The Great Southern Loop

Every day, depending on ice conditions, we will offer you landings or Zodiac excursions to explore the infinite richness of Antarctica: Glaciers, sea ice, icebergs, tabular icebergs, steep mountain peaks plunging into the water, volcanic beaches, scientific bases, enchanting bays, and even remnants of the whaling industry.

But above all, we are privileged guests of these extreme lands where nature dictates its rules. The programs can vary from day to day, making each cruise a unique experience.

Day 1 – Buenos Aires (Argentina)
Accommodation at the Palladio Hotel MGallery 5* (or similar)
Day 2 – Ushuaia (Argentina) Flight Buenos Aires / Ushuaia (Argentina)
Excursion and lunch in Ushuaia Embarkation in the late afternoon
Day 3 – At sea
Day 4 – Falkland Islands (United Kingdom)
Day 5 – At sea Day 6 – At sea
Day 7 – South Georgia (United Kingdom)
Day 8 – South Georgia (United Kingdom)
Day 9 – South Georgia (United Kingdom)
Day 10 – At sea
Day 11 – At sea
Day 12 – Antarctic Peninsula
Day 13 – Antarctic Peninsula
Day 14 – Antarctic Peninsula
Day 15 – Antarctic Peninsula
Day 16 – At sea
Day 17 – At sea
Day 18 – Ushuaia (Argentina)
Disembarkation in the morning
and transfer for the Ushuaia / Buenos Aires flight (Argentina)

Excursion
(included on Day 2)
A day of discovery in Tierra del Fuego with lunch, until embarkation in the late afternoon.

The program is indicative

We are first and foremost privileged guests of these extreme lands where nature dictates its rules. The programs can vary from day to day, making each cruise a unique experience.

Your program

DAY 1 | Buenos Aires (Argentina)

Accommodation at the Palladio Hotel MGallery 5* (or similar)

Free evening.

DAY 2 | Ushuaia (Argentina)

In the morning, an internal flight to Ushuaia. After your excursion to discover Tierra del Fuego, Exploris One awaits you, moored at the foot of the city of Ushuaia. Its captain and crew welcome us on board for our first night in the Antipodes. The end of the world is already changing our perspective: the city is tiny, and the horizon is vast. From tonight, we sail in the Beagle Channel, the most important maritime route in Tierra del Fuego, except for the Strait of Magellan.

DAY 3 | At sea

Upon leaving the Beagle Channel, Exploris One navigates between the Isla de los Estados and the tip of Tierra del Fuego to set course for the Falkland Islands. This day at sea is perfect for getting acquainted with the ship and our expedition team. The naturalists introduce us to this first archipelago of the journey, known as the Falklands to the British, who regained control of it during the 1982 war, and as the Malvinas to the Argentines, who have not given up hope of reclaiming it one day. Geopolitics and wildlife go hand in hand on this inaugural day of your cruise, enriching all of us.

DAY 4 | Falkland Islands (United Kingdom)

This “new island” is still relatively so, as it was only approached in the late 18th century. Its western facade, with cliffs cut by deep rifts, is not accessible by sea, but by the other side and an inland path through tall grass. This is the route of our landing. From the edge of the precipice, the sea roars up geysers of spray towards us. A double colony of birds nests between the grass and rocks: black-browed albatrosses and rockhopper penguins. There is no greater contrast than between the first, refined, elegant, with eyes delicately made up; and the latter, stocky, stubborn, waving their tuft of yellow feathers on their heads with each jump. The back-and-forth of these “Don Quixote and Sancho Panza of the Southern Ocean” inevitably triggers laughter and can captivate for hours.

DAY 5 and 6 | At sea

During this oceanic interlude, we cover more than 1,500 kilometers (837 nautical miles) and discover the dizzying vastness of the Southern Ocean. Our crossing could be enlivened by the sighting of large cetaceans, which we would be invited to observe on the decks. Of course, we also discuss the sailors of the past and their daring expeditions. Among these “iron men on wooden boats,” Ernest Shackleton is an icon. South Georgia was his goal, and it is now ours. To reach its north coast, the only suitable for our landings, we circumvent it. Some of its relief may already be visible on the horizon. Keep a close eye out!

DAY 7 | South Georgia (United Kingdom)

A deeply recessed harbor surrounded by two glaciers, Fortuna Bay was one of the last stops in Shackleton’s epic journey. At the head of the bay stands the King Glacier, along the ridge of which he walked to safety. At the base of the mountain, a vast plain unfolds, alternating between streams, grassy patches, and gravel. The elephant seals and fur seals we encounter here are emblematic of the sub-Antarctic archipelagos. While the former are relatively peaceful… and odorous, the latter can be aggressive. Our naturalists have taught us the proper behaviors for observing the wildlife without disturbing them, so this stop lives up to our photographic expectations. Amidst these mammals, a few king penguins announce our next destination.

