Join this once in a lifetime, 23-day adventure that combines all the Antarctic "hot spots" in one voyage. Explore the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, and the Antarctic Peninsula with the knowledgeable and experienced crew of the MV Plancius.
The final itinerary will be determined by the Expedition Leader on board. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises.
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
In the afternoon, embark in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world located in the shadow of the Andes and right at the Beagle Channel shore. Sail through this scenic waterway during the afternoon.
In the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) plan to spend the whole day on the fascinating western side of the archipelago. A hike along the shore of Carcass Island will give views of Magellanic and Gentoo-penguins, as well as close encounters with water fowl and Night herons. In addition, on Saunders observe Rockhopper penguins, Black-browed albatrosses and King cormorants.
In Stanley, the capital of the Falklands, experience Falkland culture, which has some South American characteristics as well as Victorian charm. In Stanley and surrounding area see quite an important number of stranded clippers from a century ago. Especially for the birders, a three hours excursion outside Port Stanley will be offered.
At sea, on your way to South Georgia cross the Antarctic Convergence. Entering Antarctic waters, the temperature will drop as much as 10 degrees C in the time span of only a few hours. Near the Convergence you will see a multitude of southern seabirds near the ship; several species of albatrosses, shearwaters, petrels, prions and skuas.
In South Georgia visit the bay of Elsehul, with its very active fur seal breeding beach, and then take course to Right Whale Bay, Salisbury Plain, Gold Harbour and Cooper Bay to give you a good opportunity to see a wide spectrum of landscapes and wildlife, like the introduced reindeer, Elephant seals, and King and Macaroni penguins. At Fortuna Bay try to follow in the footsteps of the great British Explorer Ernest Shackleton and hike over to Stømness Bay. There and at Grytviken see an abandoned whaling village, where King penguins now walk in the streets and seals have taken over the buildings. At Grytviken visit the Whaling History Museum as well as Shackleton´s grave nearby. One of the highlights might be your visit to Prion Island, where you will witness the breeding efforts of the huge Wandering albatross and enjoy watching their displays.
Spend the day at sea, where the ship is again followed by a multitude of seabirds. At some point you might encounter sea-ice, and it is at the ice-edge where you might have a chance to see some high-Antarctic species like the Maccormick skua, Snow petrel and the elusive Emperor penguin.
On day 12, weather permitting, the ship lands on Zavodovski Island, one of the rarely visited and uninhabited South Sandwich Islands. Zavodovski Island is one of the world's largest penguin colonies, with over a million pairs of breeding Chinstrap penguins.
Visit Orcadas station, an Argentinean base located in the South Orkney Islands. The friendly base personnel will show you their facilities and you can enjoy the wonderful views of the surrounding glaciers.
Sail into the Weddell Sea through the ice-clogged Antarctic Sound as huge tabular icebergs announce your arrival to the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula. Plan to visit Brown Bluff where you may set foot on the Continent. Next, the ship aims at Half Moon Island, in the Shetland Islands, to visit a Chinstrap penguin rookery and possibly see Weddell seals.
Then, venture to Deception Island through Neptune's Bellows. Here, find hot springs, an abandoned whaling station, thousands of Cape petrels and many Dominican gulls, Brown and South Polar skuas, and Antarctic terns. Wilson’s Storm petrels and Black-bellied Storm petrels nest in the ruins of the whaling station in Whalers Bay.
On the last day before venturing into the Drake Passage, sail towards the northern parts of Gerlache Strait. You may visit Charlotte Bay on the West coast of Graham Land, where the surrounding area is mountainous, with nunataks rising through the ice. Keep an eye out for seals and occasional kelp gulls, skuas, shags, or penguins. In Cierva Cove admire the rugged ice coated mountains of the Davis Coast and Mikkelsen Harbour.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
- Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars and represent costs per person, double or triple occupancy. Request the Twin or Triple Share Program where you are matched with a cabin mate of the same gender. Even if a cabin mate is not found for you, no single supplement will be charged.
- Single occupancy: All cabins 1.7 times the share twin price
-Children between the ages of 3-15 will be discounted 40% in triple or quad cabins, one child per cabin.
- Due to the extreme nature of itinerary destinations, travel insurance is mandatory for all cruises aboard the Plancius - including medical, accident and repatriation/evacuation insurance.
Initial deposit is 25% cruise cost, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 days prior to departure by bank transfer, check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
Kate was great to work with in the planning stage. She was prompt, helpful, and efficient. Our tour guide, Edwin, was knowledgeable and passionate. We were very happy to have traveled with Adventure Life, it made the trip easy and a true pleasure. We could concentrate on enjoying the experience rather than the details of travel.
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