The Falklands & South Georgia

Having arrived independently to Port Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands, you will join your transfer to the port to board the brand-new Magellan Explorer. Settle into your comfortable cabin, familiarise yourself with the ship and get ready for your once in a lifetime adventure.

Please note: Transfer packages including flights from Punta Arenas to Stanley are available. Please enquire for full details.

On your first full morning you will awake on the western side of the Falklands having sailed across top of the archipelago overnight, and it will time to get ready for your first of many shore excursions as you take an enjoyable walk along the remote white sandy beach of Saunders Island. Here we hope to have our first encounters with rockhopper and gentoo penguins along with nesting black browed albatross before moving on to Carcass Island. On Carcass there will be options available for a hike to the settlement to enjoy a typical Falklands tea experience and ample birdwatching opportunities.

The following day you will enjoy a classic West Falklands experience as you visit New Island in the morning to discover its impressive albatross and penguin colonies, followed by a trip to Weddell Island in the afternoon.

Our last day in the Falklands will see us enjoy a morning landing on the natural reserve and famous bird area of Bleaker Island where we can enjoy some fantastic birdwatching experiences before setting sail into the open seas towards South Georgia.

As we sail towards South Georgia you can spend some time relaxing in the comfort and style of your brand-new expedition vessel, including the two observation areas and spacious deck that will allow you a front row seat for spotting the magnificent seabirds including petrels and albatrosses that may be following the ship along with numerous species of whales. Your informative and entertaining lecture and presentation programme will also continue, covering everything from historical sea explorations to the wildlife and geology of the fascinating areas visited on your trip.

Depending on sea conditions over the previous days, we plan to arrive in South Georgia on the afternoon of day 7. Provided we receive approval from the South Georgia Government, we plan to do an evening Zodiac cruise at Elsehul Bay to celebrate our arrival in this wildlife paradise.

On day 8 we will make our first landing on South Georgia as we arrive at Grytviken to learn all about the legendary explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton and to pay our respects at his final resting place. We will also visit the museum as well as some other important historical sites. In the afternoon our focus will turn to wildlife as we arrive at Fortuna Bay to witness the memorable spectacle of uncountable king penguins bustling along the shore. From here you will also have the opportunity to hike the “Shackleton Walk” from Fortuna Bay to Stromness which retraces the last part of his epic journey.

On the morning of day 9 we plan to land at the spectacular location of Gold Harbour where a blanket of penguins, huge elephant seals and sooty albatross amongst the backdrop of hanging glaciers creates the most unforgettable scene. We will spend some time exploring the area and photographing the wildlife before moving on to Cooper Bay to enjoy a Zodiac cruise in search of sightings of macaroni penguins.

The following day St Andrews Bay is the destination of our morning excursion. Here we see the largest king penguin colony on the island as well as huge numbers of elephant seal bulls. In the afternoon we plan a Zodiac cruise and landing at Ocean Harbour to see a shipwreck and some remains of the whaling industry.

On the morning of our last day in South Georgia we plan to visit Prion Island to see the nesting wandering albatross before heading to the famous Salisbury Plain for even more king penguins and stunning landscapes that will offer the perfect farewell to this incredible area.

As we make our way back to the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) on days 12 to 14 our program of lectures and presentations continues. Upon arrival back in Stanley on day 15 a transfer will be provided to the airport for your return flights.