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Kayaking Amongst Icebergs & Chinstrap Colonies

Paddle a sea kayak at water level through cathedral-blue icebergs while chinstrap penguins porpoise alongside your hull — the most viscerally intimate way to experience Elephant Island's wild coastline.

What to expect

Launching from the expedition vessel in a double sea kayak, you glide between grounded bergs that tower overhead in impossible shades of turquoise and white. Chinstrap penguins treat your kayak as just another floating object, surfacing inches away. Your guide navigates you along the cliff-lined coast, pausing to observe leopard seals hauled out on ice floes. The scale of the Antarctic wilderness is nowhere more tangible than from the cockpit of a kayak.

Book it with
Adventure Life (Antarctica Expeditions)
USD 950–1,200 per person (kayaking add-on to expedition cruise)
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Good to know

Pre-registration on the vessel is required — spots fill immediately at embarkation. No prior kayaking experience is necessary but a basic fitness level is expected. Full dry-suit and all safety gear is provided. Sessions run approximately 2.5 hours; participants must weigh under 110 kg. Check weather window with your expedition guide the night before.

Sail there

Luxury cruises that call at Elephant Island — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.

Celebrity · Celebrity Equinox
14 nights · calls at Elephant Island
from $3,091
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Norwegian · Norwegian Star
15 nights · calls at Elephant Island
from $2,228
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See all cruises to Elephant Island →
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