Antarctic Explorer

The Voyage

A week on the Antarctic Peninsula, flights included

Antarctic Explorer is the voyage Viking built its expedition ships for. In thirteen days you fly from London to Buenos Aires, take a charter flight to Ushuaia, cross the Drake Passage and then spend a full seven days exploring the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands. Seven days is generous for a voyage of this length. Many voyages of a similar length give you four or five days on the ice, so you get more chances at the landings, the whale encounters and the calm days that make the trip.

The voyage sails from November to March on both Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, identical sister ships carrying 378 guests in 189 staterooms. Every stateroom has a Nordic Balcony, a floor to ceiling window whose top half drops down to make an open air viewing platform, and every ship has The Hangar, an enclosed marina at the waterline that lets you step straight from the ship into a Zodiac without climbing down a gangway. With fewer than 500 guests the ships can land everyone ashore under the IAATO rules, so you will actually stand on the continent, not just look at it.

What really sets Viking apart, though, is what is in the price. Your fare includes return flights from London, the Buenos Aires to Ushuaia charter, guided tours in both cities, every landing, kayaking and the Special Operations Boats, beer and wine with meals, Wi-Fi and gratuities. When flights are not included, getting to Buenos Aires and on to Ushuaia can easily add well over a thousand pounds per person.

Day by Day

The Antarctic Explorer itinerary

Itineraries in Antarctica are always subject to ice, weather and wildlife, and the Captain and Expedition Leader decide each day’s landings on the spot. The order of the days and the places visited can change.

Your Fare

What's included

Viking fares cover far more than the cruise itself, and the biggest difference from most Antarctic voyages is the flights. Here is what your price includes:

• Return economy flights from London, with a choice of regional UK airports
• The charter flight between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia, and all overseas transfers
• Your included tours in Buenos Aires and Ushuaia, and every Zodiac landing and cruise in Antarctica
• Kayaking, the Special Operations Boats and all the expedition gear you need for landings
• A Viking expedition jacket to keep, and a pair of Meopta 8x42 binoculars in your stateroom
• All meals on board, including the speciality restaurants, plus 24 hour room service
• Beer, wine and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, and speciality coffee, tea and bottled water around the clock
• Wi-Fi, port taxes and onboard gratuities
• Lectures from the Expedition Team and access to The Science Lab
• The Nordic Spa and sauna, The Pools under their retractable glass dome, and the fitness centre

Not included: travel insurance, which must include at least £250,000 of medical and evacuation cover, the optional submarine dives, drinks outside mealtimes and spa treatments. Our Viking what's included page goes into more detail.

Make More of It

Optional extras and extensions

The one optional experience most guests ask about is the submarine. Each Viking expedition ship carries two six seat submarines, and where the conditions allow you can book a dive beneath the surface of Antarctic waters, something very few people on Earth have done. Places are limited and are booked on board, so we recommend registering your interest early.

You can also add time in South America before or after the voyage. Viking offer short, fully guided extensions including three nights in Buenos Aires and the Paraná Delta, four nights at the Iguazú Falls, five nights in Patagonia and five nights in Peru, as well as Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and the Atacama Desert. Prices start from around £1,799 per person, or from £199 for a simple extra night in Buenos Aires. Ask us which ones are available on your chosen date.

Other Voyages

Want to go further south?

If you would like to cross the Antarctic Circle, Into the Antarctic Circle adds two extra days and sails beyond 66° South. For the full sub-Antarctic experience, Antarctica & South Georgia takes in the Falkland Islands and the great king penguin colonies of South Georgia. You can also compare Viking with our other cruise lines on the all Antarctica cruises page.