Day 0: ALVEAR ICON HOTEL (CHARTER)

Day 1: TRANSFER HOTEL/AIRPORT

Referred to as the "Paris of South America", Buenos Aires is considered as one of the most livable cities in South America. Although the bustling capital city has just under 3,000,000 inhabitants and a population density of 13,680 inhabitants per square kilometer (34,800 per square mile), it was rated in 2018 as one of the top cities on the continent for its ‘quality of life’. Twinned with world cities such as Moscow and Miami, Buenos Aires displays through its architecture, a cultural past rooted in both the Old and New Worlds. A vibrancy for life can be seen everywhere. Crowded public markets, street performers dancing the tango, colorful graffiti-style street art, ultra-modern buildings, a dramatic skyline and a bustling port. Culturally, Buenos Aires has the busiest live theatre industry on Earth, outperforming New York, London and Paris. Every weekend, over 300 theatres are active with plays and productions.

Buenos Aires was founded in 1580 by Spanish explorer Juan de Garay, and has changed hands many times during its history.

EZEIZA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

BUENOS AIRES AIR CHARTER TO USHUAIA

TRANSFER AIRPORT/SHIP

For centuries Ushuaia’s harsh climate seemed too forbidding for the establishment of a European settlement, thereby leaving the land to its native inhabitants, the Yahgan People. 

Today, however, Ushuaia is the southernmost city on Earth and is often referred to as "the end of the world". Nestled on the banks of the Beagle Channel, Ushuaia greets its visitors with a tapestry of colorful houses dotted against a background of dramatic snow-capped mountains. The jagged peaks of Monte Olivia, which tower some 4,530’ (1,318 m) above, dominate the landscape. Dense forests of Southern beech trees, extend from sea level to alpine.  Thanks to its location and relative proximity to the Antarctic Peninsula, Ushuaia is considered the gateway to the Great White Continent. Rich in natural history, indigenous people’s heritage, and the spirit of exploration, Ushuaia offers something for everyone, from spectacular trekking in nearby Tierra del Fuego National Park to discovering the rich stories and historical heritage at "The End of the World" museum.

Days 2-3: At Sea

Days 4-8: Antarctic Experience

    Feb 20, 2023 Arrives 08:00 AM Departs 05:00 PM 

Antarctica! The name alone conjures up images of boundless ice, towering icebergs, comedic penguins, epic snowstorms, great sailing ships held tightly by ice and the hardy explorers striving to survive wrapped in thick, heavy parkas. All of this is, or once was, true. Today, vessels have changed and the level of safety on a journey to ‘The Great White Continent’ has increased immensely. Antarctica is the truest of wild places, the majesty of its pristine natural landscapes is second to no other location on earth.

The animals that thrive in the rigors of the Antarctic climate are present in such great numbers and concentrations that they must be seen to be believed. This untouched oasis harkens back to a time when the world was untouched by humanity, pure in its natural innocence. Antarctica has been a source of natural inspiration for as long as humans have been aware of its existence -- and it may produce in you one of the most exceptional emotional sensations it is possible to experience on our great planet.
Aitcho Islands

The Aitcho Islands are among the most mysterious areas of the South Shetland Islands chain -- a place of both subtle beauty and quiet solitude. This is a group of 13 small rocky islets, submerged reefs, dramatic outcrops and rugged pinnacles. Extensively carpeted by mosses and lichens, the islands display an unexpected tapestry of colors, in hues of brown, green and yellow. Fog often sits over the islands, adding to their tranquil mood. Charted in 1936, the Aitcho group was named by the British Admiralty Hydrographic Office.

Chinstrap and gentoo penguins nest on the island and can be seen porpoising offshore. Gliding cape and giant petrels dance over the water, as the occasional Weddell seal and gigantic elephant seal laze on the beach. The sea between the islands is dotted with little ‘bergy bits’ and as the sea fog lifts for an instant, we are offered a glimpse into this magic world, where conversations tend to be only a few degrees north of a whisper.
Almirante Brown Base

On a small rocky peninsula deep within Paradise Bay lies one of the few landing spots on the rocky outcrop of the Argentine station of Almirante Brown.

The visually stunning location of the base is one of its most engaging features. With the cluster of bright red buildings at one end and Punta Proa, a 230 foot (70 m) cliff at the other, Almirante Brown is truly dwarfed by its backdrop of vertical ice. Climbing the slope behind the station, you will be rewarded with spectacular views all around and have the chance to hear the distant, loud calving of glaciers as their bergs rumble and thunder into the water.

During the last several decades, gentoo penguins have reclaimed the areas around the base, creating a unique fusion of humans and penguins during the summer months. Opened in 1951 as a meteorological station, it was taken over by the Argentine Antarctic Institute in the mid-sixties and has become one of the most comprehensive biology laboratories in the region.
Antarctic Sound (Scenic Cruising)

Some 30 miles (48 km) long and 12 miles (19 km) wide, the Antarctic Sound is located at the far northern end of the Peninsula. It is renowned for a prevalence of massive tabular icebergs. Sometimes miles in length and towering vertically hundreds of feet above the sea, these awe-inspiring ice islands drift in the current after breaking off the ice shelves along the Weddell Sea.

Often covered by pack ice, the Antarctic Sound is an ever-changing labyrinth of cathedral-like icebergs of various shapes and sizes. Its wildlife is varied and plentiful. Some of the region’s largest Adélie penguin colonies can be found along its shores and a wide diversity of whales and other sea mammals frequent the area.

It was named during the Swedish Antarctic Expedition under Otto Nordenskjold to commemorate the expedition’s ship Antarctica, the first vessel to traverse these waters in 1902. Antarctic Sound is a true wilderness in the raw, and its ‘Iceberg Alley’ will both impress and inspire all those fortunate enough to explore this spectacular environment.
Arktowski Station, King George Island

The Polish Antarctic research station, Arktowski, was established in 1977 on the shoreline of Admiralty Bay on King George Island. It is named for Henryk Arktowski, the Polish geologist, oceanographer and meteorologist of the Belgian Antarctic Expedition from 1897-1899. This was the first expedition to overwinter in Antarctica and, perhaps unsurprisingly, Arktowski was the first scientist to propose the idea of wind chill factor.

Field work is done at the two large Adélie and gentoo penguin rookeries in the vicinity. Other wildlife includes numerous brown skuas and Wilson’s storm petrels nesting on the rocky cliffs. Thick carpets of moss provide a splash of color here and there in this otherwise monochromatic landscape. Bleached whale bones, relics of the 19th-century whaling history, are scattered around the pebble beach in front of the station, providing a reminder of the past. One of the few lighthouses in Antarctica, Point Thomas lighthouse, is located on the station’s premises.
Baily Head, Deception Island

One of Deception Island’s most spectacular places to visit is Baily Head, the prominent rocky headland on the island's southeastern side. Its steep black-sand beach is exposed to large, rolling ocean swells. Ash-covered ice creates an eerie atmosphere in this alien landscape, where shades of black and grey are interrupted by the rust-red hues of rock.

The largest chinstrap penguin colony in Antarctica is found at Baily Head, numbering in excess of 200,000 birds. The colony dominates the entire landscape, stretching from the beach to the high ridgeline, outlining every hill and occupying every possible expanse of the ground.

