Antarctica, South Georgia & Falklands Cruise
Highlights
Highlights
- Cross the mighty southern continent off your bucket list
- Walk in Shackleton’s footsteps
- Visit a pub in the Falkland Islands
- See scientists at work at an Antarctic research base
- Walk with king penguins in South Georgia
- Experience the teeming wildlife of the islands of the Southern Ocean
- See the Antarctic ice first-hand with our expert Zodiac drivers
- Enjoy views of tabular icebergs of epic scale
- Zodiac cruise spectacular bays looking for orca, minke, and humpback whales
Map
Map
Overview
Tour Overview
Join us on our Antarctica, South Georgia & Falklands cruise, as we explore the some of the routes and landings of Shackleton’s epic adventure. From the tip of Tierra del Fuego, to the Falkland Islands, the South Orkneys, South Georgia, and the Antarctic continent, this is a trip like no other.
We’ll revisit portions of Shackleton’s South Georgia Island trek, and pay our respects at his grave in Grytviken. Wildlife on these islands is almost beyond belief. We’ll encounter albatross, elephant, fur and leopard seals, whales galore, and literally millions of penguins.
For the truly adventurous traveller, Antarctica is the ultimate destination. In October and November, the pack ice begins to break up, and the landscape is pristine with plenty of fresh snow. It’s mating season for the penguins and other birds. Adélie, Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins and other seabirds return to their breeding sites. You’re likely to witness courtship displays, nest building and egg tending.
In South Georgia, elephant seals and fur seals are mating, and king penguins are laying their eggs. Parents can be seen “carrying” eggs on their feet so that one parent can shuffle around the colony while the other adult goes out to sea to feed. Join us for this once-in-a-lifetime journey to the great southern continent!
Departures & Cabins
DEPARTURES & CABINS
Deck Plan
What's Included
What's Included
Tour Price Includes
- Transfer from airport in embarkation city to group hotel if arriving on Day 1 of itinerary
- Transfer from group hotel to ship for embarkation
- Shipboard accommodations
- All meals on board
- All alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (some super premium brands excluded)
- Coffee/Tea/Cocoa 24 hours a day
- All scheduled landings and excursions
- Our Citizen Science program: participation in a variety of scientific activities that support important research projects
- Expedition jacket (yours to keep)
- A pair of loaner boots for use during the voyage
- WiFi from the public computers
- 200 MB WiFi card for use on your personal devices
- Daily international news service
- All port fees
- All landing fees
- Digital Voyage Log
Tour Price Does Not Include
- Any airfare or travel expenses
- Pre- or post-voyage expenses in Ushuaia
- Travel insurance; medical insurance; evacuation coverage
- Laundry and personal expenses incurred on board
- Onboard communication charges such as outgoing phone calls, WiFi from personal devices in excess of the 200 MB provided
- Staff gratuities
Gallery
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival
No need to stress about missed connections or flight delays as you arrive with plenty of time to unwind and enjoy all that the luxurious Arakur Resort & Spa has to offer, or head out and discover the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia.
Day 2: Ushuaia
Explore the sights of Ushuaia such as the museums and Argentinean leather markets or relax in style and comfort at the hotel. Attend the optional evening briefing for the opportunity to ask questions and meet some of your fellow explorers.
Day 3: Embarkation
After a final morning exploring Ushuaia or unwinding at the resort, our mid-afternoon transfer will take you to the beautiful MS Seaventure. Our Expedition Team and ship staff will greet you on board, followed by a safety and orientation briefing and Captain’s welcome dinner. You’re on your way to Antarctica!
Day 4: Southern Ocean
As we sail south, important briefings on environmental regulations and expedition safety are held, and you won’t want to miss our experts as they begin their informative and entertaining talks about the wildlife, history, and geology of the area.
Day 5, West Falklands/Malvinas
The westernmost settled outposts in the Falklands are remote farms that have been family-owned for six and seven generations. We’ll be exploring some of these outposts in the Falklands/Malvinas, where you can take in the beautiful countryside and look for Black-Browed albatross or Rockhopper, King, and Magellanic penguin rookeries.
Day 6: Stanley, East Falkland
Chosen for its sheltered harbor and access to abundant fresh water and peat for fuel, Stanley is easy to discover on foot as most shops and services are centered on the port. The museum, the post-office featuring first day covers, plenty of shops with locally made wool items, and Stanley’s lively pubs will all be available. It is possible to experience the wildlife of the Falklands from the town including sea lions and Peale’s and Commerson’s dolphins in the harbor or bird life in nearby Gypsy Cove.
