Antarctica: Wildlife of the White Continent

28-Day Trip
Martin Gregus

with Martin Gregus

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Table of Contents
Guided trip

The Story

Antarctica is not a place you can force into a schedule. The ice moves, the weather decides, and the wildlife reveals itself only when the moment is right.

This 27-night expedition aboard Meridian is built around that truth. With the entire vessel chartered for just 12 guests, the route can flex around weather, light and wildlife, giving Martin Gregus and the expedition team time to stay longer when Antarctica is giving something extraordinary.

Early December marks the beginning of the Antarctic summer. Penguin colonies are alive with activity, seals move through the ice, whales begin returning to feeding grounds, and the landscape still carries the raw, untouched feeling of the season just opening.

Martin brings the patience of a wildlife photographer to every day in the field. This is not about rushing through a checklist. It is about learning to read the ice, understand animal behaviour, wait for the right light, and experience Antarctica with the time it deserves.

The Highlights

• 27 nights aboard Meridian exploring Antarctica
• Early-summer penguin colonies, seals, whales and dramatic ice
• Daily Zodiac excursions, shore landings and wildlife scouting
• Flexible routing shaped by weather, wildlife and the best available light
• Photography workshops, field guidance and image reviews with Martin

More Than a Trip

This is more than reaching the seventh continent. It is 27 nights of slowing down, learning to read ice, light and animal behaviour, and seeing Antarctica through the eyes of someone who has built a career in the world’s most remote wild places. With just 12 guests aboard Meridian, the experience feels less like a cruise and more like a floating field camp for people who want the real thing.

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28 Days, 27 Nights

Antarctica: Wildlife of the White Continent

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$27,800 USD
$27,800 USD
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“I have had the almost unparalleled privilege to experience iconic wildlife in a way few people have ever had."

- Martin Gregus

Meet Your Guide

Why Travel With Martin?

Martin Gregus grew up in Bratislava, Slovakia, in a household full of artists. He learned photography from his father and was exploring local wildlife with a camera before most kids had decided what they wanted to do with their lives. The hundreds of National Geographic magazines stacked around his home did the rest.

Nineteen years later, his work has taken him across all seven continents and some of the most remote ecosystems on the planet. He has earned two wins and two nominations at Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and his 2022 polar bear project, 33 Days Among the Bears, became an international story after National Geographic coverage. His cinematography has since contributed to productions for Disney, BBC, and Netflix.

Now based in Canada, Martin is recognised internationally for his work in polar regions and remote wilderness, and for his ability to create extraordinary images in some of the most extreme environments on earth.

What Sets Martin Apart
  • Nearly two decades of expedition work across the planet's most extreme environments: Arctic, Antarctic, Patagonia, and the Himalayas
  • A network of expert local guides and trackers in each destination, built over years of repeat fieldwork, giving guests access that cannot be replicated
  • Technical mastery developed in the harshest conditions on earth: polar ice, high altitude, dense wilderness, and open ocean
  • A teaching approach grounded in patience and preparation, with a belief that the best wildlife images are earned, not stumbled upon

20+

Years Experiences

200+

Global Expeditions

730k+

Followers

What Fuels Martin

"When you're standing on polar ice at sunrise, you don't need convincing that this planet is worth protecting."

It started in a living room in Slovakia, surrounded by his father's photographs and stacks of National Geographic. That childhood wonder never faded. It grew into a drive to reach the most remote corners of the planet and bring back images that make people care. For Martin, every expedition carries a purpose: show people what's out there, so they want to protect it.

Day By Day

Your Itinerary

Day

1

Embark Meridian

Board Meridian at the confirmed departure port, settle into your cabin and meet Martin, your additional guide and the expedition team. After safety briefings and dinner onboard, the voyage begins.

Day

2-4

South across the Southern Ocean

As Meridian heads south, settle into life at sea. These first days are for wildlife scouting, photography briefings, seabirds from the deck and preparing for the shift into Antarctic waters.

Day

5-8

First ice and first landings

The first icebergs mark your arrival into the White Continent. Conditions allowing, the team begins Zodiac cruising and shore landings, exploring penguin colonies, glacier fronts, sculpted ice and the early signs of Antarctic summer.

Day

9-18

Deep Antarctic exploration

These are the heart of the expedition. The route stays flexible, following the best windows for wildlife, light and ice. Each day may bring Zodiac cruises, shore landings, penguin colonies, seals, whale scouting, iceberg photography and field guidance with Martin.

