South Georgia & Antarctica - Through the Lens

South Georgia & Antarctica - Through the Lens Photography Expedition - Fly/Sail

Prices From £23,105pp
February to March | 19 nights

Up To 10% Discount!

South Georgia & Antarctica - Through the Lens Photography Expedition - Fly/Sail

Aboard: Greg Mortimer

This exceptional South Georgia and Antarctica photography expedition has been designed for travellers who want to experience the polar regions through the lens. Flying from Punta Arenas to King George Island, you can maximise your time in Antarctica before sailing onwards through historic waters to the wildlife-rich island of South Georgia and finally to Ushuaia. Along the way, you will explore by small ship, Zodiac and on foot, with expert expedition and photography teams helping you make the most of the ever-changing light, weather and wildlife opportunities.

From the pastel skies and sculpted ice of the Antarctic Peninsula to the immense king penguin colonies and glaciated mountains of South Georgia, each day brings new and unforgettable photographic possibilities. Reduced passenger numbers and extra space in the Zodiacs allow photographers more freedom to work with their equipment, while workshops, lectures and expert guidance add depth to every encounter. This is a voyage of dramatic landscapes, extraordinary wildlife and powerful polar history, loosely following the trail of Shackleton and the Endurance through some of the most remote and inspiring places on Earth.

Highlights

  • Enjoy a photography-focused polar expedition with expert guidance, practical workshops and reduced passenger numbers
  • Explore the Antarctic Peninsula by Zodiac, on foot and from the ship, with each day shaped by weather, ice and wildlife 
  • Discover South Georgia’s vast king penguin colonies, seal-filled beaches, glaciated bays and dramatic mountain scenery 
  • Photograph sculpted icebergs, towering glaciers, penguins, seals, whales and beautiful late-summer polar light
  • Venture into the remote Weddell Sea, renowned for expansive sea ice, huge tabular icebergs and rich wildlife 
  • Follow the remarkable story of Shackleton through Elephant Island, the Scotia Sea and onwards to South Georgia 
  • Fly across the Drake Passage to begin your Antarctic adventure on King George Island
  • Capture the atmosphere of the Southern Ocean, from soaring seabirds and whale sightings to wild open seascapes en route to Ushuaia

What's Included

  • One night hotel stay in Punta Arenas pre-voyage with breakfast included 
  • Charter flight from Punta Arenas to King George Island (Antarctica)
  • Group transfers between hotel, airport and ship
  • Full board accommodation on board ship with daily breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks
  • Tea, coffee, soft drinks and juices throughout voyage
  • Beer and house wine with dinner
  • Captain's Welcome and Farewell drinks including four-course dinner, house cocktails, house beer and wine, non-alcoholic beverages
  • Zodiac landings and excursions
  • Programme of expert lectures
  • Loan of rubber boots
  • Complimentary 3-in-1 polar jacket




Up To 10% Discount!

Book select departures now and receive up to 10% discount!
Price shown includes discount.

Offer applicable when booked before 6th July 2026

Full terms and conditions apply. Offer may be withdrawn at any time. / Available on selected dates/vessels.

Our popularitinerary Suggestions

All our itinerary holidays are fully customisable

Punta Arenas
1Day

Punta Arenas

Arrive independently to Punta Arenas, Chile’s historic gateway to the far south, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Set on the edge of the Straits of Magellan, this windswept city has long been shaped by explorers, sailors and settlers, and today offers a fascinating introduction to the landscapes and stories that define this remote corner of the world.

During the afternoon, the expedition team will be available to assist with luggage tags, embarkation details and any final questions before your Antarctic adventure begins. This evening, meet your fellow travellers for an important voyage briefing, including details of the flight to King George Island and guidance on responsible travel in Antarctica.

Fly to Antarctica - Embark
2Day

Fly to Antarctica - Embark

This morning you will transfer to Punta Arenas airport for your charter flight to King George Island in Antarctica, weather permitting. In less than two hours, you will cross into one of the most remote regions on Earth, touching down among the South Shetland Islands at the northern edge of the Antarctic Peninsula.

On arrival, the expedition team will be waiting to welcome you and prepare you for your Zodiac transfer to the ship. Once on board, settle into your cabin, attend the required safety briefings, and take your first moments to absorb the extraordinary setting that will frame the days ahead. Welcome to a world of ice, ocean, wildlife and ever-changing polar light.

