Two possible expedition activity windows on suitable days
MG Signature Expeditions · IAATO
Classic Antarctica Expedition Cruise
The definitive first Antarctic journey: Ushuaia, the Drake Passage, ice-filled channels, Zodiac exploration and wildlife-led landings.
Duration12 days / 11 nights
SeasonNovember 2026 – March 2027
Reference priceFrom €11,585 per person
Expedition partner standardIAATO · member partner
MG Tourism · Expedition design
What makes it valuable
MG Tourism connects the gateway hotel, private transfers, expedition cruise and onward travel into one protected plan. The programme is deliberately detailed yet flexible: the captain and expedition leader change landings whenever ice, wind, wildlife or safety requires it.
Penguin colonies, glacier fronts and Zodiac-level views
One coordinated plan from the Ushuaia hotel to the return flight
Route
Follow the physical journey from the gateway city to the expedition zone and back.
- 01Ushuaia
- 02Beagle Channel
- 03Drake Passage
- 04Antarctic Peninsula
- 05South Shetland Islands
- 06Ushuaia
Open every day
12 days / 11 nights — understood day by day.
Each day opens into a complete morning-to-evening briefing. In polar travel the order may change for weather, ice, wildlife and safety.
Day 01Ushuaia, Argentina
Arrive in Ushuaia
Meet the MG Tourism ground team, settle into the gateway city and complete the first equipment and document check without rushing the embarkation day.
Open the complete day →Day 02Ushuaia · Beagle ChannelTierra del Fuego & embarkation
Use the morning for Ushuaia or Tierra del Fuego, then board in the afternoon for safety orientation, cabin familiarisation and departure through the Beagle Channel.
Open the complete day →Day 03Drake PassageDrake Passage: the expedition begins
Cross the Drake with naturalist briefings on seabirds, ocean systems and the rules that protect Antarctic landings; the medical team helps guests adapt to the sea.
Open the complete day →Day 04South Shetland approachDrake Passage & first ice
Wildlife watch from the open deck, biosecurity inspection of outerwear and a practical Zodiac briefing prepare the group for the first safe landing window.
Open the complete day →Day 05Antarctic PeninsulaFirst Antarctic landing
The expedition leader selects the safest site for a first shore walk or Zodiac cruise among glaciers, penguin colonies and sculpted ice.
Open the complete day →Day 06Paradise BayParadise Bay & Gerlache Strait
A landscape-led day of glacier fronts, quiet bays and possible station-area visits, with two activity windows when conditions allow.
Open the complete day →Day 07Lemaire ChannelLemaire Channel & Pléneau Bay
Navigate one of the peninsula's most dramatic narrow passages when ice permits, then explore iceberg fields by Zodiac with a strong photography focus.
Open the complete day →Day 08Antarctic PeninsulaPenguin colonies & living Antarctica
Observe penguin behaviour from regulated distances and learn how guides read nesting paths, seals, whales and changing sea ice without disturbing wildlife.
Open the complete day →Day 09South Shetland IslandsSouth Shetlands & final landing
A final shore or Zodiac operation explores volcanic coastlines and expedition history before the ship turns north; the exact island remains weather-led.
Open the complete day →Day 10Drake PassageDrake Passage northbound
Naturalists connect the week's sightings into a larger Antarctic story while the team organises photographs, voyage records and onward travel timing.
Open the complete day →Day 11Drake Passage · Beagle ChannelAt sea: reflection & farewell
A flexible day for lectures, wildlife watch and the captain's farewell, with disembarkation and airport-transfer timings confirmed in the evening.
Open the complete day →Day 12UshuaiaUshuaia disembarkation
Disembark after breakfast and continue to the airport, a post-cruise hotel or a privately arranged Patagonia extension.
Open the complete day →
Reference price
From €11,585 per person
Current reference fare for selected 2026–27 sailings in twin accommodation. The exact ship, cabin, taxes and included activities are repriced before booking.
Important: schedules and fares are planning references, not a binding offer. The confirmed operator contract, medical rules, insurance limits, cancellation terms and final itinerary govern the booking.Request this expeditionDeparture windows09 Jan 2027 · request basisCurrent request basis 22 Jan 2027 · request basisCurrent request basis Feb–Mar 2027 · selected sailingsCurrent request basis
Cabins
Cabins
Cabin names vary by vessel. Your proposal identifies the actual ship, deck, bed layout, view, size, occupancy and cancellation terms.
Ocean-view cabin
A practical twin cabin with a window or porthole; deck and exact configuration depend on the confirmed vessel.
Balcony cabin
Private outdoor access for landscape viewing, subject to the ship and sailing selected.
Expedition suite
More living space and, on selected ships, priority amenities; the written offer names the exact suite and benefits.
Included in the planning basis
- 11 nights across gateway hotel and expedition vessel
- Private gateway transfers
- Shipboard meals, expedition team and included shore operations as confirmed
Normally not included
- International and domestic flights unless stated
- Travel insurance, visas and personal equipment
- Optional kayaking, camping or premium activities
Legal, medical & travel requirements
- Passport and entry eligibility for Argentina and every transit country
- Operator medical declaration and fitness review when requested
- Emergency evacuation, medical and repatriation insurance meeting the confirmed operator's limits
- Mandatory biosecurity and IAATO visitor rules
IAATOExpedition partner standard
Responsible expedition operation, stated accurately.
MG Tourism arranges this journey with a third-party expedition operator that is an IAATO or AECO member, as applicable. Operator identity and current membership are confirmed in the written proposal; MG Tourism does not claim to be the vessel operator or an association member.
Wildlife, landings, ice routes and exact timings are never guaranteed.
Before you request
Before you request
Why is the price shown as a reference?
Polar inventory changes by ship, cabin, occupancy, charter sector, taxes and included activities. MG Tourism verifies a live written price before any payment.
Is there an Antarctica or Arctic visa?
Requirements are determined by nationality, passport, transit points and gateway countries. MG Tourism checks the route, but the traveller remains responsible for valid travel documents and official decisions.
What can change
The captain and expedition leader may replace, reverse or cancel a landing, flight or activity when weather, ice, wildlife, permissions or safety require it. This is an essential feature of responsible expedition travel.