In the spirit of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctica expedition, this expedition cruise of the White Continent offers in-depth Antarctica, South Georgia, and Falkland Islands adventure travel – all while seamlessly combining rich natural history with some of Mother Nature’s most rugged and dramatic landscapes. Your three-week Antarctica cruise takes place at the height of the austral summer; long daylight hours provide extra time for Zodiac trips to remote shores where you’ll be in the rare company of thousands of penguins; seals and albatross; and the otherworldly, icy architecture of the Antarctic Peninsula.
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Arrive to the southernmost city via your independent flight to Ushuaia. The rest of the day is at leisure, with a welcome reception, dinner, and overnight at your hotel.
Day 2: Ushuaia / Board Clipper Adventurer
Enjoy a relaxing morning with lunch at a local restaurant. Join a tour of Ushuaia before boarding the Sea Adventurer this afternoon. Set sail for the Falkland Islands this evening.
Day 3: At Sea
Unpack and get acquainted with your expedition ship during a day at sea. Lecturers introduce you to the natural and historical highlights ahead.
Day 4: Bleaker Island, Falkland Islands
Step ashore on lovely, windswept Bleaker Island to discover nesting Magellanic penguins, a cliffside rockhopper penguin rookery, and an imperial shag colony. Birders have a good chance of spotting the endemic Falkland steamer duck and Cobb’s wren.
Day 5-6: Cruising the South Scotia Sea
Your lecturers recap your experiences on the Falklands and prepare you for your visit to South Georgia. On deck, join naturalists to search for the seabirds and marine mammals that flourish in these nutrient-rich waters.
Day 7-9: South Georgia
Flexibility in this area is a must. Many of your leaders have been to South Georgia numerous times and, if the weather is in our favor, you may want to make a landing before breakfast or even after dinner. Call at some of the many islands, bays, and coves where you can see outstanding birdlife and elephant and fur seals close at hand. The following is a list of places plan to visit on South Georgia. Some of them are pending final government approval.
Elsehul Bay - This beautiful bay is home to thousands of fur seals as well as macaroni penguins, the most numerous of all penguin species. Listen for the high-pitched trumpeting of king penguins amid the magnificent sounds of marine mammals that echo throughout the bay.
Salisbury Plain - Two glaciers flank Salisbury Plain on South Georgia’s north coast. Here, more than 200,000 king penguins congregate and breed, and we are greeted by one of the more remarkable sights—and sounds—on Earth.
Stromness Bay - Site of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his party’s arrival after their harrowing crossing of the island’s glaciers on foot, Stromness offers views of cliffs and the glacier from which the adventurer and his companions descended.
Grytviken - Go ashore and explore here, discovering the old ruins of this once-active whaling station. The cemetery holds a special fascination, as it is here that Shackleton is buried. Walking along the coast, spy seabirds, penguins, and marine mammals.
Gold Harbour - At the foot of the Bertrab Glacier, Gold Harbour is often referred to as the “jewel in the island’s crown.” In addition to a large king penguin colony, you are likely to see elephant and fur seals, gentoo penguins, giant petrels, and perhaps even some light-mantled albatross.
Day 10: South Scotia Sea
Your lecture series continues as you venture south. Naturalists recap your memorable visit to South Georgia and introduce you to the history, geology, and wildlife of the Antarctic Peninsula and its surrounding islands.
Day 11: South Orkney Islands
These mountainous islands were once known as “The Inaccessible Islands.” In winter a solid sheet of fast ice joins this island group to the Antarctic Peninsula, some 450 miles away. A scene of unparalleled beauty awaits, with penguins everywhere, including Adelie, chinstrap, gentoo, and the occasional macaroni penguin.
Day 12: Elephant Island
This morning arrive at Elephant Island, made famous by the Shackleton expedition. Awesome glaciers, speckled with pink algae, create a dramatic backdrop. Weather permitting, enjoy a Zodiac cruise around the island and have an opportunity to view a thriving chinstrap penguin colony.
Day 13-17: Antarctic Peninsula
As you cruise the waters of the Antarctic Peninsula and its adjacent islands, the daily schedule of landings are dependent upon weather and ice conditions. There is the possibility that you may visit a research station and witness the scientific activities conducted by the multinational community of scientists working there. The expeditionary nature of your voyage precludes guaranteeing specific stops; in the past your ship has visited the locations below. This list serves only as a guideline of the places you may experience.