The rolling, ashen hills are mottled with literally thousands of black and white specks, and a constant flow of penguins march up and down along the route to and from the ocean continually. Nervously massed on the beach, penguins await the right moment to plunge into the water to avoid the crashing surf and possible attacks by leopard seals. Once in, they swim rapidly from the shallows into deep water.
Brown Bluff (Tabarin Peninsula)

Brown Bluff owes its name to the bright, rust-colored, iron-rich volcanic rocks that form its cliffs above the beach. Towering to 2,444 feet (745 meters), the heavily eroded cliffs are part of an extinct and rare tuya volcano that volcano that erupted beneath the glacier a million years ago. The beach is composed of rounded, water-smoothed pebbles, volcanic rocks and ash, along with enormous, randomly shaped, yellow-brown boulders.

Forty thousand Adélie and twelve hundred gentoo penguins breed here, each choosing their own areas to build their nests. Because of its large penguin population, Brown Bluff can be an excellent place to view hunting leopard seals. Kelp gulls, brown skuas, cape and Wilson’s storm petrels are among the many other species found here.

Giant rock formations loom on shore, as gargantuan tabular icebergs float in the distance, adding drama to the bluff’s breathtaking scenery. Brown Bluff’s unique geology and prolific wildlife make it a highlight of a visit to Antarctica.
Cuverville Island

Sitting at the northern entrance of the Errera Channel, Cuverville Island is a dome-shaped rock with a permanent snowcap, rising to the height of 825 feet (252 m). It is home to some 13,000 gentoo penguins, one of the largest colonies in the region. Penguin ‘highways’ mark the snow leading to the upper nests, deep furrows created by the birds’ repeated treks between the sea and the breeding areas. Leopard seals cruise the shoreline in search of a penguin meal, while the island’s vertical cliffs are alive with the nests of Antarctic shags.

The expansive, mile-long cobble beach offers plenty of great places to sit, relax and immerse yourself in the subtle rhythm of Antarctic beauty, watching Zodiacs slowly cruising the bay amongst massive icebergs, arrayed in a maze of exquisite frozen forms.

The island was discovered in 1897 by Adrien de Gerlache, commander of the Belgian Antarctic Expedition, and named for J.M.A. Cavalier de Cuverville, a vice admiral of the French navy.
Deception Island

Deception Island is a geological wonder of Antarctica and one of the safest harbors in the South Shetland Islands. Its name dates from 1820, when American captain Nathaniel Palmer discovered the navigable gap in the volcano’s caldera walls as he explored the island and denotes the deceptive unbroken appearance of the island from afar. Today this passage is known as Neptune’s Bellows, for the strong winds that blow through its narrow mouth. After its discovery, Deception Island became a major outpost for the whaling industry in the Southern Ocean. Remains of a whaling station can be seen on the black sand beaches of Whalers Bay.

Despite its dormant status, Deception Island continues to display regular signs of thermal activity. If lucky, you may spot elusive clouds of steam rising along the shoreline.

Eight miles in diameter, this dormant volcano with its flooded caldera and narrow entrance has been a natural safe heaven amidst the frequent fury of the Southern Ocean for sealers, whalers, explorers and modern visitors alike.
Devil Island

Deep in the Weddell Sea lies the one-and-a-half-mile (2 km) long Devil Island, which was discovered and named during Otto Nordenskjold’s 1901-04 Swedish Antarctic Expedition. The island owes its name to the resemblance of two hills, one at each end, to a devil’s horns when seen from a distance.

Snow petrels, Antarctic terns, and Wilson's petrels find nesting sites among the scree on its upper slopes. Its most abundant inhabitants, however, are some 30,000 Adélie penguins, which form a large colony sprawling along the entire shoreline. The ice-free hillsides of Devil Island offer incredible views of the surrounding region of Erebus and Terror gulf.

In the late Austral summer, the dark brown cliffs of adjacent Vargas Island are adorned with stark, white strings of waterfalls spilling from the glaciers above. Trapped in the shallows at low tide, icebergs often create an intricate, jigsaw-puzzle maze of frozen ice along the island’s shores.
Cruising the Drake Passage

A voyage to Antarctica necessarily entails crossing the legendary, 600-mile-wide (966 km) Drake Passage. Notorious for its changeable, and often rough weather during the age of sail, the Drake Passage owes its reputation to the fact that currents and westerly winds at this latitude meet no resistance from any landmass. In reality, however, crossing the Drake can frequently be tranquil. Affectionately known as the ‘Drake Lake’, the stillness of such a day is barely disturbed by the sound of the waves splashing behind the ship.

Chances for spotting wildlife along the way are high, whether it be Wilson's petrels, soaring albatrosses or occasionally appearances by whales and dolphins.

The passage is named for the English explorer Sir Francis Drake, who in 1578 led the first English expedition to sail around the southern tip of South America. Whether rough or calm, it will soon be eclipsed as a memory, when you arrive in Antarctica and immerse yourself in the unparalleled wonders of the Great White Continent.
Elephant Island

Elephant Island, at the northeastern end of the South Shetland chain, is a narrow, rugged island constantly battered by the southern seas and frequently swept by strong winds. Its steep, ice-covered cliffs rise straight from sea level and are crowned by the protruding nunataks of Pardo Ridge. Resembling a formidable fortress, the stronghold of Elephant Island has only a few existing entry points allowing access its inner domain.

Early sealers named it for the abundance of elephant seals on the island’s shores. Nowadays, the majority of the accessible shoreline is occupied by a large colony of chinstrap penguins, although elephant seals and Antarctic fur seals are also present.

It is here that the crew of Shackleton’s Endurance expedition scrambled ashore to endure a long, desperate 135 days awaiting rescue after their ship was stranded and crushed by sea ice in 1915. Few areas on earth serve to inspire the human spirit for adventure as does the forbidding landscape of Elephant Island.
Cruising Gerlache Strait

The Western Antarctic Peninsula possesses some of the most dramatic scenery in coastal Antarctica. Rugged mountain peaks rise to a height of 9,800 feet (3,000 meters). Jagged rock nunataks protrude upward through an endless rolling sea of glaciers, set against a backdrop of numerous islands, protected bays and narrow channels.

Gerlache Strait runs from the northern fringes of the peninsula along its coast southward to the entrance of the Lemaire Channel, like a grand, glittering boulevard through this frozen kingdom. Nearly 200 miles (320 km) long, the strait spans 30 miles (50 km) at its northern end and slowly narrows to a mere 6 miles (10 km) at its southern end. It separates the icy islands of the Palmer Archipelago from the Peninsula and was named in honor of Adrien de Gerlache, the leader of the 1897-1899 Belgian Expedition. It is home to pods of orca whales and large populations of humpback and minke whales.
Half Moon Island

Half Moon Island is a small, mile-and-a-half (2.4 km)-long, crescent-shaped island located in the South Shetland Island chain. It was named by 19th-century sealers because of its unmistakable half-moon shape.

The island houses the Argentine research station ‘Camara,’ but the main attraction is undoubtedly Half Moon’s wildlife, plant life, colors and scenery. A chinstrap penguin rookery of some 2,000 breeding pairs occupies the plateau above the beach. Wildlife abounds on this tiny outpost – Wilson’s petrels, kelp gulls, brown skuas and about 125 pairs of Antarctic terns nest on its rocky outcrops. Various seals can often be seen snoozing around the island. Given the island’s relatively small area, it is possible to spot several species at once.

