Antarctica, Patagonia

54° 6′ S 69° 21′ W

A guest hiking the Torres del Paine National Park stops to take in the view of Chile Patagonia
ExpeditionsUi Arrow rightAntarctica and Patagonia: Legendary Ice and Epic Fjords

Antarctica and Patagonia: Legendary Ice and Epic Fjords

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Highlights

Two Gentoo penguins in Paradise Bay, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica
  • Seek out Antarctica’s iconic wildlife – including penguins, seals, and orcas

  • Marvel at incandescent icebergs using our fleet of kayaks and Zodiacs

  • Navigate Chile’s coastal fjords and explore spectacular Glacier Alley, where monumental glaciers calve into the sea

  • Hike among the snowcapped “horns” of Torres del Paine National Park and enjoy special access to Karukinka Natural Park, the largest protected land area in Tierra del Fuego

  • Cruise the waters of Francisco Coloane Marine Park, searching for the humpback whales and dolphins that inhabit this vast marine reserve

Day by Day

Multiple routes available

Some departures follow a modified itinerary. Please refer to departure dates for exact routing of your departure.

2023 Expedition


Starts at

Punta Arenas, Chile

Ends at

Ushuaia, Argentina

Download Itinerary

Days 1-2

U.S. / Santiago, Chile

Depart on an overnight flight to Santiago. Settle into the Mandarin Oriental (or similar) before a guided overview of the vibrant Chilean capital backed by the Andes. Meals are on your own, except for lunch, which is included on Day 2.

Meals Included: Lunch

Days 1-2

U.S. / Santiago, Chile

Depart on an overnight flight to Santiago. Settle into the Mandarin Oriental (or similar) before a guided overview of the vibrant Chilean capital backed by the Andes. Meals are on your own, except for lunch, which is included on Day 2.

Meals Included: Lunch

Day 3

Punta Arenas / Embark Ship

Today we fly from Santiago to Punta Arenas, Chile’s southern gateway to Patagonia, where we'll embark our ship.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3

Punta Arenas / Embark Ship

Today we fly from Santiago to Punta Arenas, Chile’s southern gateway to Patagonia, where we'll embark our ship.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4

Tierra del Fuego: Karukinka Natural Park and Ainsworth Bay

Cruise to Tierra del Fuego and venture into the archipelago’s largest protected land area: Karukinka Natural Park. Visit this private reserve by special permission, searching for Andean foxes, guanacos, black-browed albatrosses, and more. Then sail to Ainsworth Bay, a stunning fjord surrounded by subpolar forest, keeping an eye out for elephant seals.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4

Tierra del Fuego: Karukinka Natural Park and Ainsworth Bay

Cruise to Tierra del Fuego and venture into the archipelago’s largest protected land area: Karukinka Natural Park. Visit this private reserve by special permission, searching for Andean foxes, guanacos, black-browed albatrosses, and more. Then sail to Ainsworth Bay, a stunning fjord surrounded by subpolar forest, keeping an eye out for elephant seals.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5

Francisco Coloane Marine Park

Today we enter the Strait of Magellan to explore Francisco Coloane Marine Park. The park covers more than 165,000 acres of land and sea and is home to an abundance of wildlife, including humpback whales, two species of sea lions, and Magellanic penguins. Cruise along the coastline by Zodiac and kayak to watch for black and white Peale’s dolphins, the endangered Chilean dolphin, and Andean condors.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5

Francisco Coloane Marine Park

Today we enter the Strait of Magellan to explore Francisco Coloane Marine Park. The park covers more than 165,000 acres of land and sea and is home to an abundance of wildlife, including humpback whales, two species of sea lions, and Magellanic penguins. Cruise along the coastline by Zodiac and kayak to watch for black and white Peale’s dolphins, the endangered Chilean dolphin, and Andean condors.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6

Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine Park

Early this morning we dock in picturesque Puerto Natales before heading out to explore majestic Torres del Paine National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Set out by foot or by vehicle across the windswept, rugged landscape, which spans more than 550,000 acres and harbors an astounding variety of geological forms, from the soaring granite pillars of the “horns” and windswept grasslands to rivers, glaciers, and gem-colored lagoons. Keep an eye out for guanacos, rheas, foxes, and armadillos.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6

Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine Park

Early this morning we dock in picturesque Puerto Natales before heading out to explore majestic Torres del Paine National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Set out by foot or by vehicle across the windswept, rugged landscape, which spans more than 550,000 acres and harbors an astounding variety of geological forms, from the soaring granite pillars of the “horns” and windswept grasslands to rivers, glaciers, and gem-colored lagoons. Keep an eye out for guanacos, rheas, foxes, and armadillos.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7

Puerto Natales / Kirke Narrows

Local pilots join our captain on the bridge to guide us through the winding Kirke Narrows, accessible only to small expedition ships. We then continue our discovery of the Chilean fjords where we may explore by ship or take a forest walk.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7

Puerto Natales / Kirke Narrows

Local pilots join our captain on the bridge to guide us through the winding Kirke Narrows, accessible only to small expedition ships. We then continue our discovery of the Chilean fjords where we may explore by ship or take a forest walk.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Days 8-9

Exploring the Chilean Fjords

Sail into southern Patagonia’s vast wilderness of forested isles, mirror-like lakes, and snowcapped peaks. Myriad fjords cut between soaring granite walls and waterfalls tumble from high above. Explore the region known as Chile’s “Glacier Alley,” part of the UNESCO- recognized Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve. Cruise into the secluded Pia Fjord, admiring views of its massive glacier, and glide into Garibaldi Fjord in Alberto de Agostini National Park, where the Andes meet the sea. Get up close to the monumental wall of ice that marks the edge of Garibaldi Glacier, exploring by Zodiac or kayak. Continue to Agostini Fjord, where numerous glaciers originate from the nearby mountains, for a chance to witness thunderous glacial calving.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Days 8-9