Day

19-24

Wildlife, light and remote coastline

With time on your side, Meridian can stay longer when conditions are exceptional or move toward quieter bays and remote coastline. Expect days shaped around scouting from the deck, patient observation, image reviews and the raw unpredictability that makes Antarctica so powerful.

Day

25-27

The return crossing

Begin the journey north across the Southern Ocean. There is time for editing sessions, presentations, final image reviews and reflection on nearly four weeks spent deep in Antarctic waters.

Day

28

Return from the White Continent

Arrive back at the confirmed port and disembark after breakfast, carrying salt on your jacket, memory cards full of ice and wildlife, and the strange feeling that the map is somehow bigger than it was before you left.

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Guest Review

Antarctica

"To be in the presence of a unique visionary like Martin Gregus and be welcomed into his home away from home in the middle of nowhere is truly a once in a lifetime event right up there with getting married or having a child."

- Anne Prather, United States

Antarctica
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FAQ

Have Questions?

What's included
  • 27 nights aboard Meridian
  • All meals and beverages onboard
  • Daily Zodiac excursions and shore landings where conditions allow
  • Professional expedition guides
  • Photography workshops and presentations with Martin Gregus
  • Evening image reviews and storytelling sessions
  • Airport and vessel transfers where applicable
  • All planned excursions and activities
  • Dedicated Airguides expedition leader

Final itineraries are determined by guides based on daily weather, sea conditions and other factors.

What's not included

• International and domestic flights
• Hotels before or after the expedition
• Travel insurance, including medical evacuation cover
• Visa or transit fees where applicable
• Personal camera equipment and personal expenses
• Crew gratuities
• Costs caused by weather or travel delays

Wildlife encounters, shore landings and perfect weather are never guaranteed. Antarctica is wild, and that is the point.

Where does the expedition start and finish?

The final embarkation and disembarkation port is still to be confirmed. Guests will receive exact joining details before booking travel.

Is the itinerary or wildlife guaranteed?

No. Antarctica is remote, weather-driven and ice-dependent, so the route is shaped each day by safety, conditions, wildlife activity and landing permissions.

Wildlife encounters are never guaranteed, but this expedition is built around expert polar guidance, flexible routing and time in wildlife-rich Antarctic summer conditions to give you the strongest possible chance of meaningful encounters.

Can I do this trip if I’m not a photographer?

Yes. Photographers will get a lot from Martin's guidance, but this trip is also for wildlife lovers and adventurous travellers who want to experience Antarctica deeply.

What fitness level is required?

Guests should be comfortable stepping in and out of Zodiacs, walking on uneven or snowy grounds and spending time outside in cold, wet and windy conditions.

Why travel in early December?

Early December marks the beginning of the Antarctic summer, when the landscape still feels raw and newly opened. Penguin colonies are active, seals move through the ice, and whales are beginning to return to feeding grounds. Conditions are still everything, but this timing gives the expedition that powerful early-season Antarctic feeling.

Can I speak to someone about this trip or get help with flights?

Yes. Our team can help with flight options and travel routing. Call, text or WhatsApp us at +61 402 552 918. You'll speak directly with an Airguides team member who knows this trip inside out. We're here for any questions, big or small, from planning your adventure to arriving back home.

Reviews

What They Say About Us?

Airguides were exceptional hosts for our Raja Ampat liveaboard dive trip. Seamless, professional and incredibly well organised from start to finish. A special mention to Brooke and Prashanti Pyke for their warmth, expertise and attention to detail. They truly made the experience unforgettable.

Highly recommend Airguides.

Adam McKnight, Raja 2025

A truly unique experience that you will cherish for the rest of your life.

This experience is not for the faint of heart or someone who is looking for Instagram moments for clout. You are being given a unique opportunity to go to a place that will only be accessible to a handful of mere mortals.

To be in the presence of a unique visionary like Martin Gregus is truly a once in a lifetime.

Anne Prather, Fireweeds 2025

The Airguides trip to Tonga to swim with humpback whales was the experience of a lifetime. I have traveled all over the world, and nothing compares to being in the wild, rustic, deep blue waters of the South Pacific while interacting with whales and their calves. A wonderful and caring team made our adventures stress free.

Mb Myers, Tonga 2024