Distinctively picturesque rocky outcrops and the distant glacier-covered backdrop of Livingston Island create one of the most dramatic landscapes in the South Shetlands. Vibrant orange, yellow and black lichens decorate the island’s cliffs and rocky outcrops, creating the most beautiful abstract patterns.
Hannah Point, Livingston Island

Hannah Point, named after the British sealing vessel Hannah that wrecked here in 1820, is an ice-free rocky peninsula on the southern coast of Livingston Island in the South Shetlands. It teems with life, displaying a wide variety of Antarctic wildlife. Chinstrap and gentoo penguins nest here and the rare macaroni penguin may occasionally be found as well. Giant southern petrels, blue-eyed shags, Antarctic terns and kelp gulls can be spotted nesting throughout the area. A large diversity of sea mammals may also be found here. Depending on the time of year, Antarctic fur, Weddell and leopard seals may be seen, while huge molting elephant seals lounge on the beach.

For something out of ordinary, visitors can catch a glimpse into the prehistoric past of Antarctica by admiring the occasional fossil found on the shores of nearby Walker Bay. From 1957-58 the British Antarctic Program kept a base camp, ‘Station P’ on the eastern side of the peninsula.
Hope Bay

Hope Bay marks the northernmost tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. It was discovered by Otto Nordenskjold and was named to honor the Swedish Antarctic Expedition members Andersson, Duse and Grunden, who were forced to spend a desperate winter there in 1903. Remains of their humble stone hut are still there, beside the brightly colored red buildings of the nearby Argentine Esperanza station. With a school, chapel, post office, infirmary, several family houses and almost two kilometers of gravel roads, Esperanza station resembles a village more than a base. Several children have been born there, comprising amongst the first native-born Antarcticans.

Hope Bay is home to one of the largest colonies of Adélie penguins on the Peninsula. Hundreds of penguins scurry to and fro between the colony and shoreside, congregating on the beach in a classic scene of hesitation before entering the water. None of them wants to be first, but eventually one jumps in and then a cavalcade of plunging penguins follows.
King George Island

King George Island, the largest island in the South Shetlands, is 43 miles (69 km) long and 16 miles (25 km) wide. Its discovery is attributed to British captain William Smith who explored the island in 1819 and named it in honor of King George III.

It is probably one of the most multinational islands in the world, thanks to its scientific community. Eight countries maintain permanent year-round bases here: Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Russia, China, South Korea and Poland. Holland, Germany, Peru and the United States also have stations on the island but operate them only in the summer. The Antarctic Marathon, the region’s first non-profit international sporting event, takes place on King George Island each year.

There are more than 12 miles (20 km) of roads connecting bases, as well as an active airplane runway attracting multiple flights throughout a year. There is no other place on earth where you can walk from Chile to Russia with a side trip to China along the way!
Lemaire Channel

The Lemaire Channel is undoubtedly one of the most breathtaking nautical passages anywhere and has become an iconic photographic image of Antarctica. Seven miles (11 km) long and a mere 700 yards (.6 km) wide at its narrowest point, the Lemaire is framed by the sheer cliffs of Booth Island on one side and towering mountains of the Peninsula on the other. Mount Scott rises to 2,890 feet (881 m), marking its southern periphery, crowning the grandeur of the Channel’s un-scrolling vertical landscape, in which massive glaciers cling to the cliffs on either side as you proceed slowly along the narrow passage.

Trapped by wind and tide, icebergs of surprising shapes and sizes often dominate the channel. Barely passable at times, the Lemaire Channel leaves its fortunate visitors reflecting in awe on this magnificently pristine environment. It was the Belgian explorer Adrien de Gerlache who first traversed the channel in 1898, naming this strikingly beautiful passage for his friend, Charles Lemaire. The Lemaire is truly a place of vertical wonder and serves as a gateway south to the Antarctic Circle.
Neko Harbor

Neko Harbor is a very small cove indenting the shoreline of Andvord Bay on the Antarctic Peninsula and is most renowned for its proximity to one of the most active calving tidewater glaciers in Antarctica. Massive ice walls, deep-blue crevasses and rugged ice caves surround the harbor. The constant crackling of sea ice is interrupted only by the booming, rumbling and distant thunder of icebergs tumbling into the sea.

Kelp gulls nest on the rocky ledges, hiding their fluffy chicks amongst the boulders. Weddell seals come and go, unperturbed by visitors. A gentoo penguin colony sprawls from the shoreline to the rocky slopes high above. From this high viewpoint, there are spectacular vistas of the Gerlache and Bismarck straits, set against a backdrop of magnificent, distant peaks.

Neko Harbor takes its name from the Scottish whaling factory ship, Neko, captained by Christian Salvensen. The Neko operated in the area between 1911 and 1924 and used the harbor to shelter from the perils of the southern seas.
Neumayer Channel

The Neumayer Channel is a true jewel among the scenic passages of Antarctica stretching for 16 miles (26 km) through the islands of the Palmer Archipelago. Glacier-covered mountains, glistening under the bright Antarctic skies, rise to great heights over the dark waters of the passage. Strewn with brash ice and larger icebergs, the Neumayer is merely one mile (1.5 km) in width. Its curves create the illusion of impassability, resembling an enchanting labyrinth of icebergs and icy cliffs. Whales occasionally traverse this icy realm, where a variety of seals and penguins are frequent visitors atop its floating ice.

The southwestern entry of the channel was discovered during the German Antarctic Expedition of 1873-1874 under the command of Eduard Dallmann. However, Belgian explorer Adrien de Gerlache was the first to sail through the passage during the Belgica Expedition of 1897-1899. He named it in honor of German scientist and renowned polar explorer Georg von Neumayer.
Paradise Harbor

Paradise Harbor is located on the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula behind Bryde and Lemaire Islands. It was first named by 19th-century whalers for its serenity and its majestic scenery and became renowned during the early 1900’s for calm waters that provided ships a refuge from blistering winds and rough seas.

Glaciers surround the harbor, forming an amphitheater of tall, snowcapped mountains. Ice-cliffs rise sheer out of the water and towering ice pillars known as seracs rise from deep crevasses. Massive iridescent-blue ice caves dwarf the buildings of the two nearby scientific stations, Almirante Brown and Gonzalez Videla. Nesting gentoo penguins occupy every available space surrounding the buildings. On the water, brash ice forms a delicate cover amongst the large, sculpted icebergs that drift in the current. Solitary seals lounge on ice floes, oblivious to the rumble of distant glaciers tumbling into the sea. Humpback and orca whales navigate the ice as Antarctic terns fly above.

Paradise Harbor is one of Antarctica's most indescribably beautiful destinations!
Paulet Island

Paulet Island is a circular volcanic island in the Weddell Sea, topped by a cinder cone with a small summit crater. It was discovered by British captain James Clark Ross on his expedition of 1839-43 and was named for Royal Navy captain Lord George Paulet.

Although Paulet Island is less than one and a half miles (2 km) in diameter, it is home to one of the largest Adélie penguin colonies in Antarctica. Over 100,000 pairs nest on the island. The colony is bustling with activity. Raucous penguin calls fill the air, parents and chicks pursue each other, neighbors argue and steal nest stones from one another, adults return from the sea and call for their offspring, while skuas patrol the sky in search of unguarded chicks.

