17-day Antarctica tour with Falklands and South Georgia

The arrival of your transfer flight at the Falkland Islands. Welcome to Stanley, the charmingly British capital of the Falkland Islands. Attractions within pleasant walking distance along the waterfront promenade include the Falkland Islands Museum, the governor’s house, a cathedral with an impressive whalebone arch outside, a war memorial, quality gift shops, pubs, and views of shipwrecks in the harbor. We provide a group transfer to the pier and welcome you aboard the luxury expedition ship M/V Sea Spirit. Explore the ship and get comfortable in your home away from home for an extraordinary adventure.

The remote and sparsely-populated Falkland Islands are a birders’ paradise. We anticipate visiting one or more of the isolated outer islands on the south of the archipelago, which are particularly important for their colonies of cormorants and different breeding birds that have been recorded there, including Magellanic, southern rockhopper, macaroni, and gentoo penguin. The Falklands are also a great place to observe marine mammals. Fur and elephant seals can be found on sandy beaches, while the waters in and around the archipelago are home to various whale and dolphin species. Our route and exploration opportunities depend on the weather among these windswept islands.

From the Falkland Islands, we head east toward South Georgia, passing the remote, seabird-covered pinnacles known as Shag Rocks. We also cross the Antarctic Convergence, the biological boundary of the Southern Ocean. Briefings, bio-security procedures, and lectures from our expert staff prepare you for our arrival in South Georgia.

This is expedition cruising at its most authentic. Our route and exploration opportunities in South Georgia heavily depend on the weather conditions we encounter. Our experienced captain and expedition leader decide the itinerary and continually adjust plans as conditions and opportunities warrant. You can be sure that the best possible advantage will be taken of the circumstances presented to us by Nature in this wild and remote corner of the world. We take every safe opportunity to go ashore in this amazing place.

South Georgia is a scenic wilderness and an unrivaled paradise for subantarctic wildlife viewing. The islands are said to host upwards of 100 million seabirds, including numerous albatross species, penguins, prions, petrels, and terns. On beaches such as those at Salisbury Plain and St. Andrews Bay, over 100,000 elephant seals and three million fur seals jostle for space among innumerable penguins, including stately king penguins and sprightly macaroni penguins. The recently completed rat eradication program is sure to make this wilderness even more pristine and rich with birdlife.

The bountiful waters surrounding South Georgia are also inhabited by an increasing number of whales. The historical whaling station of Grytviken is now home to the excellent South Georgia Museum, managed by the South Georgia Heritage Trust. This is also the final resting place of Ernest Shackleton, the legendary polar explorer.

Our days in South Georgia are filled with memorable excursions, sumptuous meals, presentations by our experts, and enough incredible scenery and wildlife to fill your camera and overwhelm your emotions.

After our fantastic time in South Georgia, we proceed southwest toward the Antarctic Peninsula. Pelagic seabirds, including the majestic albatross, are common in these waters and can readily be viewed from panoramic open decks or exterior stateroom windows and balconies.

The wilderness of Antarctica is subject to unpredictable weather and ever-changing ice conditions, which dictate our route and exploration opportunities. This is a genuine expedition. We exploit every opportunity to experience excellent wildlife viewing, fantastic scenery, and excursions via Zodiac.

The Antarctic Peninsula region contains some of the world’s most impressive scenery and some of Antarctica’s best wildlife viewing opportunities. Protected bays and narrow channels are surrounded by towering mountain peaks covered in permanent snow and immense glaciers. Icebergs of every size and description complete an image of incomparable beauty. Waters rich with krill are home to various whale and seal species. The whole area is alive with penguins foraging at sea and forming large nesting colonies at unique places on land. The area is also home to Antarctic research stations of various nationalities. Some stations have a gift shop and post office.

The South Shetland Islands are the northernmost islands in Antarctica and will likely be our first sighting of land. This wild and beautiful island chain contains numerous landing sites with abundant wildlife and historical significance. Among them is Elephant Island, where men from Shackleton’s famous Endurance expedition spent the winter.

Farther south, on the Antarctic Peninsula, the vast Gerlache Strait area contains sheltered bays, accessible wildlife, and stunning scenery.

From Antarctica, we head north through the Drake Passage toward South America. Presentations and workshops by our expert staff and our range of onboard recreation facilities ensure that these days at sea are not idly spent. This is also the time for our End of Voyage ceremonies, including slideshow and farewell dinner.

After breakfast, we said farewell in the city of Ushuaia, where we started. We provide a group transfer to the airport or the town center if you wish to spend more time here. As you reflect on your wonderful experience in Antarctica, you may already be looking forward to your next incredible adventure to the ice!