Snow-covered mountains reflect perfectly in the calm, mirror-like blue water of an icy polar bay under a clear sky.

Antarctica Yacht Charters

Private Antarctica Yacht Expeditions

An Antarctic yacht charter is the most direct way to reach the Antarctic Peninsula and beyond. Towering ice walls, vast glaciers, breaching humpback whales, penguin colonies on shores no cruise ship visits: this is polar exploration on your own terms, with no shared itinerary and no other groups.

A private yacht changes what Antarctica means. The same landscape becomes something different when the only schedule is yours and the only people on the Zodiac are your group.

Our Antarctic charters operate aboard purpose-built ice-class expedition yachts, equipped with helicopters, submersibles, snowmobiles and specialist expedition teams. They reach further inland, deeper underwater and into routes most charters never attempt, while delivering the comfort and standard the itinerary demands. This is not a cruise. It is a private Antarctic expedition, designed for your group.

What Sets Our Antarctica Yacht Charters Apart

  • Pioneering Antarctic whale research, including the first heart-rate monitoring tag deployed on a humpback whale
  • Dedicated marine conservation partnerships, supporting ongoing Antarctic research and protection initiatives
  • Ice-class expedition yachts, equipped with helicopters, submersibles and full polar navigation capability
  • Founder-led Antarctic expeditions, backed by more than three decades of polar experience
  • Live whale tracking and real-time conservation research participation
  • Heli-skiing first descents on untouched Antarctic peaks
  • Dual-vessel expedition logistics for extended reach and safety
  • Luxury expedition yachts with spa, cinema and private suite accommodation

The Research Behind the Charter

Humpback Whale Research: What Pelorus Guests Are Part Of

In January 2025, a Pelorus Antarctic expedition deployed the first heart-rate monitoring tag ever placed on a humpback whale. The data from that tag is contributing to active conservation research on whale stress responses, feeding patterns and how climate change is affecting Antarctic marine populations.

Guests on Pelorus Antarctic charters join these expeditions as participants rather than observers. Live whale tracking, research briefings from the marine science team and the opportunity to be present when data is collected are part of the programme. It is the kind of access that does not exist on any other Antarctic charter.


Read More here

Featured Experiences

The Wilds of Antarctica

This expedition covers the Antarctic Peninsula by helicopter, Zodiac and on foot. Glacier crossings, remote shore landings and wildlife encounters with species found nowhere else on earth.

Explore This Expedition

A Ski & Sail Adventure in Antarctica

Antarctica's interior is rarely visited and almost never skied. A ski and sail expedition combines heli-skiing on peaks that have never had tracks on them with sailing through some of the most dramatic coastal scenery on earth.

Plan Your Ski Expedition

Yachts to Charter in Antarctica

Futuristic dark-hulled ship with five tall vertical solar sails cruising through an iceberg-filled arctic landscape.
CAPTAIN ARCTIC
From 590,000 EUR • 70M • 36 Guests
Luxury expedition yacht LA DATCHA in a snowy fjord with two helicopters on deck and a person wakeboarding behind a tender.
LA DATCHA
From 630,000 USD • 77M • 12 Guests
LE COMMANDANT CHARCOT
From EUR • 150M • 245 Guests
Large white classic motor yacht named SHERAKHAN cruising on deep blue water under a clear sky.
SHERAKHAN
From 595,000 EUR • 69.65M • 26 Guests
Large dark-hulled motor yacht anchored on a calm sea under a purple and orange sunset sky.
AQUA LARES
From 246,905 USD • 50M • 20 Guests

Explore Antarctica Differently

Heli-Skiing in Antarctica: First Descents on Untouched Peaks

Our Antarctic yacht expeditions carry helicopters, giving access to peaks that have never been skied before, in conditions no other ski destination offers. Experienced mountain guides lead each descent. A videographer accompanies every run to document it.

Plan Your Antarctic Heli-Ski

Plunge into the underwater world in a submersible

Antarctica is breathtaking above water. Submersibles take you below it. Explore the marine life, historical shipwrecks and the true scale of the icebergs from beneath the surface, alongside expert guides.

Explore Submersible Expeditions

Planning Your Antarctica Yacht Charter

Most Antarctic yacht expeditions begin in Ushuaia, Argentina or Punta Arenas, Chile. Select routes depart from Cape Town for deeper Southern Ocean exploration. Pelorus arranges private aviation transfers as part of the charter.

Yes. While many visitors join expedition cruises, a private yacht charter provides complete control over pace, routing and onboard experience.

Permits and environmental compliance are managed as part of the expedition planning process.

The Antarctic season runs from November to March.

  • November: Pristine landscapes and courtship displays

  • December–January: Peak wildlife activity and extended daylight

  • February–March: Whale sightings at their strongest

The ideal timing depends on your priorities: photography, skiing, marine life or exploration depth.

No. Polar bears inhabit the Arctic. Antarctica’s wildlife includes penguins, seals and whales.

A minimum of 10 days is recommended, though 14–21 days allows for deeper exploration and flexibility around weather conditions.

PLANNING YOUR
ANTARCTIC EXPERIENCE

peak with an Expedition Designer to begin planning your private Antarctic expedition.

Enquire Now