from
03 January 2026
to
14 January 2026
12
days,
10
nights on board
Ushuaia – Ushuaia (via Buenos Aires, Argentina)
All hands on deck! Your dream of sailing south towards Antarctica is finally coming true. This cruise has been specially designed to allow our passengers to take in all the riches that this “great white continent” has to offer, in only ten days.
The best of the continent, all in one trip: ice and snow as you’ve never seen them before, colonies of emperor penguins, marine mammals, the history of the heroic exploration of these lands, and much more.
An unmissable trip for any wildlife lover or adventure traveller.
Crossing the Drake passage alongside sooty shearwaters
Sailing through the icy straits of the Lemaire Channel
Seeing historical sites and the scientific stations that track the constant evolution of these fragile environments
The observation full of surprises of the giant colonies of penguins
Following in the footsteps of Jean-Baptiste Charcot, the famous French « polar gentleman ».
Day 1 Saturday 03 January 2026
You will stay at the 5* Palladio MGallery Hotel (or equivalent). Check-in from 4 pm.
Free evening
Day 2 Sunday 04 January 2026
In the morning, you will take a domestic flight to Ushuaia.
Before boarding Exploris One, you’ll have the chance to go on an excursion to discover the Tierra del Fuego, after which you’ll make your way back to the ship which will be docked off Ushuaia’s shore. Its captain and crew will welcome you aboard for the first night of your Antipodean stay. Being at “land’s end” allows us to shift perspectives: the city looks tiny in contrast to the never-ending horizon. On our first night aboard the ship, we will begin our navigation on the Beagle Channel, one of the most important maritime routes of the Tierra del Fuego, second only to the Magellan Strait.
Day 2
Tierra Del Fuego , Ushuaia
Duration of excursion : Half day
Degree of difficulty of the excursion :
Upon your arrival to Ushuaia, you will be greeted by a French-speaking guide.
Thus will begin your adventure for the day, as you discover Patagonian landscapes, jagged peaks, and the forest of the Tierra del Fuego. Lunch will be provided during the excursion.
The Tierra del Fuego region spreads over the entirety of the Argentinian South-West and spreads over the border with Chile. You’ll admire diverse flora as you follow the hiking trail and stop to take photographs. With nature at its most splendid, you’ll think you’re admiring a painting…
At the end of the excursion, we will make our way back to Ushuaia and board Exploris One in the late afternoon.
Day 3 Monday 05 January 2026
Depending on weather conditions, we will have two days – perhaps even less – to prep for the day when we will finally step onto the “great white continent”. During the first conferences and information meetings, our expedition team will further hone your explorer’s spirit. Our common desire for exploration goes hand in hand with our desire to preserve this environment.
As environmentally conscious sea travellers, we put into practice what we preach: for example, our equipment is cleaned so that no foreign elements can reach Antarctic lands.
As we edge closer towards the continent, beanies and gloves will be needed as we go out onto the deck to admire the waves and the birds’ synchronised movements. Cape petrels, southern giant petrels and albatrosses follow our ship as we head towards land.
Day 4 Tuesday 06 January 2026
Day 5 Wednesday 07 January 2026
During five whole days, Exploris One will sail from one natural wonder to the next. Our itinerary is dictated by sea and weather conditions: our expedition leader will decide which stops to make based on these factors. The itinerary laid out below is subject to change.
We might come across some interesting marine animals, for example. Indeed, we’re not the only ones who are aware that Brabant Island and Anvers Island form a shield against the tumult of the Antarctic Ocean. Both humpbacks and minke whales seek shelter in the tranquil waters of the Gerlache Strait. There, we will delight in the majestic sight of these mammals, as delicate as they are gigantic.
Day 6 Thursday 08 January 2026
A little bit further, a ride on a Zodiac will allow us to get up close to an ice sheet that has detached from the continent, with Southern Hemisphere summer heat. Our naturalist guides will help us to decipher this icy geometry, and with their help, we might spot some blue-eyed cormorants hiding in the nooks of the surrounding cliffs.
The Antarctic is full of sounds: the crackling of a humongous glacier as it melts; the yelps of the gentoo penguins as they build their nests. Their constant bickering is probably not the best example of cooperation…! You might spot a Weddell seal – which you will be able to correctly identify, thanks to our naturalists’ lessons – lounging on the ice. Cameras at the ready! Today, we are in intimate conversation with the wildlife.
This program is subject to change: depending on the weather conditions and the flora and fauna we encounter, our itinerary may vary.
