South Georgia & Antarctic Odyssey feat. South Sandwich Islands

Upon arriving in Santiago, please make your way to the Holiday Inn Hotel located at Santiago Airport. After clearing immigration, you will need to collect your luggage and exit the airport terminal. The hotel is conveniently located ideally located directly in front of the Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport Terminal, just a few steps outside of baggage claim. At check-in, kindly remind hotel check-in staff to provide you with Aurora Expeditions cabin tags. Please clearly label the tags with your name and ship cabin number.

Enjoy free time to explore Santiago at your own pace and discover the town’s excellent restaurants. Between 5.00-7.00 pm, meet your fellow expeditioners at a Welcome Reception and Pre-Embarkation Briefing. Afterwards, there’s free time to dine at your leisure. (Dinner not included).
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Airport Hotel 

The direct flight on LATAM Airways from Santiago to Punta Arenas departs at 6.00 am, and arrives at Punta Arenas at 9.25 am (flight not included in voyage price). Upon your arrival in Punta Arenas, you’ll be met by a representative from Aurora Expeditions and transferred to Cabo de Hornos hotel, where you’ll enjoy some free time (lunch at your own expense). Your luggage will be transferred directly to the pier and delivered to your cabin. 

Overlooking the Straits of Magellan, the city sits astride one of the world's most historic trade routes. Today, Punta Arenas reflects a great mix of cultures, from English sheep ranchers to Portuguese sailors, and it remains an utterly fascinating testament to Chile's rich history.

From 2-4 pm, we will conduct our mandatory health screenings and rapid COVID tests at the hotel. Afterward, you will be transferred to the pier to commence embarkation. Once aboard, you’ll have time to settle into your cabin before our important mandatory briefings. As the ship pulls away from the port, we’ll gather on the deck to farewell Punta Arenas and commence our adventure to Antarctica. 

This evening, get to know your fellow expeditioners and friendly expedition team and crew at a welcome dinner to celebrate the start of a thrilling adventure to Antarctica.

Sail along the legendary Beagle Channel and enjoy the splendid scenery of fjords and channels flanked by majestic mountains. Keep watch for the many seabirds and marine wildlife including dolphins, sea lions, and whales preparing to migrate to Antarctica to fatten up on plentiful krill. In the evening, we exit Nassau Bay, sail past Cape Horn and prepare to enter the Drake Passage.

As we commence the Drake Passage crossing, we make the most of our time getting comfortable with the motions of the sea. Our expedition team prepares you for our first landing with important wildlife guidelines and biosecurity procedures and starts our lecture program to help you learn more about Antarctica’s history, wildlife, and environment.

Our wildlife experiences begin as we enjoy watching and photographing the many seabirds, including majestic albatrosses and giant petrels following in our wake. They rise and fall skillfully, using air currents created by the ship to gain momentum.

Nearing the South Shetland Islands and the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula on day five, the excitement is palpable with everyone converging on one of the observation decks, watching for our first iceberg. The ocean takes on a whole new perspective once we are below the Antarctic Convergence and are surrounded by the surreal presence of floating ice sculptures. The memory of your first big iceberg sighting is likely to remain with you for a lifetime. Weather permitting, we may attempt our first landing in Antarctica by late afternoon.

It’s almost impossible to describe the feeling of arriving in Antarctica. Spotting your first iceberg and taking a deep breath of some of the freshest, crisp air on earth is an experience that will stay with you forever. 

Once we arrive, the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands are ours to explore, and we have a host of choices available to us. Because we are so far south, we will experience approximately 18-24 hours of daylight and the days can be as busy as you wish. 
Your experienced expedition team, who have made countless journeys to this area, will use their expertise to design your voyage from day to day, choosing the best options based on the prevailing weather, ice conditions, and wildlife opportunities.

We generally make landings or Zodiac excursions twice a day. You’ll want to rug up before joining Zodiac cruises along spectacular ice cliffs or among grounded icebergs, keeping watch for whales, seals, and porpoising penguins. Zodiacs will also transport you from the ship to land, where you can visit penguin rookeries, discover historic huts and explore some of our favorite spots along the peninsula. 

While ashore we aim to stretch our legs, wandering along pebbly beaches or perhaps up snow-covered ridgelines to vantage points with mountains towering overhead and ice-speckled oceans below. If you have chosen an optional activity, you’ll have the option to do that whenever conditions allow, and of course, keen polar plungers will have the chance to fully immerse themselves in polar waters - conditions permitting!

In addition to Zodiac cruises and shore excursions, we may ship cruise some of the narrow, dramatic straits separating offshore islands from the mainland, or linger in scenic bays to watch whales traveling or feeding. This is a great time to enjoy the observation lounge or make your way to the bridge for uninterrupted views of Antarctica in all its splendor. Keep an ear out for the creak and deep rumble of glaciers as they carve their way from the summit to sea. Take a quiet moment to experience the wonder of this incredible white continent.

Enjoy a morning landing before commencing our crossing of the Scotia Sea, enjoy presentations from the expedition team to help prepare for our arrival to the wild South Sandwich Islands. Perhaps you may want to practise your photo editing skills, stay active in the gym, or simply watch seabirds frolic alongside the ship. 

On Captain James Cook’s second voyage of discovery (1772–1775), he circumnavigated the globe in high southern latitudes, without seeing land, casting doubt on the existence of the Antarctic continent, which at that time was still unknown. It was during this voyage Cook discovered the South Sandwich Islands and landed on South Georgia Island, describing them as, ‘Lands doomed by Nature to perpetual frigidness: never to feel the warmth of the sun’s rays; whose horrible and savage aspects I have not words to describe.’

