Embark Silver Cloud in Punta Arenas, settle in, and attend a mandatory safety drill before leaving port. During the afternoon be introduced to some of the important crew members and your Expedition Team. At sail away bid farewell to Tierra del Fuego, the ‘Land at the End of the World’.

Set sail on your initial transit, familiarise yourself with the elegant Silver Cloud and the Expedition Team members. Partake in wildlife, geography and history discussions hosted by your expert Team Members and naturalists and attend talks by your guest lecturers preparing you for the exciting adventures that lie ahead.

The Drake Passage has a notorious reputation for its turbulent seas due to the westerly winds and the funnelling effect of the passage, but with modern navigational aids and stabilizers Silver Cloud brings you safely across these southern waters.

Spend some time on deck watching the horizon and the variety of seabirds that glide in the air currents of our ship’s wake -such as the Black-browed Albatross, Cape Petrels, White-chinned Petrels and Sooty Shearwaters.

The ice-coated Antarctic Peninsula forms perhaps the most accessible region of mainland Antarctica, lying a mere 480-miles away from South America, across the fabled waters of Drakes Passage. Lying close to the northwestern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, separated by the Bransfield Strait, the South Shetland Islands fall under the jurisdiction of the Antarctic Treaty, suspending claims on their sovereignty. Several countries maintain research bases here, and with plump elephant seals and crowds of Gentoo, Chinstrap, and Adelie Penguins also calling the islands home, it can even feel a little crowded at times. King George Island is the largest and most hospitable island, hosting the majority of the research stations - some of which are populated all year-round by tiny, hardy crews. Don’t be fooled, though; these islands offer extraordinary adventure in one of the most remote locations on earth. The triple peaks of Mount Foster tower above the archipelago, and you’ll feel your heart pumping a little quicker as you sail into the core of Deception Island’s magnificent collapsed volcano caldera. Hike the lunar landscapes within and even dip into the improbably warm, geothermally-heated waters of Pendulum Cove. Elephant Island, meanwhile, is written deep into the annals of Antarctic expedition legend, as the site where Ernest Shackleton and the stricken crew of the Endurance miraculously survived a harsh Antarctic winter in 1916.

While sailing in Antarctica’s vast white wilderness, your itinerary is flexible and in the true spirit of expedition cruising, each day the Expedition Leader and Captain determine the best course depending on weather, ice conditions and wildlife you may encounter. 

Here are some of the places you may visit: Cuverville Island was discovered by Gerlache’s Belgian Antarctic expedition of 1897–99. Large, bare rock areas provide nesting sites for gentoo penguins. Snow petrels and Cape petrels may also be seen, whilst Wilson’s storm-petrels nest in the higher scree of the island. During Zodiac cruises, hauled-out Weddell seals are quite often encountered. Under good conditions one can climb part of Cuverville’s hill for spectacular panoramic views.

Paradise Bay is well named for its spectacular scenery of mountains, glaciers and icebergs. The Silver Cloud sails past Argentina’s “Base Brown”, one of many Antarctic research stations. You can also view the wildlife from sea level while cruising in your Zodiacs. Apart from observing cormorants in the cliffs there is a good chance to see crabeater seals relaxing on ice floes; whales have been seen regularly.

Petermann Island is named for geographer August Petermann and was discovered by a German expedition in 1873-74. During your landing, be able to observe rookeries of Adelie penguins, gentoo penguins and blue-eyed shags. Petermann has various geological features, especially rock surfaces showing glacial polish and some glacial grooving.

Pleneau Bay lies at the south end of the Lemaire Channel, and was first explored during Charcot’s 1903–05 French Antarctic Expedition. Gentoo penguins, kelp gulls and south polar skuas are usually found breeding on Pleneau Island and Southern elephant seals are often hauled-out in wallows. Enjoy the spectacular scenery of icebergs nearby either from shore or during a Zodiac cruise.

End your Antarctic sojourn in the South Shetland Islands. Port Foster, Whalers Bay and Telefon Bay are all located in Deception Island, an excellent example of a caldera that can be reached from the sea. Plan to sail into the caldera through the narrow entrance called Neptune’s Bellows. Ashore Deception Island’s interesting history -from whaling to scientific studies- still shows remains of a former whaling station, including the boilers used to make whale oil in the early 1900s, and houses belonging to a British research base. The unique volcanic features of the area can be seen during hikes.

The Aitcho Islands have gentoo and chinstrap penguin colonies. Southern giant petrels and skuas are never far from penguin rookeries and elephant seals quite often look for company near the landing site.

Navigating your return through the Drake Passage, watch for seabirds and wildlife you may have missed on your initial crossing. There are opportunities to attend additional presentations offered by the Expedition Team lecturers and to edit the many photos taken as you travel towards Ushuaia. During the last afternoon, your Photographer/Videographer shows the Voyage –DVD.

After breakfast, disembark Silver Cloud.