€18.000
€16.200
Highlights of this voyage
- Falkland Islands
- Penguins
- Fur Seals
- Leopard seals
- Le Maire channel
- South Georgia
- Antarctica
- 39 days
- Elephant Island
- Drake Passage
This voyage will start from Port Stanley on the Falkland Islands. Before setting off for the lost continent we will explore the shores and Islands of the Falklands. Colourful wild live like the Kingpenguin and Rockhopers are the main attractions.
This trip we will not only visit the Antarctic peninsula but also South Georgia. South Georgia used to be home to many whaling factories not so long ago. Today South Georgia, like Antarctica is highly protected! It is only permanently inhabited by scientist. This enabled the flora and fauna to start to recover. The Elephant seals are again king on the beach!
Few places beat South Georgia when making landfall. If the weather is clear the white alpine tops of Mount Paget (2900) can be seen from miles away. South Georgia lies just with in the Antarctic conversion zone. This means the surrounding waters are filled with ice bergs. Some of huge proportions! The wild live is simply breath taking! It is the worlds most important penguin and sea bird breeding area. Over 7 million pinguins of varying species call the Islands home. Over 25 million sea birds including the Wandering Albatros nest on the cliffs and in the barrows. On top of that there are 2 million fur seals and 360 000 Elephant seals! The many different nesting birds enjoy a rodent free environment . They are the main attraction of our visit.
Our 7 day cruise around South Georgia starts at Grytviken. This is where we clear in and do our bio security check. The weather dictates our itinerary for not all the sites are all weather proof. It is a truly wild place. Grytviken is the only place where we can visit one of the many whaling factories. It is also the last resting place for Sir Ernest Shackelton. You will find the grave yard amongst the elephant seals and king pinguins!
The old church is more than worth the visit as is the post office with the suiting souvenirs! Cobbler’s cove is our next stop. The Cove gets its name from the white chinned petrels that nest here. They make a chimming noise at night at the entrance of their burrows. A short but intense hike brings us to the Macaroni Pinguin rookery. These colorful clowns put a smile on all faces! From Cobbler’s Cove we set of for Fortuna Bay, the start of the Shackelton walk to Stromness. This 6 km walk is the last leg of the trip Shackelton made when coming from Elephant Island after wrecking the Endurance in the Weddel Sea.
From Stromness we set of for Prion Island. The boarded walk ashore gives a spectacular view towards the coast as you stroll along the nesting Wandering Albatrosses. If sea conditions allow, we will land on Salisbury Plain. This is the largest breeding area for the King pinguin and Elephant seal! After a night at Rossita harbour we are of for Prince Olaf Harbour, the site of an old whaling factory. Our last stop will be Ocean harbour. Here we will share our anchorage with the wreck of the Bayard who was blown ashore in 1911. The beach is full of fur seals and King pinguins. A magical setting for our last meal on South Georgia! Next stop, Antarctica!
Coming back from South Georgia, we head for Antarctica where we hope that Elephant Island will be our first land fall. Following this chain of Islands we will come to the South Shetland Islands. Its highlights the imploded Deception Island. From there our journey continues to take in the sights of the great white continent. Possible places to visit are Half-moon bay, Paradise harbour, Port Lockroy, al depending on the weather conditions of course. During our stay on the peninsula it would be very possible to be in company of Humpback whales and Fin Whales.
The most Southern continent also has its own kind of fauna like the many penguins, but also a great variety of seals among whom we can hopefully find the fearsome looking Leopard Seal. If the ice allows us we will try to transit the Le Maire channel with it awesome views! After a life changing cruise through this new world it is time to set off for Tierra Del Fuego, the land of fire.
On our way across the Drake Passage we hope to make land fall at Cape Horn. This rock is an icon for many a brave sailor. After clearing in to Chilli in the world’s most southerly village, Puerto Williams we hope to have a look around Isla Navarino, before finishing this voyage.
- Accommodation
- Guide
- Meals
- Flights
- Transport
- insurance
- Excursions / landing permits
Day 1 : Welcome on board in Port Stanley, at 18:00 local time. First evening will be spend with introductions, to the crew, the expedition members and to safety on board.
Day 2-4 : Set sail to discover the Falkland Islands
Day 5-9 : Set Sail for South Georgia.
Day 10 – 17 : Discover South Georgia
Day 18-24 : Set Sail for Antarctica
Day 25 – 32 : Explore the Antarctic Peninsula.
Day 33 – 38 : Drake Passage
Day 39 : Arrival Puerto Williams
Day 40 : Finish of the voyage, disembark around 10:00 local time in Puerto Williams, Chile.