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Master Expedition Route · 34 days 2 upcoming departures

Ultimate Antarctica Adventure from Ushuaia to Dunedin

Swan Hellenic · 34 days · Ushuaia → Dunedin

Ultimate Antarctica Adventure from Ushuaia to Dunedin — Key Facts At a Glance
Operator Swan Hellenic
Available departures 2
Typical duration 34 days · Ushuaia → Dunedin
Price range (per person, USD) $30,910 – $58,885 Operator quotes in EUR (€27,650 – €52,675)
ships SH Minerva
Prices last verified 48-hour verification methodology

Upcoming departures — Ultimate Antarctica Adventure from Ushuaia to Dunedin

Departure Ship Duration Availability From Action
Feb 3, 2027 – Mar 8, 2027 Best price SH Minerva · 152 guests 34 days Available
$30,910 €27,650
Feb 4, 2028 – Mar 8, 2028 SH Minerva · 152 guests 34 days Available
$31,301 €28,000

Day by day

Route 8 waypoints
Ushuaia South Shetland Islands Antarctic Peninsula Peter Island Shepard Island Bay Of Whales Balleny Islands Dunedin

Itinerary and landing sites are indicative and subject to change based on weather, sea ice, and wildlife conditions.

Daily schedule
DAY 1 Ushuaia

Ushuaia is the gateway to the White Continent. Nestled in the foothills of the snow-capped Martial Range in Argentina's Patagonia region, Ushuaia’s colourful streets and mismatched buildings cascade from the imposing mountains before coming to an abrupt halt at the shores of the Beagle Channel. Often described as 'the End of the World', the city carries the reputation well - the moody weather and dramatic surroundings certainly help

DAYS 2–3 Day at sea

Spend your day at sea enjoying the facilities available onboard. Head to the sauna, get in a workout in the state-of-the-art gym or relax in the hot tub while taking in incredible views along the way. If you prefer to learn a little more about your surroundings, listen to an informative talk or have a chat with one of our knowledgeable experts

DAY 4 South Shetland Islands

Your first true taste of Antarctica comes fast in the South Shetlands, where jagged ridgelines, penguin shores, and active geology sit within a single horizon. At Discovery Bay on Greenwich Island, the scene is classic High Latitude: a sheltered inlet backed by snow and rock, with the quiet presence of research outposts and the sense that you’ve crossed into the polar world. Later, Deception Island delivers a rare spectacle: an active volcanic caldera you can sail into, with black-sand beaches and steam-warmed ground in places. A call at Fort Point gives you a front-row look at the island’s stark coastal drama, while Whalers Bay brings the human story into focus with haunting remnants of the whaling era set against an otherworldly volcanic amphitheatre

DAYS 5–6 Antarctic Peninsula

Among captivating glaciers, majestic icebergs and snowy islands, the Antarctic Peninsula is where most visitors to the White Continent live their Antarctica dream. It's the most accessible part, with scientific bases and incredible scenery, like the photogenic Lemaire Channel. Shore excursions might include Mikkelsen Harbour, where among gentoo penguins, snowy sheathbills and skuas, Antarctic Weddell seals haul out

DAYS 7–8 Day at sea

Spend your day at sea enjoying the facilities available onboard. Head to the sauna, get in a workout in the state-of-the-art gym or relax in the hot tub while taking in incredible views along the way. If you prefer to learn a little more about your surroundings, listen to an informative talk or have a chat with one of our knowledgeable experts

DAY 9 Peter Island, Bellinghausen Sea

The magnitude of translucent bergs silently floating on crystal-clear seas is often broken up by the tail of a fluking whale and leopard seals resting on an ice floe. Rarely visited by ships, the ice-covered volcanic Peter I island in Bellingshausen Sea is claimed by Norway and is home to elephant seals, cape pigeons and southern fulmars. Two of the largest islands in the Antarctic - Alexander and Thurston Islands - lie past Peter I Island

DAYS 10–12 Day at sea

Spend your day at sea enjoying the facilities available onboard. Head to the sauna, get in a workout in the state-of-the-art gym or relax in the hot tub while taking in incredible views along the way. If you prefer to learn a little more about your surroundings, listen to an informative talk or have a chat with one of our knowledgeable experts

DAY 13 Shepard Island

In one of the most remote areas of Antarctica, volcanic Shepard Island is an 11-mile stretch of wilderness near Grant Island off Marie Byrd Land’s unclaimed coast. It is ice-capped except along its northern, seaward side, where it is almost entirely embedded in the Getz Ice Shelf. The exposed northern shores provide sanctuary for chinstrap penguins and skuas in this remote polar refuge

