Day 1 

Ushuaia, Argentina

Travel via connecting flights to Ushuaia, where you overnight at our hotel.

Day 2

Embarkation Day

Prior to our afternoon embarkation in Ushuaia, you have a morning at leisure to explore the southernmost city in the world. (B)

Day 3

At Sea

There are many activities to keep you engaged while you are at sea. You could learn to identify the seabirds that glide alongside the ship, or attend educational presentations by the Expedition Team on a variety of topics, from history to volcanology. This experienced team will also prepare you for our frequent shore landings and Zodiac cruising that is to come. (B,L,D)

Days 4 & 5

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

En route, the shipboard education program introduces the flora and fauna that you will encounter. Properly prepared, Zodiacs zip you from ship to shore to hike where kelp geese graze and Magellanic penguins guard their burrows. You’ll comb beaches and socialize with local residents. The archipelago consists of East and West Falkland, divided by Falkland Sound. While exploring the area, we plan to attempt visits to Carcass Island, New Island, Stanley and West Point Island. Carcass Island is a picturesque island, where songbirds nest in the gently rolling landscape. The island is named for a Royal Navy ship, HMS Carcass, which arrived in 1766. The most southwesterly island in the archipelago, New Island is just eight miles wide and a half-mile across. The deep-water harbor of Stanley was the economic mainstay of the community since the ports' completion in 1845. Sailing ships damaged while rounding Cape Horn called in for expensive repairs. The questionable vessels used to carry fortune seekers to the gold fields of California and Australia often called at Stanley for repairs. The future of the port lies in the hydrocarbon deposits off the coast. The results of the survey may lead to an increase in port activities. West Point Island is home to black-browed albatrosses, which nest in colonies on cliffs along the water’s edge on the western side of the island. Rockhopper penguins share the cliffs. Commerson’s dolphins are often seen in the water surrounding the island. (B,L,D Daily)

Days 6 & 7

At Sea

How will travelers know when they are in Antarctic waters? When the ship crosses the Antarctic Convergence, also known as the Antarctic Polar Front. This biological boundary is unique to Antarctica. Encircling the continent, it is an irregular, invisible curve where the cold, northward-flowing Antarctic waters meet and mix with the warmer waters of the Indian, Pacific or Atlantic Oceans. The zone is about 20 to 30 miles wide, somewhere between 48° and 61° S. (B,L,D Daily)

Days 8-11

South Georgia

After crossing the Southern Ocean, the Expedition Team plans a series of landings at King Penguin rookeries, abandoned whaling stations and the grave of Sir Ernest Shackleton. You can be as active as you like as South Georgia is an excellent locale for hiking. After the legendary Captain Cook’s account of his exploration was published, sailors came in waves to the area to harvest the abundant seals and whales he had observed. While in the area, we hope to explore Drygalski Fjord, Gold Harbour, Grytviken, Prion Island, Salisbury Plain, St. Andrew’s Bay and Stromness. The backdrop to Gold Harbor is the hanging Bertrab Glacier, and against this dramatic backdrop we may see king and gentoo penguins and both elephant and fur seals. Named it for the species of petrels that are seen on the island, Prion, Prion Island is also a nesting site for wandering albatrosses. One of the largest King Penguin rookeries on the island is located on Salisbury Plain, flanked by the Murphy and Lucas Glaciers. About 75,000 breeding pairs of king penguins nest at St. Andrew’s Bay. It is the largest King Penguin rookery on South Georgia. Reindeer introduced by Norwegian whalers are also known to feed on the grass in the area. Part of the Islands’ rich history, the abandoned Stromness whaling station was in full operation the day that Ernest Shackleton and his companions staggered in after a 36-hour trek across the island of South Georgia. There is a small cemetery with the graves of 14 whalers. (B,L,D Daily)

Days 12 & 13

At Sea

There are many activities to keep travelers engaged while at sea. They can attend illustrated presentations by the Expedition Team, who prepare adventurers for the shore landings, Zodiac cruising and kayaking that are to come. (B,L,D Daily)

Days 14-17

South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula

Deception Island, Lemaire Channel, Neko Harbour, and Paradise Harbour… these are the names that conjure iconic images of the Antarctic Peninsula: Towering, glacier-capped mountains rising from a brilliant blue sea, dotted with ice floes. We visit penguin colonies, listen for calving glaciers, visit historic sites and research stations. The Bransfield Strait separates the South Shetland archipelago from the Antarctic Peninsula. In the 1820s sealers swept the islands’ beaches of seals. When the market collapsed, the sealers retreated, and over the course of time, seals have returned to the islands. Here we search for gentoo and chinstrap penguins in the established rookeries, and may find southern elephant and fur seals hauled out. Once we head for the Peninsula, our explorations will take in a wide-selection of Antarctic highlights. Brown Bluff, towering over Adelie and gentoo penguin rookeries is thought to be the exposed portion of a volcano. Located in Wilhelmina Bay, Enterprise Island was used by whalers. A Zodiac cruise around the island passes a wrecked whaling ship. The iconic Gerlache Strait runs between Booth Island and the Antarctic Peninsula, one of the most scenic locations on the western coast. The seven miles may become impassable when ice fills the narrow passageway. Little evidence remains that Andvord Bay was once used by the floating whale factory ship Neko. We might see some whale vertebrae used by the resident gentoo penguins as shelter from the wind. There is an unmanned refuge hut erected by Argentina. Climb past the hut and up a steep slope for spectacular views of the glacier-rimmed harbor. Our days will take advantage of light and weather traditions to explore an exciting number of sites with our knowledgeable expedition team. (B,L,D Daily)

Days 18-20

Drake Passage to Ushuaia

Your second Drake Passage crossing aboard the Clipper Adventurer may be as smooth or as rough as your first. No matter the condition, it is a fitting end to your visit to Antarctica! You will be transferred to the airport from the ship when you disembark in Ushuaia. (Days 18 & 19: B,L,D Daily; Day 20: B)