The Ultimate Expedition to Antarctica, Falklands and South Georgia by Hurtigruten

This ultimate expedition combines the highlights of the Falkland Islands, the stunning wildlife paradise of South Georgia and the pristine wilderness of Antarctica.  Discover the world’s largest king penguin rookeries, witness heavily-crevassed glaciers tumbling into the silvery blue sea, spot seals drifting lazily on ice floes and retrace the footsteps of Ernest Shackleton’s great rescue mission.

Highlights

• Explore the outstandingly beautiful and world-renowned wildlife oasis, known as the ‘Galapagos of the Poles,’ at South Georgia.
• See the world’s largest king penguin rookeries, with over 400,000 birds in South Georgia
• Discover sweeping white sand beaches and stunning rugged landscapes home to vast colonies of king, rockhopper and macaroni penguins in the Falkland Islands
• Discover ancient whaling sites and hike the last part of Shackleton’s rescue expedition

Quick Itinerary

Day 1 Buenos Aires
Day 2 Ushuaia
Day 3 At Sea
Days 4-6 The Falkland Islands
Days 7-8 At Sea
Days 9-13 South Georgia
Day 14 At Sea
Days 15 -20 Antarctica
Days 21-22 The Drake Passage
Day 23 Ushuaia / Buenos Aires

Day 1 - Buenos Aires
The adventure starts with an overnight stay in the ‘birthplace of Tango’ in Buenos Aires, the dazzling capital of Argentina.   Enjoy your time to relax and unearth the secrets of this exciting city at your own leisure, or on one of our guided tours.

Day 2 - Ushuaia
Fly to Ushuaia in the morning, allowing free time to explore the most southerly town on earth, or explore the nearby Tierra del Fuego National Park.   In the afternoon you will be welcomed aboard the MS Fram, before setting sail through the picturesque Beagle Channel in the evening.

Day 3 - At Sea
Enjoy the day at leisure, to relax, socialise with your fellow explorers and keep watch for wildlife on the open deck, as the ship sails towards the Falkland Islands.

Days 4-6 - The Falkland Islands
Around 300 miles east of South America’s Patagonian coast, you will arrive at the beautiful archipelago of the Falkland Islands.  Discover sweeping white sand beaches, beautiful rugged landscapes home to vast colonies of king, rockhopper and macaroni penguins and the port town of Stanley, the fascinating capital of the islands.   You may even spot black-browed albatross gracefully soaring the skies, and seals and sealions lazily flipping sand onshore, giving opportunity to capture wonderful photographs.

Day 7-8 - At Sea
You will spend the next two days en-route to one of the world’s greatest wildlife sanctuaries, South Georgia.  As you sail through the South Atlantic Ocean, there will be many fascinating talks onboard to prepare you for landings in South Georgia.  You will about all aspects of South Georgia from the expert expedition crew, including the wildlife, whaling and polar history.  Discover the fascinating story of Ernest Shackleton, who famously made an epic alpine crossing of South Georgia in search of rescue for his crew following his ship getting crushed by ice in the Weddell Sea.

Days 9-13 - South Georgia
Known as the ‘Galapagos of the Poles’ your extended duration in this incredible wildlife mecca is sure to delight.  South Georgia is home to, the largest king penguin colonies on earth, millions of seabirds, thousands of Weddell, fur and elephant seals amongst many other species of wildlife.   The region has spectacular rugged beauty, where a backdrop of towering mountains, glistening glaciers, fjords and low-lying grassland make this heaven for photographers, hikers, historians, geologists and wildlife enthusiasts alike.  Your expedition crew will evaluate local conditions and create unique daily itineraries to ensure you get to the very best from your time in this special environment.  Highlights may include exploring an abandoned whaling station in Fortuna Bay, witnessing the sight of hanging glaciers, lagoons and a vast king penguin colony at Gold Harbour.  Visit the Norwegian seaman’s church and tiny cemetery, paying homage to the great polar explorer Ernest Shackleton.  Or even retrace his footsteps, as you can enjoy hiking the last part of the route he undertook across South Georgia in search of rescue for his crew stranded on Elephant Island.  

Day 14 - At Sea
This amazing adventure continues, with the Captain steering the ship onto a south-westerly course en-route to Antarctica. Onboard you will learn about the wildlife, history and environment of the Great White Continent, to give you a deeper insight into this untouched world and prepare you for landings.

Day 15-20 - Antarctica
Crossing the Antarctic Convergence, there is a notable drop in the temperature and crispness to the air.   Excitement builds as you spot your first penguin gliding through the crystalline waters and glimpses of shimmering icebergs creating a horizon unlike anything you will ever see before… welcome to Antarctica!  The Captain and Expedition Leader will create a bespoke itinerary based on local ice and weather conditions, aiming to provide opportunity for you to be one of the few to have set foot on the Antarctic ice, kayak through a myriad of ice-sculptures or even perhaps pitch a tent ashore on this stunningly beautiful continent.  

Your expedition may include a visit to the mystical Deception Island, where you can hike around an active volcanic caldera.  You may visit Half Moon Island, known as one of the most picturesque areas in the South Shetlands, resident to thousands of chinstrap penguins.  Spot many thousands of seabirds including giant petrels, skuas and snowy sheathbills at Hannah Point, or a vast Adélie penguin rookery at Paulet Island.   
Subject to ice conditions, the Captain will navigate through the spectacular Antarctic Sound, where you can witness the pristine colours of the numerous giant icebergs.   Discover the ice-capped volcanic cliffs of Brown Bluff and surrounding waters, keeping watch for Gentoo and Adelie penguins, snow petrels, cape petrels, leopard seals and whales.  You may sail through the Errera Channel to witness icebergs trapped in the shallows of the channel with possibility of making a continental landing at Danco Island.  Just a mile long, this dramatic island is stereotypical Antarctica; with a rocky shore awash with Gentoo penguins, a spectacular heavily-crevassed glacier tumbling into the sea and crabeater seals drifting lazily on ice floes.  Antarctica is sure to thrill, with its scale and enchanting beauty impossible to define in words.

Day 21-22 - Drake Passage
Crossing the Drake Passage, you head back towards South America.  There will be entertaining lectures onboard where highlights of the voyage are re-capped, and stories are shared.  Spend time at leisure to relax and enjoy your final few days with your fellow explorers.

Day 23 - Ushuaia / Buenos Aires
Your voyage comes to an end in Ushuaia, where you say farewell to your newfound friends and expedition family.  You will be transferred to the airport, where your journey continues to Buenos Aires for further exploration, or to connect with your international flight home.