7 Night Antarctica Direct Sail and Fly the Drake Passage Cruise from Ushuaia

Check out of your hotel and begin exploring this amazing region. Visit Tierra del Fuego National Park, clad in dense beech forest just as much of Antarctica was millions of years ago. Savor lunch onboard a private catamaran as you cruise the Beagle Channel, keeping an eye out for plump South American sea lions and sleek seabirds like the imperial cormorant. By day's end, you'll be comfortably onboard the ship and ready to sail off to the White Continent.

At times ferocious, at others flat calm, this legendary 500-mile-wide strait divides South America from the Antarctic Peninsula. Feel the excitement build as we begin the crossing, often accompanied by seabirds like the wandering albatross and-if luck allows-a pod of killer whales or rare dolphins. Get to know the ship and prepare for the adventures ahead. Visit the Bridge (ideal for wildlife spotting), relax with a massage, attend a talk on the unique biology of penguins, or simply settle into a comfy chair in the observation lounge, looking out over the waves as you contemplate the history of this passage named for English privateer Francis Drake, but first discovered by Spanish navigator Francisco de Hoces.

With long hours of daylight at this time of year, we have ample opportunities to explore. Our schedule is flexible, allowing us to take advantage of the unexpected, whether we're watching whales at play off the bow of our ship, hiking alongside penguin highways, or enjoying an evening Zodiac cruise amid porpoising penguins. While wildlife is magnificent, ice defines the Antarctic. You'll get to know ice up close and personal-from icebergs the size of islands, bergy bits, and near-vertical glaciers, to the fragile, nearly invisible layers that have just begun to freeze. One day, we might set out by kayak to encounter towering icebergs at water level; embark on a Zodiac excursion in search of seals and blue-eyed shags; or walk amid thousands of Adelie and gentoo penguins. The next, we might experience the thrill of the ship crunching through pack ice. Everywhere we go in Antarctica we're surrounded by opportunities to capture uniquely beautiful images. Along the way, your expert expedition team will enrich every experience.

This morning finds us off the King George Island. Home to a diverse assortment of wildlife-Weddell and elephant seals; Adelie, chinstrap, and gentoo penguins-this island also has a human presence. Researchers from a wide range of countries, including the US, Chile, Argentina, and Brazil, call the various stations home. Disembark and Zodiac ashore to board our 2-hour flight back to Puerto Natales where we will overnight at the Hotel Costaustralis or the Remota Patagonia Lodge (or similar).