DAY 8 | South Georgia (United Kingdom)

If South Georgia is the land of the king penguins, then Saint Andrews Bay is its parliament! This site hosts the largest colony of this species on the island and the second largest in the world. And speaking of the world, tens of thousands of individuals frolic here. After each parent has fed at sea, they call out to their young to locate them in the mass of penguins. We observe that they do this effortlessly in a mesmerizing concert of guttural calls. We witness, unfiltered, the activity of a perfectly organized animal society, where the goal for each couple is to bring their young to maturity. And what young they are! A chubby bundle of brown feathers, which transforms into an elegant bird in a pristine “tuxedo” in just a few months.

DAY 10 and 11 | At sea

Exploris One plunges toward Antarctica. Beyond the sixtieth parallel, it is not uncommon to come across tabular icebergs, with perfectly flat tops, which have broken free from glacial platforms in the Weddell Sea. Outdoor observations and lectures in the auditorium acquaint us with both the expedition team and the world of ice. Every day, we learn a bit more about these massive icebergs or the biological treasures hidden in the seemingly inhospitable sea ice. We approach the Great White Continent as informed glaciologists. Below, we outline a possible program, adjusted daily to take advantage of any unexpected encounters.

DAY 12 | Navigation in the Antarctic Peninsula

On the horizon, an imposing brown relief with reddish reflections appears: this is Brown Bluff, literally the “brown cliff.” At the entrance to the Weddell Sea, the coastline can be approached through a maze of ice. And what a coastline it is! The Antarctic continent itself, first trodden by humans just two hundred years ago. It’s our turn to feel the emotion of the pioneers. The site allows us to discover another species of birds: the Adélie penguin. An even more precious encounter, though uncertain, is the rare snow petrel that nests on the cliffs. Our coastal journey continues in the Antarctic Strait, named after a ship whose history is recounted by the ship’s historians. We are not immune to an impromptu Zodiac cruise to get a closer look at the polar ice, which has come all the way to us.

DAY 13 | Navigation in the Antarctic Peninsula

The Gerlache Strait offers many opportunities for landings or Zodiac excursions. So, this day is marked by the unexpected, as adventure alone is our guide. Will we discover the range of blues at Neko Harbour Glacier? Or observe the terns that have taken over an old Norwegian wreck in Wilhelmina Bay? And what if we take the Neumayer Channel to greet the British researchers at Port Lockroy base? The expedition leader and the captain choose the best exploration sites for a memorable experience, always keeping in mind to remain humble in the face of the grandeur of nature. Only the imperatives of Their Majesties, the Ice, and the Climate, are of utmost importance. We are their devoted subjects.

DAY 14 | Navigation in the Antarctic Peninsula

Paradise Bay is… paradise for a Zodiac ride. The sea is often covered with dislocated pack ice as the austral summer returns. Thanks to our expert naturalists, we can decipher the frozen geometry. In Neko Harbour, we alternately listen to the impressive glacier creaking and the squawks of Adélie penguins building their nests. Their intense disputes over every pebble give us a profound lesson in manners. On the beach, a plump-bellied Weddell seal with a round cat-like snout digests without a care for our presence. The day ends with the moving feeling of having had an intimate dialogue with nature.

DAY 15 | Navigation in the Antarctic Peninsula

Apart from its chinstrap penguins and whaling archaeological sites, the South Shetlands offer a grand lesson in natural volcanism. Deception Island, for instance, is a collapsed ancient volcanic cone, with its crater submerged and invaded by the sea. Our entrance on board Exploris One into this perfectly sheltered harbor is unforgettable. At the bay’s entrance, basalt needles mark petrified volcanic conduits, and we observe the same type of formations at Half Moon Island. There, a long crescent-shaped beach welcomes us to a black-and-white world, with the orange cabin of an Argentine station standing out, which is open during some summers. This color contrasts with the hues of the lichens covering the rocks and the red spot on the beaks of Dominican gulls. We appreciate this communion with wildlife, made possible by our respectful presence in their habitat.

Your boat

Number of passengers: 144 (120 in polar regions)
Length: 108 meters
Ice class: 1A
Classification: Lloyd’s Register
Crew: 102
French Flags (2023)
Tonnage: 6,158 GT
Passenger decks: 5
French Officers
Width: 16 meters
Zodiacs: 12
Average speed: 12.5 knots