Shackleton's Discovery by Swan Hellenic

Dream big on the epic 22-day Shackleton's Antarctic Discovery cruise onboard Swan Hellenic's boutique ship, the SH Vega, that takes you places you will never forget. This trip also includes the two-day sea crossing of the notorious Drake Passage. Taking in the sights of the Falkland Islands, as well as South Georgia and Elephant Island, you will visit beaches crammed with penguins which will stir emotions as you get up close. Magnificent icebergs provide a phenomenal backdrop to your days at sea. The exceptional landscape and incredible wildlife encounters make your voyage the ultimate Antarctica trip leaving few places left to visit on your bucket list.

Highlights

• Traverse the infamous Drake Passage
• Join an expert team of polar specialists and share in their vast experience of these icy waters
• Marvel at the colours in this vast frozen environment as they change from glassy white to turquoise green
• Mingle with thousands of breeding penguins
• Watch for black albatross in the Falkland Islands

Quick Itinerary

Day 1: Buenos Aires
Days 2 & 3: At sea
Day 4: Puerto Madryn
Days 5 & 6: At sea
Day 7: West Point Island & Saunders Island
Day 8: Port Stanley
Days 9 & 10: At sea
Days 11 - 13: South Georgia
Days 14 & 15: At sea
Day 16: Elephant Island
Days 17 & 18: Antarctic Peninsula
Day 19: South Shetland Islands
Days 20 & 21: Drake Passage
Day 22: Ushuaia

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

Departures and Prices

Day 1 – Buenos Aires

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.

Days 2 & 3 - At sea

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 the library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of the onboard lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from the team of onboard professional photographers.

Day 4 - Puerto Madryn

In northern Patagonia, this coastal Argentine city is best-known for its sandy beaches, lighthouse and for watching frolicking southern right whales from the beach at Playa El Doradillo. At Caleta Valdés on the Valdes Peninsula, around the bay, white bull elephant seals haul out next to penguins who are ever watchful for hungry orcas. This fast-growing city is a good place to find out more about the Patagonian natural environment at the Ecocentro museum.

Days 5 & 6 - At sea

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 the library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of the onboard lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from the team of onboard professional photographers.

Day 7 - West Point Island and Saunders Island

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.

Day 8 - Port Stanley

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.

Days 9 & 10 - At sea

The next two days will be spent sailing towards South Georgia

Days 11 - 13 - South Georgia

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! You'll also visit Grytviken, the historic whaling station where legendary British explorer Ernest Shackleton (1874–1922) is buried.

Days 14 & 15 - At sea

Enjoy the amenities of your ship the SH Vega, as you head towards the Antarctic Peninsula. Enjoy a dip in the heated outdoor pool, relax in the observation lounge or enjoy time in your stateroom.

Day 16 - Elephant Island

Elephant Island, named for the elephant seals that call this place home, is a harsh, glacier-covered and volcanic island on the outer reaches of the South Shetland Islands. It was here that legendary explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew from the Endurance were stranded for months in 1914. At Point Wild, his monument overlooks a colony of gentoo penguins. Chinstrap and macaroni penguins gather at Cape Lookout alongside the island’s main residents, elephant seals.

Days 17 & 18 - Antarctic Peninsula

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.

Day 19 - South Shetland Islands

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 snowmelt in spring (March) and the slightly warmer temperature means that the fauna is also different from what you see in Antarctica proper. As you go ashore by Zodiac, notice ferns, grasses, lichens and native flora that have more in common with Patagonia than they do with Antarctica.

Days 20 & 21 - Drake Passage

Today your ship will traverse the infamous Drake Passage as you make your way back to Argentina

Day 22 - Ushuaia

Disembark in Ushuaia and continue your onward journey

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