Antarctica, Falklands & South Georgia (2009/2010)

This voyage combines the comfortable adventure cruises of Classic Antarctica with visits to the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and spectacular South Georgia. Many of the wildlife and scenic highlights of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands are included as well as the best of these two wildlife-rich sub-Antarctic islands. These expeditions are designed to include as much wildlife viewing as possible, but also include visits to scientific bases and allow plenty of time to enjoy the breathtaking scenery of icy waterways, glaciers, icebergs and rugged mountains.

Itinerary

Days 6-11: South Georgia and Shackleton?s Grave

You?ll sight various pelagic birds in their open-sea habitat as you continue southward. Your shipboard historian offers fascinating presentations on the early explorers of the Southern Ocean. In addition to its abundant wildlife, South Georgia is distinguished by its diverse landscapes, from 2,100 m mountains to low-lying grasslands, from magnificent glaciers to deeply cut fjords. You?re greeted by thousands of King Penguins at Salisbury Plain, while Wandering Albatross nest on Prion Island. Light-mantled Sooty Albatross are frequently sighted here. And at remote spots such as Gold Harbor, you encounter Southern elephant seals as well as King, Macaroni and Gentoo Penguins on the beaches. South Georgia was the final stop on Sir Ernest Shackleton?s epic journey to rescue his stranded crew after the Endurance sank beneath the Antarctic ice. At Grytviken, once an active whaling station, you can pay tribute to the great explorer at his grave.

Days 12-17: South Shetlands to the Peninsula

As the ship heads for the Antarctic Peninsula, your naturalists prepare you for the many wildlife sightings and other natural wonders that lie ahead. En route you pass through the South Shetland chain, four groups of islands extending over 1,400 square kilometers. Eighty percent glaciated, the islands were discovered in 1819 by William Smith (who claimed them for Britain and named one for King George III) and soon became a favorite haunt of seal hunters and whalers.

You make a landing to see the Adélie Penguin rookery on Elephant Island; it was here that most of the Endurance crew took refuge while Shackleton and five others journeyed on a further 1,300 km in an open lifeboat to complete their heroic rescue. Often the ship is able to sail through a narrow passage into the sunken volcanic caldera of Deception Island ? where, if the tide allows, you can dip your toes (and more) into the paradoxically thermal waters of Pendulum Cove. Your approach to the Peninsula is (conditions permitting) through Iceberg Alley, where massive tabular icebergs drift northward through the Antarctic Sound.

On some voyages the ship manages a stop at Paulet Island, home to more than 100,000 breeding pairs of Adélie Penguins. As you near your ultimate destination, the breathtaking views ahead are of snow-covered mountains and gigantic glaciers descending into deep blue seas. In the days to come, you can look forward to exploring extensive rookeries of Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adélie Penguins, along with Blue-eyed Shags, Kelp Gulls, Cape Petrels, Snowy Sheathbills and Antarctic Terns. You may also encounter Weddell, crabeater and leopard seals, as well as orcas, and humpback and Minke whales.

Your first landfall on the Antarctic continent is often at Paradise Bay or nearby Neko Harbor, where glaciers cascade down into calm waters dotted with icebergs. You?ll try to chart a course through Neumayer and Lemaire Channels, dramatically narrow waterways that wind among towering rock faces and spectacular glaciers. Your journey may also include a visit to one of the many Antarctic research bases on the Peninsula, as well as Port Lockroy, a secret World War II outpost that became a British research station and is now a museum (with the world?s southernmost post office).

Days 3-5: Exploring the Falklands (Malvinas)

Enjoy presentations by the Expedition Team and spend time taking in the views from the large decks and covered promenades as the ship heads northeast toward the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas). The archipelago?s privately owned outer islands are home to impressive concentrations of wildlife, including several species found nowhere else in the world. Look for Flightless Steamer Ducks, Magellanic Penguins and Gentoo Penguins on Carcass Island; spot Rockhopper Penguins as well as nesting Black-browed Albatross and Blue-eyed Shags on nearby New Island; and as we explore the untouched shorelines, watch for Peale?s and Commerson?s dolphins, which frequently bow-ride and play alongside our Zodiacs. You can also walk over the tussock grass to enjoy a chat over tea and cake at a family "camp" (as Falklanders call their farms), and explore the streets of the historic capital Stanley, with its colorful buildings and British-style pubs.

Days 1-2: Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

Arrive in Ushuaia, a small town at the "end of the world" surrounded by rugged peaks and glaciers, and transfer independently to your conveniently located hotel. The following day, in the afternoon, the Expedition Team gets you settled aboard your ship as you sail into the Beagle Channel to start your Antarctic expedition.

Days 18-20: Back across the Drake to Ushuaia

Crossing the legendary Drake Passage is a remarkable experience in itself, as your comfortable ship is accompanied most of the way by an impressive array of seabirds, including Wandering Albatross, and Giant and Cape Petrels. You also have good chances to spot whales and dolphins from the deck ? when you?re not in the lounge taking part in your recap presentations. After docking at Ushuaia, disembark after breakfast and transfer into town for further exploring or head straight on to the airport to catch a flight.