Arrive in either Buenos Aires, Argentina’s vibrant capital, or Santiago, Chile’s scenic capital nestled in the Andes. Guests traveling aboard National Geographic Endurance will transfer from the airport to the Alvear Art Hotel or a similar property in Buenos Aires, while those joining National Geographic Resolution will transfer to the Ritz-Carlton, Santiago, or a comparable hotel.

Join the recommended flight to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, where you'll meet the ship; transfers to the airport and luggage assistance will be provided. Ushuaia’s spectacular setting, between the jagged peaks of the Darwin Range and the protected waters of the Beagle Channel, makes it an appropriately wild place to begin your journey to the White Continent and a great destination in its own right. Visit Tierra del Fuego National Park. Lunch will be served onboard a private catamaran while cruising the Beagle Channel, where you’ll be on the lookout for huge South American sea lions and birds like imperial cormorants.

This 500-mile-wide strait between South America and the Antarctic Peninsula is one of the most famous bodies of water in the world. Sometimes ferocious, sometimes flat calm, the Drake is always a fascinating place in its own right. This part of the journey is your best opportunity to see gorgeous seabirds like the wandering albatross, and you might be lucky enough to encounter killer whales or rare species of dolphins. This is also a day to get to know the ship and prepare for the adventures ahead.

Visit the Bridge (a great place to spot wildlife), have a relaxing massage; attend a talk about the biology of the penguins you’ll soon be seeing; or settle into a comfy chair in the observation lounge, look out over the waves and reflect on the incredible history of this fabled passage. If it does get a little rough, just take a couple of nice naps; you’ll be in Antarctica before you know it.

With long hours of daylight at this time of year, you'll have ample opportunities to explore. The schedule is flexible, allowing you to take advantage of the unexpected. You might set out by kayak to encounter towering icebergs at water level; embark on a Zodiac excursion in search of seals and blue-eyed shags; walk amid thousands of Adélie and gentoo penguins; or experience the thrill of the ship crunching through pack ice.

Everywhere you go in Antarctica you'll be surrounded by opportunities to capture uniquely beautiful images. Along the way your expert expedition team will enrich your experiences.

Setting out from the South Shetland Islands to South Georgia, you'll follow in the wake of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s epic voyage in the James Caird across 800 miles of the wild and lonely Scotia Sea. But you won’t be lonely at all - these waters are home to a large and growing population of whales, including fin whales, southern right whales and even blue whales - the largest animal on Earth. Albatross and petrels wing past the ship, providing you with another wonderful challenge for photography, while presentations from the expedition team help to prepare you for the mind-bending wildlife spectacles of South Georgia.

There is nowhere else in the world like South Georgia. King penguins, the second largest penguin species in the world, are unquestionably the most iconic wildlife of South Georgia. Exact numbers are not known, but the largest single colony on the island may have as many as 500,000 of these amazing birds nesting together on a single two-mile-long beach.

Explore the spectacular coastline of South Georgia Island. In keeping with the nature of an expedition, the schedule is flexible with opportunities for walking, hiking, kayaking and Zodiac excursions. Sailing along the coast, you'll have a choice of activities every day including visits to Grytviken - the final resting place of Shackleton - and Stromness Harbour, where Ernest Shackleton, Tom Crean and Frank Worsley finally reached aid at a whaling station.

The island is also home to huge elephant seals and thousands of king penguins. South Georgia is sometimes called “the Serengeti of the Southern Ocean”, but even that description seems inadequate; this lonely island is unique in the world, so rich and so beautiful that it defies any comparison.

As you sail toward the Falkland Islands, take time to reflect on your South Georgia experience and prepare for adventures ahead. Chat with the National Geographic Photography Expert, refine your images, or put finishing touches on creative projects like watercolours or poems. Unwind with fellow travellers, share memories, or visit the Bridge to learn about navigation and scan for wildlife with naturalists - rare dolphins or albatross sightings often make the day’s whiteboard!

All the best aspects of expedition travel seem to come together in the western Falkland Islands. Where else can you land on a beach tucked into a rocky cove, hike out across a rolling green pasture and suddenly find yourself at the crest of a sea cliff looking out over the South Atlantic surf? Just a few steps further and you’re standing at the edge of a breeding colony of black-browed albatross, so close that you can hear the wind on their wings as they swoop into land beside you. Check out the thousands of irresistible gentoo, rockhopper and Magellanic penguins that congregate here, along with fur seals.

Stanley, the bright, pretty capital of the Falkland Islands, is a wonderfully unexpected place: a charming outpost of British culture tucked into a small bay on the shore of these windswept islands in the far South Atlantic. Many Falkland Islanders still live in very traditional ways, and you’ll have a chance to visit a small farm to see some expert sheep shearing and learn about the best techniques for cutting blocks of peat for the fire. The rocky hills and white sand beaches outside town offer some excellent hikes, and afterward, a cup of tea or a pint at the local tavern goes down very nicely.

On your final day, cross the Falklands Shelf en route to Ushuaia, enjoying seabirds and dolphins along the way. Attend insightful presentations that reflect on your journey, and take time to absorb the lasting impact of Antarctica—a place whose sights, sounds, and stillness will stay with you long after you return.

Disembark in Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. Take a charter flight to Buenos Aires or Santiago and connect with your flight home.

Secure your space today by calling one of our Travel Specialists on 0203 196 1000 or enquire here