Self-Launched Antarctica: Crossing the Circle & the Peninsula
14 days · Antarctic Peninsula & Buenos Aires
Exodus charges £16,700
No-markup version: ~£12,500 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Antarctica is one of the last truly wild frontiers — and while no trip here comes cheap, you can dramatically cut costs by booking directly with expedition operators rather than going through premium resellers like Exodus. This self-launched version follows the same iconic route: Buenos Aires, Ushuaia, the Drake Passage, the South Shetland Islands, crossing the Antarctic Circle, and helicopter flightseeing over Crystal Sound and Marguerite Bay. By booking your own cabin on a Quark Expeditions or similar vessel directly, arranging your own Buenos Aires accommodation, and using budget options in Ushuaia, you save thousands without sacrificing a single penguin encounter. All cost estimates are approximate and subject to seasonal availability.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Fly into Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) and make your own way to a central Buenos Aires hostel or budget hotel in Palermo or San Telmo. Spend the evening exploring the city's iconic neighbourhoods — grab a steak at a local parrilla, watch tango dancers in San Telmo, and soak up the European-flavoured architecture. This is your last night of city comforts for two weeks.
🚌Airport to city centre via Tienda León shuttle bus (~£10) or Uber (~£15)
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Palermo or San Telmo — e.g. Milhouse Hostel or similar (~£40–60/night for a private room)
- →Explore San Telmo market and neighbourhood
- →Watch tango street performers on Plaza Dorrego
- →Dinner at a local parrilla — try a classic Argentine asado
Fly to Ushuaia and Board the Expedition Vessel
Ushuaia, Argentina
Take an early morning domestic flight from Buenos Aires (Aeroparque/AEP) to Ushuaia — book directly with Aerolíneas Argentinas or LATAM. On arrival in Ushuaia, the world's southernmost city, explore the town centre, visit the Museo del Fin del Mundo, and grab lunch at a local café before making your way to the pier for embarkation. Your expedition vessel departs along the historic Beagle Channel as anticipation builds for what lies ahead.
🚌Domestic flight Buenos Aires to Ushuaia (~£80–120 direct with Aerolíneas Argentinas)
🛏Cabin aboard expedition vessel (included in cruise booking)
- →Fly Buenos Aires (AEP) to Ushuaia — book direct with Aerolíneas Argentinas (~£80–120 one way)
- →Visit Museo del Fin del Mundo (end of the world museum)
- →Stroll the Beagle Channel waterfront before embarkation
- →Board expedition vessel and attend mandatory safety briefing
Crossing the Drake Passage — Day One
Drake Passage
The Drake Passage is one of the world's most storied stretches of ocean — 500 miles (800km) of open sea between South America and Antarctica. Stand on deck as dramatic seascapes unfold around you. Keep watch for albatrosses, petrels, skuas, dolphins and, if you're lucky, your first humpback whale. Your on-board expedition team will run lectures on polar wildlife, glaciology, and the history of Antarctic exploration. Everything is included on the ship today.
🚌Ship crossing Drake Passage (included in cruise)
🛏Cabin aboard expedition vessel (included in cruise booking)
- →Wildlife spotting from the deck — albatrosses, petrels, dolphins, whales
- →Attend on-board lectures on Antarctic wildlife and glaciology
- →Photography workshop with expedition staff
Crossing the Drake Passage — Day Two & Antarctic Convergence
Drake Passage / Antarctic Convergence Zone
As the ship crosses the Antarctic Convergence — where warmer sub-Antarctic waters meet the icy Antarctic Ocean — expect a noticeable temperature drop and a dramatic change in wildlife. More presentations from your expedition team fill the morning, while afternoons are for scanning the horizon for your first glimpse of towering Antarctic icebergs. The bar and lounge make for a sociable way to swap binoculars and stories with fellow travellers.
🚌Ship crossing Drake Passage (included in cruise)
🛏Cabin aboard expedition vessel (included in cruise booking)
- →Spot your first Antarctic icebergs from the bow
- →Attend presentations on Antarctic history and polar ecosystems
- →Socialise with fellow expedition travellers in ship lounge
South Shetland Islands — Penguins and Seals
South Shetland Islands, Antarctica
Your first landfall in Antarctica. The South Shetland Islands are home to enormous penguin rookeries — chinstrap, Adélie and gentoo penguins crowd the beaches in their thousands. Zodiac excursions take you from the ship to shore, where expedition guides lead small groups through wildlife-rich landing sites. Keep a sharp eye for leopard seals hauled out on ice floes. This is also your first opportunity for helicopter flightseeing if conditions allow — weather-dependent but included in your cruise package.
