Indepth Wildlife Experiences
Small ship cruising offers the opportunity to explore parts of the world that are often otherwise inaccessible. Small ship expeditions often visit wildlife-rich destinations including Antarctica, the Subantarctic Islands, the Galapagos Islands, and Madagascar, to name just a few.
Our small ship cruises follow responsible travel procedures to minimise impacts on the environments that you will visit. You'll be advised to keep at least 5 m away from all wildlife; however, you'll often find that if you sit quietly a respectful distance away, inquisitive wildlife will often come to you, making for the most memorable encounters.
The team at Wild Earth Travel have experienced and worked in many wildlife lovers' favourite destinations, so we are happy to share our knowledge and tips, including the best time of year to visit to see certain species.
Prices on this page are indicative rates
Final price may change due to currency fluctuations. Choose to pay in NZD, AUD, GBP, USD or EUROs. Contact us today and secure your small ship cruise.
Dismiss
Antarctica - Beyond the Polar Circle - Whale Watching Cruise
Hondius
12 days from
$1,159 NZD per day
* Current p/p indicative rate.
This Polar Circle and Antarctic Peninsula cruise passes through waters travelled by Humpback, Minke and Fin whales. …
Next departure on 20 March, 2026
Itinerary (click to show)
- Day 1: End of the world, start of a journey
- Day 2 - 3: Path of the polar explorers
- Day 4 - 9: Sights of late summer Antarctica
- Day 10 - 11: Familiar seas, familiar friends
- Day 12: There and back again
See Cruise
Antarctic Marine Mammals: The World of Whales and Seals Expedition Cruise
World Voyager
11 days from
$2,079 NZD per day
* Current p/p indicative rate.
Imagine sitting in a Zodiac or kayak in the waters off the Antarctic Peninsula in the company …
Next departure on 05 March, 2027
Itinerary (click to show)
- Day 1 - Arrive in Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Day 2 - Fly to Ushuaia and Embark
- Day 3 - At Sea: Drake Passage Southbound
- Day 4 - At Sea: Sailing Toward Antarctica
- Days 5 to 7 - Antarctic Peninsula
- Day 8 - South Shetlands
- Day 9 - At Sea: Drake Passage Northbound
- Day 10 - At Sea: Last Sailing Day
- Day 11 - Disembark in Ushuaia and Fly to Buenos Aires
See Cruise
Antarctic Wildlife Adventure - 21 Days
Sea Spirit
21 days from
$1,422 NZD per day
* Current p/p indicative rate.
21 day Small Ship Cruise to Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctica aboard Sea Spirit. ABUNDANT ANTARCTIC WILDLIFE …
Next departure on 09 November, 2025
Itinerary (click to show)
- Day 1: Arrival in Ushuaia, Argentina (hotel night)
- Day 2: Welcome Aboard!
- Day 3: South Atlantic Ocean
- Day 4-5: Falkland Islands
- Day 6-7: Southern Ocean
- Day 8-12: South Georgia Island
- Day 13-14: Scotia Sea
- Day 15-18: South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula
- Day 19-20: Drake Passage
- Day 21: Disembarkation in Ushuaia, Argentina
See Cruise
Antarctic Wildlife Adventure - 23 Days - 2025/2026 Cruise Season
Sea Spirit
23 days from
$1,236 NZD per day
* Current p/p indicative rate.
Experience the essence of Antarctica: a white wilderness of spectacular icescapes, obliging marine wildlife, scenic narrow channels, …
Next departure on 27 February, 2026
Itinerary (click to show)
- Day 1: Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Day 2: Embarkation in Buenos Aires
- Day 3-5: South Atlantic Ocean
- Day 6-7: Falkland Islands
- Day 8-9: Southern Ocean
- Day 10-14: South Georgia
- Day 15-16: Southern Ocean
- Day 17-21: South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula
- Day 22-23: Drake Passage & Beagle Channel
- Day 24: Disembarkation in Ushuaia, Argentina
See Cruise
Antarctic Wildlife Adventure - 23 Days - 2026/2027 Cruise Season
Sea Spirit
23 days from
$1,151 NZD per day
* Current p/p indicative rate.
This extraordinary journey begins in Ushuaia, Argentina, where you'll embark on the M/V Sea Spirit and sail …
Next departure on 10 March, 2027
Itinerary (click to show)
- Day 1: Arrival in Ushuaia, Argentina (hotel night)
- Day 2: Welcome Aboard!
- Day 3-4: Drake Passage
- Day 5-8: South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula
- Day 9-10: Scotia Sea
- Day 11-14: South Georgia Island
- Day 15-16: Southern Ocean
- Day 17-18: The Falkland Islands
- Day 19-22: South Atlantic Ocean
- Day 23: Disembarkation in Buenos Aires (Argentina)
See Cruise
Emperor Penguin Quest - Expedition to Snow Hill - Antarctic Peninsula Cruise
Ultramarine
14 days from
$2,515 NZD per day
* Current p/p indicative rate.
We made polar history in 2004 at Snow Hill Island. We were the first to reach its …
Next departure on 15 November, 2025
Itinerary (click to show)
- Day 1 Arrive in Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Day 2 Fly to Ushuaia and Embark
- Days 3 and 4 Crossing the Drake Passage
- Day 5 Navigating into the Weddell Sea
- Days 6 to 10 Weddell Sea and the Quest to Land at Snow Hill
- Days 11 to 13 Cruising
- Day 14 Disembark in Ushuaia and Fly to Buenos Aires
See Cruise
Expedition Antarctica - The Great Penguin Adventure with Doug Allan
Ocean Nova
21 days from
$1,292 NZD per day
* Current p/p indicative rate.
