Snow Hill to the Peninsula: Shackleton's Emperor 18% Discount

Immerse yourself in an extraordinary adventure that takes you from the vibrant metropolis of Buenos Aires to the majestic ice landscapes of Antarctica. This exclusive expedition offers you the opportunity to discover the impressive colony of Emperor penguins on Snow Hill Island. On board the Ultramarine, you will enjoy the highest comfort and safety while exploring the pristine beauty of the Antarctic wilderness. Experience remarkable moments during helicopter flights over the impressive icebergs and Zodiac cruising along the fascinating coasts. Be inspired by the lectures of our polar experts and dive into the fascinating world of Antarctic wildlife. This journey promises a unique experience that you will remember forever.
 

Itinerary: Snow Hill to the Peninsula: Shackleton's Emperors

 
Day 1: Arrive in Buenos Aires
Upon arrival in the vibrant Argentine capital, known for its European-style architecture, rich culture, and lively neighborhoods, you will independently transfer to your included hotel. Buenos Aires, often referred to as the "Paris of South America," offers a unique blend of old-world charm and modern flair. As you make your way to the hotel, take in the bustling streets filled with the sounds of tango music and the aroma of local cuisine wafting through the air. The city is a tapestry of diverse districts, each with its own distinct character, from the historic San Telmo with its cobblestone streets to the upscale Recoleta, home to grand mansions and the famous cemetery. Your hotel, conveniently located, will serve as your base for exploring this dynamic city. Whether you're here to delve into its rich history, indulge in its culinary delights, or simply soak up the vibrant atmosphere, Buenos Aires promises a memorable start to your journey.
 
Day 2: Fly to Ushuaia and Embark
After enjoying an early complimentary breakfast at the hotel, your group will transfer to the airport to board our private charter flight to Ushuaia, located at the southern tip of Argentina. Upon arrival, you will be transferred from the airport to a central location in the city center, where you will have the opportunity to explore picturesque Ushuaia on your own before heading to the pier. After a late afternoon embarkation, you will sail through the historic Beagle Channel, which traverses the Tierra del Fuego archipelago at the southernmost tip of South America. Feel the anticipation in the air as you depart: the next land you will see will be Antarctica.
 
Day 3 & 4: Crossing the Drake Passage
The legendary Drake Passage, the 800-kilometer waterway between the southern tip of South America and Antarctica, is an adventure in itself. Its location at the confluence of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Southern Oceans can mean either a stormy or a calm crossing. While under the attentive care of our experienced staff and expedition team, you will have ample opportunity to gaze out over the vast ocean expanses, photograph seabirds flying around the ship, and get to know your expedition team and fellow travelers.
 
Day 5: Navigating into the Weddell Sea
As we embark on our journey through the Antarctic Sound, we find ourselves navigating a remarkable stretch of water that serves as a natural divide between the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula and the vast expanse of the Weddell Sea. This historic sound is renowned for its formidable presence, often teeming with colossal ice chunks that have drifted from the mighty Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf. It's a sight that demands the attention of your cameras and binoculars, as the spectacle of nature unfolds before your eyes. Our onboard team is poised to enlighten you with a wealth of knowledge about ice, particularly in the Weddell Sea, which is home to some of the world's most impressive floes and tabular icebergs. The flat-topped icebergs that grace the eastern side of the Peninsula are not only exponentially larger but also more visually striking than their counterparts on the western coast. Throughout this polar adventure, our onboard experts will enhance your experience with daily presentations, offering insights into the lives of the intrepid polar explorers who ventured into the unknown a century ago. Prepare for a captivating exploration into the realm of ice-dwelling Emperor penguins, as we delve into their fascinating world.
 
