South Atlantic Islands to Cape Town

Your adventure will start in Buenos Aires where after having arrived independently you will meet your representatives at the airport and join your included flight to Ushuaia in southern Argentina. The flight will take approximately 3.5 hours and upon arrival in Ushuaia you can choose to either spend some time at leisure, join your fellow passengers for lunch at the lovely Arakur Hotel, or join an additional excursion to the Tierra del Fuego National Park. (Please note, Tierra Del Fuego excursion incurs an additional charge and should be booked when you book your cruise).

In the afternoon you will be transferred to the port to begin embarkation. As you settle in to your luxury ship, we will set sail through the scenic Beagle Channel where some time on deck should reward in multiple seabird sightings.

Today will be spent at sea sailing towards the Falkland Islands. Days at sea can be spent relaxing in your comfortable surroundings, availing of the luxury onboard facilities, and enjoying some time on deck searching for whale and seabird sightings including albatrosses and cape petrels.

Your informative and entertaining lecture programme will begin, covering everything from the wildlife and geology of the areas we’ll visit to historical polar explorations, and there will be bio-environmental briefings regarding the rules that must be adhered to during your visit to the wildlife-rich Falklands.

Having arrived along the western coast of the Falklands overnight, this morning the excitement will build as we prepare for the first of many landings of our trip. Our first stop in this scenic and wildlife-rich archipelago will be the distinctive jagged landmass of New Island, where we will make land to enjoy a walk across the golden sand of the flower-lined beaches to discover more of this remote natural paradise. A short walk through the typical Falkland moorlands will bring the first of many wildlife encounters of our trip as we reach a colony of southern rockhopper penguins. In this location we will also have the opportunity to observe large colonies of imperial shags and the mighty black-browed albatross as they swoop majestically from the cliffs to the waves.

After an enjoyable exploration of New Island, we will get back onboard to sail through the Woolly Gut strait to arrive at the rarely-visited Grave Cove to gain another perspective of these beautiful lands. Stepping off the boat and on to the white sandy beach you may well be greeted by the Commerson's dolphins that are often found here! More wildlife awaits as we make our way across the grassy dunes to one of the largest gentoo penguin colonies in the area that resides here alongside the famous Falkland Islands sheep. We may also have good chances of spotting sea lions here.

The following day we will visit the impressive Steeple Jason Island to see the largest black-browed albatross colony in the world as well as huge numbers of Caracaras, gentoo penguins and Magellanic penguins. We will then make our way towards The Neck which connects the two sides of the blustery natural paradise of Saunders Island. Accompanied by your naturalist guides you will go ashore to enjoy a walk along the endless shoreline lapped by turquoise waters where you will be able to spot several bird species. Making our way to the other end of The Neck a walk should reward in the delightful sight of king, southern rockhopper and Magellanic penguins as well as more black-browed albatrosses.

Sailing south towards South Georgia, your informative and entertaining lecture programme will continue, along with bio-environmental briefings for your time on the island. Take some time to relax after a busy day in the Falklands and enjoy some of the fantastic hospitality on board. Some time on deck should reward with multiple seabird sightings and possibly some whale sightings.

We will now spend three exceptionally enjoyable days sailing around the wildlife paradise of South Georgia. We hope to make land at some enchanting landing sites to discover up-close what makes this remote island so remarkable. Millions of penguins, including king penguin colonies numbering up 300,000, crowd the beaches alongside enormous elephant seals, various breeds of seals and abundant seabirds, all surrounded by the most spectacular glacier and mountain scenery you could imagine. Places we hope to visit during our time here include Fortuna Bay, Gold Harbour, Salisbury Plain and Grytviken to visit the grave of the legendary explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. Somewhere along the South Georgia coastline we will enjoy a truly special Christmas dinner onboard!

Leaving the wonders of South Georgia behind we will now spend four enjoyable days relaxing at sea as we sail towards Tristan Da Cunha. This will be the perfect time to make the most of your luxury onboard facilities including the spa and fitness centre and welcoming lounges and bars. Your entertaining lecture program will also continue and some time on deck should reward in multiple seabird sightings.

Over the next three days we will explore around Tristan Da Cunha, the world’s most remote inhabited archipelago. This small archipelago is made up of several islands scattered off the South-African coast, most of which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Our first stop is likely to be the eponymous main island which is home to the archipelago’s only village and is set amongst the backdrop of an imposing volcano. We will then visit the small active volcanic island of Nightingale Island to discover its incredible diversity of birdlife. Totally uninhabited by humans apart from a few researchers, the island is colonised by over a million birds including Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross and great shearwaters. Our last visit in this area will be to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Gough Island. Being located in the midst of the Roaring Forties winds, land visits here are quite a feat and require prior authorisation, but should we not be able to land then a Zodiac cruise will give us enough chance to take in the beauty of this wild island that is lined by steep cliffs that plunge dramatically into the ocean. Home to one of the largest colonies of seabirds in the world, the Zodiac cruise here could bring us sightings of various endemic species including the Gough moorhen and the Gough finch.

A relaxing four-day sail will take us into African shores where you can enjoy a scenic cruise around the famous Cape of Good Hope, one of the most iconic sites in the world. From the ship you can take in the impressive scene of the clear ocean waves crashing against the steep, towering cliffs, and search for the abundant marine wildlife that is found here.

Upon arrival in Cape Town you can spend a day discovering some of what this vibrant, peaceful and cosmopolitan capital city has to offer. Today’s available optional excursions include a ferry to Robben Island, a drive to the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden and Table Mountain walks. Please enquire for full details and prices of all optional excursions. In the evening you will return to the ship for your last night on board before disembarking the following morning and continuing onwards to the airport or downtown if you are extending your stay in South Africa.