Antarctic Express – Southbound by sea & northbound by air

hiking

For shorter hikes in Antarctica, your expedition team will mark out predetermined routes or marked areas at each landing point. During your hike, your experts will be on hand to provide you with fascinating insights into the region's wildlife, history, and geography.

Zodiac excursions

The sturdy Zodiac inflatable boats are the perfect means of transport for reaching remote coastlines, navigating narrow passages, or going on wildlife safaris. Your experienced Zodiac operators will ensure safe boarding and disembarking and accompany you with expert commentary to bring the breathtaking scenery to life.

Lectures – Exciting first-hand knowledge

Look forward to daily talks and lectures with world-leading polar experts, including expedition leaders, specialists, photo guides, and other renowned guests. You will learn interesting facts about the history, biology, ornithology, glaciology, and geology of the region—and much more!

Polar Plunge – The ultimate leap into ice-cold water

This "test of courage," which takes place only once per expedition (voluntarily, of course!), offers you the chance to safely jump into the ice-cold Antarctic waters under the supervision of the team—while pretty much every camera on board captures the moment.

Photography tips

Documenting your journey will allow you to relive the experience even more intensely when you return home. Our photography guide will help you improve your technique and capture the spectacular polar landscapes in the best possible way—for memories that will last a lifetime.

Kayaking Imagine gliding across the surface of a bay surrounded by icebergs and glaciers. The sea kayaking program is a great way to experience your surroundings up close. A small group of kayakers will attempt to go out on the water several times during the trip as an alternative to landings or Zodiac rides. The number of opportunities depends on the weather and only takes place in calm conditions. Previous kayaking experience is required and you must be able to perform a "wet exit" (exiting the kayak in the water). Beginners who are interested in kayaking should consider participating in a paddling excursion.

Paddle Tours If you are interested in kayaking but would prefer to try something less challenging, then a trip in one of our stable sit-on-top kayaks is just the thing for you. Ideal for anyone with little or no kayaking experience. Small groups of paddlers are taken out on the water on calm days. Experienced guides are always on hand to provide instruction and help you connect with the Arctic Ocean. Advance booking into one of two priority groups is available. Additional excursions can be booked on board; groups are then assigned by lottery, as space is limited.

Stand-up paddleboarding
Only available on the World Explorer
This combination of surfboard and kayak offers you a very personal and unique perspective on Antarctica. Stand-up paddleboarding is conducted in small groups in calm bays and harbors in good weather conditions and accompanied by a safety Zodiac. One-time excursions can be booked in advance in one of two priority groups. Additional excursions can be booked on board, with group allocation determined by lottery.

PLEASE NOTE:
All paid activities must be booked in advance. We recommend booking early, as spots fill up quickly. A list of equipment provided for each adventure option can be found in the Pre-Departure Guide.

When traveling to extremely remote regions, your expedition team must always take the sea, ice, and weather into account. You could experience these destinations by ship, Zodiac ride, or shore excursions.

Antarctic Peninsula

CIERVA COVE
Cierva Cove offers breathtaking icebergs and a glacier-covered backdrop. A massive glacier front regularly calves into the bay, leaving behind spectacular drifting ice masses. Seals can be observed on ice floes, and later in the season, humpback whales occasionally feed in the icy waters.

CUVERVILLE ISLAND
This tall, steep island rises at the entrance to the Errera Channel and is covered with a colorful variety of lichens and mosses. A large gentoo penguin colony is located on a rocky beach at the northern end of the island. Depending on the time of year, you may see penguins nesting, breeding, or raising their chicks.

DAMOY POINT
Damoy Point is the site of a historic ice runway that has been used by the British Antarctic Survey since 1975 for flights further south. The well-preserved hut served as a stopover for storing supplies and as accommodation while waiting for favorable flying conditions. There is also a penguin colony here and spectacular views of the mountains of Anvers Island.

DANCO ISLAND
Home to gentoo penguins, this small, dome-shaped island offers breathtaking views of the Errera Channel and excellent opportunities for Zodiac rides.

ENTERPRISE ISLAND
This island is located in Wilhelmina Bay. Whalers used to take advantage of its sheltered bays. A Zodiac ride along the island takes you past the rusting remains of a stranded whaling ship and offers the opportunity to spot humpback whales.

LEMAIRE CHANNEL
One of the most spectacular scenic locations on the west coast of the peninsula: this dramatic strait runs between the steep cliffs of Booth Island and the Antarctic Peninsula. The channel can become impassable when ice fills the narrow 11 km passage – we hope for clear passage.

MELCHIOR ISLANDS
This group of low, glaciated islands in Dallmann Bay is a place where male fur seals rest after fighting for dominance at the end of the mating season.

