National Geographic Explorer
Category SSF - Seven Seas Suite Forward
Seven Seas Suite (Forward)
Photos are examples only. Actual cabin colors and features may vary.
This cruise has already sailed

9 Night Antarctica Direct Sail and Fly the Drake Passage Cruise and Land Tour from Ushuaia

Ship: National Geographic Explorer
Cruise Line: Lindblad Expeditions
Sailed: Monday, Feb 3, 2025 from Ushuaia, Argentina
Ended: Wednesday, Feb 12, 2025
The itinerary information below reflects the original day-by-day port of call schedule for the Monday, Feb 3, 2025 departure of the National Geographic Explorer. If Lindblad Expeditions modified this itinerary for weather or operational reasons after departing , the modified schedule would not be reflected here.
Want to book National Geographic Explorer
116 Departures. Starting from $999999

Day by Day Summary and Map

Day 1 - Monday - Feb 3, 2025
Ushuaia, Argentina
Ushuaia, Argentina
Arrive in Ushuaia. Sandwiched between ice-mantled peaks and the frigid waters of the Beagle Channel, this is a fittingly wild place to be known as "El Fin del Mundo" or "The End of the World". Transfer from the airport to your hotel. This evening, enjoy dinner and a briefing on our upcoming adventure.
Day 2 - Tuesday - Feb 4, 2025
Ushuaia, Argentina
Ushuaia, Argentina
Cruise Begins
Ushuaia, Argentina
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.
Day 3 - Wednesday - Feb 5, 2025
Drake Passage, Antarctica
Drake Passage, Antarctica
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.
Day 4 - Thursday - Feb 6, 2025
Drake Passage, Antarctica
Drake Passage, Antarctica
Day 5 - Friday - Feb 7, 2025
Cruising Antarctica, Antarctica
Cruising Antarctica, Antarctica
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.
Day 6 - Saturday - Feb 8, 2025
Cruising Antarctica, Antarctica
Cruising Antarctica, Antarctica
Day 7 - Sunday - Feb 9, 2025
Cruising Antarctica, Antarctica
Cruising Antarctica, Antarctica
Day 8 - Monday - Feb 10, 2025
Cruising Antarctica, Antarctica
Cruising Antarctica, Antarctica
Day 9 - Tuesday - Feb 11, 2025
King George Island, Antarctica
King George Island, Antarctica
Cruise Ends
Air Travel
Puerto Natales, Chile
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).
Day 10 - Wednesday - Feb 12, 2025
Puerto Natales, Chile
Puerto Natales, Chile
Check out of your hotel and transfer to the airport to begin your journey homeward.
Overlay Title