Combine the Falkland Islands and South Georgia with this 17-day expedition departing from Punta Arenas, Chile. In the Falklands, enjoy watching yellow-plumed penguins and sparrows in their natural habitat from your Zodiac, while black-browed albatrosses and petrels fly high above you. Explore local settlements and meet the people who have made this island their home for generations.
Then, set sail for South Georgia and its mountains permanently covered with thick layers of ice and snow. On this island, wildlife is king. Visit one of the world's largest king penguin colonies and watch elephant seals relaxing on shore. We sail from bay to bay, watching for whales and beautiful seabirds flying overhead.
Day 1: Punta Arenas, Embarkation From 9:00 hrs, head to Explorers House in Punta Arenas and enjoy the facilities. At 4:00 p.m., a group transfer will take you to the port for embarkation. As we sail through the Strait of Magellan, our expedition team will introduce the history of this famous sea route.
Day 2: At Sea Enjoy the ship's hospitality as we head for the Falklands. Our interesting series of lectures and presentations begin.
Day 3: Saunders Island, Carcass Island We enjoy the long white sandy beach during a morning visit to Saunders Island. A wilderness experience, the main attractions are the yellow-plumed penguins, nesting black-browed albatrosses and sub-Antarctic gentoo penguins. In the afternoon, we visit Carcass Island. There is the option of an easy walk to the settlement, bird watching and a typical Falklands tea experience.
Day 4: Port Stanley Join our expedition team on walking tours of Port Stanley or Gipsy Cove. Or explore on your own and soak up the atmosphere, have lunch at the local pub, visit the maritime museum, church, browse for souvenirs or walk along Ross Road, paying tribute at the war memorials on the waterfront.
Day 5 - 6: At Sea As we sail to South Georgia, attend presentations on the history and wildlife of the archipelago. In the company of expert guides, observe wildlife from the salon or from the outside decks. You may spot magnificent seabirds, such as albatrosses and petrels, as well as different species of whales.
Day 7: Elsehul Bay Depending on the sea conditions in the previous days, arrival is planned for the afternoon. If we receive approval from the South Georgia government, we plan to take a zodiac cruise in Elsehul Bay in the evening.
Day 8: Grytviken, Fortuna Bay Our first landing is in Grytviken. We clear customs and then visit the historical site with the museum and Ernest Shackleton's grave. We disembark at Fortuna Bay / Stromness in the afternoon to see king penguins. Here we learn more about Shackleton and his expedition, and there is also an optional 2-3 hour "Shackleton walk".
Day 9: Gold Bay, Cooper Bay In the morning, we plan a landing at Gold Bay, a spectacular place with king penguins, elephant seals and hanging glaciers. There are also black albatrosses here. In the afternoon and on a zodiac cruise, we visit Cooper Bay to see yellow-plumed penguins.
Day 10: St Andrews Bay, Ocean Harbour St Andrews Bay is the destination of our morning excursion. Highlights here are a shipwreck and the remains of the whaling industry. We see the largest king penguin colony and male elephant seals. We plan an afternoon zodiac cruise and disembark at Ocean Harbor.
Day 11: Prion Island, Salisbury Plain In the morning, we plan to visit Prion Island to see the nesting wandering albatrosses. In the afternoon, we head to Salisbury Plain for more king penguins and breathtaking scenery.
Day 12 - 14: At Sea
Day 15: Bleaker Island Overnight disembarkation at Bleaker Island, a nature reserve with a famous bird area with a great variety of species. Day 16: At Sea Day 17: Punta Arenas, Disembarkation Upon arrival in Punta Arenas, we disembark and take a group transfer to the city center, where the expedition will end. Explorers House remains available for you during the day.
