Antarctica, Falklands & South Georgia

Begin your journey in Ushuaia, a small but bustling port town at the tip of

South America. This Argentine town is an ideal gateway for you to explore the

southern extent of Patagonia while preparing for your adventure ahead. Get

active in the mountains or enjoy handcrafted chocolate at a café in town

The morning is free to explore Ushuaia and the surrounding area, to do some

last minute shopping, stroll around the town and down to the port or maybe go

for a walk in the nearby national park. The transfer to the ship takes place

in the afternoon. Once on board there is a get together for introductions to

the expedition team, to learn about the ship and its layout, talk about the

itinerary for the next 18 days and participate in the obligatory lifeboat

drill. Departure from Ushuaia is normally around 6:00 p.m, and we set sail

through the Beagle Channel in the early evening. The long days mean plenty of

evening light in which to experience the beauty of the channel, and to

perhaps enjoy your first wildlife sightings.

We sail in a north-easterly direction, enjoying a series of presentations

that prepare you for the coming adventure. On deck the first sightings of

albatross and petrels add to the sense of excitement.

The rugged and remote Falkland archipelago contains two main islands - East

and West, which we will explore by Zodiac excursions and daily landings. One

landing that will surely stick out in memory is at Port Stanley. This unique

British outpost has a ramshackle charm to it. The largest settlement in the

Falklands, we’ll spend a day here visiting churches, museums, wandering

around town and perhaps mingling with locals at a typical British pub.

In terms of wildlife, the archipelago is home to a variety of penguin

species, including Magellanic, Gentoo and Rockhopper. If lucky, we may spot

King penguins here as well! We can also expect to see Black-browed albatross

and many other bird species around the islands, including an opportunity to

see the two endemic species: Cobb’s wren and the Falklands flightless

Steamer duck. Our team of lecturers and specialists will be sure to educate

you on the local flora and fauna in order to get the most of a memorable time

in the Falklands.

Sailing south, we’ll enter Antarctic waters by crossing the invisible

biological boundary unique to Antarctica – the Antarctic Convergence.

Encircling the continent, cold, northward-flowing Antarctic waters meet and

mix with the warmer waters of the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans,

creating the abundance of krill and microscopic marine life that attracts

whales and other species to this part of the world. Ship staff will be sure

to keep you posted when we cross this invisible, yet important, line.

Reaching South Georgia you will observe towering, snow-covered mountains and

glaciers when conditions are clear. South Georgia is the most mountainous of

the many islands of the Southern Ocean and is a spectacular sight. We will

cruise the more protected eastern coast of the island, seeking out suitable

landing spots as conditions permit. We hope to get ashore at Salisbury Plain

where colourful King penguins crowd the beaches in numbers that will leave

you spellbound. The vast area is covered in a sea of birds: of adults and

their young in hundreds of thousands. Another 75,000 pairs of King penguins

nest at St Andrews Bay. Everywhere, albatross, skuas and Giant petrels wheel

overhead, whilst Fur seals are found in good numbers along the shore or are

seen frolicking in the water. At Grytviken, you visit the old whaling

station, and the grave of Sir Ernest Shackleton, undoubtedly one of the

greatest of the Antarctic explorers.

En route to the South Shetland Islands there is sometimes the chance to visit

Elephant Island, depending on the ship’s progress and the weather. It is

from this island that Sir Ernest Shackleton set out for South Georgia in a

small boat in 1916, undertaking one of the most remarkable sailing journeys

of all time and returning 132 days later to rescue his men.

The most common reaction to arriving at the white continent is a sense of

reverence and awe. The experience is hard to put into words, as few places

are as untouched, unique and enduring as Antarctica. You will discover that

Antarctica is a land of extremes. At one moment you’ll be overcome with a

feeling of complete desolation and silence, at the next moment you’ll be

inspired by nature as a calving glacier crashes into the brilliant blue sea

or a penguin comes waddling by to inspect your footwear.

Guided hikes with the Expedition Team will have us trekking up a glacier,

visiting a research station, or consorting with penguin colonies. Chinstrap,

Gentoo and Adélie penguins are found here, along with Fur, Weddell,

Crabeater and Leopard seals. Curious whales, such as Minkes, are often

attracted to Zodiacs as well, giving us a chance to get within reaching

distance of these majestic animals. Each day and each landing will present a

new collection of creatures to entertain us.

Leaving the Antarctic Peninsula overnight our ship heads back across the

Antarctic Convergence and the Drake Passage. The crossing is completed with

the rounding of Cape Horn, weather permitting.

In the early morning you arrive back in Ushuaia where your voyage ends. You

are transferred either to town on to the airport for your onward flight to

Buenos Aires.