The Ultimate Antarctic Expedition Cruise

In the afternoon we will board the USHUAIA. A welcome drink and then an introduction to the crew and expedition staff will follow, and we will have time to get to know our new shipmates. The ship will then set sail towards the Western Falkland Islands (Malvinas), known for their rugged beauty and wealth of seabirds and waterfowl.

Our first two days sailing will be spent crossing the infamous Drake Passage. There will be a programme of briefings and lectures by the expedition crew to get you ready for the expedition ahead! Out on deck, it’s a good opportunity to spot wandering albatross and maybe some whales.

After much anticipation, we will arrive in Antarctica and spend the next four days exploring the western side of the Peninsula.
We will drop anchor in remote bays framed by icy mountains and explore key wildlife spots. You’ll encounter gentoo, adelie, and chinstrap penguin rookeries up close, while the nutrientrich seas are home to an abundance of wildlife, including leopard, crabeater, Weddell, and elephant seals, and orcas, minke, and humpback whales. Expect plenty of walks, wildlife observation, Zodiac rides, and, for the foolhardy, perhaps even the opportunity to take the polar plunge!
If the opportunity arises, it may also be possible to visit historical sites or a scientific research station. Along the way, our expedition team Our Ultimate Antarctica Expedition has been specially designed to encompass all of the region’s best areas in one of the most comprehensive Antarctica
cruises ever designed. The cruise will include four and a half days exploring the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula, an opportunity to see Elephant Island, four full days exploring the incredible island of South Georgia, and two days in the Falkland Islands.
will bring the destination to life and offer unique insights into what we are seeing.

This morning there should be time for one final landing for you to enjoy before we depart the Antarctic Peninsula. In the afternoon, while at sea, we’ll bring to life the story of one of the greatest Antarctic explorers, Sir Ernest Shackleton. The Imperial Trans-Antarctica expedition of 1914 ran into problems in the Weddell Sea area of Antarctica with their ship, the Endurance, becoming trapped and crushed by ice. They survived on the ship, and then on the ice, for 14 months before finally making their escape aboard three 20-foot lifeboats. The first part of their escape saw Shackleton and 28 men sail to Elephant Island, and we’ll be sailing in their wake!

Today we hope to see a key part of Shackleton’s great story and a place not often visited by expedition ships, Elephant Island. It’s an atmospheric place, brutally exposed to the elements and probably not the welcoming refuge Shackleton and his men were looking for! It is always a challenge visiting Elephant Island, and we will do our very best to make the most of this opportunity, with the conditions presented to us on the day.

For the next two days, we will sail across the open seas on our way to South Georgia and retrace the path sailed by five of Shackleton’s men aboard the lifeboat, James Caird. There Will be a programme of lectures, including further insight into the Great Polar Explorers of Antarctica, as well as some briefings to get you ready for the upcoming landings in South Georgia!

This morning we will sail the last nautical miles of Shackleton’s great journey to South Georgia. In the afternoon, it is our intention to sail into King Haakon Bay and make a landing at Pegotty Bluff, which is where Shackleton and his five men first landed after 17 days sailing from Elephant Island. It will be our first introduction to South Georgia’s amazing scenery and the local resident King Penguins!

South Georgia is always one of the highlights of any cruise to the Antarctic region. Sometimes referred to as the “Galápagos of the Poles,” the island is home to massive king penguin colonies, including Salisbury Plain, which is home to over 250,000 breeding penguins! But the wildlife doesn’t stop there; you’ll also have the possibility to see numerous fur and elephant seals, gentoo and macaroni penguins, and large numbers of seabirds, some of which can’t be seen anywhere else on the planet! The island is also home to Grytviken, which is an old whaling station, the administrative capital of the island, and the resting place of Ernest Shackleton himself.
We’ll have the opportunity to join in the long-held tradition of raising a glass of his favourite drink – a scotch whiskey – by his grave.

On the morning of the 20th, there should be time for one final landing in South Georgia before we chart our course towards the Falkland Islands in the afternoon. While we are at sea, there will be a programme of lectures and opportunities out on deck to spot wandering albatross and maybe some whales or pods of travelling dolphins.

Our first day in the Falklands will be at Port Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands. About 2,500 islanders live here (70% of the population of The Falklands), and you’ll find a slice of British life to enjoy. Today is a free day to self-explore the town, enjoy lunch at one of the local pubs, or visit the cathedral and museum. Around a 4-mile walk (or taxi ride) away is Gypsy Cove, where there is a Magellanic penguin colony and the chance to see a lot of other Falklands wildlife.
Our second day in the Falkland Islands will see us make landings in the Western region of the archipelago. Your camera will get one last workout capturing the abundantnwildlife and rugged landscape of this sub-Antarctic region.

We will say goodbye to the Falkland Islands and head back towards where it all began. On the final evening, there will be a farewell dinner, followed by a presentation of photos taken during the trip.

This morning we will say goodbye to the crew of the MV Ushuaia after breakfast