Ultimate Antarctica, Falklands & South Georgia

Arrive at Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires and transfer to the Alvear Palace Hotel or a similar hotel. Buenos Aires, often called the “Paris of South America,” is known for its European-style architecture, lively markets, tango, and strong theatre scene. After check-in, rest and prepare for the day ahead.

You get transferred from your hotel to the airport for your charter flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, and then get transferred to the ship for embarkation. Set on the Beagle Channel and surrounded by mountains, Ushuaia is widely known as the southernmost city in the world and serves as a gateway to Antarctica, recognized for its dramatic landscape and history of exploration.

At sea, relax and enjoy your time on board as you sail toward your next destination.

This is no ordinary day— with no fixed itinerary, the day unfolds like a secret whispered by nature herself. Depending on weather, ice conditions and reported wildlife distribution during your voyage, your Expedition Leader will craft a bespoke adventure, guided by tides and instinct for you to discover.

Included Antarctica by Zodiac & Walks Ashore
At the very edge of the world, hop into the Zodiacs with an Expedition team driver-naturalist for a journey like no other. Here, in the vast desolation of Antarctica, we'll explore among iceberg giants dwarfed by behemoth tidewater glaciers.

Zodiacs provide an astounding vantage point from which to experience this icy wonderland. Seascapes of wild blue, punctuated and pierced by mesmerizing ice forms sculpted by the Southern Ocean, captivate even those most widely traveled. Icebergs drift aimlessly, sheltering seals and penguins from killer whales on the prowl.

Some days may include landings. Whether a strenuous hike up to a glacier viewpoint or a short walk along a beach to admire penguins, the Expedition team guides your steps and your processing of this extraordinary moment. Both ashore and aboard the ship, biologists, geologists, glaciologists, and historians interpret this remarkable continent that teems with the hardiest of life.

Seabourn is a member of IAATO, a member organization founded in 1991 to advocate, promote, and uphold the practice of safe and environmentally responsible private-sector travel to the Antarctic. Potential highlights of your visit to Antarctica include:

Ice landscapes: The White Continent is etched and shaped by its abundant glaciers — raw power unleashed within a harsh landscape to soften and burnish its edges. Shades of blue and grey, set against a vast whiteness, create delicate patterns in the snow and ice. Expedition staff guide you ashore to point out the glaciers' activity and their icy footprints.

Penguins: Absurdly comical and utterly serious at the same time, penguins are a delight to watch. They waddle about, busily collecting rocks with which to build their nests. Here, they will lay eggs and raise their ever-hungry chicks. They create actual penguin highways, treading down the snow with their tiny webbed feet. The mission of the moment could be preening, courting, stealing rocks from their neighbor's nest to embellish their own, or even running away from their own chicks in search of a moment of peace — it seems every parent has limits.

Marine mammals: Crabeater or leopard seals rest on ice floes, and Weddell seals sometimes sneak ashore for a snooze on the sand. Watch for minke whales feeding on crustaceans and small fish, humpback and fin whales sifting plankton with their baleen mouths, and killer (orca) whales patrolling in search of unlucky penguins or hapless seal pups perched on the lip of an iceberg. These giants are not afraid of the Zodiacs and can often be sighted at close range.

Seabirds: Pelagic birds, such as petrels and albatrosses, soar merrily overhead in the Drake Passage. Years spent at sea make them happy, and gusty days are their best friend, allowing them to surf air currents and remain effortlessly aloft, through a process called 'dynamic soaring', so that they can watch us and delight in our presence as we do in theirs.

Human endeavors: The history of humans in Antarctica is brief. Research stations belonging to many different countries from all over the globe are manned — sometimes year-round and sometimes seasonally. Catching a view of these provides an interesting perspective on the world of science. Life for station workers can be easy and sociable or harsh and lonely, depending upon the circumstances. A few historic remnants of the whaling era can still be seen — the skeleton of a wooden boat tasked with delivering water to factory ships, mooring chains on the shoreline, or a rudimentary hut stocked for explorers. If you are lucky enough to glimpse these, consider them a last gasp of those who tried to commercialize this unforgiving continent.

Please note: Included Expeditions cannot be booked in advance. The ship's Expedition team will communicate finalized content and departure information. Dress warmly in layers with a windproof and waterproof outer layer; bring a warm hat, gloves and a scarf. Life jackets are provided and must be worn. Wildlife sightings are likely but are not guaranteed.

