Begin your journey in Ushuaia, a small but bustling port town at the tip of
South America. This Argentine town is an ideal gateway for you to
explore the southern extent of Patagonia while preparing for your adventure
ahead. Get active in the mountains or enjoy handcrafted chocolate at a
café in town.

Meals: breakfast, dinner

As the ship sets sail in the late afternoon, you will begin your Antarctic
journey, passing through the Beagle Channel. Named after the famed ship on
which Charles Darwin voyaged, the channel presents great photo
opportunities to capture seabirds hovering overhead.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

There are many activities to keep you engaged while we’re at sea. You
can take advantage of the library of books available on your ship, chat
with your shipmates at the bar, or spend time out on deck, admiring the sea.
The Expedition Team will also conduct a series of presentations to
familiarize yourself with how to prepare for Zodiac cruises and shore
landings.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

The Falkland archipelago contains two main islands, East and West, which we
will explore by Zodiac excursions and daily landings. These rugged islands
have a frontier feel to them, especially at Port Stanley—the largest
settlement on the islands. It’s an interesting British outpost–type
place, where you may just as easily wander into a pub as you will a church
or museum.With your camera at hand, our wildlife sightings in the Falklands
(Malvinas) should include at least three species of penguins and two endemic
bird species—Cobb’s wren and the Falkland’s flightless Steamer
duck.Your team of lecturers and specialists will be sure to educate you on
the local flora and fauna so that you have the most memorable time.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Enroute to South Georgia you’ll cross the invisible biological boundary
unique to Antarctica – the Antarctic Convergence. This meeting of oceans is
what creates the abundance of krill and marine life that attract large
cetaceans such as Humpback whales.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Evidence of the old whaling and sealing heyday is still found throughout the
island. You’ll be surprised to learn that whale and seal populations were
once decimated here. Today, their populations are strong, with massive
rookeries to be seen.One significant and historic site that will be of
interest is the grave of the great explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. Your visit
to his gravesite at the Grytviken settlement, also home to an old whaling
station and a research station, is a day for reflecting on what it must have
been like to be one of the first explorers of this unforgiving yet beautiful
environment.Although South Georgia’s history is an important attraction to
the island, it is the wildlife that you and your shipmates will likely find
most captivating. Often referred to as the Galapagos of the Poles, South
Georgia contains an exceptional quantity of wildlife. Each landing you make
on the island will open your eyes to a new wonder: one day you may see
rookeries with hundreds of thousands of pairs of King penguins waddling on a
beach; the next day you may visit another beach dotted with thousands of Fur
or Elephant seals.The grasses, mountains and beaches of South Georgia all
play an important role in the breeding and survival of different bird and
animal species. The Expedition Team will be happy to share its knowledge of
how these vulnerable relationships all play out on the island.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Antarctica awaits, along with its own penguin and seal species. While
you’re at sea, you can enjoy quiet time or take in presentations by the
Expedition Team, who will cover everything from the history and geology of
Antarctica to tips on identifying different species and what makes each of
them unique.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

The most common reaction to arriving at the White Continent is a sense of
reverence and awe. The experience is hard to put into words. You will
discover that Antarctica is a land of extremes: at one moment you’ll be
overcome with a feeling of complete silence and loneliness, the next you’ll
be laughing at the comical antics of a curious penguin.Glacier hikes, visits
to research bases and, of course, communing with seals and penguins are sure
to keep you smiling each and every day. Perhaps you’ll catch sight of the
fearless penguin-eater, the Leopard seal, or come eye–to–eye with a
curious Minke whale while on a Zodiac. Each day and each landing will present
a new collection of creatures to entertain you and keep your camera busy!

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Crossing the Antarctic Circle is an impressive achievement, as most
expeditions to the Peninsula do not come close to reaching this far
south.With a toast to the first explorers who ventured here, you can raise a
glass of champagne and take pride in knowing you’ve made it to a part of
the world visited by very few people. This is raw Antarctica, home to the
midnight sun, with the potential for fantastic iceberg sightings.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

If you haven’t had your fill of Antarctic wildlife and icebergs by now,
you’ll surely be satisfied by the time we return to the Drake Passage. You
will continue to journey onto land by Zodiac twice daily as you travel north
along the western Antarctic Peninsula.The Expedition Team will always be on
the lookout for species of penguins, seals and whales that may have eluded
you on the journey south.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

After more than a dozen days of memorable wildlife encounters, your journey
home begins. Crossing the Drake is your unofficial rite of passage, putting a
final stamp of approval on your Antarctic adventure.

Meals: breakfast

Today you’ll say goodbye to the Expedition Team and fellow travelers,
disembarking in the morning to catch your homeward flights.