A typical expedition day in Antarctica on the Greg Mortimer includes a zodiac cruise and a landing, where conditions allow. A zodiac is a small motorised boat that carries up to 15 people, which will be driven by one of the expedition crew. In what order you do the cruises and landings will depend on the weather and your group number - you may do a zodiac cruise in the morning and a landing in the afternoon; sometimes it will be the other way around. You may choose to kayak or snorkel (at additional cost) instead of doing the zodiac cruises - you'll have your own dedicated guide to brief you on the activities and let you know where and when you're going.

You'll get regular briefings in the ship lecture theatre to talk you through the plans for the expedition, but be aware that things can change at last minute depending on the weather - but you can be sure your expedition crew will always have a plan B (or C if needed!). On board you'll find the daily plan on your cabin TV, your phone or at reception so you'll be able to keep an eye out for any changes.

You'll be called down to the mudroom, a clean and tidy area where you'll store your mud boots, lifejacket and coat, plus anything else you want to keep down there like waterproof overtrousers, hats and gloves. This keeps the kit out of your cabins - helpful when things get a bit smelly after you've visited the penguins!

Put on your waterproof overtrousers and change your shoes for the supplied mud boots. Add your outer 2-in-1 coat (an insulated inner and waterproof outer coat which you'll be supplied with when you first board), your hat and your lifejacket and head to the doors to get your ID card scanned as you leave the ship.

The Greg Mortimer has four loading platforms, doors at the side of the ship, where you can quickly and easily step out on to the zodiac. A member of the expedition crew will take you out on the waves to explore the area, rewarding you with close-up views of the icebergs and hopefully plenty of wildlife too. Keep an eye on the waters surface for whales, seals or penguins popping up! You may also get the chance to help your expert crew with some citizen science projects, like testing the water clarity or testing for micro plastics.

There's a real thrill to stepping on to Antarctic mainland and feeling the anticipation of what you're about to see in this unique landscape. As before, you'll load into the zodiacs, but this time the crew will head to the beach for a landing. Your expert expedition crew will have found a suitable visitor landing site that has been approved by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), and you will be following the IAATO guidelines on land. Once you get to the beach one of your expedition crew will brief you on the site, where you can go and where you can't, what there is to see, where to finish and what time the last zodiac will be.

Then it's time to get exploring! The landing sites all have so many highlights to see. Sometimes it may be a walk up to a stunning viewpoint, or it may be a historic hut to discover. Often, you'll get to walk right up to explore a penguin colony, one of the most exciting thrills to be experienced on land. Keeping within respectful distances and following the guidelines, you'll get to witness these beautiful creatures up close, hear their noisy squawks and learn their personalities. Depending on the time of year, keep an eye out for eggs, chicks or molting penguins. Position yourself alongside the penguin 'highways', the most well-used paths created by the penguins, to see them running up and down, and sometimes sliding down on their bellies. And keep an eye out for other wildlife like skua and terns flying around, and fur seals lazing around.