At sea, relax and enjoy your time on board as you sail toward your next destination.

The South Georgia Islands Group, one of the least visited destinations on earth, is a gem in the heart of the sub-Antarctic. Comprising of South Georgia Island and its smaller surrounding islands and rocks, this untouched paradise houses a rich tapestry of wildlife, thriving in a climate that is as harsh as it is beautiful. Despite the presence of ice and snow, these islands are remarkably green, their vegetation a stark contrast to the icy expanses of Antarctica. This is a Lost Eden where nature reigns supreme, teeming with an array of wildlife that includes vast colonies of king and other penguin species, fur and elephant seals, albatrosses, giant petrels, and other seabirds. Offshore, whales, orcas, and dolphins thrive in the nutrient-rich waters, making this the most diverse marine ecosystem on earth.

Your journey through the South Georgia Islands Group is carefully curated by your Expedition Leader based on local conditions and wildlife reports. You'll venture to historic communities like Grytviken, visit the sprawling breeding colony of king penguins on Salisbury Plain, and explore the rarely-visited, lesser-known sites nature allows.

Included South Georgia by Zodiac & Walks Ashore
Remote and forbidding South Georgia, the most rugged of all sub-Antarctic islands, digests the fury of the surrounding stormy seas. The frigid Southern Ocean is the most nutrient-rich on Earth, attracting whales by the thousands, legions of elephant seal, flotillas of fur seals, masses of penguins, and clouds of pelagic birds to both dine at the endless buffet, and to be dined on — a beautiful, brutal world of nature most raw. Leave the ship to explore one or more of the many potential environments on South Georgia with a Zodiac expedition, a ship cruise, a beach landing, or a walk ashore at a wildlife hotspot.

Grytviken: Grytviken, encircled by steep, rugged mountains, is the only settlement on South Georgia. Founded in 1904 as a whaling station, it was once home to 300 souls. Nowadays, Grytviken resembles a ghost town, strewn with a curious range of rusted tanks, oil processing plants, flensing tools, and the skeletons of derelict whaling vessels. The house of the station manager doubles as the South Georgia Museum, while the Lutheran church ages staunchly, standing proud in a field of senescence. Among the white crosses of the cemetery, a monument marks the grave of Sir Ernest Shackleton. This failed explorer became an unlikely hero after snatching inconceivable victory from the jaws of crushing defeat. Grytviken has its own post office, which sells rare South Georgia stamps, and across the cove is the British Antarctic Survey scientific station at King Edward Point. Marching across the hinterland, dramatic glacier-covered mountains rise sharply to be crowned by Mount Paget at 6,900 feet (2,935 m).

Wildlife: Amid the vastness of the Southern Ocean, South Georgia is a place of pilgrimage for penguins — a place to feed, to breed, and to rear their young. Hundreds of thousands of king penguins nest on the beaches and flat plains — a mosaic in motion and a chaotic cacophony. Other penguins, along with skuas, petrels, albatrosses, and pipits, roost along its shores. A few million fur seals loll about like puppies, and hundreds of thousands of elephant seals jostle for a snooze-worthy scrap of sand.


Please note: Included Expeditions cannot be booked in advance. The ship's Expedition team will communicate finalized content and departure information. Dress warmly in layers with a windproof and waterproof outer layer; bring a warm hat, gloves and a scarf. Life jackets are provided and must be worn. Wildlife sightings are likely but are not guaranteed.

At sea, relax and enjoy your time on board as you sail toward your next destination.

The lonely lighthouse at Cape Pembroke welcomes arrivals to Stanley. It alerts ships to the treacherous rocks, reefs and shoals for which the Falkland Islands have long been known. With a population of over 2,000 people, Stanley is the largest settlement on the islands. Its gardens, tea rooms, brightly colored houses and hotels lend it a slightly Victorian feel, seemingly suspended in time. The Anglican Cathedral, the southernmost in the world, stands prominently on Stanley’s waterfront.

The Falklands’ unique abundance of wildlife is evident in Stanley. Dolphins visit its harbor, while steamer ducks, kelp gulls, and other birds abound on shore. Southern sea lions can be spotted basking in the sun. Southern giant petrels often fly through town, oblivious to the human presence. Founded in the 1840s, the town was named after Edward Smith-Stanley, Earl of Derby, who never visited the islands.

