Ross Sea Odyssey
The destination of the journey is McMurdo Sound in the Ross Sea with the historic huts from the Golden Age of Polar Exploration.
Duration
25 Day
Number
Starts from
Dunedin
Price
from 31.695 €
1. Highlights of the Route
- A journey in the footsteps of the Golden Age of polar exploration.
- Start and end of the journey in Dunedin, New Zealand.
- Expedition ship with polar class PC6, a maximum of 132 passengers and the comfort of a small boutique hotel in Antarctica.
Your Trip at a Glance
You travel to one of the most remote, historic places in the deep south, with the comfort of a small boutique expedition ship. Your journey begins in the subantarctic, where yellow-eyed penguins waddle through ancient rātā forests and king albatrosses nest among moors. You cross the Antarctic Circle and travel through pack ice, watching for emperor and Adélie penguins jumping along the ice edge, orcas hunting for prey, and snow petrels hovering against the backdrop of the massive Antarctic ice sheet.
With this journey, you follow the adventurous spirit of the great polar explorers along the Victoria Land coast and in the Ross Sea, where the Antarctic ice sheet flows into the world’s largest floating ice shelf. These are historic waters where the explorers of the Heroic Age launched their daring assaults on the South Pole. You hear the stories of their expeditions and attempt to land at some of their remarkably well-preserved huts.
– You experience lively beaches populated by herds of New Zealand (Hooker’s) sea lions to reach the rātā forests where rare yellow-eyed penguins can be found.
– As one of only a few hundred travelers, you reach the unique Ross Sea ecosystem in 2026, the largest marine protected area on Earth.
– With your ship, you navigate through gleaming pack ice inhabited by Weddell and leopard seals, Adélie and emperor penguins, and whales.
– Your journey also takes you to the traces of the remarkable achievements of explorers from the Golden Age of polar exploration, as you attempt to visit some of their beautifully preserved historic huts (subject to ice conditions).
Arrival Package:
Upon request, we would be happy to plan an individual pre-program for you or your entire journey including international flights and transfers.
Post Itinerary Package:
Upon request, we would be happy to plan an individual post-program or your entire return journey for you, including international flights and transfers.
2. The Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Dunedin
You will be greeted by a representative from your ship and travel together with your fellow travelers to your hotel. In the evening, enjoy light refreshments and meet your fellow travelers at a welcome reception and pre-embarkation briefing. Afterwards, the evening is at your leisure in New Zealand’s southernmost city. Perhaps you would like to dine at one of Dunedin’s excellent restaurants or take a leisurely stroll along the picturesque Otago Harbor.
Day 2: Embarkation
You eat your breakfast in the morning and have your luggage transported directly to your ship. The morning is at your leisure to explore Dunedin. After embarkation, settle into your cabin on your luxurious ship. As we cast off and set sail, join your expedition team on deck before enjoying a delicious dinner and toasting to the upcoming journey.
Day 3: At Sea
You familiarize yourself with the ship, get to know your fellow travelers, and attend the first lectures from your expedition team. The team of polar experts answers all questions and gives you valuable tips on photography and bird watching for the following days. Perhaps you also spend time in the sauna, wellness center, observation lounge with a cup of hot chocolate, or at the bar chatting with fellow travelers.
Days 4 to 6: New Zealand's Subantarctic Islands
First visited centuries ago by Māori navigators, these islands are of great significance to Ngāi Tahu, the indigenous peoples of New Zealand’s South Island. Their natural beauty and amazing biodiversity are unique in the world. Few travelers have had the privilege of visiting these remote shores, which now await your exploration.
Days 7 to 10: At Sea
Campbell Island disappears on the horizon on the way towards the Ross Sea. You keep a lookout for Campbell, Salvin’s, and White-capped Albatrosses that might follow the ship. Attentive observers might notice a subtle change in the character of the sea as you cross the Antarctic Convergence. Beyond this belt where the waters of the north and south mix, the surface temperature of the sea drops by about 4°C, signaling your entry into Antarctica. This transition zone is known for its nutrient-rich waters, so keep an eye out for emerging penguins and flocks of birds. You are not far from the Antarctic Circle, so the first iceberg can’t be far away!
