DAY 1 – SANTIAGO, CHILE’S CAPITAL
Welcome to Santiago, Chile’s bustling capital. With its colonial-era architecture, award-winning restaurants and fascinating museums, it’s the perfect place to start your expedition cruise. There’s a lot to see, from the Mercado Central market to the Plaza de Armas and the Presidential Palace. Check out the Sky Costanera, which offers panoramic views of the city from 1,000 feet up.
You may want to arrive a few days early to join one of our optional Pre-Programmes.
DAY 2 – DEPART FROM PUNTA ARENAS
You’ll have an early start today as we depart Santiago and fly to Punta Arenas, Chile’s southernmost port. Your expedition ship awaits you. Once you’ve boarded, get settled in, explore the ship, and meet your Expedition Team.
As well as being your guides, hosts and local experts, they’re also your travel companions for the next three weeks. Friendly and welcoming, they’ll answer any questions you may have during your Antarctic adventure.
DAY 3 – PREPARING FOR MORE ADVENTURE
With our course set for the Falkland Islands, soak up the mesmerising views all around you as you cruise through the Strait of Magellan. You can take in the scenery from the deck, the outdoor hot tub or the panoramic Explorer Lounge & Bar.
You can also join your Expedition Team in the onboard Science Center to listen to lectures, participate in Citizen Science projects and more. Whether it’s marine biology, Antarctic survival, oceanography or photography, your Expedition Team offers fascinating insights into the places you’ll see on your journey, and you’ll feed off their enthusiasm.
DAYS 4-6 – THE MANY CHARMS OF ISLAND LIFE
The Falkland archipelago is filled with seamless horizons and white sands teeming with birdlife. Only the occasional farm dots the landscape. You’ll find grassy hills and wildflowers, in contrast to the vast whiteness of Antarctica to come.
You’ll also enjoy a community walk of Stanley, taking in the Jubilee Villas gardens, Christ Church Cathedral and the Historic Dockyard Museum.
Our landings, hikes and excursions are, as always, guided by the conditions. We hope to visit albatross and penguin colonies, which are often found sharing space with seals, and getting as close as we can without disturbing them.
DAY 7-8 – ADVENTURE LIES AHEAD
Sailing from the Falklands, spend two days cruising towards beautiful South Georgia. You can look forward to seeing an archipelago filled with diverse wildlife.
Meet up with the Expedition Team as they prepare you for what lies ahead. They’ll tell you everything they know about South Georgia, including the area’s wildlife, polar history, geology, glaciology, and stories of Norwegian whalers.
You’ll also learn how to make your visit as safe and low-impact as possible, and you can join our Citizen Science programmes to help collect data for global research projects.
DAY 9-12 – THE ‘SERENGETI OF THE SOUTHERN OCEAN’
South Georgia’s abundant wildlife has earned it the nickname ‘Serengeti of the Southern Ocean’. Its unique position free from sea ice makes the island a breeding site for large colonies of penguins, other seabirds and seals. In fact, it’s an Important Bird Area, home to albatrosses, petrels, shags, skuas and terns.
You’ll spend four days exploring this remarkable area. We’ll also try to reach Grytviken, the final resting place of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. We’re always guided by nature, responding to daily conditions to bring you the best possible experience.
While our itineraries are always flexible, they’re even more so during peak breeding seasons when the wildlife is most vulnerable to disturbance. When it’s safe to do so, we’ll watch wildlife. When our presence could disturb the animals, we’ll choose another place to visit and as always, these decisions are made by your Expedition Team and are based on lifetimes of combined experience in these destinations. Sometimes we’ll land, sometimes we’ll cruise, it’s all part of the adventure!