Remnants of a stone hut and a lonely grave recall a long-ago drama that unfolded on the island's shores in 1903, when survivors of Otto Nordenskjold’s Swedish Antarctic Expedition came ashore after their ship Antarctic was crushed and sunk by the sea ice.
Pendulum Cove, Deception Island

Deception Island is one of the most unusual islands in the South Shetlands chain. A semi-dormant volcano with a flooded caldera, it has captured the imagination of sailors and explorers alike since its discovery. The calm inner harbor has provided a safe haven for numerous whaling, sealing and exploration vessels. Pendulum Cove was named after British captain Henry Foster made scientific pendulum and magnetic observations there in 1829. Its gently sloping beach is composed entirely of coarse volcanic ash, black sand, and cinders of various sizes, colored in shades of black and red.

Pendulum Cove is a site of constant thermal activity. Steam, often very thick, rises from the beach, indicating that the water along the shoreline could easily reach scalding temperatures. A Chilean station, Pedro Aguirre Cerda, was established on the shores of Pendulum Cove in 1955 to monitor the volcanic activity. In 1969, it was destroyed in an eruption and subsequently abandoned.
Petermann Island

Several miles south of the Lemaire Channel lies mile-long (1.6 km) Petermann Island. Set against a background of the impressive mountains of the peninsula, Petermann is often surrounded by massive icebergs grounded in its shallow coves. Known as an ‘iceberg graveyard’, this phenomenon creates a display of unimaginable icy beauty and attracts a variety of sea mammals including leopard and crabeater seals, and humpback whales.

The presence of some 3,000 breeding pairs of penguins brings this small rocky outcrop to life in an endless cacophony of sounds and movement. Petermann is home to one of the most southerly gentoo penguin colonies, as well as one of the most northerly Adélie colonies in Antarctica.

The island was discovered by whaling captain Eduard Dallmann, during the German Expedition of 1873-74 and named for August Petermann, a noted German geographer. A large cross overlooking the bay commemorates three members of the British Antarctic Survey who perished nearby in 1982.
Pleneau Island

There is no better place to experience the true wonder and beauty of sculpted ice than the shallow shoreline of Pleneau Island. Deposited by wind and tide, huge and bizarrely sculpted icebergs lie grounded in the shallows. Affectionately known as ‘Iceberg Alley’, the large concentration of icebergs stranded along the eastern shore of Pleneau Island must be seen to be believed. A frozen labyrinth of amazing shapes and colors: free-standing pinnacles, arches, Caribbean-blue lagoons and sculptural ice-castles greet the eye. Those with an artistic imagination can perceive animals and faces shaped in the ice by the forces of erosion, warmth and waves. At closer range, they metamorphose into massive murals of delicate designs: blue veins, crystalline icicles and scalloped waterfalls. In addition to ice, Pleneau hosts a number of gentoo penguin colonies, which attract leopard seals to hunt just offshore. Whales may also be seen navigating through the ice.

Explored by Jean-Baptiste Charcot during the French Antarctic Expedition 1903-05, the island was named for the expedition’s photographer Paul Pleneau.
Point Wild, Elephant Island

The infamous historical outpost of Point Wild is on the northern coast of Elephant Island. The rocky outcrop, set against a vertical cliff and only a yard above high tide, is densely occupied by a colony of chinstrap penguins. It was here, in one of the most inhospitable locations for human habitation on earth, that 22 men of the Shackleton Endurance Expedition were marooned for some four-and-a-half long months awaiting rescue. Shackleton himself had undertaken one of the most epic open-boat journeys in history, travelling 828 miles (1,333 km) to the closest civilization on South Georgia Island. Surviving on rations of penguin meat and sleeping under the overturned hulls of their two wooden boats, the men anxiously awaited Shackleton’s unlikely return. On August 30th, 1916, he finally returned with assistance to rescue his companions.

Visiting Point Wild is a thrilling experience not only for those intrigued by heroic stories of early explorations in Antarctica, but also for those wishing to experience the rugged, forbidding and austere beauty of remote Elephant Island.
Port Charcot, Booth Island

Located on the back steps of the Lemaire Channel, the small sheltered bay of Port Charcot hides along the western side of Booth Island. This is a place of rather quiet, subtle beauty, its gently curving shorelines and shallow waters are often crowded with brash ice and accentuated by massive grounded icebergs.

The low-lying shoreline is home to three species of penguins. Gentoo, Adélie and chinstrap penguins all nest within Port Charcot and can be seen all at once, a very unique and rare occurrence in Antarctica.

In 1904, the bay served as the winter refuge for the third French Antarctic Expedition under the command of Jean-Baptiste Charcot. They spent several long months here on their ship Francais. Charcot subsequently named the site for his father, Jean-Martin Charcot. Historical remnants include a commemorative cairn inscribed with the names of the members of the expedition that sits atop the hill, a stone hut and, nearby, the planks of a small wooden boat can be seen.
South Shetland Islands

The South Shetland Islands are a remote chain of isolated volcanic islands separated from the Antarctic Peninsula by 75-mile (120 km)-wide Bransfield Strait. They are one of the true highlights of a visit to Antarctica, their diversity of wildlife and dramatic mountain scenery make them a ‘must-see’ destination on a voyage to Antarctica.

The South Shetlands are heavily glaciated and, due to their more temperate climate, are often hidden in mist and fog. The islands offer a number of opportunities to get ashore and explore. Historic remnants of the former whaling era, modern-day research stations, unusual geological formations, evidence of volcanic activity and an overwhelming number of penguin rookeries make the South Shetlands a unique outpost on the way to the Great White Continent.

The discovery of the islands is attributed to British captain William Smith who, while attempting to find favorable winds for rounding Cape Horn in 1819, sailed further south than anticipated and accidentally stumbled onto the islands.
Ushuaia, Argentina

For centuries Ushuaia’s harsh climate was deemed too forbidding for the establishment of a European settlement, thereby leaving the land to its native inhabitants, the Yahgan people.

Today Ushuaia is considered the southernmost city on earth, often referred to as ‘the end of the world.’ Nestled on the banks of the Beagle Channel, Ushuaia greets visitors with a jumble of colorful houses dotted against an amphitheater of dramatic snowcapped mountains. The jagged peaks of Monte Olivia, which tower some 4,530 feet (1,318 m) above, dominate the landscape. Dense forests of southern beech trees extend from the shoreline to alpine levels. Thanks to its location and relative proximity to the Antarctic Peninsula, Ushuaia is the transportation gateway to the Great White Continent. Rich in natural history, indigenous peoples’ heritage and the spirit of exploration, Ushuaia offers something for everyone, from spectacular trekking in nearby Tierra del Fuego National Park to discovering the colorful stories and historical heritage at The End of the World Museum.
Vernadsky Station

The Ukrainian research station of Vernadsky, is situated in the Argentine Islands, a labyrinth of small picturesque rocky islets and often ice-choked channels. It began its existence in 1934 as the small wooden hut ‘Wordie House’. Now preserved as a museum, Wordie House was built on Winter Island as part of the British Graham Land Expedition of 1934-37.

Vernadsky has a reputation as one of the friendliest research stations in Antarctica and welcomes all visitors for tours of the base. In addition to scientific laboratories and equipment storage rooms, the station boasts the southernmost traditional-style English pub in the world.

The environment surrounding the base is renowned for its well-protected waterways, for its beautiful views of the high mountains to the east, and for a variety of wildlife. Numerous seals, penguins and seabirds can often be seen while Zodiac cruising. Offshore in more open water, an occasional whale may be seen.
Waterboat Point

The true scale of the Antarctic landscape becomes apparent at Waterboat Point. Located on a small rocky point of land, the Chilean station of Gonzales Videla is named after the first head of state to visit Antarctica, Chilean President Gabriel Gonzales Videla. Surrounded by thousands of nesting gentoo penguins, it sits perched beneath one of the most impressive glacial landscapes on earth.

