Day 1 - Wednesday - Feb 21, 2024
| Santiago (Valparaiso), Chile |
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Depart on an overnight flight to Santiago. Check into the Mandarin Oriental Santiago (or similar) before our guided overview of this vibrant city backed by the inspiring Andes. Discover sites like the Plaza de Armas and get a feel for the mix of old and new that makes this city so great. In the early evening, we gather for an informal reception and a drink at the hotel.
Day 2 - Thursday - Feb 22, 2024
| Santiago (Valparaiso), Chile |
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Today, we fly south to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, where we meet our ship. 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 our journey to the White Continent and a great destination in its own right. While we're there, we visit Tierra del Fuego National Park. Lunch will be served onboard a private catamaran while cruising the Beagle Channel, where we'll be on the lookout for huge South American sea lions and birds like imperial cormorants.
Day 3 - Friday - Feb 23, 2024
Settle into shipboard life as we sail to the Falkland Islands. Keep a lookout for albatross that glide alongside the ship.
Day 4 - Saturday - Feb 24, 2024
| Falkland Islands, Falkland Islands |
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Everything we love about expedition travel seems 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 in to 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 we'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.
Day 5 - Sunday - Feb 25, 2024
| Falkland Islands, Falkland Islands |
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Day 6 - Monday - Feb 26, 2024
| Falkland Islands, Falkland Islands |
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Day 7 - Tuesday - Feb 27, 2024
With whales beneath and birds above, we continue toward South Georgia Island. Our naturalists will prepare us for the exciting days ahead with presentations on the wildlife of South Georgia, and, of course, the inspiring story of Sir Ernest Shackleton and the Endurance.
Day 8 - Wednesday - Feb 28, 2024
Day 9 - Thursday - Feb 29, 2024
Simply put, there is nowhere else in the world like South Georgia. King penguins, the second-largest 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, our schedule is flexible with opportunities for walking, hiking, kayaking, and Zodiac excursions. Sailing along the coast, we plan to offer 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.
Day 10 - Friday - Mar 1, 2024
Day 11 - Saturday - Mar 2, 2024
Day 12 - Sunday - Mar 3, 2024
Day 13 - Monday - Mar 4, 2024
Day 14 - Tuesday - Mar 5, 2024
As we voyage, head up to the Bridge to watch for icebergs and observe expert navigation at work as our skilled captain and officers sail these historic waters. There'll also be time to enjoy a massage in the wellness center, work out in the gym, and browse in the library. Each day the onboard naturalists offer talks that add depth to your experience.
Day 15 - Wednesday - Mar 6, 2024
Day 16 - Thursday - Mar 7, 2024
| Cruising Antarctica, Antarctica |
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With long hours of daylight at this time of year, we have ample opportunities to explore. Our schedule is flexible, allowing us to take advantage of the unexpected. We 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 Adelie and gentoo penguins; or experience the thrill of the ship crunching through pack ice. Everywhere we go in Antarctica we're surrounded by opportunities to capture uniquely beautiful images. Along the way our expert expedition team will enrich our experiences.
Day 17 - Friday - Mar 8, 2024
| Cruising Antarctica, Antarctica |
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Day 18 - Saturday - Mar 9, 2024
| Cruising Antarctica, Antarctica |
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Day 19 - Sunday - Mar 10, 2024
| Cruising Antarctica, Antarctica |
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Day 20 - Monday - Mar 11, 2024
| Drake Passage, Antarctica |
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This 500-mile-wide strait between the Antarctic Peninsula and South America 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 our best opportunity to see gorgeous seabirds like the wandering albatross, and we might be lucky enough to encounter orca whales or rare species of dolphins. Visit the Bridge (a great place to spot wildlife), have a relaxing massage, attend a talk about the biology of the penguins you've just seen, or settle into a comfy chair in the observation lounge to look out over the waves and reflect on your incredible journey. Toast our epic voyage at a festive farewell dinner.
Day 21 - Tuesday - Mar 12, 2024
| Drake Passage, Antarctica |
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Day 22 - Wednesday - Mar 13, 2024
| Santiago (Valparaiso), Chile |
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Disembark in Ushuaia. Fly by private charter to Santiago and transfer to the airport for your flight home.
