Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctica Explorer

Antarctica, South Georgia and Falklands

This extended expedition during the active beginning of the wildlife season explores the paradise of South Georgia, the remote Falkland Islands as well as the spectacular beauty of the Antarctic Peninsula. You’ll experience a great diversity of environments and landscapes, which will provide unprecedented wildlife viewing opportunities. Join the expert lecturers on board the Hebridean Sky for this classic and comprehensive Antarctic experience for polar travellers!

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Explore the Antarctic Peninsula by ship, Zodiac and on foot.
Incredible sub-Antarctic wildlife of South Georgia and the Falklands.
More than 30 species of breeding birds, including four species of Penguin.
Follow in the footsteps of Shackleton and pause for a moment at his graveside.
Explore the quaint, British town of Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands.
Learn from the specialist onboard lecturers.

Early booking offer

2018-19 Season Only: An Early Booking Discount of $1500 per person applies to Deluxe, Promenade, and Window Suites on all voyages. An Early Booking Discount of $2500 per person applies to Owner’s, Penthouse, and Veranda Suites.

To qualify, confirmed bookings must be under deposit by October 31st, 2018. Cannot be combined with any other offer.

Stewart's Take

See South Georgia in style and comfort and at the exciting early part of summer.

Overview

This extended expedition during the active beginning of the wildlife season explores the paradise of South Georgia, the remote Falkland Islands as well as the spectacular beauty of the Antarctic Peninsula. You’ll experience a great diversity of environments and landscapes, which will provide unprecedented wildlife viewing opportunities. Join the expert lecturers on board the Sea Explorer for this classic and comprehensive Antarctic experience for polar travellers!

DAY 1 PUERTO MADRYN Located in the Patagonian province of Chubut, Puerto Madryn is one of Argentina's fastest growing cities and the gateway to the Peninsula Valdés. Puerto Madryn is a popular resort destination for wildlife excursions: visit a sea lion colony, watch for nesting cormorants and magnificent elephant seals, or experience a walk through a colony of Magellanic penguins and myriad species of native seabirds. DAY 2 EMBARKATION Arriving at the ship in the afternoon, you will be greeted by our Expedition Team and ship's officers at a safety and orientation briefing followed by the Captain's welcome dinner. Then, watch the city lights fade in the fresh night air as we sail seaward. DAYS 3-4 SOUTHERN OCEAN Among the wildlife spotting opportunities as we sail south are the albatrosses, prions, and petrels that frequently follow the ship. Our Expedition Team will be out on deck as well, looking for the whales and dolphins that may also be seen in the area. Our experts will begin the presentations with informative and entertaining talks on the wildlife, history, and geology of the Falkland Islands and Southern Ocean. Helpful briefings on environmental regulations and expedition safety will also be held in the comfortable lounge. DAY 5 WEST FALKLANDS The westernmost settled outposts in the Falklands are remote farms that have been family-owned for six and seven generations. The sheep graze alongside albatross colonies and rockhopper, king, and macaroni penguin rookeries while striated caracaras patrol overhead and upland geese graze at the water's edge. A visit to one of these homesteads often includes an invitation for cakes and a cup of tea. DAY 6 STANLEY, EAST FALKLANDS Chosen for its sheltered harbor and access to abundant fresh water and peat for fuel, Stanley is easy to discover on foot as most shops and services are centered on the port. The museum, the post-office featuring first day covers, plenty of shops with locally made wool items and Stanley's lively pubs will all be available. It is possible to experience the wildlife of the Falklands from the town, including sea lions and Peale's and Commerson's dolphins in the harbor or bird life in nearby Gypsy Cove. DAYS 7-8 SOUTHERN OCEAN There will be plenty of wildlife spotting as we make our way east across the Antarctic Convergence and officially enter Antarctic waters. Shipboard presentations will continue featuring the exciting history and abundant wildlife of South Georgia. DAYS 9-12 SOUTH GEORGIA Its unique position inside the Antarctic Convergence yet outside the limit of the yearly sea ice makes this 3,755 square kilometer island home to tens of millions of breeding penguins, seals and seabirds. Magnificent mountain scenery, glaciers galore, a rugged coastline punctuated with castellate and tabular icebergs, a rich historical tapestry, and an astounding array of wildlife are all available to us as we travel down South Georgia's leeward coast. Landing sites feature huge elephant seals, aggressive fur seals, macaroni penguins, albatross, petrels, skuas, and gulls. King penguins from fuzzy little chicks to fattened adults can be seen in the hundreds of thousands. We plan to visit historic Grytviken whaling station, home of the whaling museum, Norwegian seaman's church, the active British Antarctic Survey station plus the tiny graveyard where the great Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton is buried. DAYS 13-14 SCOTIA SEA Heading farther south, we continue our informative presentations and wildlife watch as the icebergs become more and more plentiful. DAYS 15-18 ANTARCTIC PENINSULA & SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS The land of superlatives, Antarctica! Our Expedition Leader and Captain will create a flexible itinerary based on weather, ice, and opportunity. Approaching the Antarctic Peninsula from the east we cross the northern boundary of the Weddell Sea; this large cold body of water rotates clockwise driving cold water and ice north towards South Georgia and the South Orkney Islands. Large tabular icebergs born in the Weddell drift north into our path while the ocean currents drive nutrients from the deep, feeding countless species of marine animals. Large groups of wales are common, along with scores of seabirds thriving off the bounty the Weddell provides. Our route will highlight the most scenic bays and channels of the Peninsula with stops at penguin rookeries, seal wallows, bird colonies and whale feeding areas as well as sites of historic and scientific interest. The trip may include picturesque Neko Harbor, sheltered Paradise Harbor, Wilhelmina Bay (a favorite of humpback whales!), or the majestic Neumayer Channel. We may stop at an active scientific base such as Poland's Arctowksi or a historic base such as U.K.'s Port Lockroy or Wordie House. Adelie, chinstrap and gentoo penguins abound, and Weddell, crabeater and elephant seals are often found hauled out to rest along with predatory leopard seals and the aggressive Antarctic fur seal. Minke and humpback whales are frequent visitors in the late season and orca sightings are also common. DAYS 19-20 DRAKE PASSAGE We will continue our lecture series and wildlife spotting as we sail back to Ushuaia and reflect on beautiful Antarctica and its fragile future. We arrive at Ushuaia in the early hours of Day 21. DAY 21 USHUAIA DISEMBARKATION Morning disembarkation lets you catch a flight to Buenos Aires or stay in Ushuaia for more sights and adventures.

