South Georgia in Depth Photography Symposium

Your adventure will begin in Punta Arenas, a beautiful city in southern Chile. After arriving independently, you will meet your team at a central location point to transfer to the airport to join your special charter flight to Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands. Upon arrival in Stanley there will be time to explore at your own pace around this quaint town with its distinctly British feel. After a walk around the area we will make our way back 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 wonders of South Georgia.

Please note: it is possible to arrive in the Falklands early to spend time experiencing the superb wildlife and/or battlefield sites. Please ask for details.

Over the course of the next two days we will enjoy a relaxing sail towards South Georgia. We recommend spending some time on deck looking out for the various 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 Sub-Antarctic wildlife and geology to historical polar explorations including those of Sir Ernest Shackelton. There will also be bio-environmental briefings for your time on South Georgia, 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 seven full 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. As well as being remarkably wildlife-rich, South Georgia is also an exceptionally historically-rich area and we will get our first taste of this as we make land for the first time to visit historic King Haakon Bay. Surrounded by majestic snow-capped mountains, this is the spot where Sir Ernest Shackleton and his men made landfall in their small lifeboat after completing the perilous ocean crossing from Elephant Island over a century ago. This often windswept area is rarely visited owing to its somewhat formidable weather conditions, but this voyage has been timed to allow us to visit and learn more about Shackleton and his fate.

Moving along to the more protected areas of the northeast coast we will enjoy thrilling Zodiac cruises and land visits, in and out of scenic bays, searching for the abundant wildlife everywhere we go. Known as the ‘Serengeti of the Southern Ocean’, it won’t take long to discover why as we launch the Zodiacs to visit Elsehul Bay and the indescribable Salisbury Plain, whose tussock covered dunes and black sand beaches are home to staggering numbers (at least 100,000) of king penguins. Just one of several rookeries on the island, each as impressive as the other, South Georgia is thought to have more wildlife per square foot than any other place on the planet. Yet it’s not only penguins that reside here. Fur seals and enormous elephant seals lazing on the beaches will be seen in huge numbers, and the numbers of birds including giant petrels, skuas and the formidable albatross are thought to be in the tens of millions.

Moving further along the east coast our next visit will take us to the majestic three-mile long fjord of Fortuna Bay where we will enjoy some excellent exploration. As well as the bountiful wildlife and splendid landscapes, 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. Back in 1916, Shackleton and his companions Worsley and Crean made a heroic hike across the island from King Haakon Bay to Stromness, and if conditions allow we will attempt to hike in their footsteps for the last few miles across the saddle between Fortuna Bay and Stromness. Your accompanying expert historians will offer you an insight into these hardy men’s 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 sites of abandoned whaling stations which offer a fascinating glimpse into South Georgia’s past.

More unforgettable wildlife encounters await as we visit the scenic areas of Gold Harbour and St Andrew’s Bay where we can explore on foot to get up-close to abundant fur seals and elephant seals and more massive colonies of king penguins. Photography enthusiasts will be in their element here as the incredibly picturesque Drygalski Fjord provides the ultimate backdrop for the teeming wildlife populations surrounding it. So-called for its cliffs which appear yellow in the morning and evening, Gold Harbour will be another spot for fantastic photo opportunities and your accompanying photography experts will be happy to share hints and tips for capturing the perfect images.

Having reached our most southern point on the island we will now return north back up the east coast to visit some more enchanting landing sites and continue our in-depth exploration. Our next stop is likely to be the old whaling depot at Godthul where we can enjoy a fantastic hike up to a picturesque lake before making our way Prion Island. This rarely-visited location is thought to be a jewel in the South Georgia crown and has been designated as a ‘Special Protected Area’ owing to the outstanding numbers of breeding wandering albatross colonies here. Due to the high concentration of fur seals on the beaches here the island is closed to visitors between late November and early January, but this tour has been timed perfectly to allow us to take a walk across the boardwalks to the observation platforms to view these majestic birds in close proximity. With the largest wingspan of any living bird, the albatross’ wingspan can measure up to 11foot wide, witnessing these remarkable animals take flight will be a simply unforgettable sight.

On the evening of day 10 we will sadly bid farewell to South Georgia and begin our sail back towards the Falkland Islands.

Leaving the wonders of unforgettable South Georgia behind, we will now make our way back 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 10 days.

As our expedition comes to an end there is time for one final adventure. 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 back to Stanley, and you will be invited to join the captain for a special farewell dinner to commemorate our very special expedition.

Arrival back into the port of Stanley, the capital of The Falklands, will signal the end of our voyage and after disembarkation it will be time to bid farewell to the crew and transfer to the airport for your included flight back to Punta Arenas. Upon arrival in Punta Arenas a transfer will be provided to a downtown location should you wish to extend your stay in South America. Various extension tours are available, and we would be delighted to help you decide should this be of interest to you.