Embark on APT’s Antarctica tours. Enjoy a luxury expedition cruise and encounter incredible wildlife on the world’s last frontier.

A land of superlatives, Antarctica is the coldest, driest, windiest, and highest continent on Earth. Despite the extremes, its beauty feels otherworldly. A palette of icy blues, a silvery shimmer that dances across frozen seas, and sculptured shades of white. 

For centuries, the White Continent was a place of myth and mystery, a realm only heroic explorers could dream of reaching. But today, thanks to responsible expedition travel, Antarctica is no longer out of reach. APT offers guests the chance to explore this remote world in comfort and style, while ensuring its pristine wilderness remains protected for generations to come. 

From the Heroic Age to Modern Luxury on an Antarctica Expedition Cruise

A little over a century ago, Antarctic exploration meant something entirely different to today. In the early 20th century, explorers like Ernest Shackleton and Roald Amundsen ventured into a world few had ever seen, with ships often trapped in the dense pack ice of the Weddell Sea, months of isolation, and no promise of return. They were driven by the pursuit of mapping uncharted lands, scientific discovery, and the race to stand first at the South Pole, where the air is pure and the silence profound. 

The ice and sea remain as dramatic as ever, yet the art of exploration has advanced to heights early adventurers could scarcely imagine. Modern travellers still follow in the wake of those early adventurers, but do so in quiet luxury aboard a purpose-built expedition ship, Seabourn Venture. While explorers once faced blizzards in woollens and relied on dog sleds, you can step out from a heated suite onto your veranda to watch penguins porpoising through icy waters. 

What an Antarctica Journey Looks Like Today with APT 

As your exclusive APT charter flight approaches Ushuaia — Argentina’s “end of the world” — the journey to the White Continent begins. Like explorers of the past, you’ll sail through the Beagle Channel with its brooding mountains and ever-present seabirds. But unlike those early adventurers, you’ll do so with a glass of fine wine in hand and floor-to-ceiling views from the Constellation Lounge. 

Crossing the Drake Passage, once a place of legendary hardship, becomes an arresting opener to your journey. From your private veranda, you may glimpse the first sculpted icebergs glittering on the horizon — their shards of sunlit sapphire floating in still black water. The ship’s agile size allows you to slip into secluded coves where gentoo penguins gather and humpback whales breach with astonishing grace. 

On Zodiac landings, you’ll discover why Antarctica has long captured the human imagination — witness geothermal steam curling along Deception Island’s black-sand beaches, the ghostly relics of whaling stations looming through the mist, and glaciers calving with a mighty, echoing roar. 

Back on board, the experience is as indulgent as it is insightful. Your expert Expedition Team shares stories of those who came before in The Discovery Center, and you can unwind in a heated pool or dine alfresco under the stars. 

As you trace the paths of history’s great explorers, Antarctica’s diversity often surprises: 

The White Continent is Alive with Wildlife 

Gentoo and Adélie penguins dart through the surf, Weddell seals bask on ice floes, albatross ride the updrafts on vast wingspans, and humpbacks surface close to your ship. 

Antarctica Isn’t Unbearably Cold 

In summer, the crisp air hovers around 0 to 5°C, with the low sun painting icebergs gold. With expert guides and all-weather gear, Zodiac landings are surprisingly comfortable. 

The Region Tells a Human Story  

Beyond the pristine scenery are poignant traces of the past and an enduring legacy, from rusting blubber tanks on Deception Island and flags fluttering above research huts, to the opportunity to contribute to modern conservation efforts. 

It’s A Place of Adventure and Meaning 

Zodiac rides through iceberg mazes, kayaking in silent channels, and evenings reflecting on the day’s encounters in the warmth of your suite connect you not only with the landscape, but with its enduring story. 

With its delicate ecosystems and slow-growing wildlife populations, Antarctica requires thoughtful exploration. APT partners with the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) to ensure every journey meets the highest standards of responsible tourism. Strict biosecurity protocols protect native species, carefully timed and controlled landings limit human impact, and small-group Zodiac excursions bring you close to nature without overwhelming it. On board Seabourn Venture, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for this extraordinary region through expert-led lectures and daily briefings. These are experiences designed not only to reveal Antarctica’s wonders, but also to protect them for generations to come.