South Georgia & Antarctic Odyssey

Your journey begins in Ushuaia, the world’s southernmost city. Arrive independently and transfer to the hotel for your included overnight stay. Enjoy time seeing the sights and sounds of this city which is renowned for its enchanting scenery, before enjoying a good night’s sleep in preparation for the adventures ahead.

After a leisurely breakfast at your hotel, you can join your included half-day tour of Ushuaia and its surrounds. This beautiful city is the capital of the Tierra del Fuego province and its unique landscape of mountains, sea, glaciers and forest is simply a delight to explore. This fantastic tour will take you to some of Ushuaia’s most impressive areas including The Mission, Solier and Brown neighbourhoods where you can see the ancient houses belonging to the first families in Tierra del Fuego, and the nearby Martial Glacier where you can enjoy a chair lift ride to some excellent hiking trails that reward in superb views over Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel. There will also be time to visit the End of the World Museum where you can get an insight into the history of Tierra del Fuego, before heading to the port in the mid-afternoon to board the Greg Mortimer. Settle into your comfortable cabin and get to know your home for the next 19 nights as the ship sets sail through the scenic Beagle Channel and we begin our epic adventure of a lifetime. A luggage transfer from the hotel is included today.

As your ship sails south through the famous Drake Passage keep an eye out in one of the many observation areas for the whales and seabirds, including albatross, which follow the ship, and the first of many iceberg sightings. Enjoy informative lectures on the wildlife, history and geology of the areas you are about to discover and attend bio security briefings for your time in Antarctica. As we approach the Shetland Islands on day 4, the excitement will build as we prepare the first of many landings in Antarctica. Possible landing sites here may include the Aitcho, Robert or Deception Islands.

As you awake on day 5 the sight that awaits this morning is the stunning Antarctic Peninsula. A land of superlatives, Antarctica’s vast proportions are a sight to behold. Enjoy twice daily Zodiac excursions to explore penguin rookeries, visit historic sites and scientific stations, and get up close to the masses of elaborate icebergs. Watch seals basking on the ice floes, join an excursion in search of orca sightings, and enjoy the exhilaration of stepping foot on the white continent. As with all polar expeditions, your exact itinerary in Antarctica will be dictated by weather and wildlife sighting opportunities so be prepared for the unexpected. Making the most of every moment, your captain will choose the best course each day for wildlife viewings and adventures, with a new experience guaranteed each day.

Some of the fantastic landing sites we expect to visit throughout your time in Antarctica include the beautiful protected bay of Paradise Harbour where you can enjoy an exciting Zodiac cruise in search of whales including humpbacks, minkes and orcas, seals and various bird species including terns, gulls and blue-eyed shags. If ice conditions allow, your ship will sail through the exceptionally scenic Lemaire Channel, where time in the observation lounge or on deck will reward in incredible views of the surrounding towering cliffs and majestic icebergs reflecting off the silky still water surfaces.

Other areas along the Peninsula we hope to visit include the Hydrurga Rocks where you can search for observations of Weddell seals, leopard seals and chinstrap penguins, Neko Harbour where dramatic scenery of towering peaks and calving glaciers plays host to a large colony of gentoo penguins and more Weddell seals, and the important scientific research spot of Port Lockroy where we can learn all about Antarctica’s history and where you can send a postcard from the world’s most southern Post Office! Other possible landing sites include the Petermann and Pleneau Islands, Cuverville Island, Danco Island and the Melchior Islands.

If time allows we may return to the South Shetland Islands to visit the wildlife-rich Half Moon Island where beautiful glaciers and mountains coloured by yellow and orange lichens are home to a large chinstrap penguin colony, fur and elephant seals and various birds including gulls and blue-eyed shags. We may also visit the small Argentinean research station here.

Throughout your time in Antarctica we will have approximately 18-20 hours of daylight in which to enjoy exploration on land and by sea, with your expert expedition team and resident photography coach accompanying you throughout. For the more adventurous there will be ample opportunities for kayaking and snorkelling excursions. Please note, kayaking and snorkelling incur an additional cost and should be booked in advance.

Throughout your journey you will learn all about Sir Ernest Shackleton’s historical explorations, and today you will have the chance to learn even more as we visit Elephant Island, where Shackleton’s men wintered beneath their upturned boats. Weather permitting you can board the Zodiacs and head towards Point Wild to go ashore to pay tribute to these hardy souls. We’ll learn the story of Shackleton and hear how his ship, the Endurance, was crushed in pack ice in the Weddell Sea, before him and his men climbed into three open boats, spending 16 months at sea, before finally making landfall on this tiny toe of rock and ice in the vastness of the Southern Ocean on 14 April, 1916.

