Classic Antarctica & The Ross Sea Expedition
Classic Antarctica & The Ross Sea Expedition
This 33-night voyage is one of the great journeys left on earth, a semi-circumnavigation of Antarctica from South America to New Zealand that few travellers ever undertake. From Ushuaia you cross to the Antarctic Peninsula, then sail west along a coast almost no ships reach, past the Bellingshausen Sea, the remote islands of Marie Byrd Land and the Bay of Whales, before entering the legendary Ross Sea. Here lie Antarctica’s largest Adelie penguin colonies, the towering Ross Ice Shelf and the preserved huts of the early explorers. Crossing the International Date Line, you continue to the Balleny Islands and New Zealand’s wildlife-rich sub-Antarctic islands before reaching Dunedin. Aboard a comfortable boutique ice-class ship with an expert expedition team, this is an immersive crossing of the white continent’s wildest reaches, an authentic, value-conscious way to experience an itinerary usually reserved for the most ambitious expeditions.
Itinerary highlights
Make an epic semi-circumnavigation of Antarctica from South America to New Zealand, a true bucket-list crossing.
Explore the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetlands, with penguin colonies, the Lemaire Channel and Deception Island's volcanic caldera.
Sail the rarely visited Pacific coast of Antarctica, past Peter I Island, the Bellingshausen Sea and Marie Byrd Land.
Enter the legendary Ross Sea, home to Antarctica's largest Adelie penguin colony and the preserved huts of the early explorers.
Stand before the Ross Ice Shelf and the Bay of Whales, Amundsen's gateway to his 1911 South Pole triumph.
Cross the International Date Line and the Antarctic Circle, joining the few who have reached these latitudes.
Discover the Balleny Islands and New Zealand's protected sub-Antarctic islands, rich with albatross, seals and sea lions.
Travel aboard a boutique ice-class ship with an expert expedition team, fine dining and a citizen science programme.
Classic Antarctica & The Ross Sea Expedition
This 33-night voyage is one of the great journeys left on earth, a semi-circumnavigation of Antarctica from South America to New Zealand that few travellers ever undertake. From Ushuaia you cross to the Antarctic Peninsula, then sail west along a coast almost no ships reach, past the Bellingshausen Sea, the remote islands of Marie Byrd Land and the Bay of Whales, before entering the legendary Ross Sea. Here lie Antarctica’s largest Adelie penguin colonies, the towering Ross Ice Shelf and the preserved huts of the early explorers. Crossing the International Date Line, you continue to the Balleny Islands and New Zealand’s wildlife-rich sub-Antarctic islands before reaching Dunedin. Aboard a comfortable boutique ice-class ship with an expert expedition team, this is an immersive crossing of the white continent’s wildest reaches, an authentic, value-conscious way to experience an itinerary usually reserved for the most ambitious expeditions.
Itinerary highlights
Make an epic semi-circumnavigation of Antarctica from South America to New Zealand, a true bucket-list crossing.
Explore the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetlands, with penguin colonies, the Lemaire Channel and Deception Island's volcanic caldera.
Sail the rarely visited Pacific coast of Antarctica, past Peter I Island, the Bellingshausen Sea and Marie Byrd Land.
Enter the legendary Ross Sea, home to Antarctica's largest Adelie penguin colony and the preserved huts of the early explorers.
Stand before the Ross Ice Shelf and the Bay of Whales, Amundsen's gateway to his 1911 South Pole triumph.
Cross the International Date Line and the Antarctic Circle, joining the few who have reached these latitudes.
Discover the Balleny Islands and New Zealand's protected sub-Antarctic islands, rich with albatross, seals and sea lions.
Travel aboard a boutique ice-class ship with an expert expedition team, fine dining and a citizen science programme.
What's Included
- All shipboard accommodation aboard a boutique ice-class expedition ship
- All meals on board, prepared by the ship's restaurant
- Zodiac excursions and shore landings with an expert expedition team
- Lectures, briefings and the onboard citizen science programme
- Use of the ship's facilities, including sauna, gym, hot tubs and pool
- An included excursion at Dunedin on arrival
- Port taxes and fees
What's Included
- All shipboard accommodation aboard a boutique ice-class expedition ship
- All meals on board, prepared by the ship's restaurant
- Zodiac excursions and shore landings with an expert expedition team
- Lectures, briefings and the onboard citizen science programme
- Use of the ship's facilities, including sauna, gym, hot tubs and pool
- An included excursion at Dunedin on arrival
- Port taxes and fees
Thank you
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Ashley | Expedition Planner
FAQs
No, this is a one-way semi-circumnavigation. You embark at Ushuaia in South America, cross the Drake to the Antarctic Peninsula, then sail west along the remote Pacific coast of Antarctica through the Ross Sea, and continue via the Balleny and New Zealand sub-Antarctic islands to disembark at Dunedin in New Zealand. You begin and end in different countries.
The Ross Sea is one of the last untouched marine wildernesses, holding Antarctica’s largest Adelie penguin colony, the vast Ross Ice Shelf and the perfectly preserved huts of the early explorers, all set against Mt Erebus and the Transantarctic Mountains. Very few ships reach it each season.
It runs thirty-three nights, among the longest Antarctic voyages available. It suits experienced or ambitious travellers who want the full breadth of the continent, including its remote Pacific coast, rather than a shorter Peninsula trip, and who are comfortable with many days at sea.
Yes. Because you start in Argentina and finish in New Zealand, flights need careful arrangement and the journey home is long. Your Expedition Expert can help coordinate the international flights and any stopovers.