolphins, whales and a variety of seabirds passing by, including the iconic wandering albatross, with its enormous three-meter wingspan. Your comprehensive lecture program will also get underway for you to join at your leisure, with our team of polar experts sharing fascinating insights into Antarctic history, geology, biology and everything in between. If the weather is on your side, you should reach the Islands of the Antarctic Peninsula by early evening on day four – the first sighting of land always builds great anticipation on any expedition south.

The Antarctic Peninsula is known for a high number of wildlife sightings in front of stunning backdrops of mountains, icy landscapes and water, which combine to provide incredible scenes as you search for whales migrating along the coast. The peak of the migration season (February and March) is the best opportunity to see these majestic ocean dwellers, as all Antarctic whale species migrate long distances, feeding in the cold, nutrient-rich Southern Ocean during the southern summer. The most common species found in the region are humpback, minke and fin whales, as well as orcas. As whale season is in full swing, you may like to participate in one of the exciting onboard citizen science projects, the Happy Whale Project, where you can upload photos of whale’s tails (flukes) online, along with details of where the images are taken, which are then used to analyse and identify the individual whale and track its movement across the oceans. Sightings can happen from the outer decks of the ship or during a Zodiac excursion, or on the ship's bridge with your captain, where our open bridge policy allows you into the command centre of the Ocean Endeavour for a look at the inner workings of your expedition and access to the best place to spot whales.

An average day on board begins with a wake-up call from your expedition leader around 7 am, giving you time to prepare for the day before joining your fellow expeditioners for breakfast in the Polaris restaurant. You will usually have two excursions per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, with a delicious lunch served on the Ocean Endeavour in between excursions.

As the Ocean Endeavour starts its return journey north to your home port of Ushuaia, now is your time to reflect on your amazing adventure. You're scheduled to reach the relatively calm waters of the Beagle Channel by the evening of day 10. This evening, your final meal together in the Polaris restaurant is often a highlight of our Antarctic adventurers, so live it up and enjoy as you celebrate an incredible adventure with your fellow travellers and expedition team.

Disembark the Ocean Endeavour after breakfast as your Antarctic expedition comes to an end and the memories of an amazing adventure begin. Transfer to Ushuaia airport is included if you are departing today.