Days 11 to 17: Victoria Land and Ross Sea
It is almost impossible to describe the feeling of arriving in this legendary part of Antarctica. You go on deck and take a deep breath of the freshest, clearest air on Earth. You will remember this moment forever. The Ross Sea region is a globally significant wildlife sanctuary. Its nutrient-rich waters support an amazing diversity of uniquely adapted Antarctic species, including Ross Sea orcas, Antarctic petrels, and Weddell seals. It also hosts the largest colony of Adélie penguins in Antarctica as well as many of the largest emperor penguin colonies. The unique biodiversity of the Ross Sea has been protected in the world’s largest marine protected area since 2016. The human heritage of the Ross Sea coast is equally impressive. Since James Clark Ross discovered the region in 1841, countless expeditions have established base camps on scattered, ice-free pieces of land and used them as starting points for bold advances to the South Pole. Many of them departed in haste, leaving behind artifacts, scientific equipment, and sometimes entire huts. Today, these sites are preserved as open-air museums and protected under the Antarctic Treaty. If the ice allows, you will see these traces from the Golden Age of polar exploration.
Days 18 to 20: At Sea
You leave the majestic ice landscape to the seals and penguins and head northward. But your journey is far from over. In the coming days, there is plenty of time to enjoy the magic of the Southern Ocean and the life that inhabits it. You should not miss the lectures by your on-board experts about the wonderful wildlife and rich human history of Macquarie Island.
Days 21 to 22: Macquarie Island
“Penguins were in their thousands on the towering cliffs, and from near and distant rookeries came an incessant din … Sea-birds of many kinds gave warning of our near approach to their nests.” – Douglas Mawson, 1911. Macquarie Island (affectionately known as “Macca”) rises steeply from the Southern Ocean in a series of emerald peaks. It is a beautifully wild, elemental landscape full of life. Keep your binoculars ready, as this subantarctic refuge is home to 3.5 million breeding seabirds, including no fewer than four penguin species! In addition to lively colonies of king penguins, charming gentoo penguins, robust rockhopper penguins, and the endemic royal penguins, you will find three species of seals and a large part of the world’s population of elephant seals here. The island is one of the great natural paradises of the Earth, worth a trip in its own right.
Days 23 to 24: At Sea
Your journey is coming to an end. Perhaps you would like to organize your photos, write notes in your diary, or simply relax and enjoy the atmosphere on board while saying goodbye to your travel companions … until next time!
Day 25: Disembarkation in Dunedin
After breakfast, you bid farewell to your expedition ship and begin your return journey or extend your adventure with a tour of New Zealand.
- Departure From: Dunedin
- End Point: Dunedin
3. Services Included
Included
- Antarctica cruise in the booked cabin category.
- Pre-night stay in Dunedin.
- All airport transfers mentioned in the itinerary.
- All shore excursions and activities during the entire trip including Zodiac excursions.
- Scientific lectures and entertainment on board.
- All meals, including snacks, coffee and tea throughout the entire journey on board the ship.
- Beer, house wine and non-alcoholic beverages with dinner.
- Captain's Farewell Cocktail + Dinner.
- Complimentary expedition parka.
- Complimentary rubber boot loan.
- A photographic journal documenting the expedition.
- Free Starlink WiFi for one device, allowing basic internet browsing, email,
- social media posts and apps.
- Comprehensive information material before and after the trip.
Excluded
- International flights: We can book a suitable flight for you at an additional cost.
- Voluntary tips at the end of the trip for the expedition staff and ship's crew.
- Personal expenses, for example in the on-board shop.
- Massages and similar services.
- Personal travel insurance.
4. Travel Dates and Prices
Please contact us directly for the current daily prices of the trips and the prices for single occupancy or special cabins. Our polar experts will answer all your questions about the itinerary, the ship, and the cabins.
Appointments on request. Please contact us directly using the contact form.
Prices are per person, based on double occupancy per cabin or suite and subject to availability.
For solo travelers, cabins or suites may be available without a single supplement, subject to availability. Please contact us for details for solo travelers.
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