South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula are the focus of this 18-day springtime photographic expedition cruise. Capture perfect light as the days grow longer, king penguins shuffle eggs on their feet, elephant seals pup, and fur seal males battle for mating rights. Toast the graves of Wild and Shackleton and visit Grytviken’s whaling museum. Sail to Elephant Island and the Antarctic Peninsula, with ample time to photograph penguin rookeries during nest-building and breeding, whales and seals, historic sites, and the continent itself before crossing the Drake Passage to Puerto Williams.
Highlights
Photograph South Georgia's spectacular northern coast
Visit the world's largest king penguin rookeries & majestic albatross nests
Pay your respects at Sir Ernest Shackleton's grave
Sail down to Gerlache Strait, a photographer's paradise!
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Fly from Santiago or Punta Arenas, Chile, and tour the Falkland Islands’ very British capital, Stanley, before embarking the Polar Pioneer in the late afternoon.
Bound for South Georgia, escorted by albatrosses, giant petrels, and tiny Wilson’s storm petrels, where your photography program begins. Your naturalist and historian enliven the crossing with informative talks and the rest of the team prepares you for first landings with environmental and Zodiac briefings.
Spring brings an explosion of life to South Georgia, offering ample time to explore and photograph the island’s spectacular northern coast. Photograph wildlife havens that include the world’s largest king penguin rookeries, majestic albatross nests, and beaches cluttered with basking elephant seals, feisty fur seals, and penguins. Inspired by Shackleton’s epic, hope to retrace the expedition’s final steps from Fortuna Bay to Stromness.
Cross the Scotia Sea, watching for seabirds, your first icebergs, and great whales including blues, fin, and sei. Enjoy time to reflect on South Georgia and prepare for Antarctica, the next leg of your adventure.
Conditions permitting, approach Cape Wild, a bleak, rocky spit along Elephant Island’s dramatic north coast. If the sea state allows, Zodiac cruise, possibly even step ashore, to pay tribute to Shackleton’s 22 men who survived four months here.
Land in the South Shetland Islands before sailing down Gerlache Strait and awaken to the drama of Antarctica – a photographer’s paradise! Encounter pack ice and penguin rookeries alive with courtship, mating and nest-building, visit historic sites, and land on the continent proper.
Return to the realm of the albatross – the Drake Passage. Celebrate, recap your many experiences, and learn to manage your abundant collection of new photos.
Day 18: Disembark in Puerto Williams | Punta Arenas
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
$17,200
Select a Date
Twin Shared
Twin Shared Cabins have two lower bunks, a desk, small washbasin, ample storage and hanging space and portholes. Showers and toilets are very close by and are shared with other Main Deck cabins.
Notes
Please note that all of Polar Pioneer itineraries are at the mercy of weather conditions and not all landings are guaranteed. These itineraries are flexible and will change voyage to voyage, allowing the best chance to make the most of surprising wildlife displays and unexpected opportunities.
- Rates represent costs per person, double or triple occupancy. Request the Twin or Triple Share Program where you are matched with a cabin mate of the same gender. Even if a cabin mate is not found for you, no single supplement will be charged.
Initial deposit is $2700 plus $250 USD deposit for any activities at the time of booking, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 100 days prior to departure by bank transfer, check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
This was our first trip to South America and we were a little nervous. But Adventure Life made things so easy! All our questions were answered before we left, and our guide, Vidal, was amazing! He gave us enough space to explore without rushing us along. He also knew where the best picture taking opportunities were, which was great.
Lindsay Gompf
TrustScore 4.8 | 175 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 175 reviews on
7 hours ago
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
2 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
3 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.