Day 1 - Monday - Jan 6, 2025
You will begin your journey in Ushuaia, a small but bustling port at the tip of South America. It's the ideal gateway for you to explore the southern extent of Patagonia while preparing for your adventure ahead. Get active in the mountains or enjoy handcrafted chocolate at a cafe in town.
Day 2 - Tuesday - Jan 7, 2025
| Cruising Beagle Channel, Argentina |
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Embarkation will occur in the late afternoon, after which your vessel will sail down the historic Beagle Channel, which transects the Tierra del Fuego archipelago in the extreme south of South America. Expect an air of anticipation as you depart!
Day 3 - Wednesday - Jan 8, 2025
There are many activities to keep you engaged while you are at sea. Learn to identify seabirds that glide alongside the ship, or attend dynamic presentations by your Expedition Team. You will be prepped on safety procedures for Zodiac cruises and shore landings, and also be given instructions for getting the most out of your optional sea kayaking adventures (extra cost), a truly intimate way to experience Antarctica. If conditions are right, the first indication that you are approaching South Georgia is the sight of birds around a group of rocky spires called Shag Rocks. Have your binoculars and cameras ready to capture these rocky spires rising out of the icy ocean waters. Shags and prions often rest here, and due to nutrient rich upwellings around the rocks it can be a good place to keep a lookout for whales.
Day 4 - Thursday - Jan 9, 2025
Day 5 - Friday - Jan 10, 2025
Day 6 - Saturday - Jan 11, 2025
Day 7 - Sunday - Jan 12, 2025
After enjoying South Georgia from a distance, we'll head toward its numerous beaches to find a bay for your first excursion. Landing sites are varied, largely determined by the weather conditions of your voyage. The sites you visit will provide you with wildlife encounters unrivaled anywhere else on Earth. South Georgia is one of the most fertile breeding grounds in the world for sub-Antarctic wildlife, with beaches blanketed with penguins and seals. It won't take you long to realize that you are in a birder's paradise, as burrowing seabirds, albatrosses, and petrels can be seen in abundance. You'll find that South Georgia, once a popular base for whalers and sealers, is also scattered with abandoned relics and evidence of human activity from centuries gone by. Your Expedition Team will help bring those days to life while you visit old whaling stations and enjoy presentations on the South Georgia of then and now. One of the most significant sites you will visit on the island is Grytviken. This settlement is one of the first whaling stations established in sub-Antarctic waters. Grytviken possesses a special appeal largely because it's the site of the grave of Sir Ernest Shackleton, one of the most famous Antarctic explorers.
Day 8 - Monday - Jan 13, 2025
Day 9 - Tuesday - Jan 14, 2025
Day 10 - Wednesday - Jan 15, 2025
Say goodbye to the king penguins as you leave for your next destination: Antarctica! Your days at sea are filled with presentations and workshops led by your Expedition Team, who will prepare you for the wildlife and landscapes that will surround you upon your arrival on the 7th Continent.
Day 11 - Thursday - Jan 16, 2025
Day 12 - Friday - Jan 17, 2025
| Cruising Antarctica, Antarctica |
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The most common reaction upon reaching Antarctica is a sense of reverence and awe. The experience is hard to put into words, since few places are as untouched and enduring as Antarctica. You will discover a land of extremes. One moment you'll be overcome with a feeling of complete isolation and silence, and the next moment you'll be inspired by nature as a calving glacier crashes into a brilliant blue sea or a curious penguin waddles by to observe you. Your Expedition Team will take care of you at each excursion, whether you are Zodiac cruising, visiting a historical site, or observing penguin colonies. Chinstrap, Adelie, and gentoo penguins are found here, along with Weddell, fur, crabeater, and leopard seals. Keep a lookout for Antarctic whales, such as minkes, while on a Zodiac cruise. Each day and each excursion will present a new array of creatures to delight you and keep your camera busy. As exciting as the Zodiac excursions and landings are, perhaps you'll treat yourself to an extra-special Antarctic experience by booking an optional paddling excursion (at an extra cost), or cast reason aside and jump into Antarctic waters for the Polar Plunge!
Day 13 - Saturday - Jan 18, 2025
| Cruising Antarctica, Antarctica |
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Day 14 - Sunday - Jan 19, 2025
| Cruising Antarctica, Antarctica |
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Day 15 - Monday - Jan 20, 2025
| Cruising Antarctica, Antarctica |
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Day 16 - Tuesday - Jan 21, 2025
| Drake Passage, Antarctica |
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After more than a dozen days of unique wildlife encounters and remarkable landscapes, your journey home begins. Crossing the Drake is your unofficial rite of passage. Spend time on deck watching for seabirds and whales, enjoy presentations by your Expedition Team, or simply relax and reminisce about your experiences.
Day 17 - Wednesday - Jan 22, 2025
| Drake Passage, Antarctica |
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Day 18 - Thursday - Jan 23, 2025
You will arrive in Ushuaia in the morning, which allows you to continue your adventure onward or catch your flights home.
