
Argentina/Antarctica
“Land Ho!” Icebergs and Penguins in Otherworldly Antarctica
Program No. 23705RJ
Experience nature in its purest form on an expedition to the beaches, glaciers and islands of the Antarctic Peninsula as seasoned experts shine a light on the seventh continent.
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Protecting the Environment
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16 days
15 nights
34 meals
13B 10L 11D
1
In Transit to Program
In Flight
6
Embark Ship
Aboard the Ocean Victory
7
At Sea, Drake Passage
Drake Passage
8
At Sea, Drake Passage
Drake Passage
9
South Shetland Islands
South Shetland Islands
10
South Shetland Islands
South Shetland Islands
11
Antarctic Peninsula
Antarctic Peninsula
12
Antarctic Peninsula
Antarctic Peninsula
13
At Sea, Drake Passage
Drake Passage
14
At Sea, Drake Passage
Drake Passage
16
Arrival to the US
In Flight
At a Glance
Journey beyond Cape Horn to an icy paradise where penguins and seals are your local welcoming committee. Once you have conquered the storied waters of the Drake Passage, explore volcanic islands and iceberg-filled bays of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands as seasoned naturalists and biologists introduce you to the world’s frozen desert. See the exemplary adaptations by which life thrives in the icy waters and the forces that make Antarctica a frozen wonderland as you embark on Zodiac rides and hikes on snowy beaches where the only tracks are from penguins shuffling to and from their nests.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to two miles at a time over varied terrain including hills, mud, gravel, and ice. Most embarkations and disembarkations will be via Zodiacs requiring the ascent and descent of steep stairs between the Zodiacs and the ship. Zodiac landings will generally entail disembarking onto wet surfaces which may be slippery. Wind and choppy water may result in more turbulent Zodiac transfers.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Discover with our local expert why Buenos Aires is called the Paris of South America.
- Get up close to multi-story icebergs to see their blue-green hues reflecting through the ice on Zodiac rides as seabirds glide overhead.
- See and learn about how wildlife — seals, whales, penguins and more — thrive in the frozen Antarctic.
- Marvel at the landscapes of Tierra del Fuego in Ushuaia before embarking on your expedition.
General Notes
Departures operate on different ships, so please see the daily schedule for specific details. The itinerary is subject to change based on weather conditions. Road Scholar groups are limited to 30 participants and the ship holds 190 passengers. There could be multiple Road Scholar groups on board.
Featured Expert
All trip experts

Nicole Flores
Nicole Flores was born and raised in Chile. Her passion about her country and the region influenced her to lead programs within South America since 1998, including several trips to Antarctica where she deliver lectures about her passion She is a true believer in lifetime learning finding in travelling the best source of inspiration to share her knowledge and keep learning. Nicole is a great natural storyteller and also mastered this skill learning from the best in Chile.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Nicole Flores
View biography
Nicole Flores was born and raised in Chile. Her passion about her country and the region influenced her to lead programs within South America since 1998, including several trips to Antarctica where she deliver lectures about her passion She is a true believer in lifetime learning finding in travelling the best source of inspiration to share her knowledge and keep learning. Nicole is a great natural storyteller and also mastered this skill learning from the best in Chile.
Suggested Reading List
(14 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
“Land Ho!” Icebergs and Penguins in Otherworldly Antarctica
Program Number: 23705
The Heart of the Great Alone: Scott, Shackleton and Antarctic Photography
Here in one handsome book are hundreds of haunting photographs by Herbert George Ponting and Frank Hurley, drawn from the albums they created during the two most famous Antarctic explorations. The stunning images are accompanied by lively essays, maps, paintings and other ephemera from the Royal Collection
Antarctic Explorer Map
A full-color map of the Antarctic Peninsula, including Tierra del Fuego, the Falklands and South Georgia, at a scale of 1:2,750,000. With a map of the Antarctic continent on the reverse.
Forgotten Footprints, Lost Stories in the Discovery of Antarctica
A frequent lecturer aboard expedition ships to the Antarctic, John Harrison mixes his own adventures with tales of the seamen, sealers, whalers and plain lunatics who have journeyed to the Ice to make their fame and fortune. He focuses not on Shackleton, Scott and Amundsen but lesser-known tales of the Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetlands and Weddell Sea.
Lonely Planet Antarctica
Alexis Averbuck, author of the new edition of this compact and surprisingly handy guide, expands coverage of Ushuaia, the Falklands and South Georgia. With a wildlife guide and contributions from 26 Antarctic experts on the history, geology, wildlife and future of Antarctica.
The Antarctic Book of Cooking and Cleaning, A Polar Journey
An insightful miscellany from a 55-person environmental cleanup expedition in Bellingshausen, Antarctica. The authors’ travelogue is supplemented by 42 recipes, anecdotes, journal entries, vignettes and captivating photography.
Antarctica, A Guide to the Wildlife
Designed for the field, this compact handbook features all the species of birds, seals and whales the traveler is likely to encounter on an Antarctic voyage.
Wildlife of the North Atlantic, A Cruising Guide
This compact, illustrated guide covers the many petrels, ducks, gulls, terns and other seabirds, as well as the rich abundance of life existing under the waves, that populate the vast Atlantic region from the British Isles to Newfoundland.
Antarctic Marine Wildlife: Antarctic Peninsula, Weddell Sea & Scotia Sea
The first complete guide for guides and visitors to all the marine wildlife and marine ecosystems of this last great wilderness, from the plankton to the penguins and whales. Beautifully illustrated with photos and plates, and including a wildlife calendar'
Birds of Southern America & Antarctica
With color plates, range maps and brief descriptions, this is a compact regional guide
Antarctic Wildlife
Produced by a shipboard naturalist, this handy identification guide focuses on the Beagle Channel, Drake and Peninsula regions.
Frozen in Time, Murder at the Bottom of the World
A scientist with the 16th Chilean Antarctic Expedition in the 1960s, Professor Cohen turns his experiences and actual events from the time into a novel with a strong setting at Deception Island and the South Shetlands.
Southern Light, Images from Antarctica
Photographer David Neilson has turned his six journeys to the ice over the last 20 years, often with the Australian Antarctic Program (and sometimes lugging a 30-pound large format camera), into a coffee-table tribute to the continent and its wildlife. Includes 130 color and 100 rich black-and-white oversized photographs, gate-folds and double-page spreads that portray the drama and beauty of the Antarctic.
Melting Away, Images of the Arctic and Antarctic
In her masterful series of 75 portraits and essays, Camille Seaman shows how climate change has wreaked havoc on both the North and South Poles.
Antarctica, A Call to Action
Copeland's collection of striking photographs includes a three-page list of sensible suggestions to protect the planet.