Shackleton's Antarctica, South Georgia & Falklands Explorer

On arrival at Ushuaia Airport, please make your way through to the Arrivals Hall where our representative will be waiting for you to transfer you to your hotel. He/she will be holding a sign with your name on it.

The first night of your voyage is spent in the quaint town of Ushuaia, the most southerly city in the world and the capital of Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire).

The remainder of the day is at leisure and you are free to explore, maybe making a few last-minute purchases from the many shops or artisan markets or relaxing in a café. Avenida San Martin is the main street and there are some excellent museums to visit or you may prefer to wander the streets taking in the town’s dramatic setting, with views of the mountains to the north and the Beagle Channel to the south.

This morning is free for you to explore Ushuaia, giving you time to wander the streets of this quaint port town, or discover Tierra del Fuego National Park.

Transfer to the pier of Ushuaia for embarkation in the late afternoon and you will be welcomed on board the Ocean Endeavour by the Expedition Team and the Ship’s Officers.

This evening we set sail through the Beagle Channel that was named after the British ship the HMS Beagle. This famous channel transects the Tierra del Fuego archipelago in the extreme south of South America, and is rich in wildlife. Keep a look out for Magellanic penguins, rock cormorants, petrels and black-browed albatross from the deck as well as sea lion colonies.

Enjoy your first taste of life at sea and a welcome dinner. The air is likely to be filled with anticipation, as your next view of land will be of Antarctica – the White Continent.

The infamous Drake Passage, named after the famous English explorer, Sir Frances Drake, separates the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula from the southernmost tip of South America.

Enjoy the fabulous on board facilities, maybe join a yoga class, or attend a presentation or two given by the Expedition Team to prepare you for what lies ahead – from the geology of Antarctica to the history, wildlife and even the ice!

As we sail towards Antarctica, there is a fall in temperature as we cross the Antarctic Convergence and enter the waters of the Antarctic Ocean. The Antarctic Convergence is marked by an increased number of seabirds, whales and other species that are attracted by the nutrient-rich waters pushed to the surface by the colder waters of the polar region flowing north and meeting the warmer equatorial waters flowing south.

Head out on deck to look for the mighty albatrosses that fly overhead, scan the waters for breaching whales and icebergs, or gaze out from the panoramic windows of the observation deck.

We continue our course south and hope to make landfall by the evening of Day 4, depending on the weather conditions. Keep on the look out for the first sighting of land – that heralds your arrival to the White Continent!

Spend three unforgettable days exploring the Great White Continent with your expert crew. While landing sites will be chosen based on wildlife-spotting opportunities and weather conditions, you can expect to explore on land and by Zodiac boat during daily excursions.

The Antarctic Peninsula is home to Leopard seals, Adelie penguins and Chinstrap penguins, among many others.

Nights will be spent on board, listening to lectures from the expedition crew.

Today we make for the ice-covered isle where Sir Ernest Shackleton and his team were stranded in 1915. Located on the north-eastern fringes of the South Shetland Islands, Elephant Island has tall and craggy rock formations.

If conditions allow, we will attempt a landing or Zodiac cruise around Elephant Island, which will give you a real sense of just how impressive Shackleton and co’s survival really was.

Hit the sea once again, bound for South Georgia, arriving by the evening of Day 10 if conditions are favourable. Maybe take the opportunity to relax and unwind with some onboard health and wellness services. Or perhaps you’d prefer to taste the crisp Antarctic air from on deck as seabirds and perhaps whales rear their heads.

South Georgia captivates every traveller that steps foot on its shores. Home to the greatest concentration of wildlife on the planet, here penguins number in the hundreds of thousands, blanketing beaches as far as the eye can see.

We aim to spend four days exploring this stunningly beautiful island, an island that is not only overrun with an incredible array of fauna, but one that is steeped in history. South Georgia was an intrinsic part of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ill-fated Endurance Expedition and was once the centre of the whaling industry.

South Georgia is home to over 30 million breeding birds, thousands of seals, the introduced Norwegian reindeer, nesting sites of the wandering albatross, four breeding species of penguin and the largest colony of king penguins on this planet. It is known as the ‘Galapagos of the South’. If the wildlife is not enough of a draw card – then the spectacular scenery against which it is set can only enhance your visit – emerald green bays, snow-covered peaks and blue glacier ice.

We explore by Zodiac and kayak and on foot, with opportunities to learn more about photography from one of our expert guides.

Every day provides a different experience and a different location. Stand in awe amongst tens of thousands of penguins, look out across beaches carpeted with elephant seals, visit the remains of abandoned whaling stations and even the grave of Shackleton himself.

Saying goodbye to the wildlife of South Georgia, we head west towards the isolated and sparsely populated Falklands archipelago, where the silence is broken only by the call of birds. Attend lectures and presentations by the Expedition Team, relax and unwind in the His and Hers saunas and spa and take advantage of all the other amenities on board. Weather permitting, we should arrive to the Falkland Islands on the late evening of day 16.

Have your camera at the ready as we approach the ruggedly beautiful Falklands archipelago to capture not only the abundant wildlife but also the incredible scenery.

Over the next couple of days, we explore the Falkland Islands by Zodiac and on foot as we make daily shore landings and maybe even discover smaller inlets by kayak.

Learn about the intriguing and controversial history of the Falkland Islands as we explore the quaint capital of Port Stanley, with its British outpost feel. Near the town you may see Southern giant petrels, the endemic Falkland steamer ducks, kelp gulls and dolphin gulls. There are also black-crowned night herons, red-backed hawks, peregrine falcons and turkey vultures.

As we explore the islands, look out for the 5 species of penguins found here, large populations of black-browed albatrosses, elephant and fur seals, Peale’s and Commerson’s dolphins, orcas and a myriad of bird species including the Falkland’s flightless steamer duck, imperial shags and Cobb’s wrens.

After our exploration of the Falkland Islands, we set sail on a course west, bound for the city of Ushuaia, the most southerly city in the world and the capital of Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire).

We are scheduled to arrive into Ushuaia early this morning, and we disembark after a final breakfast aboard the Ocean Endeavour.

After saying our farewells to our Expedition Team and the crew of the Ocean Endeavour, we transfer you to the airport for your onward flight, or you may like to spend extra days in Ushuaia, giving you time to explore this fascinating town and the surrounding areas.