INCLUDED SHORE EXCURSION: Bluff Cove Lagoon: Penguins & Tea

Discover breeding King and Gentoo penguins and the abundant bird species of the Falkland Islands on this scenic, off-road excursion to the privately-owned Bluff Cove Lagoon wildlife haven. After tendering ashore, you will be met by the Bluff Cove team and set out with your driver/guide by minibus. A 20-minute journey takes you through Stanley and across the rolling hills to Bluff Cove Farm. Here, switch to a 4x4 Land Rover vehicle. Your skillful driver will navigate the rugged off-road terrain for 20 minutes to the Bluff Cove Lagoon penguin rookery. A knowledgeable and friendly ranger will accompany you on a leisurely stroll through the penguin colony, which features a scenic backdrop of a large lagoon and a white, sandy beach that is occasionally patrolled by sea lions from the nearby island. This beautiful, pristine reserve is home to more than 1,000 breeding pairs of Gentoo penguins which protect the growing colony of King penguins and their chicks. Magellanic penguins, which burrow on the nearby island, can often be found on the beach. Bird species that frequent or nest in the area include skuas, upland geese, ruddy-headed geese, Magellanic oyster-catchers, South American terns, dolphin gulls, flightless Falkland steamer ducks, snowy sheathbills and southern giant petrels, among others. At the legendary Sea Cabbage Café on the beach, relax over tea, coffee and hot chocolate accompanied by delicious home-baked treats such as scones with diddle-dee jam and fresh cream. Bask in the warmth and aroma of the peat stove while the enjoying splendid vistas of waves crashing on the sandy beach and penguins porpoising in. The Bluff Cove Museum, also by the beach, depicts life in the Falklands and tells the story of Bluff Cove. You can find out about the farm, the nearby 1863 ‘sugar wreck’, the 1982 war with Argentina and the fabulous lagoon wildlife. You will have free time to take photographs, stroll along the beach and look around the museum. A small gift shop sells unique Bluff Cove souvenirs, including Bluff Cove tweed items made with the farm wool, and postcards that can be stamped and mailed from here. Look for samples of knitted, crocheted and felted local wool work displayed on the walls of the café and museum.

OPTIONAL SHORE EXCURSIONS:

Kelp Point Exclusive Wildlife Excursion

74 Days to Victory

There is nowhere else in the world like the Falkland Islands. This archipelago is a remote, wind-swept place of stunning landscapes, dazzling white sand beaches, magnificent wildlife, and a rather gregarious mix of people. Over 200 islands surround the two main islands of West and East Falkland. These isolated and treeless shores are home to an overwhelming abundance of birdlife: albatross, penguins, caracaras, geese, and many others. Perhaps it was the very remoteness of the islands; the allure of its barren landscapes, pure in their austerity and colorful in their details, and the immensely large open skies that attracted settlers to its shores long ago, the islands have an accumulated a wealth of maritime and military history. More than three hundred shipwrecks litter its shores, while the stark white crosses of both British and Argentine soldiers stand as a silent reminder to the war of 1982. Numerous claims for the islands have been put forward in the course of their history. Nowadays the Falkland Islands are a self-governing British Overseas Territory.

At sea, relax and enjoy your time on board as you sail toward your next destination.

Once deemed too harsh for European settlement, Ushuaia's rugged beauty was the realm of its native inhabitants - the Yahgan People. Today, it holds the distinctive title of being the southernmost city on Earth, often referred to as "the end of the world." Situated along the banks of the Beagle Channel, Ushuaia unveils itself like an artist's masterpiece. A mosaic of vibrant houses adds a splash of color against the dramatic backdrop of snow-capped mountains. Dominating this breathtaking panorama is Monte Olivia, its jagged peaks soaring 4,530 feet above the landscape.

The terrain transforms from dense forests of Southern beech trees at sea level to alpine ecosystems as you ascend. Thanks to its strategic location and proximity to the Antarctic Peninsula, Ushuaia has earned its status as the gateway to the Great White Continent. Yet, Ushuaia is more than just a stepping stone to Antarctica. It's a treasure trove of natural history, indigenous heritage, and the spirit of exploration. From embarking on awe-inspiring treks in the nearby Tierra del Fuego National Park to delving into the rich narratives at "The End of the World" museum, Ushuaia promises a plethora of experiences that cater to the curious and the adventurous alike.