Our grandest Antarctic journey

Our grandest Antarctic journey offers the many splendors of the Antarctic Peninsula plus two big bonuses: the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. The Falklands are one of the world's great wildlife meccas, home to more than six million macaroni penguins, millions of rockhopper penguins, and countless other sub-Antarctic species (not to mention 2,000 stalwart islanders).

Eight hundred miles southeast of the Falklands lies ice-crowned South Georgia Island, another oceanic oasis and the best place for close-up looks at vast numbers of stately king penguins. Spectacular South Georgia is also full of history. It's where Sir Ernest Shackleton and his party landed in 1916 after completing an 800-mile voyage across the wild Southern Ocean in a 22-foot whaleboat to seek rescue for the stranded men of his ship, the Endurance—probably the single greatest feat in the history of polar exploration.

Our ships feature a small fleet of kayaks for paddling options on most voyages (weather and ice conditions permitting). A perfect way to enhance your adventure!

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Activities

Easy ship travel, optional walks and Zodiac rides, (optional sea kayaking on select departures)

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

• Our grandest Antarctica journey: Falkland Islands, South Georgia, Antarctic Peninsula
  
• South Georgia: spectacular mountains, home to king penguins, historical sites of Shackleton rescue
  
• Falkland Islands: nesting albatross, other species of penguins, and the cultural aspects of Port Stanley
  
• Antarctic Peninsula: stunning mountains, glaciers and icebergs, large colonies of Adélie, chinstrap and gentoo penguins, lots of seals and whales, research stations

Duration: 19 days Start Location: Ushuaia End Location: Ushuaia

BRIEF Itinerary

• Day 1 : Board ship and set sail

  Board your expedition vessel and begin the journey to Antarctica through the Beagle Channel. Turn northeast toward the Falkland Islands.

• Day 2 : At sea

  Cruise toward the Falkland Islands, enjoying lectures, movies, and slide show presentations on what's in store for the next two weeks.

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  Days 3 - 4 : Falkland Islands

  In the Falklands, visit Westpoint Island, where rockhopper penguins and blackbrowed albatross nest, Carcass Island, where Magellanic penguins burrow in the tussock grass and flightless steamer ducks and tussock birds abound, and the very British town of Port Stanley.

• Days 5 - 7 : At sea

  Sail to South Georgia, a spectacular mountainous island some 800 miles southeast of the Falklands.

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  Days 8 - 10 : South Georgia

  Explore South Georgia, including stops at the Salisbury Plain, where colorful king penguins crowd the beaches, and the Bay of Isles, another haven for king penguins. You'll also visit Grytviken, the center of whaling operations for the world until 1965, and where Shackleton's grave lies.

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  Days 11 - 12 : At sea & South Orkney

  Cross the Scotia Sea to the southwest. Time and weather permitting, visit the remote South Orkney Islands en route.

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  Days 13 - 16 : South Shetland Islands & the Antarctic Peninsula

  Explore the South Shetland Islands and continue down the Antarctic Peninsula. Our itinerary here focuses on scenic areas with large concentrations of wildlife, with possible stops at Paradise Bay or Hope Bay, where you'll see some of Antarctica's most dramatic scenery, including ever-calving glaciers and iceberg sculptures of fantastic shape and form. We also usually visit one or more research stations. (The 20-day departure spends one additional day on the Peninsula.)

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  Days 17 - 18 : At sea, crossing the Drake Passage

  Cruise across the Drake Passage, passing over the Antarctic Convergence.

• Day 19 : Ushuaia – fly home

  Arrive in Ushuaia in the early morning and depart.

Properties shown are representative of the accommodations we use on this trip, may not be inclusive of all accommodations we use, and are subject to change.

Expert leadership is the key to an exciting, unforgettable experience. Our trips feature gifted leaders for whom leading trips is a true vocation. Besides showing you wonders you’d never find on your own, they make sure everything runs smoothly and safely without a hitch. They are knowledgeable about all aspects of your trip, and take great pleasure in sharing their insights with you. More than just guides, they positively elevate your experience by being teachers, companions, and the best of friends. You’ll be in good hands with them every step of the way.  These trips may be led by:

• Aaron Lawton

  Aaron Lawton developed the Polar program for One Ocean Expeditions (our partner in the Polar Regions), bringing a strong commitment to conservation in the Polar Regions to his work in operations development. An avid paddler, Aaron has been paddling or rowing some form of human-powered boat for most of his life. His experience encompasses wilderness guiding and instruction by canoe and sea kayak, varsity rowing and most recently a passion for Hawaiian-style outrigger canoe racing. Thousands of miles on the water have given him an appreciation and awareness for the subtle changes in the ocean due to local weather and global climate patterns. Aaron is truly Canadian having lived in the mountains of the Yukon Territory, among the wheat fields of Manitoba, in the orchards of Southern Ontario and along the briny coast of Nova Scotia, all by the ripe old age of twelve. Continuing this passion for new places, Aaron has worked in the outdoor industry on six of the seven continents. Over the last decade, Aaron has been expedition leader or kayak guide on about a hundred trips to the Canadian Arctic, the Antarctic Peninsula and Svalbard. In 2001, Aaron and his wife Cathy embarked on a 10-night unassisted sea kayak expedition along the Antarctic Peninsula. Aaron holds a degree in forestry from the University of British Columbia. This has led to a real appreciation for and understanding of ecology and the connectivity of ecosystems.

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