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Chinstrap Penguins during wildlife tour

The Great Austral Loop

Example 16 Day Cruise aboard Le Soleal
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On this 16-day voyage, discover the undulating hills and verdant moors of the Falkland Islands. Cruise to South Georgia, home to imposing glaciers that tilt towards the sea and thousands of king penguins at home on the island's black sandy beaches. Continue south to discover the Northern Antarctic Peninsula in all its unique beauty. Keep your eyes out for iridescent icebergs, floating ice fields, and extraordinary marine mammals.
Travelers among penguins during Antarctica tourIceberg Flow during Trip to the Antarctic PeninsulaSunset and icebergs during Antarctica cruiseTouring the icy water of Antarctica on an expedition cruiseChinstrap Penguins during wildlife tour
Highlights
  • Admire dazzling ice formations, drifting icebergs, and sea ice
  • Observe abundant populations of wildlife such as penguins, seals, and more
  • Explore the wild terrain from glacier-covered mountains to lush pastures
  • Embark on Zodiac excursions for an up-close look at the region's beauty
Activity Level: Relaxed
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Arrive in Ushuaia, Argentina | Embark

Arrive in Ushuaia. Choose to embark Le Soleal or partake in an excursion to Arakur Resort, located inside Cerro Alarken Natural Reserve. Enjoy time at leisure, lunch and/or an optional excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park. Your ship departs South America this evening.

Day 2: At Sea

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
As your ship sails the open oceans, settle in to your cabin and familiarize yourself with the ship and her crew - this is your new home for the next two weeks.

Day 3: New Island | Grave Cove, Falklands

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
New Island is your first stop on this lengthy Antarctic voyage. Once used as a base for whaling and sheep farming, New Island is considered by some to be one of the most beautiful among the Falklands. Continue on to Saunders, the fourth largest of the Falkland Islands. With an area of just over 50 square miles, the island runs as a sheep farm today.

Day 4-5: At Sea

  • Ship
  • 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
Leaving the Falklands, your ship sets out for your next stop on this Austral loop. As you cruise the open water, keep your eyes out for marine mammals or seabirds who play alongside the vessel.

Day 6: Salisbury Plain | Fortuna Bay, South Georgia

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
South Georgia is an unmissable destination within Antarctica. This Subantarctic region is a peak emerging from the Scotia Arc, an underwater mountain chain that extends the Andes to the Antarctic Peninsula. Salisbury Plain is the arena for the most memorable and the most authentic display of nature. Formed by the withdrawal of the Grace Glacier, high mountains dominate time and space; the blue-tinged landscape demonstrates all the strength and beauty of the unspoiled nature all around. At the heart of this haven of peace, on the beaches of the bay, a colony of 250,000 king penguins has taken residence. In the midst of all these orange-headed couples, fur seals try to beat a path to feed with their young. Under the weak southern sun that lights this glacial plain, clouds of birds fly on the wind, enchanting the traveler.

Day 7: Grytviken | Baie de St Andrew

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Welcome to the world's most southerly territorial capital. Named by a Swedish surveyor in 1902, Grytviken translates as "Pot Bay" for the pots found on site once used to render seal oil.

Landing at the Baie de St Andrew brings you up close and personal with Mount Skittle. Here you also may encounter more king penguins who gather in colonies of up to 100,000.

Day 8: Gold Harbour

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Located at the eastern end of South Georgia, Gold Harbour is named for the angle of morning and evening sunlight that illuminates the cliffs with a bright yellow light. The area is a breeding ground for king and gentoo penguins, as well as elephant seals. You may also see some sooty albatrosses flying overhead, as these infamous birds also breed in the harbour.

Day 9-10: At Sea

  • Ship
  • 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
Rest up for the last leg of your voyage as your ship sails further south. Try to contain your excitement as you approach the great White Continent.

Day 11: Weddell Sea, Antarctica

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
A lengthy sail in the Weddell Sea allows you to experience true silence, an extraordinary and enchanting atmosphere, and unrivalled calm. Discover a secret reserve of preserved treasure: fur seals, penguin colonies, wandering albatross, and other giant petrels. Here the huge icebergs and the endless ice cap sculpt a landscape beyond compare. The lord of the manor is known as the Weddell seal. It is a record breaker, able to remain submerged for more than an hour. Its pelage is dark grey and it has a spotted belly. To maintain its access to the sea and be able to fish, the Weddell seal has special teeth allowing it to make a hole in the thick ice.