Brown Bluff - Located on the Antarctic continent, the volcanic promontory of Brown Bluff rises 2,450 feet above an ash beach littered with huge and bizarrely shaped boulders. Some 20,000 pairs of Adelie, and hundreds of gentoo penguins, make their home here. Skuas and pintado petrels nest near the top of the cliff and kelp gulls fill the air with perpetual sound and motion.
Deception Island - As you approach Deception through Neptune’s Bellows, a channel just wide enough for your ship to navigate, southern fulmars and pintado petrels soar overhead. Your anchorage is inside a volcano whose collapsed cone was filled by rushing seawater.
Lemaire Channel and Pleneau Island - Cruising the beautiful Lemaire Channel, keep watch for the humpback and minke whales frequently spotted here. This narrow channel is one of the most visually impressive areas of the Antarctic Peninsula. Steep mountain peaks jut out of the sea on both sides, and the waters are often choked with icebergs and frequented by crabeater seals. A stunning labyrinth of grounded icebergs lie in the shallow waters west of Pleneau Island, presenting a superb Zodiac cruising experience. Crabeater and leopard seals haul out on the ice, and elephant seals and gentoo penguins occupy the island itself.
Petermann Island - Discovered by a German expedition in 1873-74 and named after geographer August Petermann, the island is home to the world’s southernmost colony of gentoo penguins. Snow-capped and small at just a mile long by half a mile wide, it offers close-up, picture-perfect scenes of penguins—both gentoo and Adelie—as well as skuas and blue-eyed shags.
Day 18-19: Drake Passage
During your Drake crossing, have opportunities to see and photograph wandering and black-browed albatross, sooty shearwaters and white-chinned petrels. Keep a lookout for whales often seen in these waters.
Day 20: Ushuaia, Argentina / Disembark
Disembark in Ushuaia and transfer to the airport for your independent flights home.
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.
Select a Date
Cat 1
Two lower berths, two twin beds, shower, porthole window, 119-143 sq. ft
Select a Date
Cat 2
Two lower berths, two twin beds, shower, porthole window, 117-153 sq. ft.
Select a Date
Cat 3
Two twin beds, shower, two lower berths, double window, 115-142 sq. ft.
Select a Date
Cat 4
Two lower berths, two twin beds, shower, porthole window, 121-161 sq. ft.
Select a Date
Cat 5
Two lower berths, two twin beds, shower, double window, 121-161 sq.ft.
Select a Date
Cat 6
Two lower berths, two twin beds, bath or shower, two windows, 121-161 sq.ft.
Select a Date
Cat 7
Two lower berths, two twin beds, en suite bathroom, two windows, 160-165 sq. ft.
Select a Date
Suite
Suite, two lower twin beds, bath with shower, four windows, sitting area, 221 sq. ft.
Select a Date
Owner's Suite
Owner’s Suite, two lower berth twin beds, shower/ bathtub, four windows, sitting area, 273 sq ft.
Select a Date
Single Cat 2
Two lower berths, two twin beds, shower, porthole window, 117-153 sq. ft.
Select a Date
Single Cat 3
Two twin beds, shower, two lower berths, double window, 115-142 sq. ft.
Select a Date
Single Cat 4
Two lower berths, two twin beds, shower, porthole window, 121-161 sq. ft.
Select a Date
Single Cat 5
Two lower berths, two twin beds, shower, double window, 121-161 sq.ft.
Notes
- Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars and represent costs per person, double occupancy. If you are traveling alone and wish to share accommodations, a roommate will be assigned to you whenever possible.
- Additional singles may be available at 1.6 times the share rate.
Initial deposit is 30%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 130 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
Our guide and driver were very good with their knowledge and were very helpful with our questions. It was a very pleasant visit that would have been impossible to do on our own. Hotels and restaurants were fantastic. The special places we got to go to, like the kitchens, were great. Enjoyed the entire trip!
Meyer Smolen
TrustScore 4.8 | 174 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 174 reviews on
8 hours 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
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