Day 7 Friday 09 January 2026
As often as possible, we’ll disembark via our Zodiacs. This allows us to explore more remote areas, without the need for a quay or pontoon. For example, at Port Charcot, we have to navigate through a maze of icebergs to reach the shores on which the members of the first French Antarctic expedition spent their first winter, in 1905.
Weather conditions might prevent us from using the dinghies. In this case, we sail up Lemaire Channel aboard Exploris One. An unforgettable moment, that our captain and his officers make us privy to as they allow us to take in the sights from the bridge.
You’ll feel like an old-school explorer as you watch small icebergs (also known as “growlers”) sink under the ship. These are usually less than 1 metre tall and 5 metres long.
This program is subject to change: depending on the weather conditions and the flora and fauna we encounter, our itinerary may vary.
Day 8 Saturday 10 January 2026
The British researchers who spend the whole Southern Hemisphere summer doing research in their base of Porto Lockroy seem just as heroic as old-school explorers. They welcome us into the only available shop for thousands of kilometres, from which you can send postcards via the southernmost postal service in the world. They spend a few hours with us on board Exploris One, describing the daily life of their “summering” under a sun that never really sets.
We have one last stopover in the Peninsula at Cuverville Island before heading towards the South Shetland Islands. Atop the island’s highest hill, we’ll enjoy a breathtaking panorama that looks onto the Gerlache Strait. Our stopovers, however, are never set in stone: deviations from our itinerary are not only likely – they are welcome!
This program is subject to change: depending on the weather conditions and the flora and fauna we encounter, our itinerary may vary.
Day 9 Sunday 11 January 2026
Exploris One is already heading North, towards civilisation. We’ll find traces of civilisation already at Deception Island, where the defunct whaling station of Whalers Bay is still standing. Even from afar, the vestiges of this now-decried activity are impressive: there are ovens to melt whale fat, wooden houses for the workers, and cemeteries for those who perished while working this perilous job. This era of mass whale hunting has long since ended in Antarctica, an industry as damaging to men as it was for the survival of these species. All that remains is the melancholy poetry of these ruins.
This completes the animal panorama of our cruise. Weather permitting, the expedition team might suggest a hike to reach the summit of the island, so that we can be at one with this beautiful nature for a few more hours.
This program is subject to change: depending on the weather conditions and the flora and fauna we encounter, our itinerary may vary.
Day 10 Monday 12 January 2026
Exploris One once is heading once again for the Drake Passage. As we pass the Antarctic Convergence (the line beyond which the water temperatures rise) we leave the Southern Ocean for the South Atlantic. We enter the world of the Furious Fifties and the Roaring Forties. Every so often, these wild winds are tamed, and the crossing becomes much more peaceful.
A few last conferences will be given by our naturalists as you and your fellow passengers exchange photos, addresses, contacts... The end of this journey – to quote a classic of the silver screen – could be the start of a beautiful friendship.
Day 11 Tuesday 13 January 2026
Day 12 Wednesday 14 January 2026
Disembarkation in the morning.
Transfer to the airport for your domestic flight to Buenos Aires.
Select your cabin on board Exploris One
L'Exploris One
Exploris One, which sails under the French flag, has been especially designed to navigate the world’s most demanding waters, both in open water and in the polar regions. Equipped with a reinforced hull, it is the ideal ship for exploring glacial regions in a completely safe environment: in fact, it is regarded as a global benchmark in terms of safety.
Thanks to its recent renovations (2018 & 2023), Exploris One is able to offer both adventure and comfort, along with an excellent personalised service, making our expeditions truly unique. It features 60 cabins and 12 suites, among the most spacious available on board any expedition ship today. It boasts a fitness and wellness area, panoramic decks and lounges, as well as outdoor Jacuzzis, so that our passengers may relax in between calls.
The ship is also equipped with twelve Zodiacs©, which allow all of our passengers (depending on weather and sailing conditions) to disembark at the same time, several times a day, on territories which are not usually accessible.
Cabine PREMIUM , Au pont 3, à l'avant du navire
Superior Cabin , On deck 4, at the front of the ship
OCEAN Stateroom , Deck 3
DELUXE Stateroom , Deck 4
On deck 4
BALCONY Stateroom , Deck 5
NAVIGATOR Suite , Deck 7
DISCOVERY Suite , Deck 5
On deck 5
GRAND Suite , Deck 7
SHIPOWNER'S Suite , Deck 7
* This price is per person based on double occupancy, including our “Discovery Offer -25%” - Limited time offer.