Antarctic Wildlife Adventure

Ushuaia is the southernmost town in the world and our starting point for an Antarctic adventure. Our staff will greet you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel that we have arranged and included in your itinerary. You are then free to spend the remainder of the day exploring this exciting port and adventure center.

Museo del Fin del Mundo offers a fascinating introduction to the local wildlife and history. You can arrange a range of activities to fit your interests and level of fitness, including hiking through the nearby Tierra del Fuego National Park or wildlife watching in Beagle Channel. Ushuaia has a variety of restaurants that serve Patagonian Lamb and delicious Fuegian Seafood.

You can spend the day in Ushuaia after breakfasting at your hotel. Enjoy the beautiful waterfront while admiring the views of the Martial Range (the southernmost peak of the Andes). You can shop for last-minute items such as winter gear or souvenirs. Remember that you'll soon be receiving your own parka and boots for borrowing on the ship. Avenida San Martin is home to many cafés, gelato stores, and parrillas that will satisfy your appetite for lunch.

You will then be transported to a deluxe expedition ship. Explore the spacious ship and settle into your suite. This will be the home for your extraordinary journey. Your expedition team will provide you with informative presentations and briefings as soon as the ship sets sail. Step out on the decks after the first delicious dinner to enjoy the beautiful evening light and scenery as we sail through the Beagle Channel.

We turn south after passing Tierra del Fuego to start our Drake Passage crossing. These waters are home to the majestic Wandering Albatross, as well as other subantarctic birds. They can be easily spotted from open balconies and decks. The Antarctic Convergence is also crossed, which marks the boundary between the Southern Ocean and the Antarctic Ocean. In rough waters, the ship's stabilizing propellers will provide some comfort. On the second night of our voyage, we hope to reach the South Shetland Islands.

In the coming days we will explore highlights from the South Shetland Islands as well as the Antarctic Peninsula. The scenery in this region is some of the most beautiful and best for wildlife viewing. The sheltered bays, channels and mountains are ablaze with ice. They reflect the peaks of towering mountains covered in snow or encrusted by glaciers. The beauty of the icebergs is unmatched. Marine mammals and seabirds are attracted to the waters rich in krill. This area is awash with penguins, which are active at sea foraging and also forming large colonies on the land. We also see research stations of different nationalities here, with some gift shops and postal offices.

South Shetland Islands is the most northern island in Antarctica. It will be our first landfall. The South Shetland Islands are a beautiful, long island chain with many historical landings and a variety of wildlife. Elephant Island is one of them, and it was here that men from Shackleton’s Endurance Expedition spent the winter in 1916. The Gerlache Strait region of the Antarctic Peninsula is a stunning wilderness with spectacular landscapes of white, giant icebergs and obliging sea mammals. We'll also visit the bustling colonies of penguins. We have the chance to touch down on Antarctica.

In this region, large colonies of Adelie, Adelie, and gentoo penguins can be found, often side-by-side. It's a good time to see penguins in their early stages of independence. It is the height of whale watching season. After a summer of consuming krill, the humpback whales and minke are more playful with Zodiacs or kayakers. The southern elephant seals, Antarctic fur seals, and Crabeater seals join the Weddell and Crabeater seals. There are many newly fledged seabirds.

Antarctica's wilderness is characterised by unpredictable weather conditions and constantly changing ice, which dictates our exploration and route. We take advantage of the 14-hour daylight each day to enjoy wildlife and stunning scenery on Zodiac Cruises and Shore Excursions.

Now we continue northeast, through the rich waters of the Scotia Sea. On the way, we keep an eye out for humpbacks and fin whales. Our lecture staff will prepare you with briefings on bio-security and other procedures before we arrive in South Georgia.

