Antarctica and South Georgia

• Day 1 - Ushuaia; Embarkation Day

  Our journey to Antarctica commences this afternoon in Ushuaia, in southern Argentina. We gather at our central meeting point and transfer to the pier where we embark our expedition ship. After settling into our cabins and exploring the ship, we meet our expedition team and fellow passengers. Excitement is in the air as we enjoy a welcome cocktail, dinner and cast off, bound for Antarctica and the adventure of a lifetime.

  We cross the Drake Passage arriving in Antarctica to celebrate the New Year! We explore the Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetland Islands and then follow the course taken by Sir Ernest Shackleton whose epic small boat journey, from Elephant Island across the Scotia Sea to South Georgia, remains one of the greatest feats of navigation in history.

  IMPORTANT JOINING INSTRUCTIONS
  This trip commences in Ushuaia (Argentina). We recommend arriving in Ushuaia at least one day prior to the scheduled voyage departure. This gives you a buffer in the event of any unexpected travel delays between home and voyage embarkation. Here we board our expedition ship, charting a
  course for Antarctica.

  Our voyage is complete when we arrive back into Ushuaia (Argentina). A transfer from the ship to the airport (or local hotels) is provided upon disembarkation. We advise booking your flights out of Ushuaia from mid-morning onwards. Or consider spending a night in Ushuaia at the conclusion of
  your voyage.

  Full joining instructions will be provided in your final travel documentation. If you have questions before this time, please ask us.

• Day 2/3 - Drake Passage

  Throughout the day our onboard experts educate us with a series of presentations about the environment, wildlife and history and the locations we hope to visit in the coming days. Sailing south towards Antarctica we will be joined by hundreds of seabirds as we transit the Drake Passage. Photographing these magnificent birds from the deck of the ship takes patience and skill and our photography expert will be on hand to show you the best techniques. Join the ship’s Captain on the bridge and learn about the operations of our modern research vessel.

• Day 4/5 - Antarctic Peninsula

  Take a deep breath and venture out on deck as the towering peaks of the Antarctic continent are laid out before us. This is the moment you have been waiting for. For the next three days we have a varied itinerary exploring the Gerlache coastline. If ice conditions allow, we cruise through the Lemaire Channel and may visit sites which may include Pleneau Island and the Penola Strait. Southerly Petermann Island, is home to a sizeable penguin rookery where both Adelie and gentoo penguins nest side by side. A visit to an active research base nearby provides a fascinating insight into the important climate change science occurring in Antarctica. The landscape all along this section of the Antarctic coastline feature heavily glaciated mountains permanently covered in ice and snow. Our activity program is in full swing by now, and each day we enjoy guided walks onshore, visits to wildlife colonies, and Zodiac cruising among the ice with our expert guides providing insight and interpretation. Planned visits could include Paradise Harbour, Orne Harbour or Andvord Bay, or a cruise through the Errera Channel to visit the penguin rookeries at Cuverville Island. Wilhelmina Bay is another favourite location where we frequently encounter humpback whales.

• Day 6/7 - South Shetland Islands

  After several busy days of exploration along the Antarctic Peninsula, we head for the South Shetland Islands. If the weather permits, we sail into the flooded volcanic caldera at Deception Island. To the north, lies Elephant Island – forever connected to the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton and the HMS Endurance expedition a century ago. This is a thrilling location for history buffs.

• Day 8/9 - Scotia Sea Crossing

  As we depart Antarctica we cannot help but ponder the journey made by Shackleton and his four companions – as they attempted the near impossible – navigating 800 nautical miles in a 30 foot converted lifeboat across the tempestuous Scotia Sea to South Georgia. We make a much easier time of the crossing in our state of the art expedition ship. Anticipation builds as the mountainous peaks appear on the horizon, marking our arrival at South Georgia.

• Day 10/12 - South Georgia

  South Georgia has often been called the most staggering wildlife show on earth. Rounding the remote southeastern end of South Georgia, we spend the next three days thoroughly exploring the coastline. Dark sand beaches, tussock covered hinterland and a backdrop of towering peaks and glaciers are a feast for all the senses. Seals cover the beaches, seabirds fill the skies and living in rookeries of immense size, you will discover the majestic king penguins. Locations we hope to visit include Gold Harbour, Royal Bay, St Andrews Bay and Salisbury Plain. Dotted along the coastline are the rusting relics of the early whaling era. The largest of these locations is Grytviken. This is the final resting place of Sir Ernest Shackleton – who was laid to rest here in 1922.

• Day 13/15 - At Sea

  By now we are in sensory overload, our cameras full of images and our journey towards the Falkland Islands commences. Much of our time is spent scanning the horizon in search of whales and other marine mammals. The spectacular seabirds including several albatross and petrel species are our constant companions as they soar above the ship.

• Day 16 - Falkland Islands

  After several days crossing, Sea Lion Island marks our arrival into the Falkland Islands. This windswept location situated in the southern archipelago provides one further day of activity. We launch our Zodiacs and go ashore to view the remarkable wildlife colonies found here. Three species of penguins including gentoo, magellenic and rockhopper exist in the vicinity. Southern elephant seals and South American sea lions are found hauled out on the beaches.

• Day 17 - Stanley; Disembarkation

  Stanley is currently home to just over 2,000 residents and is reminiscent of a rural town in coastal England or Scotland. It is charming with brightly coloured houses, pretty flower-filled gardens, a quaint cathedral and several local pubs. There is time to explore the town, before we make our way to the airport for our return flight to Punta Arenas in southern Chile.

Please consider that our voyages are expeditionary in nature. This means, that there are no concrete itineraries, your Captain and Expedition Leader will utilise their vast experience to chart the best course for your expedition depending on the climatic and environmental conditions. Mentioned highlights and wildlife cannot be guaranteed.