Welcome to Santiago, Chile’s bustling capital. With its colonial-era architecture, award-winning restaurants and fascinating museums, it’s the perfect place to start your expedition cruise. There’s a lot to see, from the Mercado Central market to the Plaza de Armas and the Presidential Palace. Check out the Sky Costanera, which offers panoramic views of the city from 1,000 feet up.

You'll have an early start today as we depart Santiago and fly to Punta Arenas, Chile’s southernmost port. Your expedition ship awaits you. Once you’ve boarded, get settled in, explore the ship, and meet your Expedition Team. 

As well as being your guides, hosts and local experts, they’re also your travel companions for the next three weeks. Friendly and welcoming, they’ll answer any questions you may have during your Antarctic adventure.

With our course set for the Falkland Islands, soak up the mesmerising views all around you as you cruise through the Strait of Magellan. You can take in the scenery from the deck, the outdoor hot tub or the panoramic Explorer Lounge & Bar.  

You can also join your Expedition Team in the onboard Science Center to listen to lectures, participate in Citizen Science projects and more. Whether it’s marine biology, Antarctic survival, oceanography or photography, your Expedition Team offers fascinating insights into the places you’ll see on your journey, and you’ll feed off their enthusiasm.

The Falkland archipelago is filled with seamless horizons and white sands teeming with birdlife. Only the occasional farm dots the landscape. You’ll find grassy hills and wildflowers, in contrast to the vast whiteness of Antarctica to come.  You'll also enjoy a community walk of Stanley, taking in the Jubilee Villas gardens, Christ Church Cathedral and the Historic Dockyard Museum.  

Our landings, hikes and excursions are, as always, guided by the conditions. We hope to visit albatross and penguin colonies, which are often found sharing space with seals, and getting as close as we can without disturbing them.

Sailing from the Falklands, we spend two days cruising towards beautiful South Georgia. Known as the Galápagos of the Poles, you can look forward to seeing an archipelago of impressive and diverse wildlife. 

But that’s still a couple of days away, so meet up with your friends in the Expedition Team and listen as they give you a heads up on what you can expect. They will tell you everything they know about South Georgia, including information about the area’s wildlife, polar history, its geology, glaciology and legends of Norwegian whalers. 

If you love wildlife, you’re going to love South Georgia. Nicknames like ‘Serengeti of the Southern Ocean’ and ‘Galápagos of the Poles’ promise a lot, but the islands more than live up to their reputation. Coming here, you’ll understand why South Georgia is a top spot for wildlife photographers from all over the world.

Uniquely positioned inside the Antarctic ecosystem yet outside the reach of sea ice, South Georgia is an ideal home for thousands of breeding penguins and seals. There are notable populations of king penguins who prefer the warmer weather here than their emperor cousins in Antarctica. Both South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands have also been identified as Important Bird Areas, supporting many seabirds including albatross, penguins, petrels, shags, skuas and terns.

With lengthy stays in both the Falklands and South Georgia, you have had time to really immerse yourself in the destinations and their wildlife. Our Expedition Team now focuses your attention on the main event of your expedition – Antarctica. You’ll take in comprehensive lectures and presentations covering polar explorer history, environment and, of course, the wildlife of the region. 

Throughout our journey, the Expedition Team will also be taking water samples for you to study under the microscopes in the Science Center, allowing you to see wildlife at the cellular level. 

Forget everything you have ever experienced before. Antarctica is in a league of its own. No matter how high your expectations are, Antarctica never disappoints. Holding 90% of the world’s ice, it’s massive in every sense of the word. The only country in the world with more surface area is Russia. There is actually land to be found underneath all the ice, but in some places, you would have to dig your way through four kilometres of snow and ice to reach it. 

You will probably see your first seals and penguins from the ship, and that in itself is a fantastic experience. But wait until you stand on the very same shore as a colony of thousands of penguins. Or if a seal shows up beside you as you enjoy an optional activity of kayaking among the icebergs. Caught up in the thrill of the moment, you might not even remember to reach for your camera to take a picture!

Five unforgettable days in Antarctica are over, and the vessel has turned around to take you back north over the Drake Passage. Known for its potentially high winds and strong currents, the passage can also be silent and still, inspiring the nicknames ‘The Drake Shake’ and ‘The Drake Lake’ respectively. But don’t worry, even if we experience rough seas, you will be perfectly safe on our purpose-built expedition ship. 

During our crossing, the Expedition Team will recap our experiences of Antarctica, making it possible to keep your head in Antarctica for a little while longer. As your cruise is coming close to its end, this is also the perfect time to go through the pictures you have taken on your cruise. And for all the things you have loved to do so far on the ship, there is still time to do all of them a couple of times more. 

Your expedition cruise of the Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica comes to an end in Punta Arenas. From here, you'll catch a flight back to Santiago de Chile, taking with you a wealth of fantastic memories that will no doubt endure. 

If you're not ready to end your adventures just yet, why not join one of our optional Post-Programmes.

Secure your space today by calling one of our Travel Specialists on 0203 196 1000 or enquire here