South Georgia is home to one of the largest concentrations of wildlife in the world. The five-day trip will explore this unique wilderness. The isolated subantarctic isle hosts upwards of 100,000,000 seabirds. These include numerous albatross species, penguins prions, petrels shags skuas gulls terns. Wandering albatross is among the biggest flying birds on the planet. You can witness a part of the remarkable life cycle. Wandering albatross eggs are hatching now in the grassy nests that overlook the Southern Ocean. While many seabirds have fledged, most are still a few weeks away from their first flight.

King penguins gather in large colonies on South Georgia's famous beaches. They range from the sandy coast to the glaciated foothills. The macaroni chicks, too, are preparing to leave for the sea at this moment. The list includes 78 different bird species, including rare birds like the South Georgia Pipit (endemic to the island) and the yellow-billed Pintail. This wilderness is even more rich in birdlife thanks to the successful completion of rat eradication.

South Georgia also has a staggering number of fur seals and elephant seals. A mob of fur seals is raging in the sea while thousands of elephant seals pups lounge on the shore. Large whales, once hunted to near extinction in the seas around South Georgia, have now returned. The South Georgia Museum is located in the historic whaling station Grytviken, now that the whalers are long gone. The grave of Ernest Shackleton is also located here, the heroic polar-explorer who led the Endurance Expedition.

This rugged, yet accessible area is the perfect place to combine active adventure with wildlife viewing. Many guided walks are available in this wild and untamed environment, such as the legendary Shackleton walk. South Georgia's wildlife-rich waters offer sea kayakers the opportunity to paddle with seals and penguins along some of the most beautiful waterways in the world.

The most authentic form of expedition cruising. The weather conditions in this remote and wild corner of the globe will determine our exact route and explore opportunities. The experienced expedition leader and captain will constantly adjust the plans in order to maximize their potential. We will make every effort to safely go ashore, even in such a challenging environment

As we sail towards the Falkland islands, our course is west. Our expert crew will present workshops and presentations, while our onboard recreational facilities ensure this isn't a day spent in vain. We are always accompanied by pelagic seabirds, while keeping a watchful eye out for dolphins or whales.

We will be arriving at the Stanley wharf, which is the historical capital of the Falkland Island. The Falkland Islands Museum is within easy walking distance of the waterfront promenade, as are the Governor's House, numerous war memorials and quality gift shops. Charming pubs can also be found along this walkway. Christ Church Cathedral has an impressive whalebone arched and breathtaking views of the shipwrecks on the harbor.

Also, we plan on offering an excursion at Gypsy Cove. This national nature reserve is home to a variety of bird species including the Falklands endemic flightless steamer Duck. You can see Magellanic Penguins here, as well. Their chicks are just starting out on their sea life. You may also see groups of sea-lions stranded on the shore at this time.

The isolated islands are where we continue to explore the Falklands. The wildlife has a safe haven on these bleakly gorgeous islands. Hiking over meadows is the best way to reach large colonies of seabirds perched high on windy bluffs with azure waters. Black-browed Albatross are seen soaring down at this time while rockhopper penguins, who can be feisty and brave, leap from the ground to reach their chicks in the thick tussocks.

Just off the coast, you can see gentoo chicks starting to leave their nests. King penguins as well as chicks at all stages of development are preparing to face an austral winter. Peale’s dolphins or even killer whales may be seen patrolling along the coastlines. The abundance of wildlife in the area is a result of a wide variety of birds including Cobb's Wren, an endemic bird, and striated Caracaras, which are curious.

As we travel northward through the South Atlantic Ocean, ocean breezes become warmer. We are constantly on the lookout as we move deeper into the ocean for southern right and sei whales. The Captain's Farewell Cocktail, and the End-of-Visit Slideshow are also part of the festivities.

After disembarking, we will provide a transfer for the group to Ezeiza Airport (EZE), or Buenos Aires' central area. You may be already looking forward to the next adventure as you reflect on this wonderful trip!

We recommend that you schedule your return flight to Buenos Aires, EZE with a time of departure no earlier than 6pm.