SHIPS OFFERING THIS ITINERARY

Hebridean Sky

The Hebridean Sky can accommodate 114 guests in 57 suites and has always been known for its effortless elegance, impeccable service and atmosphere of charm and camaraderie. Originally built in 1992 and refurbished in 2016 , this luxury cruise ship provides fine service and four-star amenities. Each suite has ocean views and is elegantly designed with a sitting area. Several suites have private balconies accessed via sliding glass doors.

Island Sky

The Island Sky is spacious with stylish common areas including a panoramic top deck observation platform, bar and lounge area with live entertainment as well as a well stocked library with computers and an elegant dining room. Built in 1992 this luxurious cruise ship can accommodate up to 114 guests and provides excellent service with four star amenities.

Days 1-2 Ushuaia, Argentina

Day 3 Embarkation

Arriving at the ship in the afternoon, you will be greeted by your Expedition Team and ship’s officers at a safety and orientation briefing followed by the Captain’s welcome dinner. Then, watch the city lights fade in the fresh night air as you sail seaward.

Day 4 At Sea

Days 5-6 Falkland Islands

The westernmost settled outposts in the Falklands are remote farms that have been family-owned for six and seven generations. The sheep graze alongside albatross colonies and Rockhopper, King, and Magellanic penguin rookeries while striated caracaras patrol overhead and upland geese graze at the water’s edge. A visit to one of these homesteads often includes an invitation for cakes and a cup of tea.

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.

Days 7-8 At Sea

There will be plenty of wildlife spotting as the ship makes its way east across the Antarctic Convergence and officially enter Antarctic waters. Shipboard presentations will continue, featuring the exciting history and abundant wildlife of South Georgia.

Days 9-12 South Georgia

Its unique position inside the Antarctic Convergence yet outside the limit of the yearly sea ice, makes this 3,755 square kilometre island home to tens of millions of breeding penguins, seals and seabirds. Magnificent mountain scenery, glaciers galore, a rugged coastline punctuated with castellate and tabular icebergs, a rich historical tapestry, and an astounding array of wildlife are all available to us as we travel down South Georgia’s leeward coast.

Landing sites feature huge Elephant seals, aggressive Fur seals, Gentoo penguins, albatross, petrels, skuas, and gulls. King penguins from fuzzy little chicks to fattened adults can be seen in the hundreds of thousands. Visit historic Grytviken whaling station, home of the whaling museum, Norwegian seaman’s church, the active British Antarctic Survey station plus the tiny graveyard where the great Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton is buried.

This long and narrow, whale bone shaped island is a home and abundance of wildlife including:

Four seal species – southern elephant seal, Antarctic fur seal, Weddell seal, and leopard seal

Several whale species – the southern right whales, humpbacks, fin whales, sperm whales, orcas, and southern bottlenose whales)

More than 100 million seabirds – grey headed albatross, blue eyed shags, giant petrels, white chinned petrels and Antarctic prions

Penguins – Macaroni penguins, Gentoo penguins, chinstrap penguins and the most attractive residents of the South Georgia are King Penguins with their orange-yellow crowns. There are approx. 400,000 breeding pairs of King Penguins on South Georgia.

Days 13-14 Scotia Sea

Heading farther south, the informative presentations and wildlife watching continue as the icebergs become more and more plentiful.

Days 15-18 Antarctic Peninsula & South Shetlands

In the waterways of the Antarctic Peninsula explore by inflatable Zodiac boats and marvel up close at nature’s glory. The Expedition Leader and Captain will create a flexible itinerary based on weather, ice, and opportunity. Visit 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.

The trip may include picturesque Neko Harbor, sheltered Paradise Harbor, the Humpback Whale favored Wilhelmina Bay, the striking Lemaire Channel, the wildlife-filled Penola Channel, or the majestic Neumayer Channel. We may stop at an active scientific base such as Poland’s Arctowksi or Ukraine’s Vernadskiy as well as a historic base such as U.K.’s Port Lockroy or Wordie House.

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.

Days 19-20 Crossing the Drake Passage

As you leave this magical place and the ship heads north across the Antarctic Convergence and the Drake Passage, the presentation series and wildlife spotting continues. Sailing back to Ushuaia through the Beagle Channel, celebrate the conclusion of your expedition with a special slideshow.

Day 21 Ushuaia

After breakfast say farewell in the city of Ushuaia. Morning disembarkation lets you catch a flight to Buenos Aires or stay in Ushuaia for more sights and adventure.