4 Reasons an Antarctic Expedition Cruise is the Ultimate Adventure

With its pristine wilderness and icebergs that rise like crystalline cathedrals from ink-blue waters, Antarctica truly is Earth's last great frontier. This frozen continent with its otherworldly landscape and thriving wildlife colonies once demanded extraordinary feats from those who dared explore it. Today, drawing on more than 130 years of polar navigation, HX Expeditions offers eco-conscious voyages spanning from 12 to 24 days and brings the intrepid to this unique place in comfort and style. One evening you might be sipping cocktails on deck as killer whales surface and colossal icebergs drift by; the next morning, you could be waking to the crack of calving glaciers, with your tent nestled on the ice itself. Here are four unforgettable Antarctic expeditions that deserve to be on your bucket list.

Camp under the Antarctic night sky

Spring marks the beginning of Antarctica’s expedition season. Wildlife returns, enormous sheets of sea ice break up and the sky is aglow with the Southern Lights and late evening sun. It’s the ideal time to channel your inner explorer with HX’s unforgettable Amundsen Night experience – an overnight camping trip inspired by Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen. 

After dinner aboard the ship, you’ll head to the ice and help set up the campsite, pitch tents and settle in for your first on-shore night adventure. Depending on the landing site, you might walk to scenic lookouts or visit nearby penguin colonies before falling asleep on the Antarctic shore – kept cosy in your high-tech expedition-grade gear. The next morning, help pack down the campsite and return to the ship for a special breakfast – no food is allowed onshore – and to debrief on the exhilarating experience with your fellow travellers.

Participate in real scientific research

With HX Expeditions, travellers become citizen scientists by contributing to meaningful climate and wildlife research. Help track migrating whales or monitor the health of a penguin colony – not from behind a screen but on the tundra under the guidance of friendly scientists. You’ll help collect data that informs global environmental efforts, from sampling Antarctica’s waters to observing the behaviours of elephant seals and analysing phytoplankton (microscopic plant life). 

All HX ships have wi-fi onboard, so once you’re back on deck you’ll share the day’s photos and data with the research team via HX Expeditions’ Citizen Science apps. You’ll even receive updates on your personal observations: Happywhale can identify individual blue whale flukes just by their markings, and your contribution will help scientists gain a deeper understanding of how individual animals live, migrate and breed.

Between onshore expeditions, the ship's Science Centre is where the hum of sophisticated equipment mingles with excited conversations as guests gather around screens displaying real-time data from underwater drones exploring beneath the ice shelf. Throughout the voyage, the Science and Expedition Team leads engaging lectures and workshops where you’ll learn to distinguish leopard seal tracks from those of a Weddell seal, or master the ideal camera settings for capturing the ethereal blue of an ancient iceberg. The centre's atmosphere shifts with the day's discoveries, sometimes buzzing with analysis of fresh samples collected that morning, while at other times hushed as visiting researchers share footage from their fieldwork.

Glide among icebergs by kayak

After experiencing the Antarctic’s raw majesty from shore, taking it in from a polar kayak – designed especially for close-range exploration – reveals another dimension to this icy kingdom and the animals that call it home. As you sail through a maze of glaciers in milky shades of blue and white, you’ll hear nothing but the sound of your paddle breaking the water’s surface and the occasional creak of shifting ice. Keep your eyes peeled for leopard seals lounging on drifting ice floes, Adélie penguins torpedoing through the water and humpback whales breaching along the way.

Explore remote shores

From a small, inflatable Zodiac, you’ll be able to unlock parts of Antarctica that are largely inaccessible to larger vessels with the help of HX Expeditions’ experienced guides. As you navigate the glittering coastline’s bays and inlets, you’ll also discover remote landing sites that take you right onto the ice, where you might discover penguin rookeries, see foraging elephant seals up close and marvel at towering ice cliffs just metres away. You may even encounter historic sites, such as whaling stations, Sir Ernest Shackleton’s resting place at Grytviken on South Georgia Island and the former British research base at Port Lockroy. Every shore excursion is led by expert naturalists and scientists, ensuring each step deepens your understanding of Antarctica and its complex ecosystem.