Heading closer to South Georgia your ship will follow in Shackleton’s wake across the Scotia Sea. Make sure to spend time on deck or in one of the many observation areas to watch for whales and icebergs riding up from the Weddell Sea. Take the time to reflect on the exciting experiences you will have had in Antarctica and join interesting lectures and discussions on South Georgia’s wildlife and history. There will also be bio-security briefings to prepare you for your time on South Georgia.

Welcome to the wildlife paradise of South Georgia, a mostly uninhabited land filled with historic associations, spectacular scenery and the world’s largest king penguin rookeries. Lying wholly within the Antarctic Convergence, South Georgia is a life-sustaining haven to some of the world’s largest congregations of wildlife, and your time here will allow for an in-depth exploration of the island, with your captain choosing each day the best spots to visit for the ultimate wildlife and scenic experiences. You will explore the stunning northern coast as well as the Stromness and Grytviken harbours, where 3000-metre peaks form dramatic backdrops to the remains of whaling stations. You can enjoy Zodiac excursions each day, and for the kayakers there are plentiful areas along the beautiful coastline to explore and get up close to the playful seals that frequent the waters. Enjoy walks along the beaches where an abundance of basking elephant seals, feisty fur seals and busy penguins jostle for the perfect spot, and take the time to soak up the sights and sounds of this simply remarkable island.

Synonymous with the epic expedition of survival by Shackleton, Worsley, and Crean, if conditions permit we will attempt to follow in their footsteps and complete the final leg of their journey on a walk from Fortuna Bay to Stromness. Our expert historians will share tales along the way of these hardy explorers’ feats and fates. We will also be able to pay our respects at Shackleton’s final resting place in Grytviken.

As well as gaining some in-depth knowledge of Shackleton’s feats, our main focus here will be on the indescribable numbers of wildlife that is found here. In St Andrews Bay you can enjoy a walk along the long black sandy beach to visit the largest King penguin colony on the island as well as hundreds of elephant seals. The sight and sound of over 200,000 pairs of King penguins at different stages of their breeding cycle jostling with the seals for prime spots along the beach, all set amongst the most incredible backdrop of spectacular snow-capped mountains, is something you won’t forget in a hurry. In Godthul you can enjoy a gentle walk along the tussock to a spectacular plateau offering magnificent views across the island, and seek out the large Macaroni penguin colony on the way back down, whilst in Salisbury Plains you will be greeted by 100,000 more pairs of king penguins as well as fur and elephant seals.

Aside from the penguins, there will be ample opportunities for enjoyable Zodiac cruises and walks, including in Fortuna Bay and across the landscapes of Grytviken where you can see the reminders of the historic whaling days. Another highlight will be the Bay of Isles where you can observe, from a safe distance, the magnificent wandering albatrosses proudly protecting their chicks. Other areas we may visit include Cooper Bay, Drygalski Fjord and Elsehul Bay.

As we leave South Georgia behind your ship will sail towards the Falkland Islands through the Scotia Sea. As you pass the Shag Rocks keep an eye out on deck for the seabirds that follow the ship. Enjoy further presentations from your onboard experts on the history, wildlife and geology of the areas, and take the time to revel in the memories you will have made. There will also be bio-environmental briefings for your time in the Falklands.

As your journey nears its end there’s time for one more adventure as we enjoy a brief visit to the wildlife hotspot of the Falkland Islands. During our day and a half here we will hope to land at the aptly named Sealion Island to visit the nature reserve and discover how the island’s raw beauty and solitude make it a haven for both wildlife and visitors alike. Whilst here you can hope to enjoy observations of bountiful elephant seals and sea lions as well as an abundance of birds including Magellanic, Rockhopper, Macaroni, King and Gentoo penguins, Striated and Crested Caracaras, southern giant petrels, thrushes and finches. There are also good chances of seeing Peale’s dolphins and maybe even pods of orcas. You can also enjoy a visit to historic Stanley, the uniquely charming capital of the archipelago, where you can enjoy a short walk around to get an insight into the way of life in this remote town, before we get back on board to sail towards Puerto Williams.

As your adventure sadly comes to an end, we will spend a final day at sea sailing towards the Chilean town of Puerto Williams. Upon arrival in Puerto Williams you will bid a fond farewell to your expedition crew and disembark for your included flight to Punta Arenas. On arrival in Punta Arenas you can enjoy an included hotel stay, and after breakfast the following morning it will be time to make your way to the airport again for your onward or homeward flights.