Located between Andvord Bay and Paradise Harbor, Waterboat Point is surrounded by water during high tides, but connected to the mainland by an isthmus of rocks during low tides. Icebergs usually lie entrapped in the small bay surrounding the station, which is often a great location to view wildlife. Orca, humpback and minke whales have been seen here in the past. Crabeater seals are regular visitors to the ice floes in the bay.

The name originated in 1921, when two young British researches, Thomas Bagshawe and Maxime Lester, spent a winter here sheltered beneath the overturned hull of a wooden waterboat.
Scenic Cruising, Weddell Sea

The birth place of massive tabular icebergs, the less-visited Weddell Sea is some 1,200 miles (2,000 km) wide. It stretches eastward from the Antarctic Peninsula to the fringes of Queen Maud Land. Bounded by gigantic floating ice shelves, some larger than many U.S. states, the Weddell Sea is truly one of the grandest and most isolated areas on earth. Gargantuan tabular icebergs, sometimes many miles in length and towering vertically hundreds of feet above the sea, break from the ice shelves to become massive, moving ice islands.

One can only imagine the fortitude of the early explorers who challenged this perilous wilderness. The Scottish captain James Weddell first recorded the discovery of this remote sea in 1823. In 1915, Shackleton’s ship Endurance became trapped, crushed and sank within the confines of its pack ice. The Weddell Sea is a place of astounding history and raw beauty.
Whalers Bay, Deception Island

Ever since its discovery in the early 19th century, the flooded volcano of Deception Island has earned a reputation as one of the safest harbors in Antarctic waters. Surrounded by high lava cliffs and ridges of volcanic ash, the main anchorage of Whalers Bay is only accessible through a small cleft in the caldera cliffs known as Neptune’s Bellows.

The shores of Whalers Bay hold many stories. One can explore the remains of the old whaling station with its rusty boilers and huge rusted tanks used to store whale oil. The stark white crosses of the whalers’ cemetery can be viewed against the barren landscape of gray and brown. Penguins come ashore on the black lava-sand beaches amidst a landscape of historic buildings, derelict wooden boats and steam rising from the sand as magma far below heats the deep ocean water. Deception Island is a truly unique and beautiful destination.
Yankee Harbour

Located in the South Shetland Islands, Yankee Harbour is home to some 2,000 pairs of nesting gentoo penguins, easily identified by the long, stiff tail feathers that stick out behind as they walk. They are also often viewed from the water as they swim. Depending on the time of year, the site also attracts a variety of abundant sea mammals. Antarctic fur, Weddell and leopard seals may be seen cruising offshore, while huge molting elephant seals lounge on the beach. Overhead, predatory brown skuas and giant petrels patrol the rookery for unguarded penguin chicks.

Set against the backdrop of the towering peaks of Livingston Island, Yankee Harbour welcomes visitors with the promise of a stroll over a narrow gravel spit of land protruding half a mile into the sea. The harbor’s large, protected anchorage is sheltered from the strong swells of the temperamental Southern Ocean. During the 19th century it was a place of respite for decades for American sealers and British whalers.

Seabourn Expeditions: Exploring Antarctica by Kayak - Starting at $295

Kayaking in Antarctica is an incredible way to explore the great white continent. Your qualified guide will join you as you silently paddle amongst icebergs, porpoising penguins, or curious swimming seals. Kayaking in Antarctica is highly weather-dependent. Your onboard expedition team will make every effort to offer this activity as often as conditions are safe and weather permits.

Please note: (Dis)embarking the kayaks may take place from the ship, a Zodiac, or other suitable location depending upon operational requirements. A Zodiac follows the kayaks to lend assistance as required. This tour operates weather permitting although rain does not deter us. As temperatures and weather conditions can vary, please dress in layers. A waterproof outer layer is provided in the form of a dry suit. Pogie gloves are provided, along with booties and dry bags for your cameras and extra gear. Bring a hat or beanie, camera and binoculars and wear sunglasses and sunscreen. Please remove all rings, watches, bracelets and earrings. No prior kayaking experience is required. A briefing and instructions on how to paddle are given before your tour departs. All kayaks are doubles. Maximum weight per kayak (2 persons) is 617lbs or 280kg. Minimum height for participants is 150 cm (5 ft). Guests under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Your kayak tour will be approximately 1.5 hours in duration, depending on the operational requirements. The entire experience from start to finish will be about 2 – 2.5 hours.

Seabourn Expeditions: Diving Antarctica by Submersible - Starting at $499

Join the very few people who have explored the little-known underwater realm of Antarctica. The first dive ever was made here only in 1902 by Willy Heinrich during the Drygalski expedition, who wore a brass diving helmet and lead boots. Instead of such difficulties you can now gaze in comfort from your seat into the frigid waters where creatures struggle to survive and grow. If you are lucky you might see krill, the most important zooplankton species in this ecosystem upon which so many other creatures depend. Brittle stars or salps or sea urchins may make an appearance. Take the time to appreciate that whatever you encounter, you are in a place on this earth where very few people have ever been.

Please note: Submersibles are sensitive to bad weather and dives can be cancelled at a moment’s notice. You will need to be able to negotiate several steps on a vertical ladder to enter and exit the sub. An accurate weight of each participant including the gear (cameras etc) being brought into the sub is required for the pilot to calculate safe diving parameters. Minimum age is 8. Guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Your Sub dive will be approximately 45 minutes in duration. The entire experience from start to finish will be about 90 min.

Days 9-10: At Sea

Days 11-13: South Georgia Experience

South Georgia may include the following experiences. The exact itinerary is subject to permissions, weather, ice conditions and time available. The daily program will be determined by the Expedition Team and is subject to site availability.

Cooper Bay, South Georgia
A wealth of wildlife and awe-inspiring scenery reward those who visit Cooper Bay, a hidden gem awaiting discovery at the southeastern-most extremity of South Georgia. Four species of penguins nest and breed at Cooper Bay, including the island’s largest chinstrap penguin colony, together with colonies of macaroni and gentoo penguins and a small number of king penguins.

While macaroni penguins are the most abundant species on South Georgia, with numbers estimated at ten million, they are usually extremely hard to find. Elsewhere, they nest on inaccessibly high cliffs and steep rocky slopes, making Cooper Bay one of the few easily accessible locations. Giant petrels and both light-mantled and sooty albatrosses find safe nesting sites among the waist-high tussock grass that covers the steep slopes above the bay. Masses of fur seals swarm the beaches and are often seen playing in the kelp beds offshore.

Cooper Bay was named after Robert Cooper, First Lieutenant of James Cook’s ship HMS Resolution that visited here in 1775.

Drygalski Fjord, South Georgia
Drygalski Fjord is one of the most scenic areas of South Georgia, and also one of the windiest. Its narrow, two-and-a-half mile (4 km) waterway is bordered by steep-sided rock walls crowned by spectacular snow-covered peaks rising to over a 3,200’ (1,000 m). At the head of the fjord looms the mass of the Risting Glacier. The sharply pointed ice pinnacles and deep blue crevasses of its massive face occasionally send huge blocks of ice thundering into the water.