Day 6 to 10: Quest to Land at Snow Hill Island: Emperor Penguin Colony
The journey toward Snow Hill Island will put you in explorer mode as the captain and Expedition Leader keep you updated through weather briefings, as well as meteorological and sea ice condition reports. The thickness of ice will determine how close Ultramarine can get to Snow Hill Island, at which point the ship’s twin-engine helicopters will take over. Like summitting a mountain from base camp, parties set out from Ultramarine towards the Emperor penguin colony. As experienced by all of our guests who visited Snow Hill Island with us in November 2023, the adventure begins with an extended helicopter transfer that will reveal a landscape of snow-capped peaks and apartment-building-sized tabular icebergs. As seasoned polar explorers can attest, these mammoth, flat-topped icebergs will captivate you with their majesty. The colony itself is located on the sea ice off the south coast of Snow Hill Island, and we will land as close to the penguins as possible, yet at a safe distance to avoid disturbing the birds. Upon landing, your party will walk across the ice to the fabled Emperor penguin colony. Your auditory senses will be on high alert: the non-stop Antarctic wind, the crunch of the ice beneath your feet, and, of course, the chatter of thousands of Emperor penguins. On your guided walk to the colony, you may be surprised to find yourself walking next to paths in the snow carved by penguins that waddled by before. As with all of our off-ship excursions, native wildlife and their habitat always take priority. We do everything possible to minimize any disturbance to their environment. The singular sounds of the flightless birds gets louder as we march toward one of the rarest wildlife scenarios on the planet: the colony of 8,000 rarely seen Emperor penguins. Our plan is to ensure that every guest visits the remote colony during the voyage, the possibility of an additional visit will be dependent on conditions. The Expedition Team and special experts will stay close so they can answer your questions and help you take it all in. You’ll observe how the Emperors behave as a tight-knit community, how they care for their young—with male and female adults sharing parental duties—and how they body surf across the ice in a way that can only be described as quirky yet efficient. While at base on Ultramarine—in the heart of the Weddell Sea—you can look forward to Zodiac cruising among the icebergs and kayaking. We also plan to offer each guest a heli-flightseeing adventure—included in the cost of the voyage—during this segment of the itinerary. Each day our polar experts, who include penguin scientists, glaciologists, biologists and polar historians, will present on various aspects of Emperor penguins and their behaviors, ice formations such as the impressive tabular icebergs visible from the deck of the ship, and the experiences of polar explorers who braved the Weddell Sea over a century ago. Or you may, on one of the days, decide to take the polar plunge, or test your balance on a stand-up paddleboard. Or pamper yourself at Ultramarine’s Tundra Spa, the sauna with floor-to-ceiling windows, fitness room, or yoga space. However you spend your time immediately following your visit to the legendary colony, we invite you to take some time to reflect on everything you’ve witnessed, and appreciate that you are one of the few humans to have experienced the rare wildlife spectacle at Snow Hill.
 