Antarctic Peninsula
3 - 7Days

Antarctic Peninsula

Few moments compare to your first sight of Antarctica. Icebergs drift through impossibly clear waters, the air feels startlingly pure, and every direction offers a new composition of ice, sea and sky. Over the coming days, your expedition team and photography experts will shape the itinerary around the best available conditions, allowing the voyage to respond to weather, ice, wildlife activity and light. This flexibility is at the heart of any Antarctic expedition, but especially one designed for photographers, where an unexpected whale encounter, a perfectly lit glacier or a dramatic sky can become the defining moment of the day.

Landings and Zodiac cruises will form the heart of your exploration, with reduced passenger numbers allowing extra space for camera equipment and easier movement on board the Zodiacs. Cruise quietly among sculpted icebergs and towering ice cliffs, listen for the deep rumble of glaciers, and keep your camera ready for whales, seals, seabirds and porpoising penguins. Ashore, you may visit gentoo penguin rookeries, wander along pebbled beaches, explore historic sites or hike to elevated viewpoints where mountains rise above ice-strewn bays.

Travelling in late summer offers the chance for particularly atmospheric light, with soft skies and beautiful sunset colours creating remarkable photographic opportunities. Between excursions, join photography workshops and expert-led lectures from the expedition team, spend time watching the scenery from the Observation Lounge, or head out on deck as the ship navigates dramatic channels and sheltered bays. Conditions permitting, there may even be the chance to take part in the traditional polar plunge, a bracing and unforgettable way to experience the White Continent.

Weddell Sea
8Day

Weddell Sea

Today brings the possibility of exploring one of Antarctica’s most remote and sought-after regions, the legendary Weddell Sea. Your approach begins through the starkly beautiful Antarctic Sound, where volcanic peaks rise above penguin colonies and sculpted icebergs drift through deep, icy channels. Few ships venture into this wild eastern side of the Peninsula, making every mile feel like a true expedition into the unknown.

As conditions allow, the ship will push as far as possible into the Weddell Sea, a place famed for its vast sea ice, immense tabular icebergs and powerful sense of isolation. Spend time on deck photographing the changing shapes, textures and tones of the ice, while keeping watch for crabeater seals, Weddell seals and seabirds such as storm petrels, prions and Antarctic cormorants. These historic waters are forever linked with Ernest Shackleton and the Endurance, adding an extra layer of meaning as you sail through one of the great theatres of polar exploration.

Antarctic Sound & Elephant Island
9 - 10Days

Antarctic Sound & Elephant Island

The voyage continues through the Antarctic Sound towards Elephant Island, one of the most evocative names in polar exploration. Remote, ice-covered and exposed to the full force of the Southern Ocean, this lonely outpost is forever associated with Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance expedition and the extraordinary survival story of his men.

As you sail these historic waters, the dramatic landscapes offer powerful photographic opportunities, from rugged coastlines and glaciated slopes to seabirds wheeling above the ship. There may also be time on board to learn more about Shackleton’s remarkable journey, bringing greater context to the place where 22 of his men endured months of hardship beneath the shelter of two upturned boats.

Scotia Sea
11 - 12Days

Scotia Sea

After the exhilaration of exploring Antarctica, the pace eases as you sail across the Scotia Sea towards South Georgia. These sea days offer time to rest, reflect and enjoy life on board, while the surrounding ocean continues to provide plenty of inspiration for photographers. Step out on deck with your camera to watch albatross glide effortlessly over the swell, or look for cape petrels, prions, whales and even orca in these wildlife-rich waters.

Your route follows one of the most remarkable journeys in polar history, echoing Shackleton’s desperate voyage from Elephant Island to South Georgia aboard the small wooden boat, the James Caird. During the crossing, the onboard lecture programme continues with presentations on South Georgia’s wildlife, geology and extraordinary human stories. Between talks, enjoy time in the polar library, relax over a long lunch, visit the gym or simply watch the changing moods of the Southern Ocean as you draw closer to one of the world’s great wildlife sanctuaries.

South Georgia
13 - 16Days

South Georgia

As South Georgia rises from the Southern Ocean, its scale and drama quickly become apparent. Jagged peaks, vast glaciers and steep-sided fjords create one of the most spectacular backdrops in the polar regions, while seabirds circle the ship and the coastline reveals itself in layers of ice, rock and wild, wind-shaped beauty. Though relatively small in size, South Georgia is immense in character, with a remarkable combination of wildlife, history and mountain scenery.

Over the coming days, your expedition team will make the most of the conditions to explore this extraordinary island by Zodiac, on foot and from the ship. Cruise along rugged coves and kelp-fringed shores in search of penguins, seals and seabird cliffs, or step ashore to encounter some of the largest king penguin colonies on Earth. For photographers, the possibilities are exceptional. Imagine immense wildlife gatherings, intimate animal behaviour, dramatic glacial landscapes and constantly shifting light across the island’s wild coastline.

