HIGHLIGHTS

• Experience incredible penguin encounters as you get up close to these polar rockstars
• Take in this vast frozen wilderness as it changes colour from glassy white to turquoise and green
• Keep an eye out for black-browed albatross in the Falklands as we come ashore to these remote communities
• Listen to our engaging polar experts and learn tips from our on-board photographers

ITINERARY

BUENOS AIRES
DAY 1
Argentina’s cosmopolitan capital is known as "The Paris of South America". But this metropolis is as much about its neighbourhoods (barrios) and cafe culture. Each district has its own character - none more so than colourful and lively La Boca, where tango dancers perform in the streets. Ships dock into the regenerated waterfront barrio Puerto Madero. Be sure to also visit the handsome district of Recoleta, famous for the cemetery where Eva “Evita” Peron is buried.


AT SEA
DAY 2-4
Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to our library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of our on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from our onboard professional photographers.


WEST POINT ISLAND & SAUNDERS ISLAND
DAY 5
Black-browed albatross soar above this rugged weather-beaten island in the west of the Falklands, while Commerson’s dolphins swim below. With a sparse population of people and sheep, this inhabited island is also home to fur seals, burrowing rockhopper penguins, magellanic penguins and imperial cormorants who roost in the jagged cliffs and the striking Cliff Mountain towering above the dramatic coastal scenery. As you hike across the moss, keep an eye open for pink-petalled Felton’s flowers. Birdlife is the big draw on this lush sheep-farming island, where thousands of rams and ewes roam. Settled by British explorers in 1765, the island’s unique scenery includes the beaches at The Neck filled with the cacophony of rockhopper, gentoo and king penguin colonies, and you might spot the pillar-shaped nests of black-browed albatross. Nine of the Falklands’ 14 endemic plants, including silvery buttercup and hairy daisy, grow here and are a real treat.


PORT STANLEY
DAY 6
Anyone familiar with Britain’s trademark red post boxes might spot a resemblance in this British outpost. Port Stanley, on East Falkland, is the tiny capital of the Falkland Islands and is small enough to get around on foot. You can visit The Historic Dockyard Museum devoted to maritime history and exploration or pop into the post office. Magellanic penguins gather in hordes at nearby Gypsy Cove, and sea lions and dolphins frolic in the harbour.


AT SEA
DAY 7-8
Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to our library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of our on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from our onboard professional photographers.


SOUTH GEORGIA
DAY 9-10
Often called the “Galapagos of the Poles”, South Georgia has a number of landing sites where you get up close to half a million king penguins or three million breeding pairs of macaroni penguins, making up the largest population in the world. If you are lucky you will also see harrumphing elephant seals - from a distance! We also visit Grytviken, the historic whaling station where legendary British explorer Ernest Shackleton (1874–1922) is buried.


AT SEA
DAY 11
Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to our library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of our on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from our onboard professional photographers.


SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS
DAY 12
While the South Shetlands’ proximity to Antarctica makes the ice-bound sea impassable during winter (April to November), these are the first islands to see snow melt in spring (March) and the slightly warmer temperature means that the fauna is also different from what you see in Antarctica proper. As we go ashore by Zodiac, notice ferns, grasses, lichens and native flora that have more in common with Patagonia than they do with Antarctica.


ANTARCTIC PENINSULA
DAY 13-14
Among captivating glaciers, majestic icebergs and snowy islands, the Antarctic Peninsula is where most visitors to the White Continent will live out their Antarctica dream. The Antarctic Peninsula, the most accessible area of the continent, hosts several scientific bases and some of the most interesting wildlife scenery, such as the extremely photogenic Lemaire Channel. Shore excursions might include Petermann Island, where among Adelie penguins, blue-eyed shags and skuas, huge, lumbering elephant seals haul out.


SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS
DAY 15
While the South Shetlands’ proximity to Antarctica makes the ice-bound sea impassable during winter (April to November), these are the first islands to see snow melt in spring (March) and the slightly warmer temperature means that the fauna is also different from what you see in Antarctica proper. As we go ashore by Zodiac, notice ferns, grasses, lichens and native flora that have more in common with Patagonia than they do with Antarctica.


AT SEA
DAY 16-17
Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to our library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of our on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from our onboard professional photographers.


USHUAIA
DAY 18
Ushuaia is the gateway to the White Continent. Found at the southernmost tip of South America in Argentinian Patagonia, the city is often described as “the End of the World”. The city’s mountain backdrop rises above the harbour and entrance to the Beagle Channel. The town itself is walkable and has a few small museums as well as pubs, restaurants and cafes - a good place to try Patagonian lamb cooked over open fire pits.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

What is Included:                             

    *    One Night pre-cruise accommodations with breakfast in a 4/5-star hotel or Onboard     
    *    All transfers between Airport, Hotel and Ship                            
    *    Room service 24 hours a day                            
    *    Coffee, tea, soft drinks & select alcoholic beverages 24 hours a day                            
    *    Lecture programmes by our experienced expedition team and guest speakers                            
    *    Standard WIFI inclusion                            
    *    Onboard gratuities & port taxes                            
    *    One shore excursion per port of call                            

                            
Additional inclusion for: Antarctica & Arctic                            

    *    Use of Rubber boots for shore landings                             
    *    Branded Swan Hellenic expedition parka                            
    *    Flights included roundtrip Buenos Aires - Ushuaia