World Navigator - Shore excursions and activities

Atlas Ocean Voyages takes great care to ensure you explore as far and wide as you wish, be it before, during or after your expedition. During your journey, guided outings ashore let you delve deep into the history, culture and natural wonders of each destination.

Free Cultural Immersion On Every Voyage

Learn to make traditional Ligurian pesto in the beautiful seaside village of Porto Venere. Listen to classical music amid the ancient ruins of Ephesus in the evening, long after all visitors have gone. Explore the UNESCO-listed Tierra del Fuego before embarking on an Antarctica expedition. Immerse yourself into history, nature and culture with a FREE excursion that may include sampling regional specialties, tasting regional wines, escorted local market visits, guided tours of local traditions and more.

Epicurean Expedition Excursions

Whether your Epicurean Expedition finds you in the Mediterranean, British Isles or Northern Europe, experience all of the region’s culinary delights, marquee sights, hidden treasures and cultural traditions with our immersive shoreside excursions. Tour Barcelona’s famed La Boqueria market with a chef to find ingredients for your private cooking class. Go truffle hunting in the Tuscan countryside or create your own personal fragrance with the guidance of a master perfumer in Cannes. Some destinations, like the colorful villages climbing the Amalfi Coast cliffs, are best experienced from the sea. So head to the yacht’s marina to board a FREE kayak or paddle board and set off in search of the most scenic stretch of coastline.

Polar Expedition Excursions

On expeditions in Antarctica, the Arctic and Norwegian Fjords, Iceland and Greenland, your captain quietly navigates to the ideal position for wildlife viewing, where you can set off on a Zodiac, kayak or paddle board – escorted by expert field guides – in search of breaching whales or sunbathing seals. The most epic moment may come when you set foot on a massive glacier and follow your guide to a local penguin colony or spot a polar bear diving from an ice floe. Take the polar plunge into Arctic and Antarctic waters from the yacht’s marina. Call on more modern destinations, like the Icelandic capital of Reykjavík, Norway’s Lofoten Islands, and Nuuk, the largest city in Greenland. Immersive excursions to national museums, local markets, natural spas and more reveal how human culture carves out an existence amidst the majestic fjords and glaciers.

Extend Your Expedition

Should you wish to spend more time in the fascinating cities where your voyage begins or concludes, Atlas Ocean Voyages can assist with hotels – including a FREE 1-Night Pre-Cruise Hotel Stay for all Antarctica expeditions. We also offer pre- and post-expedition multi-day Land Programs to iconic sights that lie inland from the port. To ensure a seamless travel experience from the moment you leave your home until the time you return, we also offer assistance with air travel, and transfers between the airport, the yacht and hotels.

If conditions are suitable, Polar Expeditions in Antarctica may offer the chance to camp overnight on the White Continent, a surreal experience of endless light and palpable silence.

Our expedition team navigates custom-built Zodiac boats along icy waters just inches from floating icebergs, glacier-covered shores, and even breaching whales. Watch for porpoising penguins in Antarctic seas and polar bears on the prowl in the Arctic.

Our Zodiacs will take you ashore up to twice daily under suitable conditions. Amid the spectacular polar landscapes, our expedition team leads glacial hikes and guides you in safe observation of the local wildlife.

On an optional kayaking excursion in Antarctica, the scale of the polar seascape seems even grander as you paddle past electric blue icebergs and soaring glacial cliffs while seabirds dive for food and marine mammals surface for air.

Every Polar Expedition is led by a team of up to 17 wilderness guides, naturalists, mountaineers, biologists, conservationists and other professionals who have explored Antarctica, Patagonia, the Arctic and remote destinations the world over. Their expertise and leadership ensure that each expedition inspires and enlightens you while protecting pristine environments.

Zodiac Operators

Having explored Antarctica, Patagonia, the Arctic and beyond, Zodiac operators lead the way during sea safaris and shore landings, providing close encounters with epic scenery and local wildlife.

Kayak Guides

With many years of experience in kayaking and other maritime pursuits, kayak guides lead excursions amid the ice floes and point out wildlife such as seals and whales that you may encounter along the way.

Mountaineers

Experts in mountaineering and hiking in the polar regions lead you to the most spectacular vantage points in these remote landscapes while taking care to protect delicate flora.

Biologists

Zoologists and marine biologists share fascinating insights on the majestic wildlife you encounter, from the many species of seals and whales that inhabit Antarctica to the polar bears, reindeer, walrus and foxes of the Arctic.

Ornithologists

While Antarctica and the Falklands may be best known for their many species of penguin, ornithologists will also enlighten you about other polar seabirds, including albatross and petrels of the Antarctic as well as gyrfalcons and puffins of the Arctic.

Photographers

Professional photographers and videographers teach techniques for capturing the perfect shots of your amazing expedition, while taking their own footage to share with you as well.

Historians

The fascinating history of indigenous communities and polar exploration comes alive when exploring with professional historians who possess a wealth of knowledge.

Conservationists

Researchers, professors and ecologists share passionate lectures on the importance of the ecosystems you explore and methods to preserve and protect them.

Climatologists

Experts who study polar weather and atmospheric changes help you understand the meteorological importance of these regions and how they affect the world.

The Mud Room can be found on Deck 3.

Each day the expedition leaders and team share valuable information on everything from the weather patterns influencing your route to the wildlife you can expect to see on your next shore landing.

Accept the challenge to plunge from the yacht into the icy waters of the Arctic or Antarctica as your fellow explorers cheer you on, a thrilling and invigorating experience unlike any other.