MIKKELSEN HARBOR
Located on the south side of Trinity Island, this 3 km wide bay is surrounded by impressive ice cliffs and several reefs. It was discovered by a Swedish Antarctic expedition (1901–1904). Enjoy a Zodiac ride or, conditions permitting, a landing on D'Hainaut Island, where there is an Argentine shelter and whaling remains in the form of a wooden boat and whale bones. Weddell seals and a gentoo penguin colony are also often encountered.

NEKO HARBOUR
Only a few remnants remain to show that this bay was once used by a floating whaling factory ship called Neko. Gentoo penguins can sometimes be seen in the area, using whale bones as windbreaks.

PARADISE HARBOR
A wide bay and natural harbor on the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. Mountains, glaciers, and ice cliffs offer spectacular views. Icebergs that break off from glaciers provide resting places for animals such as seals, penguins, and seabirds. This is also the location of the Argentine base Almirante Brown Station, named after Admiral Guillermo Brown, the father of the Argentine Navy, which was in operation until a fire in 1984 and is now used for scientific research in the summer.

PETERMANN ISLAND
Near the Lemaire Channel, you can observe the southernmost breeding colony of gentoo penguins on this island. Adelie penguins, cormorants (shags), and South Polar skuas also live here.

PORT LOCKROY
During World War II, as part of Operation Tabarin, a secret British base was established here on the west side of Wiencke Island. Today, the base is a museum and post office. The proceeds from your purchases support the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust. A large colony of gentoo penguins also lives here.

WILHELMINA BAY
"Whale-mina Bay," as Wilhelmina Bay is also known, is famous for its numerous humpback whales and breathtaking landscapes. Steep cliffs and glaciers frame the calm waters. With a little luck, you may see humpback whales feeding in spectacular bubble nets here.

South Shetland Islands

AITCHO ISLANDS
This group of small islands lies at the northern entrance to the English Strait. A diverse wildlife awaits you here: gentoo penguin and chinstrap penguin colonies, as well as often southern elephant seals, fur seals, and Weddell seals.

DECEPTION ISLAND
A circular, flooded caldera formed by the collapse of an active volcano. Access is via the narrow passage known as Neptune's Bellows. Within the sheltered bay are the remains of whaling and research stations. Geothermal activity causes steam to rise from some of the shores, giving the island a special atmosphere.

HALF MOON ISLAND
This crescent-shaped island was already known to seal hunters in 1821, who kept its existence secret for a long time. Today, visitors come to see the impressive wildlife, including chinstrap penguins, cormorants, petrels, skuas, and Antarctic terns.

HANNAH POINT
Located on the south coast of Livingston Island. Here you can observe chinstrap penguin and gentoo penguin colonies, as well as occasionally breeding macaroni penguins. Due to limited space, visits may only take place after January 10.

TURRET POINT
Located on the southern shore of King George Island. Here you will find colonies of chinstrap and Adélie penguins, as well as beaches where southern elephant, fur, and Weddell seals often rest.

YANKEE HARBOR
Located on the southwest side of Greenwich Island. A large colony of gentoo penguins resides here. The site also features an abandoned Argentine shelter, a large glacier, and a historic sea ice pot, a remnant of early seal hunting. Here you have the opportunity to take a long walk along the expansive beach, which is littered with historical artifacts and animals.

To support the work of Happywhale and other citizen science projects, you can actively participate in scientific data collection during your Antarctic expedition on the MS World Voyager. In this way, you can make a direct contribution to targeted field research.

Get in touch with renowned scientists and recognized researchers who collect data during the expedition—for example, from Penguin Watch at Oxford Brookes University or the renowned Friedlaender Lab at the University of California Santa Cruz. Founded by Ari Friedlaender, the Friedlaender Lab is one of the leading marine mammal research groups at the University of California and has been studying baleen whales in Antarctica since 1997.

Happywhale is a scientific web platform where users can upload photos of whale flukes—which have unique markings—to identify individual whales and track their movements.

After a brief introduction by the Happywhale expert, you can actively contribute to the collaborative digital database and learn how your observations help to better understand whale migration patterns.

Together with the expedition team, you will have the opportunity to count seabirds on deck, record whale sightings, or assist with sampling to measure water conditions.

Through research-led sessions, interactive learning formats, and field studies with your expedition team, this journey will give you a particularly deep understanding of the untouched polar world and help you develop an even greater appreciation for its fragile ecosystem.

Onboard Science Hub

This specially equipped area on board the World Voyager allows you to share knowledge, information, and insights with scientists, researchers, and your expedition leaders.

• Discuss observations and findings from the trip with scientists, researchers, and expedition leaders.

• Use interactive digital displays with multimedia content for self-guided exploration—even when no staff is present.

• Learn how various data collection methods—including drones, wildlife tagging, and tissue and guano sampling—make it possible to study the health, population, and migration routes of unique birds, whales, seals, and other Antarctic marine mammals.

• Discuss observations and analyze samples collected during scientific Zodiac excursions together with other participants.

Note: The Science Hub is also open for self-guided exploration when staff are otherwise occupied.