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Antarctic Peninsula · 64°30′S · 62°20′W

Cruises visiting Gerlache Strait

Whale Highway • Humpbacks, Orcas & Protected Bays

260 upcoming Antarctic expeditions with Gerlache Strait on the route, from $8,217.

Filter & compare all 260 departures

The Gerlache Strait separates the Palmer Archipelago from the Peninsula and threads together many of the west coast's signature stops — Cuverville, Danco, Neko Harbour, Paradise Bay. Its sheltered waters are prime whale habitat.

From January to March humpbacks feed here in numbers that can make the bridge lose count; orcas and minkes patrol the same channels.

Gerlache Strait — Key Facts At a Glance
Available departures 260
Price range (per person, USD) $8,217 – $82,950
Typical duration 8–49 days
Active fleet coverage 8 operators · 15 ships
Geographic sector Antarctic Peninsula
Coordinates 64°30′S · 62°20′W
Prices last verified 48-hour verification methodology

Wildlife you can spot here

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.

Seals & Sea Lions

Leopard Seal

The leopard seal is the Antarctic's second-largest seal after the elephant seal, built long and muscular with a spotted, leopard-like coat. It is the region's top predator, hunting penguins, fish, and even other seals along the ice edge.

Whales & Dolphins

Antarctic Minke Whale

The Antarctic minke is a small, fast-moving rorqual, the most abundant baleen whale on Earth, though singles and pairs still take some looking to spot. It surfaces briefly among the pack ice, more often glimpsed than watched.

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