Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctica via Ushuaia

Arrive in Ushuaia anytime today, and stay at the beautiful Arakur Hotel & Resort, a member of the Leading Hotels of the World. Explore the trails, take a spa, relax and soak in the surroundings, or head into Ushuaia and browse the Argentinean leather markets. Your optional evening briefing is a great opportunity for you to ask questions and to meet some of your fellow travelers. 

 

Explore the sights of Ushuaia such as the museums and Argentinean leather markets or continue relaxing at the hotel. Attend the optional evening briefing for the opportunity to ask questions and meet some of your fellow travelers.

This morning, you’re free to explore Ushuaia or unwind at the resort until your mid-afternoon transfer to the ship. On board, you’ll be greeted by your Expedition Team and the ship’s officers. A concise safety and orientation briefing will be followed by the Captain’s welcome dinner. After dinner, relax and take in the scenery on your early evening sail through the Beagle Channel, past porpoising Magellanic penguins, Rock Cormorants, and Black-browed albatross.

Among the wildlife spotting opportunities as you sail south are the albatrosses, prions, and petrels that frequently follow the ship. Your Expedition Team is sure to be out on deck as well, looking for the whales and dolphins that may also be seen in the area. On board experts begin the presentations with informative and entertaining talks on the wildlife, history, and geology of the Falkland Islands and Southern Ocean. Helpful briefings on environmental regulations and expedition safety are held in the ship's comfortable lounge.

The westernmost settled outposts in the Falklands are remote farms that have been family-owned for six and seven generations. The sheep graze alongside albatross colonies and rockhopper, king, and Magellanic penguin rookeries while striated caracaras patrol overhead and upland geese graze at the water's edge. A visit to one of these homesteads often includes an invitation for cakes and a cup of tea.

Chosen for its sheltered harbor and access to abundant fresh water and peat for fuel, Stanley is easy to discover on foot as most shops and services are centered on the port. The museum, the post-office featuring first day covers, plenty of shops with locally-made wool items, and Stanley's lively pubs are all available. It is also possible to experience the wildlife of the Falklands from the town, including sea lions and dolphins in the harbor or bird life in nearby Gypsy Cove.

There is plenty of wildlife spotting as the ship makes its way east across the Antarctic Convergence and officially enters Antarctic waters. Shipboard presentations continue, featuring the exciting history and abundant wildlife of South Georgia.

South Georgia holds a unique position inside the Antarctic Convergence, yet it remains outside the limit of the yearly sea ice - this makes the 3,755 square kilometer island an ideal home for tens of millions of breeding penguins, seals, and seabirds. Magnificent mountain scenery, glaciers galore, a rugged coastline punctuated with castellate and tabular icebergs, a rich historical tapestry, and an astounding array of wildlife are all available as you travel down South Georgia's leeward coast.

Landing sites feature huge elephant seals, aggressive fur seals, macaroni penguins, albatross, petrels, skuas, and gulls. King penguins, from fuzzy little chicks to fattened adults, can be seen by the hundreds of thousands! Plan to visit historic Grytviken Whaling Station, home of the whaling museum, Norwegian seaman's church, the active British Antarctic Survey station, plus the tiny graveyard where the great Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton is buried.

Heading farther south, informative presentations continue and you can wildlife watch as the icebergs become more and more plentiful.

In the waterways of the Antarctic Peninsula, hope to make as much time as possible to explore by inflatable Zodiac boats and marvel up close at nature’s glory. Your Expedition Leader and Captain create a flexible itinerary based on weather, ice, and opportunity.  Aim for the most scenic bays and channels of the Peninsula with stops at penguin rookeries, seal wallows, bird colonies and whale feeding areas, as well as sites of historic and scientific interest.

The trip may include picturesque Neko Harbor, sheltered Paradise Harbor, the Humpback Whale favored Wilhelmina Bay, the striking Lemaire Channel, the wildlife-filled Penola Channel, or the majestic Neumayer Channel. You may stop at an active scientific base such as Poland’s Arctowksi or Ukraine’s Vernadskiy as well as a historic base such as U.K.’s Port Lockroy or Wordie House.

Adelie, chinstrap and gentoo penguins abound, and Weddell, crabeater and elephant seals are often found hauled out to rest along with predatory leopard seals and the assertive Antarctic fur seal. Minke and humpback whales are frequent visitors in the late season and orca sightings are also common.

As you leave this magical place and make your way north, heading again across the Antarctic Convergence and the Drake Passage, continue your presentation series and wildlife spotting. Sailing back to Ushuaia through the Beagle Channel, celebrate the conclusion of your expedition with a special slideshow. 

Morning disembarkation lets you catch a flight to Buenos Aires or stay in Ushuaia for more sights and adventure.