Your journey commences in the southern Chilean port city of Punta Arenas. Gather at a central meeting point and transfer to the wharf where you'll embark your expedition ship. After settling into your cabins and exploring the ship, meet the expedition team and fellow passengers. Excitement is in the air and enjoy a welcome cocktail and dinner. Chart a course through the Straits of Magellan and are on your way, bound for Antarctica – and what promises to be an incredible adventure.

The Drake Passage is rich in bio-diversity and showcases a great abundance of wildlife. You will be joined by hundreds of seabirds including the wandering albatross, Giant petrels and smaller Cape petrels are also constant companions as you make your way south. Photographing these magnificent birds takes patience and skill and your photography expert will be on hand to show you the best techniques. Join the ship’s Captain on the bridge and learn about the operations of your modern expedition vessel. Throughout the day your onboard experts educate you with a series of presentations about the environment, the wildlife and history of the locations you can hope to visit in the coming days. As you approach the coastline of Antarctica, encounter more icebergs and anticipate your first whale sightings.

Excitement is in the air as the magnificent snowy peaks of the South Shetland Islands are laid out before you. Depending on ice and weather conditions, enter the South Shetlands via the McFarlane Strait, with an objective of Half Moon Island, or nearby Yankee Harbour. Arriving on shore, a sizeable rookery of chinstrap penguins act as a very noisy welcoming committee and you can hope to observe your first substantial elephant seal colony here. There are some good hiking options along the rocky beach to a high point. Otherwise observe the chinstraps at close proximity as they establish their nests.

Overnight, cross the Bransfield Strait and are now along the coastline of continental Antarctica. The itinerary is deliberately flexible to account for early season ice conditions, and to take advantage of optimal snow conditions at several favourite landing sites. The planned exploration starts in the vicinity of Mikkelson Harbour and neighbouring Cierva Cove – both beautiful locations and the perfect introduction to Antarctica. Both spots provide excellent Zodiac cruising and it is fascinating to observe the very beginning of the penguin breeding cycle and the courtship rituals that take place. Keep your eyes out for the powerful leopard seal, which can frequently be found hauled out on the icefloes around here.

Continue your journey on your way to Antarctic Sound - the gateway into the icy Weddell Sea. Depending on the seasonal ice conditions, visit a number of outstanding locations on the way into the Weddell. The plan is to sail the ship into the flooded volcanic caldera at Deception Island. This is a very dramatic place and history is all around as you explore the old whaling station, with the rusted old boilers and dilapidated wooden huts. At the far end of the beach is an old aircraft hangar. This is where Australian, Sir Hubert Wilkins, made the very first flight in Antarctica in 1928. There is also an outstanding hike, high up onto the rim of the crater. The Aitcho Islands provide some great hiking routes showcasing the colourful mosses and lichens found on the island. Gentoo and chinstrap penguins nest here and on the beaches, seals are often encountered coming and going from the surrounding waters. Fort Point situated on Greenwich Island is another possible location for a visit.  ​

The next objective is to enter the icy Weddell Sea, through the broad channel that separates the continent of Antarctica from Joinville Island. At first, you will be awe-struck by the sheer size of the tabular icebergs in this area and their presence always makes for exciting navigation on the ship. This region is also home to some of the largest Adelie penguin rookeries found in Antarctica. After several busy days of exploration along the Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetlands and Antarctic Sound, head for Elephant Island – a location forever connected to the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton and the HMS Endurance expedition a century ago. On the windswept north coast, exposed to the swells of the South Atlantic is Point Wild. It was here that Shackleton and his exhausted men camped under their upturned boats more than a century ago – pondering their chances of survival. Shore landings here are often notoriously tricky due to strong winds and pounding surf on the rocky beach. This is a thrilling location for anyone with a passion for polar history.

As the ship departs Elephant Island, ponder the journey made by Shackleton and his four companions – as they attempted the near impossible – navigating 800 nautical miles in a 30 foot converted lifeboat across the tempestuous Scotia Sea to South Georgia. You'll have a much easier time of the crossing in your modern expedition ship. Onboard experts keep you busy with fascinating presentations and lead lively discussions throughout the day. The great pelagic seabirds are sure to keep you cpmpany – and you can anticipate excellent sightings of albatross and giant petrels soaring on the winds of the South Atlantic Ocean. Anticipation builds as the mountainous peaks appear on the horizon, marking your arrival at South Georgia.

Spend the next three days exploring the coastline of South Georgia. Dark sand beaches, tussock covered hinterland and a backdrop of towering peaks and glaciers are a feast for all the senses. South Georgia has often been called the greatest wildlife show on Earth. Seals cover the beaches, seabirds fill the skies and living in rookeries of immense sizes are the majestic king penguins. The aim is to visit a number of these vast colonies – where naturalists estimate that more than 100,000 adult and juvenile penguins live in close proximity. Locations could include Gold Harbour, Royal Bay, St Andrews Bay and Salisbury Plain. Dotted along the coastline are the rusting relics of the early whaling era. The largest of these locations is Grytviken. Here you'll find a fascinating museum and a beautifully restored Norwegian Lutheran Church. Adjacent to the old whaling station lies a small cemetery. This is the final resting place of Sir Ernest Shackleton – who was laid to rest here in 1922. For many onboard, being in the presence of the great polar explorer is a highlight of the trip. Continue your journey along the coastline, hoping to visit Stromness – another former whaling station – and the final destination of Shackleton and companions Frank Worsley and Tom Crean, having made the near impossible traverse across the interior of South Georgia against all odds. 

By now you are in sensory overload, your cameras full of images and your journey towards the Falkland Islands commences. The spectacular seabirds, including several albatross and petrel species, are your constant companions soaring above the ship. The onboard educational program continues, and your experts recap your remarkable journey to date. These days provide a good opportunity to catch up on journal entries, sort through your images at the multimedia station and catch some rest after a busy two weeks of activity.

Wake to the sight of landfall in the Falkland Islands. Approaching Sea Lion Island, you'll first note the very barren and windswept landscape, exposed to the prevailing weather that originates in the Drake Passage. Launch the Zodiacs and go ashore to view the incredible diversity of wildlife found at this location. Three species of penguin including gentoo, Magellanic and rockhopper, as well as southern elephant seals and South American sea lions, are known to inhabit the area. King cormorants and striated caracaras are just some of the bird species you can expect to see. As you cruise along the coast of the Falklands, bound for Stanley, enjoy a special dinner attended by the ship’s Captain.

This morning, pass through ‘the Narrows’ and into the port of Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands. Say goodbye to your crew and after some free time to explore the town, make your way to the airport for your special charter flight to Santiago - Chile's stylish capital city. On arrival in Santiago your journey comes to an end. Onward regional and international flight connections may be possible this evening. A transfer is provided to a downtown location for those choosing to stay and explore Santiago and the delights of Chile.