Join a magnificent Antarctica cruise with the possibility of sighting seven different species of penguins! We are …
Next departure on 09 November, 2025
Itinerary (click to show)
- Day 1: Ushuaia, Argentina
- Day 2: The expedition cruise begins
- Day 3: At sea
- Day 4: West Falkland
- Day 5: Stanley, East Falklands
- Day 6 - 7: Southern Ocean
- Day 8 - 11: South Georgia
- Day 12 - 14: At sea
- Day 15 - 18: The South Shetland Islands & the Antarctic Peninsula
- Day 19 - 20: Drake Passage
- Day 21: Ushuaia, Argentina
See Cruise
Expedition Antarctica: Wildlife Worlds Intensive
Hanseatic Inspiration/Nature/Spirit
21 days from
$1,718 NZD per day
* Current p/p indicative rate.
A delight for ornithologists and biologists: a route with plenty of time to discover the Falkland Islands …
Next departure on 24 January, 2027
Itinerary (click to show)
- Sun, 24.01.2027 Charter flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia
- Mon, 25.01.2027 Relaxation at sea
- Tue, 26.01.2027 - Wed, 27.01.2027 Falkland Islands
- Thu, 28.01.2027 - Fri, 29.01.2027 Relaxation at sea
- Sat, 30.01.2027 - Mon, 01.02.2027 South Georgia
- Tue, 02.02.2027 Relaxation at sea
- Wed, 03.02.2027 - Wed, 10.02.2027 Antarctica Exploration
- Thu, 11.02.2027 - Fri, 12.02.2027 Sailing through the Drake Passage
- Sat, 13.02.2027 Ushuaia/Argentina
See Cruise
Penguins of the Far South: Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica
Ocean Explorer
20 days from
$2,064 NZD per day
* Current p/p indicative rate.
The Antarctic region offers so many extraordinary things to see and do, and traveling with Quark Expeditions …
Next departure on 25 October, 2026
Itinerary (click to show)
- Day 1 - Arrive in Ushuaia, Argentina
- Day 2 - Embark
- Day 3 - At Sea
- Days 4 and 5 - Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
- Days 6 and 7 - At Sea
- Days 8 to 11 - South Georgia
- Days 12 and 13 - At Sea
- Days 14 to 17 - South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula
- Days 18 and 19 - Crossing the Drake Passage
- Day 20 - Disembarkation in Ushuaia
See Cruise
South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula: Penguin Safari
Ocean Explorer
18 days from
$2,107 NZD per day
* Current p/p indicative rate.
Our South Georgia and Antarctica: Penguin Safari itinerary is the fastest way to get to the seldom …
Next departure on 24 January, 2026
Itinerary (click to show)
- Day 1 Ushuaia, Argentina
- Day 2 Embark
- Days 3 to 6 At Sea
- Days 7 and 9 South Georgia
- Days 10 and 11 At Sea
- Days 12 to 15 Antarctic Peninsula
- Days 16 and 17 Crossing the Drake Passage
- Day 18 Disembark in Ushuaia
See Cruise
The Emperor Penguins of Weddell Sea - 14 Day Luxury Antarctica Expedition Cruise
Le Commandant-Charcot
14 days from
$3,398 NZD per day
* Current p/p indicative rate.
The theatre of the greatest expeditions, a refuge for the rarest wildlife and an endless ice desert, …
Next departure on 30 October, 2025
Itinerary (click to show)
- Day 1 Pre Cruise
- Day 1 USHUAIA
- Days 2 - 3 CROSSING THE DRAKE PASSAGE
- Day 4 NORTH ANTARCTIC PENINSULA
- Days 5 - 10 THE WEDDELL SEA EXPLORATION
- Days 11 - 12 CROSSING THE DRAKE PASSAGE
- Day 13 USHUAIA
See Cruise
Weddell Sea - In Search of the Emperor Penguin incl. Helicopters
Ortelius
11 days from
$1,989 NZD per day
* Current p/p indicative rate.
A true expedition, our Weddell Sea cruise sets out to explore the range of the Emperor Penguins …
Next departure on 11 November, 2025
Itinerary (click to show)
- Day 1: End of the world, start of a journey
- Day 2 - 3: Path of the polar explorers
- Day 4 - 7: Entering Antarctica
- Day 8: Drake via Deception Island
- Day 9 - 10: Familiar seas, familiar friends
- Day 11: There and back again
- Day 5 - 6: (Alternate program if the route to Snow Hill Island is free of multi-year pack ice – less than 50 % probability)
See Cruise
Whale Season in Antarctica - Ushuaia to Ushuaia Expedition
Seaventure
11 days from
$1,565 NZD per day
* Current p/p indicative rate.
Every voyage into Antarctica is a wildlife lover’s dream journey. And this trip will certainly be no …
Next departure on 15 March, 2026
Itinerary (click to show)
- Day 1: Arrive in & Explore Ushuaia
- Day 2: Embarkation
- Day 3-4: Drake Passage
- Day 5: South Shetland Islands
- Day 6-8: Antarctica
- Day 9-10: Drake Passage
- Day 11: Disembarkation
See Cruise