Embark in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, where MS Fram sets course for the Falkland Islands. In this British settlement, find a world of contrasts between the red buses and English pubs in Stanley, the capital, and the northwest part of the island with its seamless horizons, vast open spaces, stunning white sand beaches, and rich wildlife with penguins and albatross.
From the Falkland Islands, head further south to the island of South Georgia. While en route you may attend a number of presentations about the area’s wildlife and whaling and polar history. In South Georgia, call on Grytviken and the great Shackleton’s final resting place. As the ship closes in on Antarctica, lectures on history, environmental issues, and wildlife further prepare guests for the adventures to come.
Highlights
Explore the bustling city of Montevideo, Uruguay's capital
Watch for polar wildlife, including penguins, whales, and various birdlife
Visit Stanley, and learn more about the Falkland Islands' capital
Enjoy a fascinating lecture series on the history of Antarctica
Observe the penguin colonies on Deception Island and Half Moon Island
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Your adventure starts with an overnight stay in Uruguay’s capital, Montevideo. This vibrant and welcoming city is a modern metropolis with a historical center.
Before you embark on MS Fram, you can learn more about Montevideo on a city tour or explore on your own. Enjoy a visit to the Ciudad Vieja (Old Town), the bustling Avenida 18 de Julio, or one of the white, sandy beaches surrounding the city.
Set course for the Falkland Islands, situated in the South Atlantic about 1,600 kilometers from Antarctica. Begin your lecture series with a focus on the history and diverse wildlife of the Falklands as you keep a watch for wandering albatross and dusky dolphins. Spend another relaxing, but exciting day at sea.
The Falklands Islands consist of two large islands and around 700 smaller ones with an estimated population of 3,000 persons. As you reach the westernmost settled outposts in the Falklands you can see remote farms that have been family-owned for six or seven generations. The sheep graze alongside immense colonies of albatross and rockhopper, king and macaroni penguins while predatory striated caracaras patrol overhead and upland geese forage at the water’s edge.
Stanley, the islands’ capital, makes a wonderful starting point for the various excursions offered in the area. The town is easy enough to discover in a day on foot as the museum, post-office, plenty of shops with locally made wool items, and perhaps most importantly, Stanley’s lively pubs are all centered on the port.
The Falklands are teeming with wonders of wildlife and nature. This is an unpolluted environment with fantastically clear blue skies, seamless horizons, vast open spaces, and stunning white sand beaches. The penguins come close to you, stop and take a glance, before continuing on their way in total disregard to your presence, giving you some great photo opportunities!
Spend two days cruising southward to beautiful South Georgia. En route you can participate in a number of presentations about the area’s wildlife, as well as whaling and polar history.
South Georgia’s rich history of exploration, whaling, and conflict is a formidable backdrop to its rugged scenery and bustling wildlife. The expedition team is well versed in every facet of South Georgia, from its geology and glaciology to the mating rituals of sooty albatross and the legends of the Norwegian whalers. One of the fascinating stories told is that of Sir Ernest Shackleton and the men of the ill-fated Endurance and how they were saved through astonishing feats of bravery and seamanship.
There is nowhere, in any latitude, quite like South Georgia. It offers magnificent mountain scenery with majestic glaciers and beaches teeming with wildlife. Its unique position inside the Antarctic ecosystem yet outside the limit of the yearly sea ice makes this 3,755-square-kilometer island home to millions of breeding penguins, seals, and seabirds.
During your stay here, you can see Elephant seals lounge on the sand, fur seal pups race in and out of the water, albatross soar overhead, and king penguins by the thousands. Plan to visit some of South Georgia’s abandoned whaling stations, a whaling museum, the Norwegian seaman’s church, and the tiny graveyard where you can pay your respects to the great Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton.
In addition to spotting for the magnificent wandering albatross and other seabirds from deck, you can learn more about the wonders of the Deep South with an educational lecture series as you continue to Antarctica.
Antarctica is different from anywhere else you will ever experience! Once you have crossed the Antarctic Convergence start feeling the air getting crisper and colder. Begin to see Antarctic penguins in the water, and don’t forget to be on the lookout for the first iceberg. There are no permanent human inhabitants in Antarctica, but it is home to millions of penguins and the feeding area for thousands of whales. The penguins are fearless when encountering humans – although they might be just as curious about you as you are about them. Some of the highlights you experience while you are here include Deception Island and Half Moon Island, because of the resident colonies of chinstrap penguins. Enjoy beautiful vistas and the gentoo penguin colonies on Yankee Harbour, Cuverville Island, Neko Harbour, and Paradise Harbour. On Petermann Island see thousands of Adélie penguins.
The British base in Port Lockroy is one of the most popular sites in Antarctica, and offers a peek into life on an Antarctic base in the 1950s. The nesting gentoo penguins surrounding the main building have become accustomed to the frequent human visitors. The huge ice shelves of the Antarctic Sound are home to an estimated half million Adélie penguins as well as gentoo penguins, leopard seals, and killer whales. The best way to experience Adélie penguins at Brown Bluff is to sit quietly and watch nature’s cutest comedians at work. When opportunities arise, launch your kayaks, pitch tents ashore, and take unforgettable hikes to explore one the most beautiful, untouched places on the planet.
The Drake Passage is the stretch of ocean between the Antarctic Peninsula and the southern tip of Latin America. It was notorious among the early polar explorers and is a unique voyage which only a few have had the chance to experience. You can use these days at sea to recap your experiences, sort your photos, or simply relax on deck.
Day 20: Ushuaia | Disembark
1 Breakfast
After a spectacular journey, make landfall at the world’s southernmost town. Join an optional excursion to Lake Escondido or extend your stay in Buenos Aires with an optional post program.
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.
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Polar Inside - I
Size: 10-13 m2. Upper-deck cabin, No window, Double bed (optional twin)
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Polar Outside - FJ
172-226 square feet. Outside cabin: Double bed, seating area, TV, refrigerator, shower/wc, limited or no view. (FJ 503 with twin beds).
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Polar Outside - N
113-140 square feet. Outside cabin: One bed, one sofa bed, table, TV, refrigerator, shower/wc. (N-352 with upper/lower berths).
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Arctic Superior - U
118-252 square feet. Outside cabin: One bed, one sofa bed, table, TV, refrigerator, kettle, shower/wc. (U-526 with upper/lower berths).
Initial deposit is 20%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 90 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
Beyond expectations! Then again we weren't sure what to expect. Lovely stay at the lodge, met other like-minded travelers (many had their trips planned by Adventure Life) and the owner was a gracious hostess. It felt like you were one happy family, visiting with a favorite aunt.
Nancy Sin
TrustScore 4.8 | 176 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 176 reviews on
9 hours ago
Adventure Life is always an excellent choice when planning complicated, extreme, or exotic vacations or expeditions. They provide friendly professional services and advice and are enthusiastic and encouraging in helping us to prepare and thoroughly enjoy our trip. They handle all the details which greatly reduces the stress of planning a difficult trip. I'm very impressed with Adventure Life and definitely recommend them to friends and family.
Scott Trochim
2 days 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
4 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
5 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.