Antarctica, South Georgia and Falklands

Your epic Antarctica, Falklands and South Georgia adventure will begin in Punta Arenas in southern Chile. After having arrived independently you will make your way to the central meeting point for your transfer to the port to board your expedition vessel in the afternoon. After settling into your comfortable cabin and familiarising yourself with your new surroundings, you can enjoy a welcome cocktail and dinner as we set sail for the adventure of a lifetime. We recommend spending some time on deck as we sail through the exceptionally scenic Strait of Magellan and watch the mainland fade far into the distance behind us.

Over the course of the next two days we will enjoy an exciting sail through the legendary Drake Passage towards Antarctica. We recommend spending some time on deck looking out for the abundant seabirds that are likely to be following the ship along with possibly whales in the waters below. This will be a great time to brush up on your wildlife photography skills, with your resident photography expert on hand to provide you with hints and tips for perfecting your technique.

You can also enjoy the commencement of your lecture and presentation programme delivered by onboard experts covering everything from Antarctic wildlife and geology to historical polar explorations. As we near closer to the Antarctic Peninsula, the majesty of Antarctica’s landscapes will slowly come into sight and the anticipation will build as we prepare for our first of many landings.

This morning we will awake in the awe-inspiring region of Antarctica and the pure majesty and remarkable remoteness will suddenly become apparent. You have arrived in the heart of one of the most spectacular places on earth!

As with all polar expeditions, our course throughout your time in Antarctica will be flexible and dependent on ice and weather conditions, but your experienced captain and crew will be sure to make the most of every opportunity available to ensure you get to see all that this incredible area has to offer. Exploring by Zodiac boat and on foot, each day will bring a new adventure and we will be on a constant lookout for the wildlife that abounds here including various species of penguins, seals, whales and seabirds.

The plan is to navigate through the McFarlane Strait to visit a number of fascinating landing sites in the often mist-shrouded South Shetland Islands group, including Yankee Harbour where good numbers of Weddell seals are often found, or Half Moon Island, an Important Bird Area which is home to numerous birds including chinstrap penguins, Antarctic terns, imperial shags and much more. We will then cross the Bransfield Strait and after much anticipation, we will finally reach the awe-inspiring Antarctic Peninsula to enjoy further days of exploration by land and sea. Around the vicinity of Mikkelson Harbour and Cierva Cove we’ll explore by Zodiac through exceptionally scenic bays and harbours, searching for the wildlife that abounds including chinstrap, gentoo and Adelie penguins, seals including leopard seals, and birds such as skuas, cormorants and gulls. There will also be excellent opportunities for optional sea kayaking excursions here. Sea kayaking should be booked in advance and occurs an additional cost.

Making our way along the Antarctic peninsula our days will be packed full of exciting landings and excursions, visiting historic huts, scientific stations and enjoying energetic walks and hikes across the spectacular landscape. Before making our way into the Weddell Sea area we will plan to return to the South Shetland Islands to reach the flooded volcanic caldera of Deception Island. This historically rich area is a delight to explore and weather dependent we hope to enjoy a walk around to see the old whaling station and aircraft hangar. For a more energetic walk there is an excellent hike which will bring you high up onto the rim of the crater. We also hope to visit the Aitcho Islands for more great hiking opportunities and excellent observations of gentoo and chinstrap penguins.

Throughout your time in Antarctica, Zodiac cruises, shore walks and entertaining presentations will fill your days and your cameras!

Having navigated into the Antarctic Sound, this morning we will awake to the awe-inspiring sight of the Antarctic icecap, and as we sail deeper into the Weddell Sea the incredible sight of icebergs increasing both in number and size will not fail to impress. This will bring exciting ice navigation and your captain will determine some fantastic landing sites that will surely confirm to you Antarctica’s greatness. The sheer numbers of wildlife, penguins in particular, is also sure to impress, with rookeries vastly outnumbering those that you will have seen so far on your voyage.

As we explore, our expert onboard historians will introduce us to the stories of historical polar explorations including Nordenskjöld’s Swedish expedition of 1901-1904, with remnants of the exploration dotted throughout several locations here. As we sail back out of the Weddell Sea towards Elephant Island our learning will continue as we hear stories of Sir Ernest Shackleton and prepare to visit the island where his tale comes to life.