🚌Zodiac tenders and helicopter excursions (included in cruise)
🛏Cabin aboard expedition vessel (included in cruise booking)
- →Zodiac excursion to penguin rookery (chinstrap, Adélie, gentoo)
- →Wildlife spotting — leopard seals, Weddell seals, Antarctic fur seals
- →Weather-permitting: helicopter flightseeing over the Peninsula (included in cruise)
- →Visit a scientific research station if schedule allows
Antarctic Peninsula — Zodiac Cruising and Whale Watching
Antarctic Peninsula
A full day of Zodiac exploration along the Antarctic Peninsula. Cruise through channels flanked by vast glaciers that calve directly into the sea with thunderous cracks. Humpback and minke whales are frequently encountered at close range from Zodiacs. A second opportunity for helicopter flightseeing or a heli-landing excursion over the coastal mountains — the view from above is utterly otherworldly. Listen to the constant soundtrack of cracking ice and calling seabirds.
🚌Zodiac tenders and helicopter operations (included in cruise)
🛏Cabin aboard expedition vessel (included in cruise booking)
- →Zodiac cruising through glacial channels
- →Humpback and minke whale watching at close range
- →Weather-permitting: second helicopter flightseeing excursion or heli-landing (included in cruise)
- →Glacier viewing and iceberg photography
Heading South — Toward the Antarctic Circle
Crystal Sound, Antarctica
The ship pushes further south than most Antarctic expeditions dare venture, making for Crystal Sound — a dramatic stretch of sea enclosed by steep coastal mountains that rise directly out of the water. Colossal tabular icebergs, formed from glaciers fed by snowfall in the high coastal ranges, drift past the ship. Seals are frequently spotted here on ice floes. Zodiac excursions explore sheltered bays, while helicopter operations run when weather allows.
🚌Ship and Zodiac operations (included in cruise)
🛏Cabin aboard expedition vessel (included in cruise booking)
- →Scenic navigation through Crystal Sound
- →Spot colossal tabular icebergs and glacial formations
- →Zodiac excursion in sheltered bays
- →Seal spotting from Zodiac and ship deck
Crossing the Antarctic Circle at 66°30'
Antarctic Circle, Antarctica
A genuine polar milestone achieved by relatively few travellers in the world. As the ship crosses 66°30' South — the Antarctic Circle — celebrate with your fellow expeditioners and raise a glass to the early explorers who first ventured here over a century ago. Weather permitting, helicopter operations take you into the mountains of the Antarctic Peninsula at the Circle, with a possible visit to the British Antarctic Survey's historic hut and the Adélie penguin colony on Detaille Island.
🚌Ship and helicopter operations (included in cruise)
🛏Cabin aboard expedition vessel (included in cruise booking)
- →Cross the Antarctic Circle at 66°30' — a rare polar milestone
- →Celebratory toast on deck with fellow travellers
- →Weather-permitting: helicopter flightseeing into Antarctic Peninsula mountains (included in cruise)
- →Visit Detaille Island — British Antarctic Survey historic hut and Adélie penguin colony
Marguerite Bay — Ice Fields and Human History
Marguerite Bay, Antarctica
Marguerite Bay is one of Antarctica's most dramatic regions — rich in human history, stunning geology, and expansive ice fields. The bay is separated from Crystal Sound by Adelaide Island, and if ice conditions permit, the ship may transit through The Gullet — a narrow passage with pulsing tidal currents that lodge and dislodge ice throughout the Antarctic summer. To the west, Fuchs Ice Piedmont stretches to the Arrowsmith Peninsula, with multiple peaks rising 6,000–7,000ft. Exploration continues by Zodiac, with the Debenham Islands also on the agenda.
