Explore Antarctica with Girls LOVE Travel and Oceanwide Expeditions 🇦🇶🐧

Join us on a 12 day/11 night voyage to the 7th continent! Embark on your journey in Ushuaia, Argentina and board the m/v Plancius, an ice-strengthened ship made to handle sailing to Antarctica. 

Click here to learn more about the expedition and our ship!

All travelers on this trip MUST be vaccinated- per the cruise requirements. 

When traveling with Oceanwide Expeditions, all  travelers must present proof of a basic and valid vaccination against Covid-19 which complies with the requirements of the authorities of the destination. 

According to EU rules, anyone who is fully vaccinated must take a booster dose of the vaccine when 270 days (roughly 9 months) have passed since the last dose was taken in order to have a valid COVID-19 certificate after February 1st.  If you have a booster, your validity is unlimited, meaning the above 270-day rule does not apply. 

The staff on board the ship have final say about the itinerary.  Girls LOVE Travel is not responsible for changes or alterations made by the staff as a result of things such as but not limited to: weather, ice, wildlife, and/or safety of the passengers on board.  All activities are complimentary and will be done in addition to the voyage when they are safely available.  

Verbiage direct from Oceanwide Expeditions: 

During this voyage, Oceanwide Expeditions will attempt landings that have rarely if ever been offered by Oceanwide Expeditions – or any other Antarctic cruise operator.  Flexibility is key during these thrilling expeditions. Since information about most of the landing sites is limited or unknown, this target itinerary can only mention scheduled landings and general information. All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on local ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. 

The on-board expedition leader will determine the final schedule and itinerary. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises. 

CAMPING

Looking to take your Antarctic adventure further? Join us for a night of camping out under the Antarctic night sky. Wake up the next morning to enjoy some of the cleanest air in the world, go home with a new fantastic memory under your belt.  

Oceanwide Expeditions will provide the necessary camping gear, including breathable bivouac bags that are wind and waterproof and a lightweight alternative to tents. The polar sleeping bags will keep you warm, dry, and comfortable during the enchanting Antarctic night.

All campers will be assisted and supervised by experienced expedition guides. Click here to learn more about camping on your expedition.

KAYAKING

An optional activity, kayaking is a fantastic way to explore the shorelines of the Polar Regions. You’ll set out from your mother ship in the calm waters of a secluded bay, exploring the coastline at your own pace. Paddling your way through the quiet of the scenery you’ll be able to fully enjoy the serene beauty of the Arctic or Antarctic landscapes that surround you.  Click here to learn more about kayaking on your expedition

**Complimentary add-on activities are weather permitting.  This will ONLY be available and allowed if the staff onboard the ship find that it is safe to add this to the trip. No refunds will be given if activity is not able to be completed due to the staff deeming the activity unsafe.

Reminder! -- All excursions and activities are complimentary.  

They are weather dependent and in no way can they be guaranteed. However that being said - it is the goal of the leaders on the ship to get you all on as many excursions and activities when it is safe and possible. This trip offers the possibility of camping overnight, kayaking, snowshoeing, and zodiac boat rides, as well photography support and on-board informative lectures. This trip does NOT have mountaineering or ice climbing as an option.

- Arrivals: You MUST be in Ushuaia no later than one day before departure.  This is written into the agreement from Oceanwide Expeditions. Overnight accommodation for this night is not included in the trip. If you are able to come a day or two earlier I would encourage it. Reason being is that there are limited flights to / from Ushuaia. Last fall there were unexpected air strikes with Aerolinas Aregntinas Airlines which caused a lot of delays and delays = stress. We had one GLTer miss the trip entirely at the last minute due to flight cancelations. No one wants that! Also there tends to be some more discounts and options to use a lot less frequent flyer miles if you come a little early or stay a day or two after.  

- Departures: Oceanwide Expeditions encourages choosing departure flights on the last day no earlier than 1pm.  The ship will arrive back in Ushuaia and all will exit the boat after breakfast. If you have a flight out that same day, you can take the courtesy bus supplied by Oceanwide Expeditions to the airport. Since this is Antartica, there is a chance that weather might cause delays - which is why the company encourages that after-lunch flight time just in case.  

There are a lot of hostels and hotels in Ushuaia. These are two I stayed in during past years and can vouch for them.  

Arakur Resort & Spa  - amazing views, infinity pool to die for, huge breakfast buffet ... tends to be pricey and takes a while to get into town but there is a free shuttle. This is LUX and extremely relaxing. But again not really easy to get to. Make sure to ask for an even room number for an ocean view. One girl said odd numbers were unlucky for her on check in so that they would move her to an even room. And that worked!! LOL If you don't stay here, try and befriend someone who is so you can visit the pool!  

Los Naranjos Hotel  - reasonably priced no-frills hotel very close to luggage drop off and the main grocery market, less than 10min walk to the center of town and 15-20 min walk to ship departure. Beds were comfy and it was safe and clean but nothing special. Especially after Arakur. Loved how close it was for luggage drop off / pick up tho - about 2 blocks away.

What to take and what to wear??    

Click here to learn about gear rentals with New Headings, who works with Oceanwide on Arctic rental gear. You can order your gear and pick it up at luggage drop off! You can try it on and exchange sizes if needed when you pick it up. And for returns they come on the boat when you arrive so you don't have to worry about taking it elsewhere.  

A LOT of the GLTers in past years have opted for rentals. The quality is really good, and clean. 

The one item I personally did not feel worth the rental was the much needed waterproof bag! With this rental company it comes in some of the package deals, or by itself - but most GLTers found great waterproof bag options on Amazon for much cheaper and it was not a bulky item to lug around in the suitcase.

We have collected your non-refundable deposit to hold your spot. We will work with each of you to set up a payment plan that will help you successfully pay for this trip. 

 - ALL payments must be paid in FULL no later than 100 days before the mandatory date of arrival 

If you need to cancel for any reason at any time, please contact me right away!  Unfortunately the deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable.

Important Dates: 

20% non-refundable deposit due to hold the spot.    

Now- 100 days before departure - will allow refund of any amount paid over the non-refundable  deposit. 

99-76 days before departure - 50% of the package price will be able to be refunded. 

75 days-day of departure - package price is non-refundable in its entirety. No refunds will be given.

***

Additionally please note that no refunds will be given for weather cancelations of any of the complimentary free add-on activities. 

This is Antarctica, and part of this experience is the unpredictable weather. The staff on the ship are dedicated to do everything in their power and abilities so that you have a safe, and enjoyable experience!   You might get sea sick.  You might not camp or kayak or be able to get off the boat on certain days  - this is all a gamble due to the inconsistencies of Antarctica.   

Girls LOVE Travel and Oceanwide Expeditions are not responsible for the activities you are able to do, nor are we responsible for the weather conditions you might encounter.