Whilst onboard your lecture and presentation programme delivered by onboard experts covering everything from Antarctic wildlife and geology to historical polar explorations will have been keeping you entertained. You will now have the chance to get even closer to one particular historical expedition as the dark cliffs of Elephant Island gradually begin to appear on the horizon and excitement builds once again as we attempt to land. This exceptionally historically important area is where Shackleton and his men overwintered having lost the HMS Endurance in thick sea ice back in 1915, and the point from which Shackleton set off on his famous rescue mission to South Georgia. If weather conditions allow, we will hope to land at Point Wild to learn all about the horrendous conditions that Shackleton and his men faced. We will also be on the lookout for the impressive chinstrap penguin colony that resides here and the southern elephant seals and fur seals that are often seen hauled out on the rocky beaches. This will be an exciting day for the history enthusiasts amongst us and a great way to bid farewell to Antarctica.

Over the course of the next two to three days we will enjoy a relaxing sail towards South Georgia. Some further time on deck should reward with excellent bird watching opportunities and your presentation and lecture programme will continue. One particular theme close to the hearts of your expedition crew is Polar conservation, and you will be introduced to the ongoing efforts in wildlife conservation in the South Georgia region.

There will also be bio-environmental briefings for your time on the island, including important information on behaviour around the abundant wildlife.

Today you will arrive in the wilderness wildlife paradise of South Georgia, one of the most wildlife-rich and scenically beautiful places in the world. You will now enjoy three days of in-depth exploration of this remarkable place, taking Zodiac cruises, shore walks and hikes and getting up-close to the abundant wildlife that helps to make this island so special. Known as the ‘Serengeti of the Southern Ocean’, it won’t take long to discover why as we launch the Zodiacs and make land at Elsehul Bay to see the large numbers of fur seals and the huge elephant seals that almost completely cover the dark sandy beaches. The major draw here is undoubtedly the staggering numbers of penguins that live and roam here, and we will visit the sites of some of the biggest colonies on the island including Gold Harbour, Salisbury Plain and St Andrews Bay to see rookeries numbering over 100,000 penguins in each. We will also hope to see good numbers of nesting albatross as we explore around.

As well as the enchanting and bountiful wildlife, South Georgia is an important destination for history enthusiasts, being the ending point of the epic survival and rescue mission of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his men back in the 1910’s. Your accompanying expert historians will offer you an insight into this fateful journey and you will have the opportunity to visit Grytviken to pay your respects at the final resting place of this legendary explorer. In Grytviken you will also be able to visit the excellent museum, the beautifully restored church and the site of whaling stations which offer a fascinating glimpse into South Georgia’s past. As we enjoy a full exploration of the island, other sites we are likely to visit include Stromness, Leith, and Husvik, keeping a keen eye out for wildlife as we go.

Kayaking excursions may be offered here and are a fantastic way to get a different perspective on the island and its beauty. Kayaking occurs an additional charge and owing to its popularity should be booked in advance.

Leaving the wonders of South Georgia behind, we will now make our way to the equally beautiful Falkland Islands for the final segment of our voyage. By now your cameras will surely be bursting with wildlife and scenery photos, and your onboard photography expert will be happy to help you with tips on editing your images and making the most of them.

Your lecture programme will continue, along with bio-environmental briefings for your time in the Falklands. This is also an excellent time to simply relax in the comfort of your ship after what will have been an action-packed couple of weeks.

Having arrived off the eastern coast of the Falkland Islands overnight, this morning we will hop into the Zodiacs to visit the wildlife-rich Sea Lion Island and enjoy an exploration of this barren and windswept island. Here we can search for observations of the incredible diversity of wildlife and birdlife found here including rockhopper, magellanic and gentoo penguins, King cormorants, striated caracaras, South American sea lions and southern elephant seals. In the evening we will get back on board to sail to Stanley, the capital of the Falklands, and you will be invited to join the captain for a special farewell dinner to commemorate our epic expedition.

Sailing through ‘the Narrows’ and into the port of Stanley, it will sadly be time to disembark and bid farewell to your crew as your expedition comes to a conclusion. There will be some time to explore this charming town with its brightly coloured houses and quaint pubs before making your way to the airport for your flight back to mainland South America. Upon arrival in Santiago, the capital of Chile, a transfer will be provided to a downtown location should you wish to extend your stay here.

Please note, the flight from Stanley to Santiago is not included in the price of your expedition and costs US$ 495.