Despite its impressive and seemingly inhospitable appearance, Drygalski Fjord supports a surprising amount of wildlife. This is the main breeding area in South Georgia for snow petrels. Blue-eyed shags, Wilson’s storm petrels, and Antarctic terns are common visitors, and the fjord is also the northernmost recorded breeding site for Weddell seals.

The fjord was named to honor Professor Eric Von Drygalski, leader of the First German Antarctic Expedition of 1901-03.

Fortuna Bay, South Georgia
Scenic Fortuna Bay offers both prolific wildlife viewing and a magnificent panorama from its beach of jagged summit peaks and the impressive expanse of the Konig Glacier. Named after the first whale-catcher to operate here in the early 1900s, Fortuna Bay was used by early explorers and sealers long before the establishment of whaling stations on South Georgia.

It boasts a large population of elephant and fur seals along its mile-and-a-half (2km) long pebble beach. Seal pups congregate here in huge numbers. The curious pups run to and fro, playing frisky games and exploring the world around them, resembling a chaotic animal kindergarten. The bay also supports a colony of several thousand photogenic king penguins, the largest on South Georgia.

The best-known human history of Fortuna Bay comes from the tribulations of Sir Ernest Shackleton. It was here that he and his companions descended to the bay in 1916, after a treacherous crossing of the island’s ice cap, to reach their rescuers at the Stromness Whaling Station.

Gold Harbour, South Georgia
Gold Harbour, its small, crescent cove framed by the glacier-covered peaks of the Salvesen Range, is regarded as one of the most beautiful areas in all of South Georgia. The prominent icefall of the Betrab Glacier hangs dramatically from the cliffs above, from time to time releasing a large ice block to fall thundering into the sea.

The highlight of a visit to Gold Harbour is the large colony of king penguins that covers the length of the beach. Raucous penguin calls fill the air with never-ending whistles and chatters as fluffy penguin chicks roam the beach in search of their parents. A small gentoo penguin colony has tucked itself in amongst the grass nearby. Massive elephant seals, weighing thousands of pounds, lounge at the water’s edge, while leopard seals lurk off the beach in hopes of a careless penguin. Above, light-mantled albatrosses glide along the cliff faces as giant petrels hover over the colony.

Grytviken, South Georgia
Tucked in at the head of King Edward Cove and encircled by steep rugged mountains is the capital of South Georgia, Grytviken. It was established by the Norwegian captain Carl Larsen in 1904 as the island’s first land-based whaling station, and its name literally means “Pot Bay” for the number of seal- oil try-pots left here by early sealers.

Over 300 people lived in Grytviken during its busiest years. Nowadays it resembles a ghost town strewn with the remnants of rusty oil tanks, oil processing plants and the skeletons of derelict whaling vessels. The house of the station manager has been restored to become the South Georgia Museum. The Lutheran church and the white crosses of the cemetery are restored to their former state and stand in stark contrast to the verdant green peaks above. A monument marks the grave of the heroic British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, affectionately known by his men as ‘the boss.’ Grytviken also has its own post office, selling unique South Georgia stamps, while across the cove is the British Scientific Station at King Edward Point.

Salisbury Plain, South Georgia
Salisbury Plain is a stunningly beautiful place to visit. It was deposited by retreating glaciers along the shore of the Bay of Isles, and resembles an open stage rimmed by a towering amphitheater of snow-capped mountains. Its name first appeared on British Admiralty charts in 1930 and likely refers to the similarly named feature back in England.

Salisbury Plain is home to the second largest king penguin colony on the island. It is immense in size and overwhelming in numbers, with over 250,000 birds nesting, breeding, and molting on its shores. Penguins are everywhere, dotting the beach and covering the adjacent hillsides. A cacophony of trumpeting and chirping adult penguins and whistling chicks fills the air against a rhythmic backdrop of the surf crashing on the beach.

One of South Georgia’s largest elephant seal populations also comes to haul out along this 1.8 mile (3 km) long pebble beach. Fur seals are here in great abundance, hustling between penguin congregations and clusters of massive elephant seals in a scene of controlled biological chaos!

South Georgia
Remote and forbidding South Georgia, the most rugged of all sub-Antarctic islands, digests the fury of the stormy Southern Seas. The island’s dramatic glacier-covered mountains rise sharply and are crowned by Mount Paget at 6,900’ (2935m). Some 50 percent of South Georgia is permanently covered by glaciers, nourished by the proximity of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current.

The cold, surrounding seas in this area the most nutrient-rich on earth, and make South Georgia a mecca for wildlife. Amidst the vastness of the Southern Ocean, it is a place of pilgrimage for penguins: a place to feed, to breed, and to rear young. Over 250,000 king penguins return to South Georgia annually, transforming its bays and beaches into a mosaic of motion and sound. Several other species of penguins, along with skuas, petrels, albatrosses, pipits and other birds nest along its shores. A few million fur seals hustle about like playful puppies, and hundreds of thousands of elephant seals gather in haul-outs so unimaginably immense they must be seen to be believed.

St Andrews Bay, South Georgia
Few places on earth are as immensely grand as St Andrews Bay. This is a place of such sheer vast scale that it must be truly experienced to be believed. Its wave-battered, windswept beaches border a broad plain left behind by retreating glaciers, their white snouts clearly visible at the base of the mountains.

The desolation left behind by the glaciers didn’t stay vacant for long. The void was filled by literally hundreds of thousands of king penguins, gathering in one of the largest colonies on earth. Take the time to climb onto the crest of the moraine view to the unforgettable sight of a sea of penguins standing shoulder to shoulder. One of the largest Elephant seals haul-outs on the island is also here. In the early summer months, the beach seems carpeted by animals, an ever-changing labyrinth of massive gray forms and shapes. They growl and grunt while the wails and whimpers of fur seals fill the air from afar.

Stromness, South Georgia
The name Stromness is tied in history books to one of the greatest human endeavors of adversity and hope ever recorded. It was here that Sir Ernest Shackleton and his companions arrived in 1916 after an arduous 36-hour crossing of the island, traversing uncharted ice caps and treacherous mountain terrain, and finally reached this remote outpost of civilization.

Stromness Bay on the northern coast of South Georgia once housed a prominent whaling station. Established in 1907 as a site for a factory ship, it was enlarged in 1912 when the processing moved on shore. Buildings were constructed, and the population of the station dramatically increased. In 1961, it was abandoned to the mercy of the elements, and today the station’s ghostly appearance has given way to the forces of nature. Fur seals have reclaimed the bay and the occupy the ruins. Often, hundreds of fur seal pups only a few weeks old congregate on the beach and around the station, playing, fighting, hustling and running among the remnants of the abandoned equipment.

The South Georgia Islands Group is one of the least visited destinations on earth. It consists of South Georgia Island and smaller surrounding islands and rocks. Largely untouched and blessed with a sub-Antarctic climate and nutrient-rich seas, it represents a sort of Lost Eden of unspoiled wildlife habitat. Although ice and snow are present, they are strikingly green with vegetation as compared with Antarctica. They teem with wildlife, including massive populations of king and other penguin species, fur seals, elephant seals, albatrosses, giant petrels, and other seabirds. Whales, orcas and dolphins abound offshore in the most diverse marine ecosystem on earth. Your captain and expedition leader plan your days in South Georgia to offer you a variety of experiences in this remote and enchanting destination, based on conditions and wildlife reports. These will certainly include visits to historic communities such as Grytviken, with its memorial to Ernest Shackleton, the immense breeding colony of king penguins on the Salisbury Plain and other highlights, along with less well-known, but equally unforgettable sites. Your veteran expedition team members enrich your experience during presentations and in casual conversations and interpret passing sights during time spent cruising. They will also accompany you on landings at the various sites and excursions in Zodiacs and kayaks.

