Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctica Explorer

Day 1 - Puerto Madryn:

Located in the Patagonian province of Chubut, Puerto Madryn is a popular destination for wildlife excursions: considered to be the best place in Argentina to see Southern right whales. Here, you can take a whale watching trip, look for nesting cormorants and elephant seals, or experience a walk through a colony of Magellanic penguins and myriad species of native seabirds.
Check into your included hotel for the night; there will be an optional evening briefing which is a great opportunity for you to ask questions and to meet some of your fellow travellers.

Day 2 - Embarkation:

Arriving at the ship in the afternoon, you will be greeted by the Expedition Team and ship’s officers at a safety and orientation briefing which is followed by the Captain’s welcome dinner. Then, watch the city lights fade in the fresh night air as we set sail.

Days 3 & 4 - Southern Ocean:

As we sail south, albatrosses, prions, and petrels will frequently follow the ship. Our Expedition Team will join you out on deck spotting the whales and dolphins that can be seen in the area. Our experts will begin their onboard presentations with informative and entertaining talks on the wildlife, history, and geology of the Falkland Islands (Las Malvinas) and the Southern Ocean. You can also attend helpful briefings on environmental regulations and expedition safety in our comfortable lounge. Those interested in Citizen Science can take part in sea bird sighting surveys, or help collect salinity samples and weather data along the way.

Day 5 - West Falklands:

Remote farms that have been family-owned for six and seven generations are the westernmost settled outposts of the Falkland Islands, where sheep graze alongside albatross colonies. You will also find rockhopper, king, and Magellanic penguin rookeries while striated caracaras patrol overhead and upland geese graze at the water’s edge. A visit to one of these homesteads often includes an invitation for a cup of tea and a slice of cake.

Day 6 - Stanley, East Falkland:

Stanley is easy to discover on foot: most shops and services are centered on the port. The museum, the post-office featuring first day covers, plenty of shops with locally made wool items, and Stanley’s lively pubs are all worth a visit. It is also possible to experience the wildlife of the Falklands from the town, with sea lions and Peale’s and Commerson’s dolphins in the harbour and plenty of bird life in nearby Gypsy Cove.

Days 7 & 8 - Southern Ocean:

We make our way east across the Antarctic Convergence and there will be plenty of wildlife spotting as we officially enter Antarctic waters. Onboard presentations will continue, featuring the exciting history and abundant wildlife of South Georgia.

Days 9 to 12 - South Georgia:

South Georgia will feature landing sites that host huge elephant seals, aggressive fur seals, gentoo penguins, albatross, petrels, skuas, gulls and hundreds of thousands of king penguins, from fuzzy little chicks to fattened adults. We will visit historic Grytviken whaling station, home of the whaling museum, Norwegian seaman’s church, the active British Antarctic Survey station and the tiny graveyard where the great Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton is buried.

Days 13 & 14 - Scotia Sea:

Heading farther south, we keep a regular wildlife watch, observe as the icebergs become more and more plentiful and onboard presentations will continue.

Days 15 to 18 - The Antarctic Peninsula & South Shetland Islands:

In the waterways of the Antarctic Peninsula, we will explore using inflatable Zodiac boats and get a chance to witness nature’s glory up close.  Our Expedition Leader and Captain will create a flexible itinerary based on weather, ice, and wildlife watching opportunities.  We will aim for the most scenic bays and channels of the Peninsula, stopping at penguin rookeries, seal wallows, whale feeding areas and bird colonies, as well as sites of historic and scientific interest.

Adelie, chinstrap and gentoo penguins abound, and Weddell, crabeater and elephant seals are often found hauled resting, along with predatory leopard seals and the assertive Antarctic fur seal. Minke and humpback whales are frequent visitors in the late season and orca sightings are also common.

Days 19 & 20 - Drake Passage:

We leave this magical place and make our way north. Heading again across the Antarctic Convergence and the Drake Passage, we will continue our onboard presentation series and wildlife spotting. We celebrate the conclusion of our expedition with a special slideshow as we sail back to Ushuaia through the Beagle Channel.

Day 21 - Disembarkation

With huge smiles on weary, content faces, we disembark in the morning and transfer to Ushuaia's finest 5 star hotel (enquire for more details). Here you can unwind at the resort, relax in the spa, or hit the streets of Ushuaia to explore more sights.

Day 22 - Ushuaia 

Today, our Antarctic adventure officially comes to an end. As you continue on, homeward bound or perhaps on to another adventure, you’ll take with you the unforgettable memories of exploring the last wild place on earth.

Please Note: This itinerary is for guidance only as each voyage will vary depending on ice and weather conditions, and opportunities to see wildlife. Flexibility is key and all part of the adventure of an expeditionary cruise.