Falklands 19 Days

Falklands and Antarctica

The Antarctic Peninsula offers you the most dramatic scenery and biggest variety of wildlife in Antarctica. In the southern summer large ice-free areas provide breeding grounds for very large numbers of seabirds and seals. From King George Island and Penguin Island we will sail down to the beautiful Paradise Bay, where you can go ashore on the Antarctic mainland.
The narrow and spectacular Lemaire Channel is surrounded by mountains and glaciers and a popular passage for several species of whales journeying up and down the sheltered Antarctic Peninsula waterways. In the Antarctic Peninsula Minke Whales, the smallest of the rorqual whales, and ferocious-looking Leopard Seals are common.

Falklands (Malvinas) - South Georgia - Antarctic Peninsula

All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on local ice and weather conditions and in order to take advantage of opportunities to see wildlife. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises.

Day 1

In the afternoon, we embark in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, the picturesque southernmost city in the world located at the Beagle Channel and sail through the Beagle Channel.

Day 2

At sea, in the westerlies the ship is followed by several species of albatrosses, storm petrels, shearwaters and diving petrels.

Day 3

In the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) we plan to spend the whole day on New Island offering among others large colonies of Black-browed Albatrosses, Rockhopper Penguins, Blue-eyed Shags, and Sea Lions

Day 4

In Port Stanley , the capital of the Falklands, we can experience Falkland culture, which has some South-American characteristics. In Port Stanley and surrounding area we can see a quite important number of stranded clippers from a century ago.

Day 5 & Day 6

At sea, on our way to South Georgia we will 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 we will see a multitude of southern seabirds near the ship; several species of albatrosses, shearwaters, petrels, prions and skuas.

Day 7 - Day 10

In South Georgia we shall visit Grytviken with the abandoned whaling village, where King Penguins now walk in the streets, and King Edwards Point with a British garrison and the grave of Shackleton. Fortuna Bay and Bay of Isles with breeding Wandering Albatrosses on Albatross Island, and Salisbury Plain with a large colony of King Penguins are other highlights of the South Georgia program. We may also visit Elsehul, Right Whale Bay, Possession Bay, Gold Harbour and Drygalski Fjord to give you a good opportunity to see a wide spectrum of landscapes and wildlife, like the introduced Reindeer, Fur Seals, Elephant Seals, Gentoo Penguins, Macaroni Penguins, Grey-headed Albatrosses, Light-mantled Sooty Albatrosses, Northern and Southern Giant Petrels, White-chinned Petrels, several species of prions and storm petrels, Brown Skuas, Dominican Gulls, Antarctic Terns, sheathbills and the endemic South Georgia Pintail.

Day 11 - 12

At sea, where the ship is again followed by a multitude of seabirds. At some point we might encounter sea-ice, and it is at the ice-edge where we might have a chance to see some high-Antarctic species like the Maccormick skua, Snow Petrel and the elusive Emperor Penguin.

Day 13

We might try to offer a landing at the famous Elephant Island, where Shackleton and his men had been castaway after having spent month on ice-floes.

Day 14 - 17

In the South Shetland Island group we might visit Deception Island. The ring-shaped island is a huge volcano of which the crater opens into the sea, creating a natural harbour for the ship. Here we find hot springs, an abandoned whaling station, thousands of Cape Pigeons 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. There might be a possibility of an extended hike on the island. On our way further South we will sail to Orne Islands with large colonies of Chinstrap Penguins and a beautiful view across the Gerlache Strait or to Cuverville Island, a small precipitous island, nestled between the mountains of the Antarctic Peninsula and Danco Island. It contains a large colony of Gentoo Penguins and breeding pairs of Brown Skuas. From there we sail to Neko Harbour in Andvord Bay and through Paradise Bay with its myriad icebergs and deep cut fjords, while having chances of seeing large whales. We will have opportunities for zodiac cruising between the icebergs in the inner parts of the fjords. We sail through the spectacular Lemaire Channel to Pleneau and Petermann Island where we can find Adelie Penguins and Blue- eyed Shags. In this area there are good chances to encounter Humpback Whales, Minke Whales and Fin Whales. A base visit will also be provided, to give you an insight about the life of modern Antarcticans working on the White Continent. Sailing north through Neumayer Channel we arrive at the Melchior Islands with a very beautiful landscape and again possibilities for zodiac cruising among the icebergs, where we may encounter Leopard Seals, Crabeater Seals and whales.

Day 18 - 19

On our way north we are again followed by a great selection of seabirds while crossing the Drake Passage.

Day 20

We arrive in the morning in Ushuaia and disembark.

Fares include:

Voyage aboard the indicated vessel as indicated in the itinerary.
All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee and tea;
All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac.
Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff.
All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the programme.
Comprehensive pre-departure material.

Not included:
Any airfare, whether on scheduled or charter flights; pre- and post land arrangements; transfers to / from the vessel; passport and visa expenses; Government arrival and departure taxes; meals ashore; baggage, cancellation and personal insurance ( which is strongly recommended); excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges; and the customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for stewards and other service personnel aboard ( guidelines will be provided).

Please note that all dates & rates are subject to change. All voyages will operate subject to a minimum of 30 participants.

Prices for - Antarctica Adventures