Day 7-8: Southern Ocean
Things really start to ramp up with plenty of wildlife identifying to do as we make our way east across the Antarctic Convergence and officially enter Antarctic waters. Shipboard presentations continue, featuring topics such as the captivating history and abundant wildlife of South Georgia.
Day 9-12: South Georgia
South Georgia is often referred to as the ‘Serengeti of the Southern Ocean’ and it’s easy to see why as you take in tens of millions of breeding penguins, seals, and seabirds. Magnificent mountain scenery, glaciers galore, icebergs, a rich historical tapestry, and an incredible array of wildlife will astound you as we travel down South Georgia's leeward coast. We’ll also visit historic Grytviken whaling station, featuring the tiny graveyard where the great Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton is buried.
Day 13-14, Scotia Sea
Heading farther south, we’ll continue our informative presentations and wildlife spotting as the icebergs become bigger and more plentiful.
Day 15-18: Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands
In the waterways of the Antarctic Peninsula, we hope to make as much time as possible to explore by inflatable Zodiac boats and marvel up close at nature’s glory. Our Expedition Leader and Captain will create a flexible itinerary based on weather, ice, and opportunity. We will aim for the most scenic bays and channels of the Peninsula with stops at penguin rookeries, seal wallows, bird colonies and whale feeding areas, as well as sites of historic and scientific interest.
Adelie, Chinstrap and Gentoo Penguins abound, and Weddell, Crabeater and Elephant Seals are often found hauled out to rest along with predatory Leopard Seals and the assertive Antarctic Fur Seal. Minke and Humpback Whales are frequent visitors in the late season and Orca sightings are also common.
Day 19-20: Drake Passage
Time to leave this magical place inspired, exhausted, and most likely changed forever. We make our way north, once again crossing the legendary Drake Passage. We’ll have one last hurrah as we celebrate the conclusion of our expedition with a special slideshow and photography awards ceremony, then a final meal together
Day 21: Ushuaia, Disembarkation
With huge smiles on weary, content faces, and perhaps some new friends for life, we disembark in the morning, letting you catch a flight to Buenos Aires or stay in Ushuaia for more sights and adventure.
What to Expect
What to Expect
Our Antarctica, South Georgia & Falklands cruise program allow you to experience the best of the natural world, while enjoying the comforts of our friendly floating hotel. The ship generally makes crossing between islands at night, so every morning you awake to new vistas and discoveries. Every day we offer a combination of interesting shore excursions and fun shipboard activities. You can choose which elements of the program you want to participate in.
Our excursions onshore will involve a relatively low level of exertion, but you will need a reasonable level of mobility to get up and down the gangway and climb into and out of Zodiacs (with assistance). Some of our shore landings will be ‘wet’, requiring waterproof boots. Once you have left the zodiac, you’ll find our shore excursions accommodate both those who wish to enjoy a gentle stroll and those who prefer more active hikes. Our onboard specialists will join us on these shore excursions to provide interpretation and narration to these wonderful landscapes and experiences.
Each evening we will gather in the lounge to recount the day’s events and share memorable stories. Our expedition leader will outline the following day’s schedule. Our resource staff of naturalists, historians, and other guest speakers will give informative talks at various times throughout the voyage.
Meals in the ship’s dining room are a great opportunity to meet new friends and recount the day’s adventures. Special diets can be accommodated with advance notice. Safety is also a top priority with Eagle-Eye Tours – our team has extensive experience in the field, and all of our Voyages are run in conjunction with operators with the highest safety standards.
When the ship is underway, it is a wonderful time to join a naturalist on deck, take photos of the stunning scenery, or get caught up on some reading in the library.
We know that everyone travels for different reasons. Over the years, however, we have found one common element among the guest who choose to travel with us – a thirst of knowledge and authentic experience. Knowing this drives us to ensure the highest quality learning experience on our trips, by taking time to carefully design each trip we offer.
Ship & Deck Plan
Ship & Deck Plan
M/S Seaventure
A WORLD-CLASS SMALL SHIP EXPERIENCE
Seaventure features a 1-A Super ice class rating — the highest ice class awarded to passenger vessels. This means that we will be able to explore coves, bays, and channels that would previously have been forbidden to us.
The ship also offers a host of new activities. There’s a sauna, a fitness center, a custom-built citizen science lab, and heated saltwater pool. There is more storage space, which is important because it means we can carry more equipment, so that more of our guests can participate in activities like kayaking and camping.
The common areas are larger and beautifully appointed, and the ship has two kitchens, one on the Lido deck for al fresco dining when weather permits.
Come explore with us.