Antarctica & South Georgia: Kingdoms of Ice and Wildlife

Argentina’s bustling capital Home to a proud and diverse community of porteños, or ‘people of the port’, the city is a fusion of faded European splendour and Latin American panache. An overnight stay in Buenos Aires is the ideal way to start your adventure. There are plenty of places to explore, including many parrillas serving authentic Argentine steak. Or maybe you’d like to practise your dance moves in the famous hometown of the tango. We recommend arriving a few days early to see all enjoy the vibrant city, or perhaps joining our optional pre-voyage programme.

Starting at the end of the world Your adventure begins with an early morning flight to Ushuaia. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Martial Glacier, this bustling port city is the capital of Argentina's Tierra del Fuego Province and vies for the title of the world's southernmost city. Your hybrid-powered expedition ship awaits in port. After a briefing from your Expedition Team and picking up your expedition jacket, settle into your cabin and explore the ship before enjoying the first of many delicious meals on board. Your journey is officially underway.

Sailing in the South Atlantic Sailing from Ushuaia, we will journey towards the far-flung shores of South Georgia, one of the most wildlife rich places on the planet. Our Expedition Team will prepare you for what lies ahead, from the history of the island to stories of Norwegian whalers. The Expedition Team will also talk about the IAATO environmental guidelines and sustainability rules that we follow to make your visit as safe and low-impact as possible.

Visit a wildlife watcher’s paradise South Georgia’s abundant wildlife has earned it the nickname ‘Serengeti of the Southern Ocean’. Its unique position, free from sea ice, makes the island a breeding site for large colonies of penguins, other seabirds, and seals. In fact, it’s an Important Bird Area, home to albatrosses, petrels, shags, skuas, and terns. You'll spend four days exploring this remarkable area. We’ll also try to reach Grytviken, the final resting place of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. We’re always guided by nature, responding to daily conditions to bring you the best possible experience. While our itineraries are always flexible, they’re even more so during peak breeding seasons when the wildlife is most vulnerable to disturbance. When opportunities allow, we’ll land and wildlife watch. When our presence could disturb the animals, we’ll choose another place to visit. These decisions are made by our Expedition Team and are based on lifetimes of combined experience in these destinations. Sometimes we’ll land, sometimes we’ll cruise, it’s all part of the adventure.

Time to relax and reflect After visiting South Georgia, enjoy some time while we head towards Antarctica to relax and reflect on your journey so far. Antarctica is a symbol of global cooperation, dedicated to peace, science, and wildlife conservation. Protected by the Antarctic Treaty, it remains free of military conflict, preserving its pristine environment for future generations. As a hub for scientific research on climate change and ecosystems, it offers unique insights into nature's resilience. Why not join one of our citizen science programmes to help collect data for global research projects.

Reaching the Seventh Continent Nothing prepares you for your first sight of Antarctica’s immense, frozen beauty. Icebergs float in the straits. Gentoo, chinstrap, and Adélie penguins watch upright from the shores. Countless seabirds wheel overhead. Nature is in charge. While we’re here, we’ll explore several possible landing sites, on and around the Antarctic Peninsula. We might kayak among icebergs, watching for breaching whales, snowshoe to a stunning viewpoint, or cruise in Zodiacs to explore the ice up-close. Bird enthusiasts should look skywards for Antarctic seabirds such as skuas, petrels, and terns. Through onboard lectures and onshore talks, you'll learn more about this precious habitat and how we can all protect it for the future.

Looking for land ahead As we say goodbye to the Frozen Continent, we head north the Drake Passage and back to Ushuaia. This is the perfect time to go through your pictures and relive your experiences in South Georgia and Antarctica. Enjoy the onboard comforts. Relax in the hot tubs or sauna or unwind in our Explorer Lounge & Bar. When the Drake Passage is behind us, we’ll enter the scenic Beagle Channel, surrounded by mountains plunging straight into the icy water. Watch for Patagonian wildlife as we sail through this wild and remote area.

End where it all began Your expedition cruise ends in Ushuaia, the main city in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina’s southernmost province. From here, you’ll take a flight back to Buenos Aires, but it doesn’t have to be the end of your adventure. Why not join our optional post-voyage programme before heading home.