Falkland Islands South Georgia Antarctica Cruise

   
 
 

Falklands, S. Georgia & Antarctica Aboard M/V Plancius

Antarctic Cruise

19 Days / 12 locations in Argentina, Chile, Falkland Islands, South Georgia, South Orkney, and Antarctica

This Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Antarctic Peninsula cruise is an animal-lover’s dream come true. The expedition explores one of the last untamed areas on Earth – a land of ruggedly beautiful landscapes and amazingly varied wildlife.

Itinerary

 
Day 1     Ushuaia - Beagle Channel
On Board the M/V Plancius
Meals: Dinner

We embark m/v Plancius in Ushuaia

In the afternoon, we embark in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world located at the Beagle Channel and sail through this scenic waterway for the rest of the evening.

 
Day 2     At Sea
On Board the M/V Plancius
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

At sea, in the wester lies the ship is followed by several species of albatrosses, storm petrels, shearwaters and diving petrels.

 
Day 3     Falkland Islands
On Board the M/V Plancius
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

In the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) we plan to spend the whole day on the fascinating western side of the archipelago. A hike along the shore of Carcass Island will give us instead views of Magellanic and Gentoo-Penguins, as well as close encounters with water fowl and Night herons. In addition, on Saunders we will be able to observe Rockhopper Penguins, Black-browed Albatrosses and King Cormorants.

 
Day 4     Stanley
On Board the M/V Plancius
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

In Stanley, the capital of the Falklands, we can experience Falkland culture, which has some South American characteristics as well as Victorian charm. In Stanley and the surrounding area we can see quite an important number of stranded clippers from a century ago. All passengers are free to wander around on their own. We recommend a visit to the local church and museum (admission fees not included)

 
Days 5 - 6     At Sea
On Board the M/V Plancius
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

On our way to South Georgia we will cross the Antarctic Convergence. Entering Antarctic waters, the temperature may drop significantly in the time span of only a few hours. Near the Convergence we will see a multitude of southern seabirds near the ship; several species of Albatrosses, Shearwaters, Petrels, Prions and Skuas.

 
Days 7 - 10     South Georgia - Grytviken
On Board the M/V Plancius
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

South Georgia

In the afternoon of day 7 we arrive at our first landing site in South Georgia. We might visit the bay of Elsehul, with its very active fur seal breeding beach, and then set course to Right Whale Bay, Salisbury Plain, Godthul, St. Andrews Bay, Gold Harbour, Cooper Bay and Drygalski Fjord to give you a good opportunity to see a wide spectrum of landscapes and wildlife, like the Elephant seals, Fur seals, King and Macaroni Penguins. One of the highlights might be our visit to Prion Island, where we will witness the breeding efforts of the huge Wandering Albatross and enjoy watching their displays (the island is closed for visitors during breeding season from 20 Nov – 07 January). At Fortuna Bay we might try to follow in the footsteps of the great British Explorer Ernest Shackleton and hike over to Stromness Bay. There and at Grytviken we’ll see an abandoned whaling village, where King Penguins now walk in the streets and seals have taken over the buildings. At Grytviken we’ll also offer a visit to the Whaling History Museum as well as to Shackleton´s grave nearby. We will depart from South Georgia in the afternoon of day 10.

 
Day 11     At Sea
On Board the M/V Plancius
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Where the ship is again followed by a multitude of seabirds. At some point we might encounter sea-ice, and it is at the ice-edge where we might have a chance to see some high-Antarctic species like the McCormick Skua and Snow Petrel.

 
Day 12     South Orkney Islands
On Board the M/V Plancius
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

We are aiming for a visit at Orcadas station, an Argentinean base located in the South Orkney Islands. The friendly base personnel will show us their facilities and we can enjoy the wonderful views of the surrounding glaciers.

 
Day 13     At Sea
On Board the M/V Plancius
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A day to relax at sea.

 
Days 14 - 16     Deception Island - Half Moon Island - Antarctic Peninsula
On Board the M/V Plancius
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Antarctic Peninsula

If the ice permits we will sail into the Weddell Sea through the ice-clogged Antarctic Sound. Huge tabular icebergs will announce our arrival to the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula. We plan to visit Brown Bluff where we may set foot on the Continent. In good sailing conditions we may decide to extend our time in the Weddell Sea. In Deception Island our ship braves into the entrance of the crater through the spectacular Neptune’s Bellows. Deception itself is a sub-ducted crater, which opens into the sea, creating a natural harbour for the ship. Here we find hot springs, an abandoned whaling station, thousands of Cape Petrels and many Kelp Gulls, Brown and South Polar Skuas and Antarctic Terns. Wilson’s Storm Petrels and Black-bellied Storm Petrels nest in the ruins of the whaling station in Whalers Bay. We leave from here and sail through the Shetland Islands attempting to land at Half Moon Island with a large Chinstrap penguin rookery and the usually non-occupied Argentinean Camara station. We may visit Cierva Cove were we find ourselves in a world of icebergs well suited for an exploratory Zodiac cruise in search of fantastic photo opportunities. Humpback whales, Crabeater seals and Leopard seals are often seen here and a small rookery of Chinstraps are found on a small island in the bay. The landscape is typical Antarctica with huge glaciated mountains all around. Mikkelsen Harbour on the southern side of Trinity Island was discovered by the Swedish Antarctic Expedition of 1901-04. Gentoo penguins nest on the island and Weddell seals often haul out on shore. We also find remains of the early 20th Century Whaling period and an Argentinean refuge hut.

 
Days 17 - 18     Drake Passage
On Board the M/V Plancius
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

On our way north we are again followed by a great selection of seabirds while crossing the Drake Passage.

 
Day 19     Ushuaia
Meals: Breakfast

We arrive in the morning in Ushuaia and disembark.

 

Notes

PLEASE NOTE: All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on local ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. The on-board expedition leader will determine the final itinerary. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises. Average cruising speed of m/v Plancius is 10.5 knots .

Price Includes
Free Use of Rubber Boots for Excursions
Services of Expedition Guides
Port Charges & Tax
Tax and Port Charges
Conferences and Shipboard Entertainment
Shore Excursions
All Meals
Accommodations in Select Cabin Category
Price Does Not Include
 Baggage, Cancellation and Personal Insurance (which Is Mandatory).
 Air Fare
OCE-1269
1.28.15.WP26