🚌Ship and Zodiac operations (included in cruise)
🛏Cabin aboard expedition vessel (included in cruise booking)
- →Navigate Marguerite Bay and potentially The Gullet passage
- →Zodiac excursion to Debenham Islands
- →View Fuchs Ice Piedmont and Arrowsmith Peninsula peaks
- →Marine mammal spotting in the bay
Northbound Along the Peninsula
Antarctic Peninsula (Northbound)
The ship begins its journey north along the Peninsula. By now you'll be able to identify penguin species at a glance and distinguish a leopard seal from a Weddell seal by posture alone. Your expedition team continue to seek out wildlife species that may have eluded you on the southbound journey. Zodiac excursions continue at new landing sites discovered on the return route — Antarctica never shows the same face twice.
🚌Ship and Zodiac operations (included in cruise)
🛏Cabin aboard expedition vessel (included in cruise booking)
- →Zodiac excursion to new northbound landing sites
- →Seabird, seal and whale spotting from deck
- →On-board photography review session with expedition team
- →Informal wildlife identification talks with naturalist guides
Final Antarctic Landings
Antarctic Peninsula
Your last full day in Antarctica. Make the most of every Zodiac excursion and spend time on deck absorbing the silence and scale of this extraordinary wilderness. The expedition team will be running their final onshore operations, so take every opportunity offered. In the evening, the ship begins its northward crossing back toward the Drake Passage.
🚌Ship operations (included in cruise)
🛏Cabin aboard expedition vessel (included in cruise booking)
- →Final Zodiac excursion and Antarctic landing
- →Last wildlife spotting opportunities — penguins, seals, whales
- →Begin farewell drinks and exchanging contacts with fellow travellers
Recrossing the Drake Passage — Day One
Drake Passage
The Drake Passage homeward — emotionally very different from the outbound crossing. You leave Antarctica behind with a lifetime's worth of memories and a camera full of images most people will never get to take. The expedition team presents their final lectures and, by popular demand, the end-of-voyage photo and video compilation featuring the highlights of your journey. Relax at the ship's Tundra Spa & Sauna on these final days aboard.
🚌Ship crossing Drake Passage (included in cruise)
🛏Cabin aboard expedition vessel (included in cruise booking)
- →Watch the end-of-voyage photo and video compilation
- →Attend final expedition team presentations
- →Relax at the Tundra Spa & Sauna onboard
- →Continue wildlife spotting — albatrosses and petrels returning north
Recrossing the Drake Passage — Day Two
Drake Passage
Final full day at sea. Exchange details with your new polar friends, write up your expedition journal, and start planning your next adventure. The bar will be busy tonight. Prepare your bags for disembarkation in Ushuaia tomorrow morning.
🚌Ship crossing Drake Passage (included in cruise)
🛏Cabin aboard expedition vessel (included in cruise booking)
- →Final socialising and farewell dinner with expedition group
- →Pack and prepare for Ushuaia disembarkation
- →Final wildlife spotting in sub-Antarctic waters
Disembark in Ushuaia, Fly to Buenos Aires
Ushuaia / Buenos Aires
Arrive in Ushuaia in the morning and disembark after breakfast. From Malvinas Argentinas Airport, book your return domestic flight to Buenos Aires independently — Aerolíneas Argentinas and LATAM both operate this route. If you have time in Ushuaia before your flight, visit Tierra del Fuego National Park or grab a final meal at a waterfront café. Back in Buenos Aires, consider extending your stay to explore Palermo, Recoleta and La Boca before your international flight home.
🚌Domestic flight Ushuaia to Buenos Aires (~£80–120 direct, book independently)
🛏Budget hotel in Buenos Aires if extending stay, or fly home directly
- →Disembark the expedition vessel after breakfast
- →Optional: quick visit to Tierra del Fuego National Park before airport transfer
- →Fly Ushuaia to Buenos Aires — book direct with Aerolíneas Argentinas (~£80–120)
- →Optional: extend stay in Buenos Aires for city exploration
Self-launched vs. Exodus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Exodus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£12,500 | £16,700 |
| Duration | 14 days | 14 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £4,200 per person (25%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Exodus-style trips? Check them out here.~£12,500
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Antarctica: Crossing the Circle & the Peninsula cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £12,500 per person for 14 days in Antarctic Peninsula & Buenos Aires. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Exodus?+
Yes — Exodus charges around £16,700 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £12,500 — a saving of roughly £4,200 (25%) per person.
How long is the Antarctic Peninsula & Buenos Aires trip?+
This itinerary runs 14 days, covering 14 day-by-day stops through Antarctic Peninsula & Buenos Aires.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, wildlife, slow-travel trip through Antarctic Peninsula & Buenos Aires, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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