South Georgia Explorer
Itinerary Map
South Georgia has been called ‘the most staggering wildlife show on earth’. After our in-depth exploration, we are certain you will agree. This seldom-visited corner of the planet is a place we know intimately and cherish sharing with our guests every season.
Each season offers amazing opportunities for encountering South Georgia’s wildlife. Our later season voyage offers a wondrous spectacle of nature that is ideal or photographers and wildlife lovers looking to see the newly born animals.
Expect an abundance of baby fur seals which cover South Georgia’s beaches at this time of year which makes an excellent photographic subject that you will not find during other months.
February offers the unique opportunity to land on Prion Island, which is closed to visitors for most of the season and off limits to larger ships year round, to witness the spectacle of Wandering Albatross’s feeding their newborn chicks at their nests.
Young king penguins are starting to test the cold waters for the first time at the rookeries in Saint Andrews Bay and Salisbury plain. Gentoo, Macaroni and Chinstrap penguins gather in large creches as they start to fledge.
This season is the most active for marine life and offers the best opportunities for whale watching in South Georgia and species such as minke, humpback, fin and orcas are at their most numerous.
For lovers of remote, small-ship expedition cruising, this voyage ticks every box you could possibly imagine.
Length of Travel: 15 Days
Itinerary in Brief
- Day 1: Depart from Port Stanley, Falkland Islands
- Day 2-3: At Sea
- Days 4 -12: South Georgia
- Day 13-14: At Sea
- Day 15: Arrive to Port Stanley, Falkalnd Islands
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Embarkation in Port Stanley
LATAM flight landing at Mount Pleasant Airport, Falkland Islands (flight not included). Transfer bus to the harbour for embarkation at 16:00 Local Time.
Days 2-3: At sea
En route to South Georgia, you cross the Antarctic Convergence. The temperature cools considerably within the space of a few hours, and nutritious water rises to the surface of the sea due to colliding water columns. This phenomenon attracts a multitude of seabirds near the ship, including several species of albatross, shearwaters, petrels, prions, and skuas.
Day 4: Shag Rocks
This small group of 6 islands on the South Georgia Ridge in shallower waters. The nutrient-rich waters in this area offers a lot of food for birds and whales. The islands are named after the South Georgian Shags, known for their bright blue eyes and yellow patch on their beak.
Day 5 – 10: South Georgia journey
Majestic snow-covered mountains greet us on arrival in South Georgia. We hope to navigate the ship into the historic location of King Haakon Bay. It was here that, 100 years ago, Shackleton and his men made landfall in their small lifeboat, the James Caird, after completing the perilous ocean crossing from Elephant Island. This dramatic location is visited by just a handful of ships each season. One of the most anticipated sites in South Georgia is Salisbury Plain. The black sand beaches and tussock covered dunes are home to a staggering 100,000 ing penguin adults and their young. This is just one of several such king penguin rookeries on South Georgia. Fur seals can also be seen poking their heads above the water; the elephant seals will enjoy lazing about the beach, while the skuas and giant petrels fill the skies above. Meanwhile, the albatross – our constant companion on this journey – is never far away.
Day 11 – 14: At sea
There may be sea ice on this route, south polar skuas and snow petrels could join the other seabirds such as albatrosses and petrels trailing the vessel. Eventually we reach the Drake Passage and you’re again greeted by the vast array of seabirds remembered from the passage south.
Day 15: Disembarkation in Port Stanley
Arrive Port Stanley, disembarkation set at 09:00 Local Time. Transfer bus to Mount Pleasant Airport (flight not included).
Upcoming Trips with this Itinerary:
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Price
$10,900.00 – $15,800.00 Adventure Options
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