-10 nights / 11 days-

1st day: Departure from Ushuaia
We embark in the afternoon and meet our expedition staff and lecturers. After making ourselves comfortable in our cabins, we sail along the famous Beagle Channel by Mackinley Passage.

2nd and 3rd days: Crossing Drake Passage
It was named after the well-known explorer Sir Frances Drake who sailed here in 1578. Drake Passage is the frame of Antarctic Convergence, a natural biological frontier where the polar cold waters submerge in the northern warmer waters. This generates a big amount of nutrients that sustain the region biodiversity. Drake Passage is also the northern limit for several Antarctic water birds. While sailing along the passage, our staff is with us on the promenade deck to help us identify the wide variety of water birds, including the albatrosses following our way. The aboard "open bridge" policy allows us to accompany our officers in the compass bridge and learn some aspects regarding shipping, see whales or just enjoy the view. A full program of lectures is given. The first ice floes and snow-covered mountains imply we have reached South Shetland Islands, an archipelago of 20 islands and islets discovered in 1819 by Captain William Smith on its Williams brigantine. If the conditions in the passage are good on the third day, our expedition staff takes us to the shore to meet some penguins and seals for the first time.

4th - 8th days: Discovering South Shetland Islands and Antarctica Peninsula
South Shetland Islands are full of wild life. Everyday huge colonies of penguins, beaches crowded with Antarctic sea lions and elephant seals make for some unforgettable days in this group of islands. It is really amazing to sail along the narrow passage to Decepción Island flooded boiler and the chance of diving in Péndulo Inlet warm water. 
25 de mayo Island (King George Island) is the biggest one in South Shetland Islands and is characterized by the colonies of Adelia and chin strap penguins, kelp gulls, blue-eyed cormorants, Antarctic terns and southern big petrels. There are also some scientific bases from different countries. Chinstrap penguins, Rockhopper penguins, Gentoo penguins as well as elephant seals are waiting for us in Livingston Island. On learning Antarctic Peninsula history we will be moved in a similar way to the first explorers. We have enough time to explore its unbelievable landscape, a pristine desert of snow, ice, mountains and watercourses and the incredible wide variety of wild life. Apart from penguins and water birds we can also see Weddell seals, crab nests, leopards as well as Minke whales, killer whales and humpback whales. 
We hope we can sail along the most beautiful channel if the ice conditions are good: The Strait of Gerlache, Neumayer Channel and Le Maire Channel are very narrow passages among imposing rocks and spectacular glaciers. We plan to go on land excursions twice a day. 
The places for these excursions may include: Paraíso Bay, maybe the most well known place in the world where we try to disembark properly to the continent. After overcoming the fully ice floe covered waters in Antarctic Bay, we hope to visit the active colonies of Adelia 
penguins (over 100000 couples are brought up here) and blue-eyed cormorants in Paulet Island. Nordenskjöld expedition built a stone hut in 1903 whose ruins have been invaded by penguin nests. Other feasible explorations can take us to Melchior Islands, Cuverville Island, Punta Portal, Neko Harbour, and Pléneau Island and if the ice conditions are good, we can visit the southernmost colony of Papua penguins in Petermann Island.

9th and 10th days: Crossing Drake Passage
We leave the Antarctic Peninsula northwards, crossing Drake Passage. 
We gather with our lecturers and naturalist on the deck while we search for water birds and whales and enjoy some final lectures. We take some time to relax and think in the different fascinating adventures we underwent on those last ten days while we return to Ushuaia.

11th day:
We arrive in Ushuaia early in the morning and disembark off "Ushuaia" after breakfast. 
Note: the itineraries are shown as a reference and are subject to modification due to weather or glaciological conditions at the Captain's discretion or due to any other out of reach reasons without prior notice and without passengers asking for any kind of compensation. Flexibility is the key to success.

Our expedition ship "Ushuaia"’ 
"Ushuaia" is a ship originally built for NOAA (National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Administration) oceanographic department. In 2002 it was reconditioned for passengers by setting the most modern service, shipping and communication standards for Antarctic sailing. It has 33 double cabins and suites to lodge comfortably up to 66 passengers. It also has a wide-open space on the deck and an open bridge policy. 
This is completed by our Zodiacs that allow us to visit some inaccessible places. All cabins have a desk and enough room for luggage. The restaurant is for 70 people and the meals are served for all passengers at the same time. Besides there is a lounge and a bar (Observation Room), a conference room with multimedia equipment, a library and a small hospital. Our captain and officers are expert in Antarctica and southern sea shipping and they also love nature. We also add an excellent expedition team composed of a Chief of Expedition, guides and lecturers; all of them highly conscious of, eager and dedicated to the environment protection. Our cooks prepare varied meals that include regional food; the bar has a wide carefully selected range of wines and alcoholic drinks