Antarctica to Cape Town

Nestled in the foothills of the snow-capped Martial Range, Ushuaia’s colourful streets and mismatched buildings cascade from the imposing mountains before coming to an abrupt halt at the shores of the Beagle Channel. As one of the world’s southernmost cities, Ushuaia carries its ‘end of the world’ reputation well. The moody weather and dramatic surroundings certainly help. Board your boutique ship before departing for your journey through one of the most captivating wilderness regions of the world.

As you cruise to your next port of call, spend the day at sea savouring the ship’s facilities and learning about your destination’s many facets from the knowledgeable onboard experts.

While the South Shetlands’ proximity to Antarctica makes the ice-bound sea impassable during winter (April to November), these are the first islands to see snow melt in spring (March) and the slightly warmer temperature means that the fauna is also different from what you see in Antarctica proper. As we go ashore by Zodiac, notice ferns, grasses, lichens and native flora that have more in common with Patagonia than they do with Antarctica.

Among captivating glaciers, majestic icebergs and snowy islands, the Antarctic Peninsula is where most visitors to the White Continent will live out their Antarctica dream. The Antarctic Peninsula, the most accessible area of the continent, hosts several scientific bases and some of the most interesting wildlife scenery, such as the extremely photogenic Lemaire Channel. Shore excursions might include Petermann Island, where among Adelie penguins, blue-eyed shags and skuas, huge, lumbering elephant seals haul out.

While the South Shetlands’ proximity to Antarctica makes the ice-bound sea impassable during winter (April to November), these are the first islands to see snow melt in spring (March) and the slightly warmer temperature means that the fauna is also different from what you see in Antarctica proper. As we go ashore by Zodiac, notice ferns, grasses, lichens and native flora that have more in common with Patagonia than they do with Antarctica.

Located east of the South Shetland Islands, the South Orkney Islands are rarely visited. Often shrouded in mist, the archipelago’s four islands are surrounded by icebergs and sea ice that often presents a challenge when landing. Unfortunately, the former sealing and whaling industries decimated the islands' populations of sea mammals, however, seal populations have started to make a return. Those lucky enough to make a shore landing can also observe nesting Adélie penguins, gentoo penguins and downy snow petrels.

Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to our library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of our on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from our onboard professional photographers.

Often called the “Galapagos of the Poles”, South Georgia has a number of landing sites where you get up close to half a million king penguins or three million breeding pairs of macaroni penguins, making up the largest population in the world. If you are lucky you will also see harrumphing elephant seals - from a distance! We also visit Grytviken, the historic whaling station where legendary British explorer Ernest Shackleton (1874–1922) is buried.

As you cruise to your next port of call, spend the day at sea savouring the ship’s facilities and learning about your destination’s many facets from the knowledgeable onboard experts. Listen to an enriching talk, indulge in a relaxing treatment at the spa, work out in the well-equipped gym, enjoy some down- time in your cabin, share travel reminiscences with newly found friends: the options are numerous.

Located 1700 Nautical miles from Cape Town, Gough Island is difficult to locate on a map. With just a permanent group of Scientists Gough is definitely one of the most remote inhabited islands on the planet, home also to some of the world’s rarest birds: the Gough Moorhen and the Gough Bunting. We hope to spot some migrating whales and other fascinating wildlife in the vicinity of the atlantic Gem.

With barely 250 permanent inhabitants, Tristan da Cunha is far from the beaten path. The island teems with wildlife such as Northern rockhopper penguins, the endangered Tristan Albatross and sea lions while the surrounding upwellings attract vast numbers of Whales and Dolphins.

Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. Get an expert’s view in one of our on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from our onboard professional photographers.

Ending our epic transatlantic journey with one of the most spectacular city sceneries in Africa . Domiated by Table Mountain , Cape town is a cosmopolitan city with plenty of nearby splendid vineyards , wonderful harbour fronts and surprising restaurants where one can indulge on the delicious seafood