Days 14-15: At Sea

Day 16: Stanley/Falkland Is/Islas Malvinas

The Falkland Islands
There is nowhere else in the world like the Falkland Islands. The archipelago is a remote, wind-swept place of stunning landscapes, dazzling white sand beaches, magnificent wildlife, and a rather gregarious mix of people. Over 200 islands surround the two main islands of West and East Falkland. These isolated and treeless shores are home to an overwhelming abundance of birdlife: albatross, penguins, caracaras, geese, and many others. Perhaps it was the very remoteness of the islands; the allure of its barren landscapes, pure in their austerity and colorful in their details, and the immensely large open skies that attracted settlers to its shores long ago.

It has accumulated a wealth of maritime and military history.  More than three hundred shipwrecks litter its shores, while the stark white crosses of both British and Argentine soldiers stand as a silent reminder to the war of 1982. Numerous claims for the islands have been put forward in the course of their history. Nowadays the Falkland Islands are a self-governing British Overseas Territory.

Stanley, Falkland Islands
The lonely lighthouse at Cape Pembroke welcomes arrivals to Stanley. It alerts ships to the treacherous rocks, reefs and shoals for which the Falkland Islands have long been known. With a population of over 2,000 people, Stanley is the largest settlement on the islands. Its gardens, tea rooms, brightly colored houses and hotels lend it a slightly Victorian feel, seemingly suspended in time. The Anglican Cathedral, the southernmost in the world, stands prominently on Stanley’s waterfront.

The Falklands’ unique abundance of wildlife is evident in Stanley. Dolphins visit its harbor, while steamer ducks, kelp gulls, and other birds abound on shore. Southern sea lions can be spotted basking in the sun. Southern giant petrels often fly through town, oblivious to the human presence. Founded in the 1840s, the town was named after Edward Smith-Stanley, Earl of Derby, who never visited the islands.

Bluff Cove Lagoon: Penguins & Tea: Included Experience - Starting at $NaN

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to discover breeding king and Gentoo penguins and the abundant bird species of the Falkland Islands on this award-winning scenic, off-road excursion to the privately-owned Bluff Cove Lagoon wildlife haven.

After tendering ashore, you will be met by the Bluff Cove team and set out with your driver/guide by minibus. A 20-minute journey takes you through Stanley and across the rolling hills to Bluff Cove Farm.

Here, switch to a 4x4 Land Rover vehicle. Your skillful driver will navigate the rugged off-road terrain for 20 minutes to the Bluff Cove Lagoon penguin rookery. A knowledgeable and friendly ranger will accompany you on a leisurely stroll through the penguin colony, which features a scenic backdrop of a large lagoon and a white, sandy beach that is occasionally patrolled by sea lions from the nearby island. This beautiful, pristine reserve is home to more than 1,000 breeding pairs of Gentoo penguins which protect the growing colony of king penguins and their chicks. Magellanic penguins, which burrow on the nearby island, can often be found on the beach. Bird species that frequent or nest in the area include skuas, upland geese, ruddy-headed geese, Magellanic oyster-catchers, South American terns, dolphin gulls, flightless Falkland steamer ducks, snowy sheathbills and southern giant petrels, among others.

At the legendary Sea Cabbage Café on the beach, relax over tea, coffee and hot chocolate accompanied by delicious home-baked treats such as scones with diddle-dee jam and fresh cream. Gluten-free options are available. Bask in the warmth and aroma of the peat stove while the enjoying splendid vistas of waves crashing on the sandy beach and penguins porpoising in.

The Bluff Cove Museum, also by the beach, depicts life in the Falklands and tells the story of Bluff Cove. You can find out about the farm, the nearby 1863 ‘sugar wreck’, the 1982 war with Argentina and the fabulous lagoon wildlife.

You will have an hour of free time to take photographs, stroll along the beach and look around the museum. A small gift shop sells unique Bluff Cove souvenirs, including Bluff Cove tweed items made with the farm wool, and postcards that can be stamped and mailed from here. Look for samples of knitted, crocheted and felted local wool work displayed on the walls of the café and museum.

After an unforgettable visit, your Land Rover 4x4 driver will take you back to the minibus for the return journey to Stanley. Make the most of an opportunity to see the new Stanley Museum at the historic dockyard.

Please note: US dollars are accepted at the museum gift/souvenir shop. Modern restrooms are available at the café and museum. Tour involves traveling over rugged terrain in a Land Rover 4x4, and is not suitable for guests with back and/or neck problems. The 300-yard walk to the beach is mostly flat and there are courtesy vehicles ready to drive guests with mobility limitations. Assistance is available for guests using a wheelchair. Wear comfortable walking shoes and warm layered clothing with a windbreaker. Bring sunscreen.

Kelp Point Exclusive Wildlife Excursion - Starting at $239

Kelp Point is a scenic corner of the Falkland Islands, and this exclusive tour brings you to this remote location in search of the archipelago's fantastic wildlife.

Travel by 4x4 vehicle, beginning with an hour on the island's main road network. You'll wind through the rugged Falklands landscape, taking in the geologically fascinating stone runs that were recognized for their unique characteristics and catalogued by Charles Darwin himself.

Next, the vehicle heads off-road for about 1½ hours, and the real adventure begins. The route takes you across one of the island's largest farms to the picturesque, secluded Kelp Point -- best known for its growing elephant seal colony. Observe these peculiar-looking marine mammals as they bask happily in the cold and blustery environment that they love. This is a truly unusual opportunity to observe them at relatively close range in their undisturbed habitat.

Next, you'll travel a short distance to a recently-established Gentoo penguin rookery. Enjoy a boxed lunch here, and you will have time to stroll along the nearby white-sand beach and admire any penguin inhabitants that are present. These are adorable creatures and are quite willing to go about their business as you watch them in complete fascination.

Please note: It is essential that you wear warm, layered clothing in order to fully enjoy and participate in this excursion. Outer layer should be waterproof and windproof. Bring gloves, a warm hat and a scarf. Wear sturdy walking shoes.

Seabourn Expeditions: Exploring Stanley Harbour by Kayak - Starting at $199

Join your Kayak Team for a paddle in East Falkland. We will be exploring this quaint harbour, enjoying the vistas of the 3 shipwrecks that can be seen aground and the town itself as we keep an eye on the wildlife. A short transfer by zodiac from the ship to a suitable embarkation point may be required. A safety zodiac will follow the kayaks at all times to lend assistance, and to allow the group to be picked up at a different location than the starting point.

Please note: (Dis)embarking the kayaks may take place from the ship, a Zodiac, or other suitable location depending upon operational requirements. A Zodiac follows the kayaks to lend assistance as required. This tour operates weather permitting although rain does not deter us. As temperatures and weather conditions can vary, please dress in layers. A waterproof outer layer is provided in the form of a dry suit. Pogie gloves are provided, along with booties and dry bags for your cameras and extra gear. Bring a hat or beanie, camera and binoculars and wear sunglasses and sunscreen. Please remove all rings, watches, bracelets and earrings. No prior kayaking experience is required. A briefing and instructions on how to paddle are given before your tour departs. All kayaks are doubles. Maximum weight per kayak (2 persons) is 617lbs or 280kg. Minimum height for participants is 150 cm (5 ft). Guests under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Your kayak tour will be approximately 1.5 hours in duration, depending on the operational requirements. The entire experience from start to finish will be about 2 – 2.5 hours.

