South Georgia & Antarctic Sail and Fly Cruise

After meeting the team at Mount Pleasant Airport, you transfer to Port Stanley, where you have time to walk around, look in local shops, and see the town at your own pace. In the late afternoon, you board the ship and settle into your cabin before beginning the voyage eastward into the Southern Ocean.

You spend time on deck watching wandering albatrosses glide over the water and dolphins move through the ship’s wake. Join lectures, workshops, and talks from the expedition team. Paul leads straightforward photography sessions to help you build skills for polar conditions, and your time outside gives you steady opportunities to observe the surrounding environment.

As you approach South Georgia, the remote Shag Rocks greet you with flocks of seabirds, offering a thrilling introduction to the subantarctic wilderness. Over several days, you plan to explore the island from north to south, with potential visits to some of its most iconic and wildlife-rich sites.

Depending on conditions, you might Zodiac along the fertile crescent of Elsehul Bay, home to seals, penguins, and petrels, or land at Right Whale Bay, where dramatic surf and photogenic landscapes reward the adventurous. At Grytviken, you may explore the museum, learn about the island’s whaling history, and pay respects at Ernest Shackleton’s grave. Nearby, Fortuna Bay and Stromness offer the chance to see king penguins in their natural habitat, or to follow a ‘Shackleton walk’ retracing the explorer’s footsteps.

Other potential stops include Gold Harbour, known for king penguins, elephant seals, and hanging glaciers, and Cooper Bay, where energetic macaroni penguins delight observers with their distinctive crests and playful movements. On Prion Island, wandering albatrosses may be observed taking flight from their nests, while Salisbury Plain provides expansive king penguin colonies and sweeping subantarctic landscapes.

Each landing and excursion is designed to maximise wildlife encounters, photography opportunities, and the sheer wonder of South Georgia’s rugged, untamed beauty.

You begin your crossing toward Antarctica through the Scotia Sea, one of the world’s most storied seaways.  As in the Southern Ocean, the days are filled with expert-led presentations on polar science, history, and wildlife, plus active workshops in photography to refine your craft. Out on deck, keep watch for seabirds, seals, and the first Antarctic iceberg of the voyage.

If conditions allow, you may first sail past Elephant Island, the remote refuge where Shackleton’s men endured months of isolation. While a landing may not be possible, the rugged coastline, jagged peaks, and icy waters make for a dramatic Zodiac excursion or shipboard viewing, offering a glimpse into this extraordinary, windswept landscape.

From there, the Antarctic Peninsula awaits, a world of soaring mountains, vast glaciers, and endless blue ice. Navigating waterways such as the Gerlache Strait, Neumayer, and Lemaire Channels, you can keep watch for humpback whales, seals, and penguins along beaches where gentoo, chinstrap, and Adélie colonies gather in astonishing numbers.

With the flexibility of a small ship, you may explore lesser-visited corners, including the Antarctic Sound, or venture among the South Shetland Islands. Potential stops include Gourdin Island, Brown Bluff, Half Moon Island, Deception Island, Wilhelmina Bay, Cuverville Island, and the Melchior Islands—each offering its own dramatic scenery and wildlife highlights. From chinstrap penguins on Half Moon Island to the volcanic caldera of Deception Island, and the whale-rich waters of Wilhelmina Bay, every moment promises unforgettable encounters and photographic opportunities.

As your adventure comes to a close and you begin to make your way north, you can have the opportunity to witness a truly remarkable sight: thousands of birds trailing the ship. From prions to pintados and petrels to albatrosses, these birds are a testament to the incredible wildlife that calls this remote corner of the world home.

On the final day, you hope to disembark at King George Island and take a charter flight back to Puerto Natales. There, you can stay at a very comfortable lodge, where you can relax and reflect on your extraordinary Antarctic experiences.

After breakfast, your voyage concludes in Puerto Natales. For those continuing their adventure, there’s the opportunity to join the Torres del Paine extension package, where you may go horseback riding through the beautiful Patagonian landscapes, take a scenic hike to Mirador Base Las Torres, visit Laguna Sofia, explore the Milodón Cave, or enjoy other carefully planned activities.