Patagonia, Falklands & Antarctica

If you have time before joining ship, visit the Ciudad Vieja (Old Town) with its 18th century buildings, the vibrant Mercado del Puerto, the bustling Avenida 18 de Julio with its numerous theatres, museums and art galleries, and the stretch of white, sandy beaches surrounding the city.

Embark ship and set sail in the afternoon

Enjoy the first day on board! The Expedition team will start the lecture program covering history and the great explorers, marine biology, wildlife, oceanography and climate change. Spend some time on deck and enjoy the sun and the warm temperatures and look out for wildlife as we make our way south.

This is one of the wildlife highlights of Argentina. The Valdes Peninsula is a wildlife reservation that has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is home to some of the country's richest wildlife, with elephant seals, Magellanic penguins, the southern right whale and a great variety of birds.

We will also pay a visit to the interesting city of Puerto Madryn.

Enjoy a day at sea, sharing experiences, exchanging stories, photos and films with your fellow adventurers. Spend time on deck looking for birds and marine mammals as we head south.

The Falklands Islands consist of two large islands and around 700 smaller ones with an estimated 3,000 inhabitants. As we reach the westernmost settled outposts in the Falklands you will see remote farms that have been family owned for six or seven generations. The sheep graze alongside immense colonies of albatross and rockhopper, penguins while predatory striated caracaras patrol overhead and upland geese forage at the water’s edge. We will visit a local family and enjoy cakes and refreshments.

The Falklands are teeming with wonders of wildlife and nature. This is an unpolluted environment with fantastically clear blue skies, seamless horizons, vast open spaces and stunning white sand beaches. Stanley, the islands’ capital, makes a wonderful starting point for the various excursions we offer in the area. The town is easy enough to discover in a day on foot as shops and services are all centred on the port, including Stanley's lively pubs.

Spend time on deck looking for birds and marine mammals as we head south. Enjoy the first of our series of expert lectures. Once we have crossed the Antarctic Convergence, you will notice that the air becomes crisper and colder. From deck, you might start seeing icebergs in the water, maybe whales as well.

Antarctica is sure to overwhelm you. Endless white horizons, oceans are full of glorious icebergs and whales. Maybe even more awe-inspiring will be your meeting with the huge colonies of penguins. They are not afraid of humans; you can look forward to true close encounters with this most charming of bird species. Come ashore to explore the impressive Antarctic scenery. From deck, there are great chances to spot whales. Enjoy close encounters with wildlife and glaciers, old whaling stations and relics. You are in one of the most remote areas of the world and the sensations are non-stop. We will land several times for unforgettable experiences.

Among the locations we may visit are Half Moon Island, Yankee Harbour and Cuverville Island, home to a large colony of Gentoo penguins. Neko Harbour is beautifully located in the innermost part of Andvord Bay, and Paradise Harbour got its descriptive name from the whalers who came here long ago. When the storms were at their worst, this is where they came to seek shelter. The high glacier walls in Wilhelmina Bay convey the mighty power of ice, from calving glacier fronts to floating ice.

We cross the renowned Drake Passage followed by petrels and albatrosses.

Disembark and transfer to airport for your flight to Buenos Aires.