FALKLANDS, SOUTH GEORGIA ISLANDS & ANTARCTICA

Transfer from your hotel to the city airport for your included flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia. Meet and transfer to ship. Capital of Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego province, Ushuaia lies in a bay opening into the Beagle Channel, at the country’s southernmost tip.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

Remote and raw, New Island lies to the west of the Falkland Islands, and the humble human population here is far out- weighed by the extraordinary birdlife that resides along its craggy coastline. Out in the tempestuous wilds of the South Atlantic Ocean, the island is a sanctuary of animal life – with crowds of rockhopper penguins, wrinkled seals and stern- looking albatross among its many residents. The penguins of the Falklands are a sight to see, fooling and falling on the beaches, before diving in and whipping through the waters. Home to five different species, including king penguins – who strut with their orange collars glowing against the pure white feathers of their chests. Sea lions, seals and elephant seals bark and lumber along the shoreline, while sleek orcas patrol and Peale’s dolphins cut through the waves. Enjoy gorgeous sweeping landscapes, littered with shipwrecks and sprinkles of colorful wildflowers. Things haven’t always been so peaceful here, however, and you can pay a visit to the battlefields and memorials of the costly war in 1982, when the British and Argentinians clashed fiercely over these islands. Hike West Point Island’s quiet landscapes, and look out for endemic plants like Felton’s flower carpeting the green interior. Deco- rated with some of the archipelago’s most dramatic scenery, explore this wind-lashed, distant land of soaring cliffs and towering coastal precipices. Cliff Mountain is the island’s standout – a towering sandstone monolith, and the archipelago’s highest cliff, falling away to swirling waves below.

Despite it being a stalwart of Britishness, Stanley more resembles Patagonia than Portsmouth. But, despite the windswept, vast and achingly beautiful landscape of the Falkland Islands, don’t be too surprised to find the odd pub serving ales and even fish’n’chips. While landmarks such as Christ Church Cathedral, with its whalebone arch are 100% local, there is also a good smattering of imported garden gnomes and Union Jacks to remind you whose territory you are really on. How- ever, the true heroes of Stanley are of course the thousands and thousands of penguins. Five species nest here during mating season (including the rare rockhopper penguin). There are virtually no barriers between you and the wildlife; allow- ing for a truly interactive, authentic and totally unforgettable experience.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

Charcoal-black mountains ladled with snow, giant glaciers and thriving wildlife combine to make South Georgia one of the great natural islands. Adventure to these far flung lands – where the animals are in charge and humans come a distant second. Here you’ll witness a cacophony of calling birds, natural set pieces like elephant seals clashing and thrashing, and crowds of colorful king penguins stretching out as far as the eye can see. An overseas territory of the UK, these isolated, sub Antarctic islands once formed a remote whaling center – and you can still visit the former whaling stations. Nowadays the giants of the sea are free to cruise the icy waters uninhibited.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

Promising thrilling adventure, legendary tales and immaculate Antarctic beauty, Elephant Island is perhaps Antarctica’s best- known location. The exploits of its early explorers have immortalized this harsh, monochrome island in the tomes of human history. Believed to take its name from the elephant seals that early explorers spotted lolling on its rocks, the volcanic island was not properly explored until 1916 – when Ernest Shackleton and his men were stricken by the weather and sought salvation on its shores. Their story of survival, stranded in this barren land, is one of humanity’s most evocative and inspiring accounts. You’ll discover Shackleton’s tale for yourself as you arrive in the island’s icy realm. The remark- able, slowly flowing Endurance Glacier – which you’ll see on arrival here – takes its name from their ship, The Endurance.

Taking its name from the first ship to brave the passageway between the peninsula and the Joinville Island groups back in 1902, the Sound is a raw, sensory assault of imposing ice- berg slabs, broken away from the disintegrating Larsen Ice Shelf. Come face-to-face with stadium-sized islands of ice and meet the extraordinary birdlife that call this whitewash kingdom home. Watch colonies of Gentoo penguins hop around, and cape petrels sweep overhead, as the continent’s unique wildlife thrives around you.

Stretching up from the heart of the world’s southernmost continent, the Antarctic Peninsula lies a mere 620 mile from Tierra del Fuego and, for many, offers a spectacular first taste of the snow-blanketed landscapes and colossal ice sculptures, which make up Earth’s least-explored continent. Unseen by humans until 1820 – a blink of an eye ago in relative terms – this is an adventure sure to make your hairs stand on end, as you experience the thrill of the truly unknown and extraordinary. The vast peninsula is sprinkled with research bases, which are at the frontline of human scientific endeavor, pushing to study and understand this unique landscape, its exceptional wildlife, and the impact that humans are having on this pristine continent. Witness cathedral-sized icebergs up close, and blue-hued glaciers, slowly slipping from imposing locations like Hope Bay. Blanched mountain peaks cover the peninsula, and you’ll find thousands of adorable Adelie penguin pairs thriving un- disturbed in this peninsula’s unique setting.

Separated from the Antarctic Peninsula by the Bransfield Strait, nine major islands make up the group. The region was the first to be exploited by sealers in the early 19th century, and because of its proximity to South America, it still is the most visited by scientists and tourists. Chinstrap, Adelie, Gentoo and Macaroni Penguins all breed here. In addition, because it is the warmest part of the continent, large moss beds as well as orange, black, grey and green lichens grow. Leopard seals, Weddell seals, crabeater seals, Southern elephant seals and Antarctic fur seals can be seen in the water and on the beaches.

Separated from the Antarctic Peninsula by the Bransfield Strait, nine major islands make up the group. The region was the first to be exploited by sealers in the early 19th century, and because of its proximity to South America, it still is the most visited by scientists and tourists. Chinstrap, Adelie, Gentoo and Macaroni Penguins all breed here. In addition, because it is the warmest part of the continent, large moss beds as well as orange, black, grey and green lichens grow. Leopard seals, Weddell seals, crabeater seals, Southern elephant seals and Antarctic fur seals can be seen in the water and on the beaches. Sailing the legendary Drake Passage is an experience that few are ever lucky enough to experience.

After breakfast, disembark Silver Cloud. Transfer to airport for your included slight to Buenos Aires
We recommend adding a few days to explore Patagonia and Buenos Aires.

*NOTE: The November 6, 2022 sailing departs from Buenos Aires, and is 22 days in duration – an excellent value. All other details are as described in the itinerary.