Day 11 to 15: The Rarely Visited Eastern Coast of the Peninsula
The next stage of our specialized itinerary focuses on the rarely visited east side of the Antarctic Peninsula—where few operators venture. Each day, we will immerse ourselves in stunning locations that offer off-ship opportunities shaped by the ever-changing weather conditions. Our ultimate goal is to maximize your experience of Antarctic wildlife, ice, and landscapes. Our time exploring the Antarctic Peninsula will showcase the flexibility and technical prowess of our industry-leading expedition team, pilots, and crew. They will seek opportunities to experience Antarctica beyond the coast and over the expansive glacial terrain of this last great wilderness. Much of this will be achieved on helicopter flightseeing excursions, which are included in your trip. These heli-flightseeing experiences differ from the helicopter ride that transported you between the ship and the Emperor penguin colony at Snow Hill Island. Helicopter flightseeing enables you to soar freely among the icy peaks of Antarctica while looking out over vast expanses of ice, rock, coast, and sea. Within the eastern Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctic Sound, Erebus and Terror Gulf, and the northwestern Weddell Sea are the main theater for this venture. As we sail through Antarctic Sound, pausing to view stunning fields of tabular icebergs, we’ll set our sights on visiting Paulet Island, located in the Weddell Sea. This small, circular island is home to a large Adelie penguin colony. The iconic cone rising up 353 meters (1,158 feet) is a reminder that Paulet Island was once home to active volcanoes. In addition to penguins, you may be interested in visiting the historic hut built by members of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition of 1901-04. Shackleton was aware of this hut—and of the provisions stored there. When he and his crew were forced to abandon the Endurance, Shackleton’s objective became clear: to reach the safety, shelter, and supplies at Paulet Island. Alas, as history attests, the ice and current of the Weddell Sea had other plans. We will visit two towering geological features: Madder Cliffs on Joinville Island, and Brown Bluff on the most northerly tip of the Antarctic continent where we plan to set foot. Brown Bluff is believed to be an exposed volcano that once erupted beneath the glacial ice, causing the lava to spread laterally and create the stunning geological layering that’s visible on the imposing 745-metre bluff walls. The base of the bluffs is home to rookeries of both Adelie and gentoo penguins, which number in the thousands. During our standard excursion days, we aim to offer a variety of off-ship experiences tailored to the location and weather. These include Zodiac cruises, shore landings on islands and the continent, as well as our paddling programs. Also featured in this portion of the itinerary: the James Ross Island archipelago, adjacent to Erebus and Terror Gulf, which is highly valued geologically. On these islands, we’ll find fossilized specimens, ventifacts (ancient rocks polished smooth over time by wind and grains of sand), and the remains of the KT Boundary, which marks the transition between the Cretaceous Period (dinosaurs and reptiles) and the Tertiary Period (mammals). Our goal is to provide opportunities for guests to see ventifacts up close, and to better appreciate the significance of wind erosion—by sand or ice particles—over long periods. Ventifacts provide valuable information about the climatic history and prevailing wind patterns of the region. A highlight of the eastern side of the peninsula is Devil Island, marked by its twin towering cones of ash and hardened lava that emerge from a bay on the north shore of Vega Island. At low tide, grounded bergy bits and sea ice reveal the extraordinary visual formations on the underside of the ice—shapes uniquely sculpted by brine channels and ocean waves. Before returning back across the Drake Passage, we intend to visit the wildlife-rich South Shetland Islands. As with any polar expedition, our team has devised multiple plans for our visit to this region. Our ultimate goal, however, is to set foot on Livingston Island, which showcases the most spectacular mountains of the South Shetland Islands, as well as the chinstrap penguin colonies along the rugged coast. The towering peaks you’ll see are the Tangra Mountains (stretching 32 kilometers long by 8.5 kilometers wide), Mount Friesland (rising to a height of 1,700 meters/5,578 feet), Bowles Ridge (822 meters/2,697 feet), and Pliska Ridge (667 meters/2,188 feet). One other fascinating landing option is Deception Island. In addition to waddling penguins and lounging seals, visitors can also see the rusting remnants of long-abandoned whaling operations on the beach. We hope to offer guests longer walks leading to impressive viewpoints on Deception Island. The stark contrast between the snow and dark volcanic sand—with geothermic steam along the shoreline—creates a uniquely atmospheric feel. Additionally, Deception Island is home to one of the most renowned chinstrap penguin colonies in the world. Estimates range from 50,000 to 70,000.
 
Day 16 & 17: At Sea: Sailing Across the Drake Passage
The journey back across the Drake Passage provides a final opportunity to enjoy the invigorating Southern Ocean air. As you sail through these legendary waters, take the time to spend on deck, where you can watch for seabirds soaring gracefully above and scout for majestic whales breaking the surface. The vastness of the ocean offers a serene backdrop for reflection. Meanwhile, enjoy insightful presentations by your Expedition Team, who will share their knowledge and stories, enriching your understanding of this unique region. As the journey nears its end, take a moment to celebrate the remarkable experiences you’ve shared off the beaten track in remote Antarctica, a place of unparalleled beauty and wonder.
 
Day 18: Disembark in Ushuaia and flight to Buenos Aires
Upon arrival in Ushuaia in the morning, you will disembark after enjoying a revitalizing breakfast. This day marks the end of your sea adventure, but not without offering you one last memorable experience in the region. The mandatory transfer package includes a visit to Tierra del Fuego National Park, where you can immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Patagonia. This tour will allow you to appreciate the unique landscapes and biodiversity that characterize this part of the world. After this enriching visit, you will transfer to the airport to board the charter flight back to Buenos Aires with the group. This flight will take you back to the vibrant Argentine capital, thus closing an unforgettable chapter of your journey.
 
Accommodation: Your overnight stays will be on board the modern ship Ultramarine, equipped with advanced technology to provide you with a safe and comfortable experience. Enjoy the view of the impressive Antarctic landscape from your private cabin area, which is equipped with amenities to make your stay pleasant. During the journey, you will have the opportunity to participate in various activities, including Zodiac rides and informative lectures by experts who will bring you closer to the fascinating wildlife and geology of the region.
 
Further Information: The expedition lasts 18 days and starts in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The journey takes place on the ship Ultramarine and there is a departure between October 2025 and November 2025. Please note that the expedition may vary depending on weather and ice conditions.
 
Discover the pristine beauty of Antarctica on this extraordinary expedition that takes you to one of the rarest colonies in the world. Spaces are limited and in high demand, so we recommend that you inquire promptly and secure your remarkable adventure!
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