Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctica Peninsula
An epic once-in-a-lifetime voyage down south aboard the Sylvia Earle
Price: Upon request
Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctica Peninsula
A 21-day long expedition cruise, 1-134 people
A 21-day long Cruise
The Trip Highlights
Spot the elusive Macaroni penguin in the Falklands
Witness elephant seals in their natural habitat
Watch penguin couples take care of their young
Learn about the rich history in the Falkland Islands
Your Polartours 'Plus' Experience
Adaptable itineraries
Expert guides answer all questions
Your trip is 100% carbon offset
Expedition Parka to take home
This epic journey takes you on an expedition cruise beyond comparison, visiting mystifying subantarctic islands and the Antarctic Peninsula. Similar to the South Georgia and Antarctic Odyssey, but with additional time in the Falkland Islands to learn about the fascinating history of the islands and encounter the incredible birdlife found there. Feel small in the presence of South Georgia’s king penguin colonies, some of the largest on earth. Immerse yourself in the peaceful grandeur of the Antarctic Peninsula as you embrace the true spirit of exploration and adventure.
Your ship: Sylvia Earle
All images of the Sylvia Earle are artist’s impressions only and final results may vary.
Welcome aboard the Sylvia Earle, a brand-new cruise ship named after the first female chief scientist of the U.S. National and Atmospheric Administration. Sylvia Earle was also named by Time Magazine as its first Hero for the Planet in 1998. Set to sail in October 2021, this powerful new ship honors Sylvia’s long-standing marine conservation efforts. Built for intense weather conditions, the Sylvia Earle is a pioneer in nautical technology. Sail the Arctic or the Antarctic like never before aboard one o … Read more about Sylvia Earle
Amenities
Fitness Center
Bar
Mudroom
Lecture Theater
Pool
Zodiac Fleet
Observation Lounge
Spa
Sauna
Citizen Science Laboratory
Library
Food & Drinks
Arguably the most important part of any trip- The food! A Sylvia Earle polar cruise offers hearty delicious cuisine with a variety of options and courses for each meal. Mealtimes are a great way to get to know your fellow travelers in the open seating dining room. Tea, coffee, and various snacks are available 24 hours a day. Enjoy a wide range of house wine, beers, and soft drinks included with dinner, perfect after a long day of exploration.
Every passenger is also invited to join the cruise ship captain and expedition team for Welcome and Farewell drinks, which include complimentary cocktails and appetizers. The bars and lounges aboard the Sylvia Earle are a tasteful, yet inviting place to gather with new friends. Enjoy the sunset through the floor-to-ceiling windows that offer stunning views. The friendly bartenders aboard the ship will quench your thirst and entertain you with tales of previous adventures.
Day 1 • Arrival in Ushuaia, airport transfer, and overnight
Arrive in Ushuaia, where you will be met by a representative of the Sylvia Earle and transferred to your downtown hotel. Upon arrival at your included hotel, kindly remind hotel check-in staff to provide you with cabin tags. Please clearly label the tags with your name and ship cabin number.
Ushuaia is often called the "Gateway to Antarctica". Thanks to its position on the shores of the Beagle Channel at the southern tip of Argentina, Ushuaia's harbor is equally popular with luxury cruise vessels and huge, rugged ice breakers. A vital port for the resupply of many of the Antarctic research bases, Ushuaia is also a beautiful city that really does feel like it's at the edge of the world. You can have a walk in the city to explore fascinating museums like "the end of the world" musem and other cultural centers. It is the perfect place to start boat trips along the Beagle Channel to get up close and personal with penguins and seals. Ushuaia is definitely a remarkable destination in its own right, as well as a wonderful place to start any kind of cruise and trip through Patagonia.
Day 2 • Visit Ushuaia and embark the Sylvia Earle in the afternoon
This morning, please ensure your cabin luggage is fitted with cabin tags clearly labelled with your name and cabin number. Please take your cabin luggage down to hotel reception by 8.00 AM. Your luggage will be collected from your hotel and transferred directly to port for clearance and delivered to your cabin ahead of your arrival on board. Keep any valuables or personal items with you throughout the day. Once you have checked out of your hotel by 11.00 AM, you have free time before meeting back in the hotel lobby at 2.00 PM to commence a tour of Ushuaia. Alternatively, enjoy time at leisure and make your own way to Prison Museum carpark by 3.45 pm to rejoin the group and transfer to the pier for embarkation.
Ushuaia, capital of Tierra del Fuego is located at the shores of the Beagle Channel and surrounded by the Martial Mountains giving you a unique landscape in Argentina, which is the combination of mountains, sea, glaciers and forests. On this introductory tour, you will visit “La Mision” neighborhood, the old Government House, and the upper area of the city, which offers beautiful panoramic views of Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel. During the excursion, you will see the antique houses that belonged to the first families settled in Ushuaia. The excursion ends with a visit to the Old Prison Museum before transferring to the pier for embarkation at approximately 4.00 PM.
