€10.000
€9.000
Highlights of this voyage
- Whales
- Falkland Islands
- Penguins
- Antarctica
- Expedition team
- Port Lockroy
- Drake Passage
- IAATO member
A southern idea
For centuries, the far south existed mainly as an idea. A counterweight to the known world. Later it appeared on maps as Terra Australis—a coastline imagined long before it was seen. When the Antarctic continent was finally sighted in the early 19th century, it revealed little of itself. Ice, distance, and weather still define it.
When we set sail
This voyage begins and ends in Port Stanley, Falkland Islands. Before turning south, we spend time along these exposed coasts. The islands hold a quiet abundance: penguins moving between shore and sea, albatross riding the wind without effort, seals resting in the kelp.
It is a place to adjust—to the rhythm of the vessel and the scale of the landscape.
From the Falklands, we sail into open water. The Drake Passage lies ahead—five to six days of crossing, shaped entirely by wind and sea.
Life on board settles into a steady routine of watches, meals, and observation. Birds follow in widening arcs behind the stern. The air sharpens, the water darkens, and gradually the boundary of the Antarctic Convergence is crossed.
First ice and going on shore
Landfall is made in the north of the Antarctic Peninsula or among the South Shetland Islands. From here, plans loosen.
Ice charts, weather systems, and local conditions determine our movement. We work our way through channels and along coastlines—sometimes under sail, sometimes waiting, always adjusting.
Where conditions allow, we go ashore. Landings are unhurried and small in scale—time to walk, to observe, to be still.
Penguin colonies, glacier fronts, and remnants of earlier expeditions mark the landscape, but it is the space itself that defines the experience. Sound carries differently here. Distances are difficult to judge. The environment sets the terms.
Setting sail North again
After ten to twelve days in Antarctic waters, we begin the return passage north. The Drake is crossed again, as it is found.
The rhythm of the ship resumes, familiar now.
We arrive back in Port Stanley and secure the vessel. The expedition ends where it began.
We operate in accordance with IAATO guidelines, with a focus on safe and low-impact travel in a remote environment. This remains a working expedition. Decisions are made on the water, and the voyage is shaped by what is encountered along the way.
Getting to the Falkland Islands
Reaching the Falkland Islands is part of the journey. With only a limited number of flights each week, arrival already carries a sense of remoteness.
Most travelers arrive on the weekly LATAM flight from Santiago de Chile (via Punta Arenas), operating on Saturdays into Mount Pleasant. This is the only regular commercial connection to the islands.
An alternative route is the South Atlantic Airbridge, operated by the UK Ministry of Defence. This flight typically departs once a week from RAF Brize Norton (UK), usually on Sundays, and connects to the Falklands via a long-haul military route. A limited number of civilian seats are available.
Whichever route is taken, arrival in the Falklands marks a clear transition. Distances increase, infrastructure becomes minimal, and the pace shifts almost immediately.
Time in the Falklands
After disembarkation on 23 February, there is time to explore the Falkland Islands before onward travel the following Saturday.
These days are not structured as part of the expedition, but they offer an opportunity to experience the islands at a different pace—on land rather than at sea.
Below are three possible ways to spend approximately four days in the Falklands.
Option 1 – Stanley & nearby wildlife
A relatively accessible way to explore the islands, based out of Stanley.
Day 1: Arrival and time in Stanley (small capital, museum, local life)
Day 2: Excursion to Volunteer Point (king penguin colony)
Day 3: Walks to nearby sites such as Gypsy Cove
Day 4: Free day or optional boat trip
Indicative costs:
Accommodation: €120–180 per person per night
Excursions: €80–150 per day
This option offers a balanced introduction to the Falklands, with good wildlife access and relatively simple logistics.
Option 2 – Stay on an outer island (e.g. Sea Lion Island)
A more remote experience, staying on one of the smaller islands.
Day 1: FIGAS flight to an outer island
Day 2–3: Wildlife observation (sea lions, elephant seals, penguins)
Day 4: Time for walking and photography, return to Stanley
Indicative costs:
All-inclusive lodge: €250–400 per person per night
FIGAS flights: approx. €100–150 one way
This option is quieter and more immersive, with direct access to wildlife and open landscapes.
Option 3 – Active exploration & off-road travel
For those who prefer a more active approach to exploring the islands.
Day 1: 4×4 off-road tour beyond Stanley
Day 2: Hike to Mount Tumbledown (landscape and historical sites)
Day 3: Visit to Carcass Island (walking and birdlife)
Day 4: Free day (optional kayaking, fishing, or additional excursions)
Indicative costs:
Tours: €100–200 per day
Accommodation: €120–200 per person per night
This option focuses more on movement and landscape, with a mix of history and outdoor activity.
A different kind of ending
The Falklands are not an add-on to the voyage, but a place in their own right.
After weeks at sea, time here offers a different perspective—
a chance to walk, to slow down, and to remain a while
at the edge of the South Atlantic.
- Accommodation
- Guide
- Meals
- Flights
- Transport
- insurance
- Excursions / landing permits
Please note that this is a possible itinerary and serves as a general outline for the voyage. All plans are highly dependent on wind and weather conditions, which may require adjustments to the schedule and destinations to ensure safety and the best possible experience for all onboard. Flexibility is key when sailing in these remote and unpredictable regions.
Day 1–2
Falkland Islands.
We depart from Port Stanley and spend the first days along the coasts of the archipelago. Depending on conditions, we may make a landing on one of the outer islands such as Saunders, Pebble, or Bleaker Island. Wildlife is abundant, with penguins, albatross, and marine mammals present throughout the area. These days allow the expedition to settle into the rhythm of the vessel before heading south.
Day 3–8
Drake Passage crossing.
We set course for the Antarctic Peninsula. The crossing typically takes five to six days (but can be done in 4), shaped entirely by wind and sea conditions. Life on board falls into a steady routine of watchkeeping, sail handling, and observation. Seabirds accompany the vessel, and the Antarctic Convergence marks the transition into colder waters.
Day 9–17
Antarctic Peninsula & South Shetland Islands.
Landfall is usually made in the northern part of the Peninsula or the South Shetland Islands. From here, the itinerary becomes flexible. Ice conditions, weather systems, and local opportunities determine our movements.
We work through a range of environments—open coastlines, protected bays, and ice-filled channels. Possible areas include Elephant Island, the Bransfield Strait, and parts of the Weddell Sea, as well as the Gerlache Strait further west.
Landings are made where conditions allow. These may include penguin colonies, glacier fronts, and historic sites from earlier expeditions. Locations such as Brown Bluff, Paulet Island, Deception Island, or Neko Harbor may be visited, but none can be guaranteed.
Time is divided between sailing and time ashore. Whenever possible, we remain under sail, moving deliberately rather than covering distance. Small boat operations are used to access landing sites and to navigate close to ice and coastline.
Day 18–23
Return crossing to the Falkland Islands.
We begin the passage north across the Drake. Conditions again determine timing and route, and additional days are reserved here to allow for weather systems that may delay progress. The rhythm on board is established, and the focus shifts back to sailing and the open ocean.
We arrive in Port Stanley, where the vessel is secured and the expedition concludes.
This remains a working expedition. Decisions are made on the water, and no fixed route can be guaranteed. The experience is shaped by wind, weather, and ice.