Day 17: Saunders Island, Falkland Islands

Wild and remote Saunders Island, is the site of the first British settlement in the Falklands, Port Egmont in 1765. The small population remains true to its origins, nowadays with the descendants of the early farmers, still living on the island and sheep farming largely in the traditional style. Five species of penguin can be found here: king, macaroni, gentoo, rockhopper and the occasional magellanic. Five hundred steamer ducks, white-bridled finches and 22,000 black-browed albatross breed on the island. Dolphins often visit its harbor, while Southern right whales can be spotted in the distance.

West Point Island’s highest point, Cliff Mountain, rises to 1,250’ (381 meters), and has the highest sea cliffs in the Falklands. Experience West Point’s spectacular scenery, abundant wildlife and its human population of two, Lily and Roddy Napier. Descendants of the original farmers, the Napier family still own and run West Point Island as a traditional sheep farm. Living in the modest family house sheltered by weathered Monterey cypress trees, they welcome visitors in for a cup of tea.

Seabourn Expeditions: Exploring Saunders Island by Kayak - Starting at $199

Join your Kayak Team for a paddle in the West Falklands. Saunders Island in the north-west of the archipelago is the place to find some of the most iconic vistas of the Falkland Islands. Dramatic sweeping shorelines characterise the second largest of the offshore islands. The isthmus of the Neck is flanked on both sides with sandy beaches. The long stretch of white sand to the north is exposed and irresistible. The whole area is crowded with birds. Magellanic penguins make their way ashore, gentoos congregate and there is a small colony of king penguins. Amongst the albatross are rockhopper penguins and king cormorants. These rookeries can be visited after the kayak tour. A short transfer by zodiac from the ship to a suitable embarkation point may be required. A safety zodiac will follow the kayaks at all times to lend assistance, and to allow the group to be picked up at a different location than the starting point.

Please note: (Dis)embarking the kayaks may take place from the ship, a Zodiac, or other suitable location depending upon operational requirements. A Zodiac follows the kayaks to lend assistance as required. This tour operates weather permitting although rain does not deter us. As temperatures and weather conditions can vary, please dress in layers. A waterproof outer layer is provided in the form of a dry suit. Pogie gloves are provided, along with booties and dry bags for your cameras and extra gear. Bring a hat or beanie, camera and binoculars and wear sunglasses and sunscreen. Please remove all rings, watches, bracelets and earrings. No prior kayaking experience is required. A briefing and instructions on how to paddle are given before your tour departs. All kayaks are doubles. Maximum weight per kayak (2 persons) is 617lbs or 280kg. Minimum height for participants is 150 cm (5 ft). Guests under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Your kayak tour will be approximately 1.5 hours in duration, depending on the operational requirements. The entire experience from start to finish will be about 2 – 2.5 hours.

Seabourn Expeditions: Marine Life of Saunders Island by Submersible - Starting at $499

The wild waters of the South Atlantic wash these remote and wild Falkland Islands constantly, bringing cold nutrient rich conditions that create havens for many fish and invertebrates. Abundant giant kelp beds in the shallow water around Saunders Island sway in the swell and current. Sea lions may explore these underwater forests searching for food. Whatever creatures are encountered, this glimpse into their secret world is bound to be fascinating and delightful.

Please note: Submersibles are sensitive to bad weather and dives can be cancelled at a moment’s notice. You will need to be able to negotiate several steps on a vertical ladder to enter and exit the sub. An accurate weight of each participant including the gear (cameras etc) being brought into the sub is required for the pilot to calculate safe diving parameters. Minimum age is 8. Guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Your Sub dive will be approximately 45 minutes in duration. The entire experience from start to finish will be about 90 min.

West Point Island, Falkland Islands
Albatrosses have long captured the imagination of sailors, roaming the vast oceans, embracing storms and winds far from the safety of land and so at ease in the roughest sea conditions. In summer, a large colony of black-browed albatrosses come to breed on West Point Island. Along with rockhopper penguins, they reside between the rocky ledges and among the tussock grass.  Other species can also be seen throughout the island: fur seals and sea lions visit its shores and dolphins frequent its harbor. Cliff Mountain, its highest point, rises to 1,250’ (381 meters) above the highest sea cliffs in the Falklands.
The Napier family, descendants of the original farmers, still own and operate West Point Island as a traditional sheep farm. Living in a modest family house sheltered by weathered Monterey cypress trees, they welcome visitors in for a cup of tea. Experience West Point’s spectacular scenery, abundant wildlife and its human population of just two, Lily and Roddy Napier.

Seabourn Expeditions: Exploring West Point Island by Kayak - Starting at $199

Join your Kayak Team for a unique opportunity to paddle in the West Falklands. West Point Island is situated off the north-west tip of West Falkland. It was initially named Albatross Island due to the thousands of nesting black-browed albatross. Magellanic penguins have made their burrows in the harbour area and various other birds can be seen including striated caracaras and turkey vultures. A short transfer by zodiac from the ship to a suitable embarkation point may be required. A safety zodiac will follow the kayaks at all times to lend assistance, and to allow the group to be picked up at a different location than the starting point.

Seabourn Expeditions: Underwater at West Point Island by Submarine - Starting at $499

Day 18: New Island, Falkland Islands

Wind-swept New Island, one of the world’s most remote inhabited islands, lies on the western fringe of the Falklands Archipelago. Its gentle, low-lying eastern shores are indented with white, sandy bays and coves beaming with turquoise water.  Gradually rising, these slopes are transformed into rugged sea-battered cliffs on the island’s western side. A place of colorful landscapes, New Island supports some of the largest concentrations and diversity of wildlife in the Falklands, with over forty species of nesting birds. Four species of penguins, including 13,000 gentoo and 26,000 Southern rockhopper penguins call the island home. Embracing winds and seas below, 60,000 black-browed albatross soar along the cliffs. 
New Island’s history is as rich and plentiful as its natural wonders. The island has known human presence since the late 1700s, especially with many whaling ships finding refuge in its coves and bays from tempestuous weather.

Seabourn Expeditions: Exploring New Island by Kayak - Starting at $199

Join your Kayak Team to paddle in the Falkland Islands. Ruggedly beautiful and remote, New Island is located at the extreme west of the Falklands’ archipelago. New Island has a large concentration and great diversity of wildlife staged in a setting of dramatic cliffs contrasting with sheltered sandy bays and natural harbours. This beautiful location is a great place for a kayak tour. A short transfer by zodiac from the ship to a suitable embarkation point may be required. A safety zodiac will follow the kayaks at all times to lend assistance, and to allow the group to be picked up at a different location than the starting point.

Steeple Jason, Falkland Islands
Steeple Jason Island has some of the most breathtaking landscapes around, with its twin pinnacles on either side of the island rising sharply to 1,000’ (300 m) and connected by a low-lying neck of rock and tussock grass. Highly prized for its overwhelming abundance of wildlife, Steeple Jason is not easy to reach. Protected as a Nature Reserve and privately owned by the Wildlife Conservation Society. The Island is home to the largest colony of Black-browed albatross in the world. The Island also has a large number of striated caracaras, skuas, and southern giant petrels while several colonies of gentoo penguins are scattered around the island. 

Days 19-21: At Sea

Day 22: Buenos Aires, Argentina