DAY 14 Day at sea

Spend your day at sea enjoying the facilities available onboard. Head to the sauna, get in a workout in the state-of-the-art gym or relax in the hot tub while taking in incredible views along the way. If you prefer to learn a little more about your surroundings, listen to an informative talk or have a chat with one of our knowledgeable experts

DAY 15 Bay Of Whales

The Bay of Whales was Antarctica’s key natural harbor, an ice-bound inlet by the Ross Ice Shelf near Roosevelt Island and Cape Colbeck. As the southernmost navigable waters, it was the closest ship approach to the South Pole. The original bay vanished in 1987 when iceberg B-9 calved, but new embayments may form. It supported whaling and was Amundsen’s base for his 1911 South Pole triumph, 60 miles ahead of Scott

DAY 16 Crossing the International Date Line

Experience time travel first-hand as you cross the international date line. This imaginary line in the Pacific Ocean joins the South Pole to the North Pole and roughly follows 180 degrees longitude with a deviation east to the 150-degree meridian to include the Kiribati and Line Islands. Sailors celebrate the passing with the Ceremony of the Domain of the Golden Dragon. On our transpacific journey, you will lose a day as you cross the line

DAYS 17–24 Ross Sea

One of the last untouched salt-water wilderness regions, the Ross Sea region is home to an abundance of wildlife - southern right whales, orca, emperor penguins, parakeets and elephant seals, to name a few. Antarctica’s largest Adelie penguin colony is located on the shores of the Ross Sea. This faraway place also exudes polar history - many of the expedition huts of past explorers are still perfectly preserved

DAY 25 Balleny Islands

The Balleny Islands, 2,000 km south of New Zealand near Antarctica, remain mostly untouched since their discovery in 1839. The Ross Sea surrounding them is a biologically rich area in the Southern Ocean, still under research. These dramatic coastal landscapes are home to humpback, fin and minke whales, along with crabeater, Weddell, elephant and leopard seals. Some islands host significant Adélie and chinstrap penguin colonies

DAYS 26–28 Day at sea

Spend your day at sea enjoying the facilities available onboard. Head to the sauna, get in a workout in the state-of-the-art gym or relax in the hot tub while taking in incredible views along the way. If you prefer to learn a little more about your surroundings, listen to an informative talk or have a chat with one of our knowledgeable experts

DAYS 29–31 Cruising Sub-Antarctic Islands

Over these days at sea, you cruise through one of the planet’s great wildlife sanctuaries: New Zealand’s Sub-Antarctic Islands, protected for their exceptional ecosystems and breeding colonies. These remote islands are famed for their seabirds, including albatrosses and petrels, and for shorelines where you may spot sea lions and seals in wild, wind-sculpted settings that feel truly at the edge of the world. Expect the rhythm of expedition cruising: long horizons from deck, fresh expert commentary as conditions shift, and the quiet excitement of scanning for life in the sky and on the water as you move between these far-southern outposts

DAYS 32–33 Dunedin

Known as the Edinburgh of New Zealand, Dunedin, on the South Island, is set in a pretty bay that serves as a port. Surrounded by bush-covered hills, the town is one of the best-preserved Victorian and Edwardian cities in the Southern Hemisphere. It’s proud of its Celtic connections with New Zealand’s only castles. Elaborate civic buildings, funky alleyways filled with street art, and picturesque parks add to the appeal

Seasonality & monthly starting prices

February 2027 1 departure
From $30,910 (€27,650)
SH Minerva
February 2028 1 departure
From $31,301 (€28,000)
SH Minerva

Ships operating this itinerary

SH Minerva

SH Minerva

152 guests 2-group rotation Ice class: PC5 Polar Class 5: Year-round operation in medium first-year ice; heavy polar capability. Built 2021
Vessel profile →

Visited Regions

8
Polar destination guide
Cyprus · Cultural Expedition

Swan Hellenic

Swan Hellenic operates dedicated polar expedition voyages to Antarctica with experienced expedition teams.

IAATO Member 3 ships 12 itineraries
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Wildlife on this route

Penguins

Emperor Penguins

The world's largest penguin breeds only in Antarctica's brutal winter. A rare and unforgettable sight.

Penguins

Gentoo Penguin

A stocky, orange-billed penguin of the genus Pygoscelis, closest kin to the Adélie and Chinstrap. Its loud, trumpeting call, delivered with head thrown back, carries across the shoreline colonies where expedition landings are made.

Whales & Dolphins

Humpback Whale

A 14–17 metre baleen whale known for breaching and long pectoral fins, often seen feeding on krill in loose groups along the ice edge.

Whales & Dolphins

Orca

Black and white apex predator instantly recognizable by its pale eye patches, the orca is the largest of the dolphins and one of the ocean's most capable hunters. Sightings often involve a tight-knit family pod working the ice edge together.