Antarctica & South Georgia Fly/Cruise

Your Antarctica itinerary begins in the Chilean city of Punta Arenas where, after having arrived independently, a representative will greet you at the airport for your transfer to your hotel for your included overnight stay. An afternoon briefing will take place at the hotel which will offer an insight into what to expect on your expedition, guidelines for visitors to Antarctica and Zodiac boat procedures. In the evening you can enjoy a typical Magellan welcome dinner with your fellow expeditioners before enjoying a good night’s sleep in preparation for the adventures that lie ahead. Many guests choose to arrive in Punta Arenas, the gateway to Patagonia, a day before their tour starts in order to enjoy some of the nearby countryside and national park. If this is something that may be of interest to you please feel free to ask for details and special offers that may be available for extending your stay.

This morning your adventure truly begins, and after breakfast you will transfer to the airport for your flight to King George Island in the South Shetland Islands. This scenic 2 hour flight will see you fly across Cape Horn and the famous Drake Passage, and will have you touched down in the heart of Antarctica in next to no time. Upon arrival you will be greeted with the awe-inspiring feeling of the clear Antarctica air filling your lungs and the sense that you have truly arrived in the greatest and most remarkable wilderness on the planet. After an exploration around the area where the Frei Chilean Base and the Bellingshausen Russian Base are located we will make our way to Fildes Bay to hop into Zodiac boats which will take you to your expedition ship for embarkation. As you settle in to your comfortable cabin and explore your new surroundings your ship will begin its sail towards the Antarctic Peninsula. We recommend some time on deck or in the observation lounge for your first spot of iceberg photography and perhaps some whale and Antarctic bird spotting.

As our exploration of Antarctica begins in earnest we will sail along the ice-filled fjords between the South Shetland Islands and the eastern coast of the Peninsula to discover a world of spectacular icebergs, penguins, whales and seabirds. As with any expedition to Antarctica, flexibility is the key, and your captain and experienced crew will take advantage of the ever-changing opportunities provided by nature to chart the best course for unrivalled wildlife and scenic opportunities. Every Antarctica expedition is different but there are a number of particular iconic areas in the South Shetland Islands & Antarctic Sound that you can expect to visit over the course of your 3 days here. These locations will give you the best possible overview of the varied Antarctic environment and every day will bring a new adventure. We will explore each day by Zodiac and on foot to experience all that this remarkable area has to offer.

Throughout your voyage an engaging program of lectures and presentations will be offered on board, covering everything from the history of polar exploration to the wildlife and geological features that you will experience on your trip.

After our thrilling exploration of the Antarctic Peninsula, today we will be sailing north of the Peninsula towards Elephant Island where we hope to make a stop to discover more about Sir Ernest Shackleton’s famous Endurance expedition. It was here where Shackleton’s crew sought refuge while he and five crew members used a small open lifeboat to cross the 1,300 km of wild seas to South Georgia to arrange their rescue. Due to the stormy conditions that often surround Elephant Island, a shore visit may not be possible, but we will be able to see the island from our ship and learn all about Shackleton’s exceptionally brave feats.

Over the course of the next 2 days we will be sailing northwards towards the wildlife paradise of South Georgia. As we sail your informative lecture and presentation programme will keep you entertained, whilst some time on deck with your cameras should reward in excellent sightings of seabirds and maybe various whale species.

Welcome to the wildlife wonderland wilderness of South Georgia, where a spectacular diverse landscape of massive glaciers, majestic mountains, deep fjords and grassy uplands play host to millions of penguins, birds and marine animals. Over the course of the next 4 days we will explore this remarkable area on foot and by Zodiac to get up close to the action and experience all that this wonderful island has to offer. Places we expect to visit include St Andrew’s Bay where we will be greeted by the overwhelming sight of over 150,000 king penguins, and Cooper Island where we will find thousands of black-browed albatrosses and a large colony of macaroni penguins. Continuing our Shackleton theme, we will also visit the former whaling outpost of Grytviken to pay our respects at Shackleton’s grave and learn more about his remarkable feats. Other places we hope to visit include Elsehul Bay, Sailsibury Plains, Prion Island and Fortuna Bay, where the photo opportunities and wildlife encounters will be boundless.

As our exploration of South Georgia and Antarctica comes to an end it will be time to head back towards South America as we set sail for Ushuaia in southern Argentina. These 4 days will be the perfect time to relax and let the unforgettable experiences you will have had sink in. Spend some time on deck looking out for the wandering albatrosses that are often spotted on this crossing, attend the last of your fantastic lecture series, or simply relax in the lounge with a drink and a book from the library and enjoy your last days on board. As we sail into the scenic Beagle Channel we recommend spending some time on deck to see the beautiful Tierra del Fuego to the north and Navarino Island to the south.

Arrival into the port of Ushuaia, Argentina sadly signals the end of our journey and after breakfast it will be time to disembark and bid a fond farewell to your expedition team and new-found friends.