Program Starts/Ends: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Embarkation: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Disembarkation: Ushuaia, Argentina
Cruise duration: 17 nights.

Dream big on this epic 19-day expedition cruise on board our boutique ship that takes you places you will never forget. Our trip also includes the two-day sea crossing of the notorious Drake Passage. Taking in the sights of the Falkland Islands, as well as South Georgia and Elephant Island, you will visit beaches crammed with penguins which will stir the emotions as you get up close. Magnificent icebergs provide a phenomenal backdrop to your days at sea. The exceptional landscape and incredible wildlife encounters make your voyage the ultimate Antarctica trip leaving few places left to visit on your bucket list.

Trip Highlights

• Experience incredible penguin encounters as you get up close to these polar rockstars
• Take in this vast frozen wilderness as it changes colour from glassy white to turquoise and green
• Keep an eye out for black-browed albatross in the Falklands as we come ashore to these remote communities
• Listen to our engaging polar experts and learn tips from our on-board photographers

Day 1: Buenos Aires, Argentina (hotel night)

You may arrive in Buenos Aires at any time during Day 1 of your itinerary. Upon arriving in this splendid city, known for its rich architecture and European heritage, you will independently transfer to your group hotel (pre-night hotel included).

Day 2: Embarkation in Buenos Aires

Argentina’s cosmopolitan capital is known as “The Paris of South America”. But this metropolis is as much about its neighbourhoods (barrios) and cafe culture. Each district has its own character – none more so than colourful and lively La Boca, where tango dancers perform in the streets. Ships dock into the regenerated waterfront barrio Puerto Madero. Be sure to also visit the handsome district of Recoleta, famous for the cemetery where Eva “Evita” Peron is buried.

Embarkation will occur in the late afternoon.

Day 3-5: At Sea

Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to our library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of our on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from our onboard professional photographers.

Day 6: West Point Island & Saunders Island

Black-browed albatross soar above this rugged weather-beaten island in the west of the Falklands, while Commerson’s dolphins swim below. With a sparse population of people and sheep, this inhabited island is also home to fur seals, burrowing rockhopper penguins, magellanic penguins and imperial cormorants who roost in the jagged cliffs and the striking Cliff Mountain towering above the dramatic coastal scenery. As you hike across the moss, keep an eye open for pink-petalled Felton’s flowers. Birdlife is the big draw on this lush sheep-farming island, where thousands of rams and ewes roam. Settled by British explorers in 1765, the island’s unique scenery includes the beaches at The Neck filled with the cacophony of rockhopper, gentoo and king penguin colonies, and you might spot the pillar-shaped nests of black-browed albatross. Nine of the Falklands’ 14 endemic plants, including silvery buttercup and hairy daisy, grow here and are a real treat.

Day 7: Port Stanley

Anyone familiar with Britain’s trademark red post boxes might spot a resemblance in this British outpost. Port Stanley, on East Falkland, is the tiny capital of the Falkland Islands and is small enough to get around on foot. You can visit The Historic Dockyard Museum devoted to maritime history and exploration or pop into the post office. Magellanic penguins gather in hordes at nearby Gypsy Cove, and sea lions and dolphins frolic in the harbour.

Day 8-9: At Sea

As you cruise to your next port of call, spend the day at sea savouring the ship’s facilities and learning about your destination’s many facets from the knowledgeable onboard experts. Listen to an enriching talk, indulge in a relaxing treatment at the spa, work out in the well-equipped gym, enjoy some down- time in your cabin, share travel reminiscences with newly found friends: the options are numerous.

Day 10-11: South Georgia

Often called the “Galapagos of the Poles”, South Georgia has a number of landing sites where you get up close to half a million king penguins or three million breeding pairs of macaroni penguins, making up the largest population in the world. If you are lucky you will also see harrumphing elephant seals – from a distance! We also visit Grytviken, the historic whaling station where legendary British explorer Ernest Shackleton (1874–1922) is buried.

Day 12: At Sea

We continue west 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.

Day 13: South Shetland Islands

While the South Shetlands’ proximity to Antarctica makes the ice-bound sea impassable during winter (April to October), these are the first islands to see snow melt in spring (November) and the slightly warmer temperature means that the fauna is also different from what you see in Antarctica proper. As we go ashore by Zodiac, notice ferns, grasses, lichens and native flora that have more in common with Patagonia than they do with Antarctica.

Day 14-16: Antarctic Peninsula

Among captivating glaciers, majestic icebergs and snowy islands, the Antarctic Peninsula is where most visitors to the White Continent will live out their Antarctica dream. The Antarctic Peninsula, the most accessible area of the continent, hosts several scientific bases and some of the most interesting wildlife scenery, such as the extremely photogenic Lemaire Channel. Shore excursions might include Petermann Island, where among Adelie penguins, blue-eyed shags and skuas, huge, lumbering elephant seals haul out.

Day 17-18: Drake Passage

The journey back across the Drake Passage provides a final opportunity to enjoy the invigorating Antarctic air. Spend time on the deck watching for seabirds and scouting for whales, enjoy presentations by your Expedition Team, and celebrate the experiences you’ve shared exploring the remarkable world of Antarctica.

Day 19: Disembark in Ushuaia and Fly to Buenos Aires

You will arrive in Ushuaia in the morning and disembark after breakfast. Transfer to the airport for the return group charter flight to Buenos Aires.

Please note: Itinerary changes and surprising experiences are part of expedition cruise life. The world has a habit of amazing us with incredible things when we yield to the unexpected. Join us with an open mind and a sense of adventure and you’ll find that this can pay off in the most rewarding ways.