Exploring the Chilean Fjords

Sail into southern Patagonia’s vast wilderness of forested isles, mirror-like lakes, and snowcapped peaks. Myriad fjords cut between soaring granite walls and waterfalls tumble from high above. Explore the region known as Chile’s “Glacier Alley,” part of the UNESCO- recognized Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve. Cruise into the secluded Pia Fjord, admiring views of its massive glacier, and glide into Garibaldi Fjord in Alberto de Agostini National Park, where the Andes meet the sea. Get up close to the monumental wall of ice that marks the edge of Garibaldi Glacier, exploring by Zodiac or kayak. Continue to Agostini Fjord, where numerous glaciers originate from the nearby mountains, for a chance to witness thunderous glacial calving.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10

At Sea / Drake Passage

Sail to Antarctica via the Drake Passage, named after 16th-century English admiral Sir Francis Drake. Watch for dozens of species of seabirds gliding alongside our ship—including the albatross, which boasts the longest wingspan of any extant bird—and enjoy talks from our onboard naturalists about the wildlife and geology that await us on the Antarctic Peninsula.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10

At Sea / Drake Passage

Sail to Antarctica via the Drake Passage, named after 16th-century English admiral Sir Francis Drake. Watch for dozens of species of seabirds gliding alongside our ship—including the albatross, which boasts the longest wingspan of any extant bird—and enjoy talks from our onboard naturalists about the wildlife and geology that await us on the Antarctic Peninsula.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Days 11-16

Exploring Antarctica

With long hours of daylight at this time of year, we have ample opportunities to explore. Our schedule is flexible, allowing us to take advantage of the unexpected, whether we are watching whales at play off the bow of our ship or enjoying an evening Zodiac cruise amid glittering icebergs. One day, we might set out by kayak to encounter towering icebergs at water level; embark on a Zodiac excursion in search of seals and blue-eyed shags; or walk on a beach amid thousands of Adélie and gentoo penguins. The next day, we might experience the thrill of the ship crunching through pack ice. Our expert expedition team enriches our experiences.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Days 11-16

Exploring Antarctica

With long hours of daylight at this time of year, we have ample opportunities to explore. Our schedule is flexible, allowing us to take advantage of the unexpected, whether we are watching whales at play off the bow of our ship or enjoying an evening Zodiac cruise amid glittering icebergs. One day, we might set out by kayak to encounter towering icebergs at water level; embark on a Zodiac excursion in search of seals and blue-eyed shags; or walk on a beach amid thousands of Adélie and gentoo penguins. The next day, we might experience the thrill of the ship crunching through pack ice. Our expert expedition team enriches our experiences.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Days 17-18

At Sea

Relax onboard and enjoy the ship’s amenities as the coast of Antarctica disappears from view. Round the southernmost tip of South America at Cape Horn and witness the dramatic meeting of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans en route to Ushuaia, Argentina.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Days 17-18

At Sea

Relax onboard and enjoy the ship’s amenities as the coast of Antarctica disappears from view. Round the southernmost tip of South America at Cape Horn and witness the dramatic meeting of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans en route to Ushuaia, Argentina.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Days 19-20

Ushuaia / Disembark Ship / Fly to Buenos Aires or Santiago

Disembark in Ushuaia and board our flight to Buenos Aires (National Geographic Explorer) or Santiago (National Geographic Resolution) to connect with your overnight flight home. Breakfast and lunch are included on Day 19, then meals are on your own.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Days 19-20

Ushuaia / Disembark Ship / Fly to Buenos Aires or Santiago

Disembark in Ushuaia and board our flight to Buenos Aires (National Geographic Explorer) or Santiago (National Geographic Resolution) to connect with your overnight flight home. Breakfast and lunch are included on Day 19, then meals are on your own.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Download Itinerary

NOTE: For expeditions departing April 2024 onward, Day 1 of our itineraries will no longer reflect “departure from the U.S.” and will reflect “arrival to the city” where your expedition begins.  Durations of expeditions will remain unchanged. More details. 

ROUTING REMINDER: Some departures follow a modified itinerary. Please confirm with an Expedition Specialist or the Lindblad Expeditions Air Department before making flight arrangements.

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Antarctica: A How-to Guide to a Safe & Rewarding Antarctica Experience


Join us on an odyssey that combines the celebrated wonders of the southernmost realms of the planet in a single epic voyage. The Antarctic Peninsula, southern Patagonia, and the Chilean fjords are places of unimaginable beauty. Humpback whales breach and penguins gather by the thousands. Icebergs shimmer and sapphire-hued fjords harbor snowcapped peaks and virgin forests. Flexibility is a hallmark of our expedition style, and often the shipboard day-by-day itinerary will change—so we may take full advantage of rare wildlife sightings, watching whales feed off the bow, or perfect conditions for a late day Zodiac excursion.

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Antarctica: A How-to Guide to a Safe & Rewarding Antarctica Experience

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$22,030

/ per person

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Breathtaking photos and details on expeditions—view online or by mail for free

Antarctica 2023-25

Patagonia and Beyond 2023-24

Polar Discovery: Voyages to Antarctica & the Arctic 2023-25

Antarctica: A How-to Guide to a Safe & Rewarding Antarctica Experience