Overview
Crossing the Drake Passage on your trip to Antarctica.
Stretching from Tierra del Fuego to the Antarctic Peninsula, the Drake Passage is a traveller’s gateway to Antarctica. Crossing the narrowest stretch of sea surrounding the seventh continent, expedition ships built for these rough and remote waters ferry eager adventurers to the earth’s most jealously guarded natural wonder. Scanning the horizon, you’re likely to see a wide variety of bird, whale, and dolphin species, including varieties of albatross and petrels, playful hourglass dolphins, or even the mighty blue whale in its natural habitat.
Departing Ushuaia at the foot of Argentina, the Drake Passage crossing typically takes 48 hours, depending on weather conditions. This part of an Antarctic journey is all about marine life, attracted to the passage’s plankton-rich waters. With the guidance of your expedition team, you’ll learn about how this unique eco-system flourishes through dramatic seasonal changes. Keep your eyes peeled for pods of baleen whales, or their toothed cousins including the sperm whale.
Modern explorer vessels are built for navigating the Drake Passage’s infamously choppy seas, but conditions can still be unpredictable and may require last-minute changes to your itinerary. The best and calmest time of year to cross the Drake Passage is during the southern summer, between November and March—the only practical season for Antarctica travel. You might be lucky, but pack seasickness medications just in case, along with clothes for a wide variety of weather conditions, including strong winds and rain.
Temperatures, even on Antarctica’s fringes, rarely go above 0°C (32°F). November offers superb iceberg viewing before the near 24-hour sunlight of December and January arrives, while February and March are ideal for whale-watching.
To minimize stress during your trip, consider booking a couple of nights in Ushuaia before embarking. This gives you a buffer against any flight or connection mishaps. You can devote any spare time to exploring Tierra del Fuego, a spectacular untouched wilderness on Ushuaia’s doorstep that’s sure to whet your appetite for the polar adventure to come.
What do the experts say?
Antarctica feels like visiting another planet; endless white landscapes, towering icebergs, and wildlife thriving in one of Earth’s harshest environments. It’s pure, untouched beauty that humbles you.
While there are no cultural festivals, witnessing the penguin chick hatching season (December–January) is a natural spectacle that feels like a celebration of life.
What I loved most about visiting Antarctica is how pristine and untouched it still is. The landscape's calm and peacefulness are truly unlike anywhere else, and being surrounded by unspoiled wildlife made the experience unforgettable.
Humpback Whales
Expedition Vessel
Southern Giant Petrel
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ExcellentBased on 5,219 ReviewsThe booking processs was really easy. Katie was very communicative and was very responsive. Every change we asked for, she quickly replied. The room arrangements had a small hiccupp but Katie fixed it within minutes! All the excursions were a blast and well planned.
The trip was a bucket list trip and was everything we hoped for. Alison MAllan Birkett at Goway has been an absolute godsend! Over the past year, he has helped me plan numerous vacations—especially honeymoons—and has been an incredible partner every step of the way.
He is always quick to respond, patient with my clients' frequent changes, and goes above and beyond to help whenever an issue comes up. His knowledge, professionalism, and dedication make my job as a travel advisor so much easier.
I truly appreciate everything Allan does and highly recommend him to anyone looking for exceptional service. Thank you, Allan, for always being thereBrooke EcholsOur 2-week trip to Normandy, Switzerland and Italy after we disembarked from the Queen Mary 2 in Southampton in mid-May was superb. Michael Keon did an amazing job of putting together highlights for us to see and visit with the short time we had. All the train reservations, private and small group tours and transportations were very well coordinated, on time, and usually exceeded our expectations. Drivers were courteous and knowledgeable. Mike did a wonderful job getting everything coordinated, in spite of our almost “last minute” booking. I booked a month-long trip through GOWAY back in 1989 for Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, and they were superb then. So I tried them again, and found the entire organization to be even better. Mike was quick to respond to any questions that came up regarding booksings and times, regardless of the 6-hour time difference. Just superb! Although we had a nasty experience in Milan, GOWAY was very responsive and saw to our requests and our needs. Again, Michael Keon is the person who coordinated our travel. I will ask for Mike when I travel again with GOWAY. I recommend GOWAY highly. PJ WheelerA BIG THANK YOU to Goway Travel, Brooke Theron and all of the partners onsite. Our trip to Africa was incredible, memories that will last forever.
Everything planned and more went perfectly. The guides, the excursions, the accommodations, everything, was just spectacular. Fortunately, everything ran on time, no delays, no problems.
Thank you again!!
Linda IriasI have been blessed to have an amazing rep, Farooq Qaisar!
He has helped me find the best spots for my clients to experience and when I am looking for something and just can't figure it out, he is able to put together something better than I was thinking. He my go-to and I am thankful for all his help over the years!SherriGoway helped plan our two week trip to Peru and they (Virginia in particular) did a great job. The on-site logistics with Condor Travel went very smoothly, and the trip exceeded our expectations overall. They proactively suggested changes to our initial itinerary which were welcomed. I would recommend them and would work with them again in the future.Kate O'NeillWe entrusted Goway with every detail of our trip from start to finish and they came through for us superbly! Every single detail was smooth sailing. It was a joy to plan our travels with Goway!! We had an amazing trip of a lifetime!
E&DI recently went on an African Safari with my brother-in-law and sister and another couple who I knew. The entire experience was absolutely unbelievable. The complete details were flawlessly coordinated from the transfers to the breathtaking lodges. Our guides Peter showed us Kenya and Maulid Tanzania were very knowledgeable and very sharp eyes for finding the animals.
We were able to see the animals up close, learn a lot about the people, birds , vegetation etc.
We had several sundowners in the bush really added to a magical experience with beautiful sunsets.
I would highly recommend Goway to all my friends, they will not be disappointed.
Thank you to Bijal for the excellent African Safari that you put together for us. You were wonderful.Nancy HayWe enjoyed our trip very much. I was very pleased by the hotel, tours, and itinerary selections that Alice Teramoto made for us. It was all well organized and easy to follow.
Thank you very much for helping us have a great experience in Peru.INEverything was planned perfectly. The excursions were so small and personal. Ask for Mark! I have already planned another trip back to the Oregon wine country with Mark. Claire
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