Ushuaia is often called the "Gateway to Antarctica". Thanks to its position on the shores of the Beagle Channel at the southern tip of Argentina, Ushuaia's harbor is equally popular with luxury cruise vessels and huge, rugged ice breakers. A vital port for the resupply of many of the Antarctic research bases, Ushuaia is also a beautiful city that really does feel like it's at the edge of the world. You can have a walk in the city to explore fascinating museums like "the end of the world" musem and other cultural centers. It is the perfect place to start boat trips along the Beagle Channel to get up close and personal with penguins and seals. Ushuaia is definitely a remarkable destination in its own right, as well as a wonderful place to start any kind of cruise and trip through Patagonia.
Day 3 • Day at sea
The Falklands Passage is the name given to the stretch of the Southern Ocean between mainland South America and the Falkland Islands. This is usually a 2-day sailing.
During this time, your naturalist guides will hold a series of informative and exciting talks and lectures about the wildlife and the geology that makes the Falklands and the Southern Ocean so remarkable.
Your guides will also be available to help you spot the various species of seabirds you will encounter, as well as using their expert eye to spot whales and other cetaceans in the water as you make your way to your next destination.
Day 4-5 • Day 4-5: Discover the Falkland Islands
Lying 300 miles off the Patagonian coast, and 750 miles from the Antarctic Peninsula, the Falkland Islands (also known as Islas Malvinas in Spanish) is a far-flung British overseas territory.
Consisting of two major islands and over 770 smaller islands and islets, they are home to a hardy resident population of about 3,400 islanders. With a chequered history of disputed sovereignty, the islands were uninhabited until the 1700s.
With an economy that was traditionally driven by whaling, then fishing and farming, the islands have more recently diversified into sustainable tourism. With an abundance of wildlife, particularly birds - including some species found nowhere else - the islanders have been restoring natural habitats previously lost to grazing, as well as farming in ways that are more environmentally friendly.
There are a variety of sites to visit where you can see endemic and migrant birds, as well as several colonies of penguins and seals. Whales and dolphins are frequently spotted in the Sound and off the shoreline around the islands.
You will also see the historic capital, Stanley, which visitors often remark reminds them of how England used to be 50 years or more ago…
Day 6-8 • Day 6-8: At sea towards South Georgia
The passage to South Georgia to or from the Falklands or South America is usually a 2-day sailing. On your way to the magnificent yet remote South Georgia, your expert guides will enthrall you with a range of talks and lectures all about the remarkable concentrations of Antarctic wildlife that can be found on the island.
As well as the huge numbers of breeding birds and sea mammals, you'll also learn about the geology and human history of the island, and its importance in the exploration (and exploitation) of the Southern Ocean.
On deck, your guides will help you to identify the bird species that frequently follow the ships, as well as spotting cetaceans and other marine life you can spot en route.
Day 9-11 • Day 9-12: Discover South Georgia
This remote and mountainous island might seem to be barren at first, given that it has no trees and is snow-covered for much of the year. However, appearances can be deceptive, and South Georgia is teeming with life!
Not only is it home to important breeding grounds for fur seals, elephant seals, and king penguins, it is also the only known habitat of the South Georgia Pipit - the Antarctic's only songbird - and the South Georgia Pintail duck.
High, rugged mountains and stunning coastal fjords make cruising the coast of South Georgia a spectacle you will remember.
Used as a base for early-20th century sealers, there are relics of this industry at various places around the island - a reminder of the human history of exploitation of Antarctica and its natural resources.
Day 12 • Day 9-12: Discover South Georgia
This remote and mountainous island might seem to be barren at first, given that it has no trees and is snow-covered for much of the year. However, appearances can be deceptive, and South Georgia is teeming with life!
Not only is it home to important breeding grounds for fur seals, elephant seals, and king penguins, it is also the only known habitat of the South Georgia Pipit - the Antarctic's only songbird - and the South Georgia Pintail duck.
High, rugged mountains and stunning coastal fjords make cruising the coast of South Georgia a spectacle you will remember.
Used as a base for early-20th century sealers, there are relics of this industry at various places around the island - a reminder of the human history of exploitation of Antarctica and its natural resources.
Day 13-14 • Day 13-14: At sea toward the Antarctica Peninsula
En route to the vast Antarctic Peninsula we'll head across the Scotia Sea, following the route that Shackleton and five of his men took in order to find help for the rest of their crew. As excitement builds for our arrival to Antarctica, be out on the deck or from the open bridge to spot large icebergs and wildlife.
