Embark on an incredible 19 day journey following the wake of the renown explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. As you cross the might Drake Passage you will explore sights of the South Shetland Islands, before exploring the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Undertake zodiac landings among vast penguin rookeries, search for sightings of unique wildlife as kayak through the icy waters and enjoy the incredible amount of activities on board your expedition vessel, The Ocean Albatros.
Optional Activities : Kayaking, Photography
Trip Code: ACABFG
Travel Style: Small Ship Expedition Cruise
Location: Antarctica, South Georgia and Falkland Islands
Ship: Ocean Albatros
Undertake this voyage on board the Ocean Albatros one of the latest polar expedition vessels. Featuring unique X-Bow technology and spacious suites this vessel offers an extremely comfortable expedition experience.
The ultimate Antarctic expedition - combining South Georgia, the Antarctic Peninsula and The Falkland Islands this voyage covers all the highlights of Antarctica in one unforgettable voyage.
Experience a truly incredible array of wildlife including fur and Weddell seals, humpback whales, elephant seals and a wide array of curious penguin species.
Arrive and embark in Ushuaia, Argentina - the world’s southernmost town. Explore the quaint city or local countryside. Alternatively, consider a day trip off the beaten path to the raw, natural archipelago of Tierra del Fuego. It's a hiker's paradise with rugged snow-capped mountains, glaciers, flower-filled meadows and boggy quagmires. In the afternoon, you will board your ship.
Our journey begins as we navigate through the calms of Beagle Channel, a strait in the Tierra del Fuego Archipelago.
Sailing onward, we cross the famed Drake Passage - a body of water that marks the intersection of the cold Antarctic with the warmer Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Drake Passage is known for strong westerly winds, heavy sea, and its nickname ‘The Roaring Fifties’. While this passage may be challenging, you can rest confidently aboard our expedition vessel, Ocean Victory, which is purpose-built with stabilizers, powerful engines and a highly qualified crew. The most spirited sailors consider Drake Passage a lifetime achievement – and soon you can tick it off on the list yourself! In the Drake, the excitement builds as Antarctic wildlife comes into view with our first sight of seals, penguins and albatrosses. Having crossed the Drake, we will explore the sub-Antarctic islands of the South Shetland chain and be marveled by the captivating landscapes we will encounter along the way. Weather permitting, we hope to make our first landfall on King George Island before continuing further south to the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.
Over the coming days, we will begin the exciting Antarctic experience at the very tip of the Continent. During these days in the Antarctic Sound, named in 1902 after the Swedish vessel Antarctic, the Captain and the Expedition Team will keep a watchful eye on the mighty tabular icebergs, born from the floating Larsen Ice Shelf further south. We aim to have both continental and island landings on the shores of Antarctic Sound and Weddell Sea, always on the lookout for some of the unusually large penguin colonies, which have recently been observed.
The itinerary and activities over the next few days depend on weather and ice conditions. The route and shore landings will be determined by the Captain and Expedition Leader and communicated to the guests through regularly scheduled briefings.
From the Weddell Sea we continue our journey into the open sea, just as Ernest Shackleton and his men did more than hundred years ago. Having lost their ship Endurance deep south in the Weddell Sea they moved slowly north on ice floes and later in open lifeboats until they reached Elephant Island. From here started one of the most remarkable boat journeys in the polar history, when Shackleton and five of his men for two weeks navigated the 720 nautical miles to South Georgia to call for recovery of the stranded crew on Elephant Island. We on the other hand will reach the mighty South Georgia after just a few days at sea!
South Georgia offers stunning wildlife experiences with a wealth of breeding penguins, sea birds, sea lions and seals, all seeking shelter in this oasis amidst the roaring Southern Ocean. Previous whaling history pops up in most of fjords we will explorer – not least in Grytviken the only inhabited settlement on this mountainous island. Grytviken is also the last resting place for Ernest Shackleton, after he died on yet another Antarctica voyage in 1922. We will explorer the fjords of the north coast for 2-3 days and take as many shore landings as time and the swelling sea will allow us.
Days at sea are great for participating in lectures, photo sessions and recaps, reading books in the ship library and watching the ubiquitous storm petrels and albatrosses from top deck. Or just to relax.
During the morning we approach Falkland Islands and in the early afternoon Ocean Victory will cast anchor the sheltered natural harbor of Port Stanley. Utilizing our Zodiacs, we will land in town center, and take a leisurely stroll through the streets of Stanley.
On the following day we will make landings – weather permitting – at two of the islands’ many magnificent wildlife spots.
We are now into the last leg of this adventurous voyage, heading back to Ushuaia.
After a hearty farewell to vessel and crew, we disembark in the morning after breakfast.
Departing | Ending | Duration | Price | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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23 Dec 2023 | 10 Jan 2024 | 19 | USD 12,990 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Cabin accommodation on board vessel
All meals whilst on board
All scheduled landings and excursions
Complimentary use of rubber boots during course of voyage
All luggage handling on board ship
All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges
Group arrival transfer in Ushuaia rom airport to pre-expedition hotel on Day 1
Group transfer hotel to ship on embarkation day
Group transfer Ship to local airport/luggage facility on disembarkation day
EXCLUSIONS
International flights
Passport and Visa fees (if applicable)
Excess baggage fees on international flights
Mandatory waterproof pants for Zodiac landings and excursions
Laundry, bar, spa services and other personal charges, unless specified
Voluntary gratuity at the end of the voyage for expedition staff and shipboard crew
Any additional overnight accommodation
Arrival and departure transfers, except where explicitly stated
Available upon request, contact us for more details.
Please note this itinerary may be subject to change depending on weather and ice conditions.
Departure date, seasonality and availability.
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We appreciate that voyages to the Antarctic to have an impact on this pristine environment. In light of this, all our voyages are double carbon offset. In addition, we strive to eliminate as many single use plastics as possible from our supply chain. In choosing this voyage you are also supporting the fantastic work done by the Antarctic Science Foundation (ASF) and their work in understanding and protecting this unique destination. In addition all voyages support the Mawsons Huts Foundation (MHF). The MHF support the legacy of Sir Douglas Mawson, the legendary Antarctic explorer and scientist. As a member of IAATO we follow strict guidelines appointed by the Antarctic Treaty System to go above and beyond in support of minimizing negative impacts on this pristine landscape. We also encourage clients to look to book pre-and post- accommodation with us, where local businesses will be supported. Our clients also receive restaurant recommendations which support locally owned restaurants.
We carefully select all ships we work with and choose smaller sized vessels to create less impact. We use a highly regulated, licensed vessel which is well equipped to operate in the Antarctic’s delicate ecosystem. We view the voyage to the Antarctic as an expedition, not a sightseeing trip. Smaller ships such as ours can navigate narrow waterways and are far less polluting than the larger ships in Antarctic waters. By carrying less passengers, we have far less waste. The waste is carried back to the home port to allow for environmentally conscious waste management and disposal.
For more information on our sustainability policies, including how we are striving towards being a paperless organisation, click HERE