Expedition Vessel: M/V Hebridean Sky

Hebridean Sky was built in 1991 in Italy and underwent extensive refitting and modernization in 2005 and again in 2016. In all ways she is an excellent expedition ship—equipped like a classic luxury yacht with attractive, spacious cabins and stylish common areas, all outfitted with an eye for details. In all, there are 57 cabins, of which 12 are suites with their own balconies, on the ship. With a crew of 70 persons the service on board is unsurpassed, and as icing on the cake the ship's cooks provide for exquisite culinary indulgence in the ship's restaurant. The ship has a large lounge, in which the trip organizers hold informational meetings and lectures, and a great deal of outdoor deck space from which we can enjoy both whales and unique nature between landfalls. On the ship there are a number of Zodiac rubber boats, which are used for most landings, as it only possible to dock a few places.

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Included

One night hotel accommodations in embarkation city
Transfer from group hotel to ship for embarkation
Group transfer from ship to airport or central location at disembarkation
Shipboard accommodations
All scheduled Landings / excursions
All meals onboard
Coffee/tea/cocoa 24 hours daily
Welcome/Farewell cocktail
House wine / beer / soft drink with dinner
Expedition jacket (yours to keep)
A pair of boots for use during the voyage
Wifi from the public computers in the library
Daily international news service
All port fees
Digital Voyage Log
In Penthouse, Veranda, Deluxe, Single and Promenade categories: champagne and chocolates on arrival, complimentary mini-bar, and $100 Gift Shop certificate

Excluded

Any airfare or travel expenses associated with arrival in Ushuaia or Buenos Aires
Arrival transfer from airport to group hotel in Ushuaia or Buenos Aires
Pre or post voyage expenses in Ushuaia or Buenos Aires
Laundry and personal expenses incurred on board
Alcohol and soft drinks onboard (except as listed above in inclusions)
Onboard communication charges such as outgoing phone calls, wi fi from personal devices
Staff gratuities

Deposits - Reservations require a deposit of $1500 per person at the time you receive a booking confirmation from Expeditions Online. A payment link will be sent to you and this may be paid by major credit card. Bookings within 120 days of departure require full payment. Final Payments - Balances are due 90 days prior to departure. Final payment can be made by calling us (final payment cannot be made online) and may be paid by major credit card, bank transfer or check. Cancellations - All requests for cancellation must be received in writing to Expeditions Online. Cancellations received 90 days or more prior to departure, are refunded less a fee of $750 per person. If cancellation occurs less than 90 days prior to departure, all payments are forfeited. If full payment has not yet been received, the full penalty will still apply and any unpaid balance is due immediately. We strongly recommend that you obtain adequate trip cancellation insurance. Booking Terms - Please read carefully the General Booking Conditions for Expeditions Online. This voyage is operated by Polar Latitudes and you additionally travel under their terms and conditions as the operator as well as of the Shipping Company/transport carrier. Details will be forwarded to you at the time of booking.