Day 15-19 • Day 15-19: Discover the Antarctic Peninsula
The North-West portion of the Antarctic Peninsula is the most frequently visited by expedition cruises and is home to many of the most popular landing sites. The Gerlache Strait is renowned for the stunning scenery with the snow covered mountains, as if covered in icing sugar, with numerous glaciers tumbling down to the sea.
Being the most northerly part of the whole continent, the Peninsula enjoys the mildest Antarctic condition, with temperatures in winter averaging a balmy -20 degrees C (-4 degrees F)! In the summer, things warm up to an average of just above freezing. Large areas of this part of the peninsula are ice-free in the early season, being important breeding and feeding grounds for many iconic Antarctic species.
It's here that many of the historic Antarctic expeditions began, and where early military and scientific bases were first established, some of which you will be able to visit if conditions allow. These remarkable artefacts have been left as time capsules, their contents showing remarkable levels of preservation thanks to the dry and cold climate.
Day 20 • Cross the infamous Drake Passage.
The Drake Passage is the name given to the infamous stretch of open ocean between the tip of South America and the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula.
It usually takes 2 or 3 days to cross the Drake Passage, and this is a great time to learn from your expert Antarctic naturalist guides. Through a series of fascinating talks and lectures, you'll begin to learn more about the remarkable wildlife and awe-inspiring geology of the Antarctic continent.
Your guides are always on hand to help you identify the sea bird species that always follow the ships, as well as spotting whales and other cetaceans that can be seen en route to the Antarctic Peninsula or the South Shetland Islands.
Day 21 • Your unforgettable Antarctic cruise comes to an end in Ushuaia
During the early morning, we sail along the Beagle Channel, before quietly slipping into dock in Ushuaia, where we begin disembarking at around 8.00 am. Say farewell to your expedition team and fellow travelers as we all continue our onward journeys, hopefully with a newfound sense of the immense power of nature. A transfer to either downtown Ushuaia or to the airport is included in the cost of the voyage.
NOTE: At the conclusion of the voyage, we do not recommend booking flights departing Ushuaia prior to 12.00 pm on the day of disembarkation in case there are delays.
Ushuaia is often called the "Gateway to Antarctica". Thanks to its position on the shores of the Beagle Channel at the southern tip of Argentina, Ushuaia's harbor is equally popular with luxury cruise vessels and huge, rugged ice breakers. A vital port for the resupply of many of the Antarctic research bases, Ushuaia is also a beautiful city that really does feel like it's at the edge of the world. You can have a walk in the city to explore fascinating museums like "the end of the world" musem and other cultural centers. It is the perfect place to start boat trips along the Beagle Channel to get up close and personal with penguins and seals. Ushuaia is definitely a remarkable destination in its own right, as well as a wonderful place to start any kind of cruise and trip through Patagonia.
Reviews
Meghal Lotia
January 2022
To talk about the cruise, it was an amazing experience! The services by Oceanwide were managed very efficiently despite the covid outbreak during the tour. I am a vegetarian so I was surprised that they had plenty of meal options for me and the kitchen staff made great efforts. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and friendly. We would often sit down in the evening after our dinner and chat about our personal lives and passions. It felt more like being friends with them than the conventional tourist-guide relation. I am glad that I made it to this trip. It has been a very memorable experience with the activities that we did and friends I made. I would rate Oceanwide very highly for all their efforts! I would love to go on another trip with Oceanwide, maybe to the Arctic this time.
onyx007
G Expedition belongs to "G Adventures" which is a small group tour company with tours all over the world. Therefore if you are a single traveller you could choose to share a room instead of paying a single supplement. The crew is amazing and guest satisfaction is bigger than holding to a certain itinerary. I travelled with the tour called "Spirit of Shackelton" from Ushuaia to Falkland Islands (2 days), South Georgia (4 days) and Antartic Peninsula (5 days). Beforehand only this number was clear, but not where we will make landfall. And the crew made really the best afford to make the most landings as possible and we even made detours on the ship to follow a blow of a whale. Shore Excursions are all included and made with Zodiacs boats, so one should be able to enter such a boat. It's a mixture of landings and Zodiac boat cruises. (Bring at least waterproof trousers and a protection for your camera). We were provided (included in the price, to take home with you) with a water bottle, which could be filled the whole day at a water station and with a thick jacket. Also tea and coffee were available through the whole day for free. During sea days the crew gave lectures about nature, wildlife and history of the places we were visiting. And in the evening we had life music, movies and other entertainment in the Polar Bear Bar and in the Lounge. The food was amazing for such a small ship and only alcoholic beverages and fizzy drinks had to by bought, but still water was provided free to each meal. (Feedback from CruiseCritic)