Ashore, you may walk among fur seals and elephant seals under the careful guidance of the expedition team, explore pebbled beaches and glacial outwash plains, or visit the atmospheric remains of South Georgia’s former whaling stations. The island’s human history is deeply entwined with the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton, and a visit to his final resting place offers a poignant moment of reflection after following parts of his legendary route across the Southern Ocean.

Conditions permitting, there may also be the opportunity for intrepid guests to join the optional hike from Fortuna Bay to Stromness, tracing the final stage of Shackleton, Worsley and Crean’s desperate crossing of South Georgia in search of rescue. From high alpine terrain to the descent towards the abandoned whaling station at Stromness, this historic route offers a powerful connection to one of polar exploration’s greatest survival stories, set against some of the island’s most unforgettable scenery.

At Sea
17 - 19Days

At Sea

Leaving South Georgia behind, settle into the rhythm of life at sea as the ship turns towards Ushuaia. The Southern Ocean remains alive with movement, with albatrosses, petrels and other seabirds often following the vessel, using the air currents around the ship to glide effortlessly above the waves. If time and conditions allow, you may pass close to Shag Rocks, a dramatic cluster of jagged islets rising from the open ocean.

These final sea days offer time to enjoy the views from deck, attend the last lectures and photography sessions, or simply relax with fellow travellers as you reflect on all you have seen. On your final evening, gather for the Captain’s farewell dinner, a fitting celebration of an extraordinary journey through Antarctica, South Georgia and the historic waters of the Southern Ocean.

Ushuaia - Disembark
20Day

Ushuaia - Disembark

In the early morning we’ll sail along the Beagle Channel as the mountains and waterways of Tierra del Fuego come into view. The ship arrives quietly into Ushuaia, where it is time to say farewell to your expedition team and fellow travellers after an unforgettable journey through Antarctica, South Georgia and the Southern Ocean.

Disembarkation is expected at around 8.00am, with onward transfers arranged according to your travel plans. As you continue your journey, take with you not only an extraordinary collection of images, but also a deeper appreciation for the scale, beauty and power of the polar world.

A view from Above

All Aboard

Greg Mortimer
Luxury vessel

Greg Mortimer

The brand new (2018-19) “Greg Mortimer” is a purpose-built expedition vessel capable of negotiating the strongest winds and waves, and has been built to world-class polar standards. The Greg Mortimer redefines expedition cruising for the future, utilising the ULSTEIN X-BOW, a cutting edge nautical technology which allows for gentle travel and motion at sea, reduced vibrations, improved comfort and safety on board, virtual anchoring, lower fuel consumption and lower air emissions.

Robust, powerful, and built with passengers’ comfort and safety at the forefront of design, the Greg Mortimer features a modern ice-strengthened hull at ice class 1A, four sea-level launching platforms for fast and efficient access to Zodiacs, a custom-built activity platform, the most up-to-date and concise safety features including the latest ‘return to port’ technology, and has been built to meet and exceed the strict environment standards of the Polar Code, for non-intrusive and low-impact voyages.

For exceptional at sea wildlife and scenery viewing opportunities the ship has custom-built hydraulic platforms offering unobstructed views, an indoor observation lounge, side viewing platforms and an outdoor top deck which allows for 360-degree views.

With space for 132 passengers the ship has 80 well designed staterooms with en-suite bathrooms, ranging from porthole to balcony categories, a large dining room/restaurant with family style dining, a spacious lecture room, a well stocked library, Wellness Centre complete with gym equipment, sauna and spa, a multimedia room and a fully-stocked medical centre.

we work hard to earn passionate reviews from our clients.

4.9
44 Google reviews

Now that I am back from my odyssey voyage, I thought I would let you know that after all that planning it really did exceed my expectations – we managed landings everywhere even on Tristan da Cuhna and had great bird sightings. The guides all knew what they were talking about too and made sure I got some great photos – still sorting them all out! Thanks for everything and see you at Birdfair!

Dave Martin

Overall I think that it was an excellent trip that was well worth the price paid and I would have no hesitation recommending your company to others.

Steve Sutton

Just a quick note to express my sincere thanks to you and all your staff for making this an epic adventure of immense proportions. Everything went smoothly, pickups, hotels and most of all the expedition itself. Truly a mind blowing experience unlike any I have ever taken.

Mr J Borg, Malta

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Ready to start planning youronce in a lifetime trip?

Call us - 0800 195 3385
Outside the uk? + 44 1625 5811 43
+ 44 1625 5811 43 Call us - 0800 195 3385

Chat Now

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Enquiry form

Book Consultation

Book a
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