Arrive at Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. Make your way to your hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure. Visit the Argentinean leather markets and succulent lamb dishes that make Patagonia famous as you explore the southernmost town in the world. Highlights of Ushuaia include an award-winning museum and trips to nearby Tierra del Fuego National Park and its popular “Train at the End of the World.”

Arriving at the ship in the afternoon, your Expedition Team and ship's officers greet you and present a safety and orientation briefing followed by the Captain's welcome dinner. Then, watch the city lights fade in the fresh night air as you sail seaward.

At sea in the westerlies the ship is followed by several species of albatrosses, storm petrels, shearwaters and diving petrels. Observe them from the bridge or decks as you sail southward.

The remote and sparsely populated Falkland Islands are a birders’ paradise. Visit one or more of the isolated outer islands where large colonies of penguins and albatross are easily accessible. The Falklands are also a great place to observe marine mammals. Fur seals and elephant seals can be found on sandy beaches while the waters in and around the archipelago are home to various whale and dolphin species. Your route and exploration opportunities are dependent on weather among these windswept islands.

Visit Stanley, the charmingly British capital of the Falkland Islands. Attractions within pleasant walking distance along the waterfront promenade include the Falkland Islands Museum, the governor’s house, a cathedral with impressive whalebone arch outside, a war memorial, quality gift shops, pubs, and views of shipwrecks in the harbor.

On the way to South Georgia, the ship crosses the Antarctic Convergence. Entering Antarctic waters, the temperature drops as much as 10°C within only a few hours. Near the Convergence, see a multitude of southern seabirds including several species of albatrosses, shearwaters, petrels, prions and skuas.

South Georgia is a scenic wilderness and an unrivaled paradise for subantarctic wildlife viewing. The islands are said to host upwards of 100 million seabirds, including numerous species of albatross, penguins, prions, petrels, and terns. On beaches such as those at Salisbury Plain and St. Andrews Bay, over 100,000 elephant seals and three million fur seals jostle for space among innumerable penguins including stately king penguins and sprightly macaroni penguins. The recently completed rat eradication program is sure to make this wilderness even more pristine and rich with birdlife.

The bountiful waters surrounding South Georgia are also inhabited by an increasing number of whales. The historical whaling station of Grytviken is now home to the excellent South Georgia Museum managed by the South Georgia Heritage Trust. This is also the final resting place of Ernest Shackleton, the legendary polar explorer. Your days in South Georgia are filled with memorable excursions, sumptuous meals, presentations by experts, and enough incredible scenery and wildlife to fill your camera and overwhelm your emotions.

After your amazing time in South Georgia proceed southwest toward the Antarctic Peninsula. Pelagic seabirds including the majestic albatross are common in these waters and can readily be viewed from panoramic open decks or from exterior stateroom windows and balconies.

Your Expedition Leader and Captain create a flexible itinerary based on weather, ice, and opportunity. The route you take highlights 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 the Gerlache Strait area including Neko Harbor, Paradise Harbor, Wilhelmina Bay, and Neumayer Channel. Depending on ice, you may also visit the beautiful Antarctic Sound including Brown Bluff, Hope Bay, and Paulet Island.

Active scientific bases such as Poland’s Arctowksi or Ukraine’s Vernadskiy and historic bases such as U.K.’s Port Lockroy or Wordie House may also be stops. Adelie, chinstrap and gentoo penguins abound, and Weddell, crabeater, elephant seals, and the predatory leopard seal are often found in this region. Minke and humpback whales are frequent visitors and orca sightings are also common.

On your way north continue to look for the great selection of seabirds while crossing the Drake Passage. Take time to reflect on your adventure in this spectacular corner of the world as you make your way northward again.

Arrive in the morning in Ushuaia and disembark. Transfer to the airport for homeward flights.