Day 12: Gerlache Strait | Enterprise

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
At the heart of this icy landscape, the polar light creates multiple reflections, humpback whales live under the water’s surface, and the broken up ice shelf floats freely, taking with it the fur seals basking in the sun.

Day 13: Deception Island | Half Moon Island, Antarctica

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Nestled at the heart of the South Shetland Islands, in the north of the Antarctic Peninsula, Deception Island is easy to recognize for its horseshoe shape. On the black sand of the volcanic beaches, there are remains of abandoned huts that have been overrun by the extraordinary wildlife, part of the treasure that nature offers us there. It is on these beaches of ash that the largest colony of chinstrap penguins in the Antarctic Peninsula has taken up residence. Excursions aboard Zodiac dinghies allow you to set foot on this expanse of land where more than 100,000 pairs of penguins, elephant seals, and fur seals live side by side.

Day 14-15: Crossing the Drake Passage

  • Ship
  • 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
Spend your last days on board the Le Soleal reflecting on your once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Share memories and photos with your fellow travelers or simply relax and take advantage of your ship's amenities before returning home.

Day 16: Disembark in Ushuaia, Argentina

  • 1 Breakfast
Following breakfast on board, disembark in Ushuaia and transfer to the airport to continue your travels.

Ship/Hotel

Le Soleal

Enjoy a show in the movie theater.
Bar and lounge with a view.
Restaurant aboard the Le Soleal.

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

Per person starting at
$14,110
Superior Stateroom
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Superior Stateroom
The Superior Stateroom has a capacity of up to 3 passengers per cabin, with a king-sized bed or twin beds.
Deluxe Stateroom
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Deluxe Stateroom
The Deluxe Stateroom has a capacity of up to 2 passengers per cabin, with a king-sized bed or twin beds and a private balcony.
Prestige Stateroom
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Prestige Stateroom Deck 4
The Prestige Stateroom on Deck 4 has a capacity of up to 2 passengers per cabin, with a king-sized bed or twin beds and a private balcony.
Prestige Stateroom
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Prestige Stateroom Deck 5
The Prestige Stateroom on Deck 5 has a capacity of up to 2 passengers per cabin, with a king-sized bed or twin beds and a private balcony.
Prestige Stateroom
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Prestige Stateroom Deck 6
The Prestige Stateroom on Deck 6 has a capacity of up to 2 passengers per cabin, with a king-sized bed or twin beds and a private balcony.
Deluxe Suite
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Deluxe Suite
The Deluxe Suite has a capacity of up to 2 passengers per cabin, with a king-sized bed or twin beds and a private balcony.
Prestige Suite
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Prestige Suite Deck 5
The Prestige Suite on Deck 5 has a capacity of up to 4 passengers per cabin, with a king-sized bed or twin beds and an 8m² private balcony.
Prestige Suite
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Prestige Suite Deck 6
The Prestige Suite on Deck 6 has a capacity of up to 4 passengers per cabin, with a king-sized bed or twin beds and an 8m² private balcony.
Owner's Suite
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Owner Suite
The Owner's suite is situated on Deck 6 with a capacity up to 2 passengers per cabin. With a king-sized bed, it has been decorated by French interior designers and provides you with a breathtaking panoramic sea view.

Notes

Please note:
Fares are based on double occupancy and are capacity controlled. Rates may increase at any time as the ship sells out and are subject to change without notice.

Discounts are available for children sharing a cabin with two adults and third adult passengers in select cabin categories. Please contact us for details.

Single travelers can opt for a solo cabin - supplements start at 50%.
Included
  • 15 Breakfasts, 14 Lunches, 15 Dinners

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This was my first experience with Adventure Life - and I couldn't have been more pleased with the trip. The guides and local staff in both Buenos Aires and Uruguay were terrific - extremely helpful and accommodating. I really enjoyed meeting the friendly staff in Buenos Aires in person (I left my bags with them for the afternoon).
Karen Snider

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