He named the South Sandwich Islands for Lord Sandwich, they are considered together with South Georgia, as a UK Dependent Territory (see above), and are uninhabited. Although Cook sighted a number of the islands, several more were not discovered until Bellingshausen visited in 1819.

Located about 740 km / 460 mi south-east of South Georgia, the islands form a chain some 350 km / 220 mi long, comprising 11 large and several smaller islands with a total area of about 600 sq. km / 230 sq. mi. Most are ice-capped, and the tallest peak, on Montagu Island, reaches 1,370 m / 4,500 ft. The climate is cold, with frequent snow and strong winds. The islands are volcanic in origin and some remain active. The island of Zavodovski, for instance, appears in constant eruption and reeks of rotten eggs (the volcano itself is named Mt. Asphyxia), while the islands of Visokoi, Candlemas, Saunders, and Bellingshausen all show definite signs of activity. Bristol, Cook, and Thule islands are heavily glaciated and show no signs of warmth or activity. All the islands are steep-sided above the water, and fall away rapidly into deep water (more than 1,500 m / 5,000 ft).

In our trusted Zodiacs or kayaks, explore the dramatic coast of some of the islands, if conditions allow. Little is known about these islands, although the British Antarctic Survey has undertaken some limited biological and geological work there, mainly in the 1960s. Vegetation is very sparse. But there’s at least one extraordinary wildlife spectacle: Zavodovski Island supports a chinstrap penguin colony that numbers around one million penguins on its steep volcanic slopes. Those who have seen this massive penguin colony speak of it with awe. 

Reflect over a few drinks on the adventures of the last few days spent in the wild South Sandwich Islands and hear tales of exploration and discovery from our expert expedition team as we prepare for our exciting days ahead in spectacular South Georgia, a mecca for wildlife. 

As you near the rugged island of South Georgia, spare a thought for Captain James Cook, who arrived here in 1775 and believed it to be the northern tip of a great southern continent! In fact, it is a small island only 176 km (110 mi) long, but with a 3,000 m (9,842 ft) snow-capped mountain range, some of the world’s largest congregations of wildlife, and a truly fascinating human history, South Georgia is an island of incredible riches. 

On approach, jagged mountain peaks rise steeply, while seabirds are often spotted soaring around the ship. Take a deep breath and marvel at the spectacular glaciated scenery, and perhaps enjoy some shelter from the prevailing westerly winds. This enchanting island is yours to explore! 

South Georgia lies within the Antarctic Convergence and it can be quite chilly! Make sure you layer up before joining Zodiac cruises and keep an eye out for South Georgia’s kelp forests as well - these remarkable underwater ecosystems are quite mesmerizing as their fronds sway back and forth on the water’s surface. 
Zodiacs will also transport you from ship to shore, where you can visit some of the largest king penguin colonies on earth, take guided walks among fur seals and elephant seals (making sure you listen to your guides and keep your distance!), carefully clamber up tussock grass ‘steps’ not fully knowing what or who lies ahead, and wander along pebbled streams, grassy glacial outwash plains. We also hope to visit the remnants of South Georgia’s thriving whaling stations and pay our respects to Sir Ernest Shackleton, whose incredible voyage of survival is synonymous with this island. If you have chosen an optional activity, you’ll have the opportunity to do that whenever conditions allow. 

In addition to Zodiac cruises and shore excursions, we may ship cruise through fjords with towering cliffs of ancient stone, or into deeply indented bays towards dramatic glacier fronts. This is a great time to find a comfy spot in the observation lounge or make your way to the bridge to enjoy uninterrupted views of South Georgia’s majestic coastline. 

Please note that in November/December, the extraordinary volume of fur seal populations can limit landings at some sites. 

Between South Georgia and the Falklands~Malvinas, you will be entranced by the ceaseless flight of the many seabirds that follow our wake, skilfully using the air currents created by the ship to gain momentum. Our lecture program will continue highlighting all of the incredible sights we have witnessed over the past few days. You will have ample time to enjoy observing seabirds, whale-watching from the observation areas, or simply relaxing with a book. 

The Falklands~Malvinas comprises two large islands (East and West Falkland), with over 700 islands scattered off the coast. All but seven of these are uninhabited, with windswept coastlines, white-sand beaches, and crystal-clear water. These beautifully barren islands are true wildlife havens, sheltering an impressive diversity of birdlife, including the largest black-browed albatross colony on earth. The cold, nutrient-rich waters surrounding the islands make this a prime location for spotting marine life.

There are many beautiful areas to explore across the Falklands~Malvinas, each offering a unique perspective on this magnificent archipelago. Zodiacs will transport you from the ship to land, where you may be able to visit albatross colonies, penguin rookeries, and perhaps even have a traditional English tea and scones at a local cottage.  

We also aim to land in historic Stanley, the capital of the Falklands~Malvinas. This charming town has a distinctly British character, with terraced townhouses, pioneer cottages, and even an iconic red telephone box! Colorful buildings house cozy cafes, English pubs, souvenir shops, a post office, and the fascinating Historic Dockyard Museum, with displays on the maritime history of the Falkland Islands, natural history, and links to Antarctica. 

After a morning in Falklands~Malvinas, we commence our journey back to South America. You may choose to spend the sea days returning to Puerto Williams editing your photos, enjoying the onboard facilities, or listening to an informative lecture. As we approach the tip of South America, our Captain may sail close to legendary Cape Horn, weather and time permitting. Celebrate the end of an unforgettable voyage with newfound friends at a special Captain’s farewell dinner. 

During the early morning, we sail along the Beagle Channel, before quietly slipping into dock in Puerto Williams, where we begin disembarking at around 8.00 am. Farewell, your expedition team and transfer to Puerto Williams airport for our charter flight to Punta Arenas.