4 extraordinary expeditions for the curious traveller
Ignite the explorer within you with these incredible trips.
Voyage to the farthest corners of the globe aboard Viking’s expedition-built ships for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure
The way we holiday has changed dramatically over the years. As Covid made overseas travel a distant memory, so did the off-the-cuff temptation to drop everything and jetset around the world. But with holidaying back in the picture, planning the trip of a lifetime has become more important than a lifetime of trips.
As international travel becomes more and more available, curious travellers are searching for new, immersive ways to explore destinations beyond the tourist trail, putting expert-led cruise operators firmly into frame. Viking, a leading provider that seeks to redefine the industry with a new style of exploration, has a fleet of ships specifically designed to sail as far as Antarctica and as wide as North America’s Great Lakes region. Elegance meets comfort aboard the Viking Polaris and Viking Octantis, which offer refined dining experiences and luxury amenities including a Nordic spa and pool, a fitness centre, open terraces, and a fully equipped science lab.
Ahead, discover four unique Viking experiences that will ignite the explorer within you.
Antarctica
After a quick frolic in Argentina’s buzzing capital, Buenos Aires, where the vibrant culture quite literally sets its streets alive, the journey to Antarctica, where the very essence of adventure awaits, begins. Arriving in Ushuaia, Argentina, at the very tip of South America, by private charter flight, Viking Expedition guests will explore the world’s southernmost city and its surrounding glaciers, sub antarctic forests and pristine lakes before setting sail into the Antarctic Convergence.
From there passengers will have the opportunity to enjoy the many perks of cruising while catching glimpses of icebergs and floating through the sheets of ice towards the White Continent. Other excursions include drifting along the Drake Passage where guests are encouraged to study Antarctica further with on-board lectures packed with information on the historic waterway or sailing around Cape Horn in Chiles Tierra del Fuego archipelago at the southern tip of South America. Exploring the Last Continent is made possible by the expert guidance of Vikings expeditions team, who will take you through the icy wilderness teeming with penguins, whales and seals.
North America’s Great Lakes
Inquisitive-travellers will journey across the historic waterways of all five of the Great Lakes and study the aquatic ecosystems and forests that line their shores. After embarking the Viking cruise ship in Duluth, Minnesota, in the US, guests will settle into their stateroom for a 15-day cruise which will see them journey to the City of Thunder Bay, also known as Canada’s Gateway to the West, and experience Ontario‘s centre of art and culture.
Next on the itinerary will be a sail on Lake Superior, the largest of the five Great Lakes, and one of the largest bodies of freshwater in the world where passengers will have a choice of attending a lecture or watching a film on the ships 8k laser-projected panoramic screen in The Aula, part of one of the world’s most advanced venues for learning at sea.
From there the ship will voyage to the famous Soo Locks in Michigan which connects Lake Superior and Lake Huron, before admiring the boreal forests and rock formations of Wisconsin’s Door Peninsula.
A trip to the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Centre in Michigan will be the next haul of the cruise, where passengers will have the chance to kayak over shipwrecks. The crowning jewel of the cruise is the majestic Niagara Falls, where a close-up view of Horseshoe Falls will preclude a scenic sail of Welland Canal.
Canadian Discovery
Passengers aboard the Canadian Discovery cruise will start their trip in the bustling hub of New York City before enjoying the scenic view from the ship’s promenade deck while it heads towards the Sambro Island Lighthouse in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
The next leg of the journey will take place on Prince Edward Island where travellers will be immersed in Canada’s maritime history and enjoy the island’s Scottish and French heritage. It’s also home to the farmhouse that inspired Lucy Maud Montgomery’s novel Anne of Green Gables.
Each day of the voyage is brimming with new adventure, from the rugged shores of Cap-aux-Meules to the serene Gulf of St. Lawrence in Sept-Îles, the French-accented streets of Quebec City and Canada’s boldest capital, Toronto, the cruise is sure to tick a few destinations off the bucket list.
Antarctica and South Georgia Island
Like their Antarctica experience, guests on Viking’s Antarctica and South Georgia Island cruise will start their adventure in Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires before travelling to the unspoiled city of Ushuaia. From there passengers will set sail on the South Atlantic Ocean, tracing the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, an underwater mountain range dividing the ocean in half, while taking in the fresh air on the Promenade Deck.
Passengers will have the chance to explore the Falkland Islands, where Port Stanley’s pubs and idyllic Victorian stone church stand proud, and South Georgia’s rugged landscapes and glaciers before experiencing the vastness of Antarctica. The 19 day expedition will end in Ushuaia after a sail to Cape Horn along the Drake Passage.
Viking offers destination-focused journeys on all seven continents. Discover incredible voyages for the thinking person and curious traveller. No kids. No casinos. Just the world’s best by river and sea. Learn more.
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