Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands

Arrive in Buenos Aires and transfer to the Palacio Duhau — Park Hyatt. In the evening, join a welcome cocktail reception.

Fly to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world and the departure point for Antarctic expeditions. If time allows, explore the Cerro Alarkén Nature Reserve on a scenic trek before boarding the ship and setting sail.

Awake to your first morning aboard. Today, cruise east toward the Falkland Islands while A&K's Expedition Team begins its lectures with a focus on photography.

Today, your Captain may set a course for the remote Falkland Islands, a starkly beautiful sub-Antarctic enclave harboring a wealth of marine and bird life. Weather permitting, take in the rugged beauty of the Falklands as you search for gentoo and rockhopper penguin colonies and the majestic albatross. Conditions permitting, you may visit the historic capital of Stanley or explore its surrounding wilderness areas.

Today, your planned course continues toward South Georgia, one of the most beautiful places on earth. Whale sightings are common in this stretch of water. The open ocean is a treasure chest bursting with life. Scan the seas to spot seabirds and marine mammals as the ship cruises the nutrient-rich waters, perhaps passing the distinctive points of the Shag Rocks islets.

The day's planned destination is South Georgia, one of the Southern Ocean's most biodiverse regions. Weather permitting, explore its rugged coves and shores, searching for vast colonies of king penguins. Today, you might learn about the exploits of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton as your A&K historian reveals significant whaling and exploration sites. A photographer's paradise, South Georgia invites you to take your best shot. Conditions permitting, you may visit South Georgia's southern end, a vital habitat populated with fur seals, southern elephant seals and king penguins.

 

Today's planned course plies the Scotia Sea. Prepare for your Antarctic arrival with lectures from the experts who know it best. As Antarctica draws closer, your Expedition Team continues to build anticipation with insightful presentations. Between sessions, enjoy a drink and soak in the awe-inspiring views that surround you.

Weather and ice conditions permitting, your Expedition Team takes advantage of the best opportunities for landings on the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands in search of gentoo and chinstrap penguins. Conditions permitting, get a closer look at the Antarctic Peninsula or the South Shetland Islands with your Expedition Team, perhaps encountering nesting giant petrels or skuas on your explorations. Antarctica invites another day full of photo ops as snowcapped mountains, shimmering glaciers and iceberg-strewn channels compete for your lens. Pause to take it all in on this, your final day in Antarctica. Keep your eyes peeled for species that may have eluded your lens until this point.

Bid farewell to Antarctica as your vessel returns north toward Ushuaia. While cruising this historic passage, keep watch for the giant petrel and the elusive albatross. The ship's transit through the Drake Passage is an interlude for recap and reflection, offering time to compare notes with your expert lecturers on the wildlife, history and geology of the White Continent.

After your scheduled arrival in Ushuaia, disembark and transfer for your connecting flight to Buenos Aires.