Antarctica, South Georgia and Falklands

Your epic Antarctica, Falklands and South Georgia adventure will begin in Ushuaia in southern Argentina. 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 Beagle Channel and watch civilisation 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 to the awe-inspiring sight of the Antarctic Peninsula and the pure majesty and remarkable remoteness of Antarctica 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. As we make our way through the waterways of the Peninsula we will sail through the exceptionally scenic Gerlache Strait where some time on deck should reward with numerous whale sightings, including the possibility of catching a glimpse of the resident orca group.

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. There are various enchanting landing sites that we hope to visit including Paradise Harbour where we hope to be able to enjoy our first landing on the continent itself, and the feeling of knowing that you are standing in one of the world’s most remote places is certainly one you won’t forget in a hurry. Here you can enjoy a hike up a snow-covered hill to one of the most spectacular vantage points on the Peninsula and a Zodiac cruise into nearby Skontorp Cove. There will also be excellent opportunities for optional sea kayaking excursions here. Sea kayaking should be booked in advance and occurs an additional cost.

We also hope to visit Cuverville Island, an important research site where one of the largest gentoo penguin colonies can be found. Moving further along the Peninsula we will reach the snow-covered dome-shaped Danco Islands for a hike to the summit which will reward in epic views across the Peninsula. We then plan to enjoy a thrilling Zodiac cruise through the narrow channels surrounding rarely-visited Spert Island to discover its unique geology and abundant birdlife, before visiting Mikkelson Harbour to enjoy some exciting shore excursions and see more large colonies of nesting gentoo penguins. We will also hope for sightings of the distinctive chinstrap penguins and various seabirds including Imperial cormorants, kelp gulls, skuas and Antarctic petrels.

As we make our way towards the South Shetland Islands make sure to spend some time on deck as this is an important whale migration corridor and sightings of humpbacks are very likely, as well as good chances of catching a glimpse of the resident orca pod.

Having enjoyed some excellent exploration of the Antarctic Peninsula, there is time for one last day of adventure as we visit the remote South Shetland Islands and sail into 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.

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

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 Sir Ernest 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, traversing the same course that Shackleton and his men did so many years ago. 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.