Ultimate Antarctica: Falklands, South Georgia & the Antarctic Circle

On arrival at Ushuaia Airport, please make your way through to the Arrivals Hall where our representative will be waiting for you to transfer you to your hotel. He/she will be holding a sign. Should you not be able to contact them, please refer to the emergency contact details of our representative office.

Attend lectures and presentations by the Expedition Team, relax and unwind in the His and Hers saunas and spa and take advantage of all the other amenities onboard.

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…

En route to South Georgia, weather and sea conditions permitting, we may attempt to call at Elephant Island, a half-submerged mountain cloaked with an ice sheet at the outer limits of the South Shetlands. We’ll learn the story of Shackleton and hear how his ship, the Endurance, was crushed in pack ice in the Weddell Sea, before him and his men climbed into three open boats, spending 16 months at sea, before finally making landfall on this tiny toe of rock and ice in the vastness of the Southern Ocean on 14 April 1916.

Attend lectures and presentations by the Expedition Team as they prepare you for what lies ahead on South Georgia - from the history and geology to the incredible wildlife. Take in the panoramic views from the observation lounge and spacious decks or make the most of the onboard facilities that include a spa, saunas, pool, gym and yoga classes.

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.

Sailing east, your time at sea can be spent learning from your on-board team of experts and guides through talks, workshops or casual conversation. Or take to the Ocean Endeavour’s esplanade deck for panoramic views of the southern skies and the rare albatross that frequent them. These wanderers of the ocean will guide us toward our next destination while lecturers in ornithology, geology, glaciology and biology will prepare you to understand this remote and unique wilderness.

Sailing east, your time at sea can be spent learning from your on-board team of experts and guides through talks, workshops or casual conversation. Or take to the Ocean Endeavour’s esplanade deck for panoramic views of the southern skies and the rare albatross that frequent them. These wanderers of the ocean will guide us toward our next destination while lecturers in ornithology, geology, glaciology and biology will prepare you to understand this remote and unique wilderness.

Sometimes overlooked as a destination by people keen to set foot on the Antarctic Peninsula, the South Shetland Islands are a must-see destination in their own right.

Often the first and last landfall on an Antarctic cruise, many people are taken aback by the stunning beauty of these islands. What better way to make contact with the Antarctic than by making your first beach landing here surrounded by gentoo penguins?

Apart from some of the most southerly species of penguin, the South Shetlands are home to a huge range of Antarctic wildlife, and they make a superb introduction to the wildlife of the whole region, including key species like elephant seals, humpback whales, and more.

With active volcanoes, the relics and remains of its history as a centre for whaling, and some of the most beautiful Antarctic mountain scenery, the South Shetland Islands are a fitting first destination for any Antarctic cruise.

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.

Venturing to the ends of the earth is a moment to revel in, as not all expeditions venture this far south. If weather conditions permit, a celebration will be in order after reaching latitude 66°33’S and crossing the fabled Antarctic Circle. Toast to the sheer rawness of the surroundings and take it all in! While not a typical landing, the crossing of the Antarctic Circle leaves a lasting memory. You’ll travel past colossal icebergs, to a point only a few travellers have ever sailed. Here in the Antarctic Circle, you may see Weddell seals, specially adapted to this icy environment. They use their canines and incisors to rasp open new ice, using the holes to breathe. They also have extremely accurate powers of navigation, to seek out breathing holes when their teeth are worn down and they are no longer able to maintain or create holes in the ice.

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.