Antarctic Peninsula

Day 1 Ushuaia, Argentina

In the afternoon, embark in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world located at the Beagle Channel and sail through this scenic waterway for the rest of the evening.

Days 2-3 At Sea

Days 4-6 Antarctic Peninsula

At Deception Island, try to land at Baily Head home to a colony of ten thousands Chinstrap Penguins (please note this landing is not always guaranteed and is only possible in good weather conditions). Good walkers may hike from Baily Head over the ridge of the crater into Whalers Bay, while your ship braves its entrance into the crater through the spectacular Neptune’s Bellow into the ring of Deception Island.
Deception itself is a sub-ducted crater, which opens into the sea, creating a natural harbour for the ship. Here find hot springs, an abandoned whaling station, thousands of Cape Pigeons and many Dominican Gulls, Brown and South Polar Skuas and Antarctic Terns. Wilson’s Storm Petrels and Black-bellied Storm Petrels nest in the ruins of the whaling station in Whalers Bay.

At Portal Point there used to be a Falkland Islands Dependency Survey (British Antarctic Survey from 1962) hut which was built there between Brabant Island and the Danco Coast in 1956. The hut has been removed to the Falkland Islands Museum in Stanley. Portal Point served as the gateway for a route to the polar plateau. Immediately behind the low point on which the hut was located the (usually snow-covered) land rises steeply upslope toward the plateau. The topography of the surrounding area is mountainous, with nunataks rising through the ice. Charlotte Bay is often filled with icebergs. Mostly see seals on floes in Charlotte Bay, and occasional, kelp gulls, skuas, shags, or penguins. From the slope above Portal Point, and at its highest point, there are excellent views of Charlotte Bay. In Wilhelmina Bay admire the rugged ice coated mountains of the Arctowski Pensinsula.

Charlotte Bay on the west coast of Graham Land was discovered by Adrien de Gerlache during the 1897–99 Belgica expedition and named after the fiancée of Georges Lecointe, Gerlache's executive officer, hydrographer and second-in-command of the expedition.

Sail into the Weddell Sea through the ice-clogged Antarctic Sound. Huge tabular icebergs will announce your arrival to the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula. Plan to visit Brown Bluff where you may set foot on the Continent.

Days 7-9 At Sea to South Georgia

On your way to South Georgia plan on a visit to Orcadas station, an Argentinean base located in the South Orkney Islands. The friendly base personnel will show you their facilities and you can enjoy the wonderful views of the surrounding glaciers.

Days 10-12 South Georgia

At Fortuna Bay you might try to follow in the footsteps of the great British Explorer Ernest Shackleton and hike over to Stømness Bay. There and at Grytviken you’ll see an abandoned whaling village, where King Penguins now walk in the streets and seals have taken over the buildings. At Grytviken you’ll also offer a visit to the Whaling History Museum as well as to Shackleton´s grave near by. In the afternoon of day 4 arrive at your first landing site in South Georgia. One of the highlights might be your visit to Prion Island, where you will witness the breeding efforts of the huge Wandering Albatross and enjoy watching their displays. Set course to Right Whale Bay, Salisbury Plain, Godthul, St. Andrews Bay, Gold Harbour, Cooper Bay and Drygalski Fjord to give you a good opportunity to see a wide spectrum of landscapes and wildlife, like the introduced Reindeer, Elephant seals, Fur seals, King and Macaroni Penguins.

Days 13-15 At Sea

At sea to Port Stanley, Falkland Islands.

Day 16 Falkland Islands / Chile

Arrival in Port Stanley and flight to Santiago de Chile (included in the ship’s passage price.)