King Penguins of the Falklands and South Georgia - Expedition

Arrive in Montevideo, the capital and largest city of Uruguay and enjoy its rich and vibrant culture. You can arrive at any time and an arrival transfer is included if arriving in on day one of the itinerary. Upon arrival into Montevideo Airport (MVD) or the ferry terminal, please collect your luggage and look for a representative in the Arrivals Hall, holding a sign with your name on it. If you have booked your flights or ferry independently, please make sure that you have advised us of your arrival details so that a transfer is booked for you. Be sure to keep all of your important documents - i.e. passport and travel insurance, and also your medication in your hand luggage, as your main luggage will be transferred separately to the hotel. There are no activities planned today. If your flight or ferry arrives earlier in the day, perhaps you might choose to explore the city. Highlights include the Plaza Independencia, the heart of Ciudad Vieja (the Old Town) or why not wander through the charming narrow streets, past architectural landmarks such as the Teatro Solis and Iglesia Matriz. Montevideo has an eclectic mix of activities, with grand old theatres, late night music venues and cosy tango bars. You will not want to miss the fantastic atmosphere of the 'Mercado del Puerto' where you can sample the local Steak speciality, surrounded by street musicians and artists in this lively market place.

Today we embark aboard the Expedition. The group will leave the hotel together in the early afternoon. The morning is free for you to do any last minute shopping or some final exploration of the city. The evening is spent onboard the ship sailing southwards towards the Falkland Islands. Please note while it is our intention to adhere to the itinerary described below, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable, to make alterations. On the first day on board, your Expedition Leader will give you an expedition overview.

As you make the passage south you have time to become acquainted with the ship and onboard staff and crew. Spend time on deck spotting wildlife including albatrosses and always keeping our eyes peeled for whales and dolphins.

During our first days at sea, we begin our lecture programmes, to learn more about the extraordinary human and natural history of the Antarctic region.

Soon to arrive in the Falkland Islands, try and catch a glimpse from deck of a Wandering Albatross in flight - this species has the largest wingspan of any living bird.

Today, we arrive in the Falkland Islands. From here, you have a rare opportunity to witness the biological diversity and extraordinary scenery of the southern islands. Penguins, elephant seals and sea lions are abundant. Port Stanley provides an opportunity to meet the hardy local inhabitants whose colourful houses provide contrast to the long dark winters. The islands consist of 700 small and mostly uninhabited islands and 2 main islands - East and West Falklands. Located 490 km east of Patagonia, the Falklands have always been a land of hot debate. Officially discovered on August 14, 1592 by John Davis they remained uninhabited until 1764 when the French built a garrison at Port Louis disregarding the Spanish claim to the islands. From that moment on there have been many disputes between Spain, France, Britain and Argentina over the next 200 plus years until the end of the Falklands War between Britain and Argentina in 1982 brought the islands firmly under Britain's control. Now with a human population of only 2491, the islands are the first stop in our journey.

There is an abundance of birdlife in the Falklands and we hope to catch our first glimpses of penguins, including the Magellanic, rockhopper, macaroni, gentoo, and king penguins. With a little luck we may also see king cormorants, black-browed albatross, skuas, giant petrels and striated caracaras to name a few ..

Sailing east now we'll set course for South Georgia Island.

Our days at sea will be filled with lectures to prepare us for South Georgia and we will have plenty of time on deck to identify the abundant sea birds of the south ocean. We keep our eyes peeled for the whales that inhabit these waters.

We arrive in South Georgia Island, home to many marvels including Shackleton's grave, several former whaling stations, incredible scenery and prolific wildlife. Weather-permitting, we will have three full days to explore this island. A huge colony of king penguins is the highlight of this part of the journey and on nearby islands, we'll hope to spot wandering albatross in their nesting grounds.

South Georgia, Known for its brutal whaling and exploratory history, is an island that is 170 km long and 40 km wide. It is considered the first gateway to Antarctica and was the centre of the huge Southern Ocean whaling industry from 1904 to 1966. The famous captain, James Cook was the first to land on South Georgia on January 17, 1775 and named the island after King George III. During the 62 years of whaling activities, any number between 183 whales the first year and the record 7825 whales in 1925-26 seasons, were killed annually for their oil. Whales weren't the only animals hunted for their oil at that time. A total of 498,870 seals - mostly giant elephant seals - were also slaughtered. Since the end of whaling activities 40 years ago, wildlife has slowly returned to the island. Today, the Island's wildlife is extraordinary, not only in its variety, but also for its sheer abundance. South Georgia is home to roughly 300,000 elephant seals, 3 million fur seals, and 25 species of breeding birds, including wandering albatrosses. The gravel beach at St. Andrews Bay has a king penguin rookery of 100,000 and an estimated five million macaroni penguins. There will be plenty of time to explore these rookeries and to lose yourself amongst these gracious-looking creatures. Ensure cameras are fully charged for this fantastic spectacle of wildlife!

Also important, is the historic value of this area. The British explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton, landed at King Haakon Bay on the southwest coast. He and his men, landed here after the 800-mile journey in a 20-foot open boat from Elephant Island. They proceeded to hike the ice covered mountainous terrain, arriving at Stromness whaling station on May 20, 1916. Shackleton returned to South Georgia in 1922 for one last assault on Antarctica, but passed away after suffering a major heart attack in his cabin. He was buried at the whaler's cemetery at Grytviken station, at the request of his wife.

More time to enjoy the island's diversity of wildlife. You will also have the opportunity to visit the fascinating whaling museum at Grytviken, as well as pay your respects to Sir Shackleton, at his nearby grave.

Plotting a southwesterly course we make way towards legendary Elephant Island in the South Shetland Islands. The waters are rich with nutrients and the long summer days provide the ingredient that is missing most of the year. The result is a complex food chain topped by several species of whales, seals and seabirds.

More on-board lectures will be offerred to prepare for you for your landings in Antarctica.

This is what we've all been waiting for - a chance to step foot on the Great White Continent! Over the next four days we will navigate southwards, making stops in the South Shetland Islands then through the Bransfield Strait and to the Antarctic Peninsula. Our goal is to attempt two excursions per day while we navigate through the area, but our itinerary and daily schedule will be based on the local weather and ice conditions that we encounter. The continent itself is roughly circular with a spindly arm, called the Antarctic Peninsula, reaching northwards towards Tierra del Fuego. South America is the nearest landmass, some 600 miles away. Considerably larger than either the United States or Europe, and twice the size of Australia, the continent is surrounded by a frozen sea that varies in area from one million square miles in summer to 7.3 million square miles in winter. Ninety-five percent of the continent of Antarctica is ice covered and contains the freshest water on earth - about 70 percent of all fresh water on earth in fact. The highest point in Antarctica is Vinson Massif, with an altitude of 16,864 feet above sea level; the lowest point is the Bentley Subglacial Trench at 8,200 feet below sea level, located in West Antarctica. Antarctica has the highest average elevation of all the continents at about 7,500 feet about sea level. This is a continent of superlatives. It is the coldest, windiest, driest, iciest and highest of all the major landmasses in the world. It is the continent with the longest nights and the longest days and it is home to the world's greatest concentration of wildlife. It is also one of the last true wilderness areas left on earth - largely unchanged since the early explorers and whalers first landed on its inhospitable shores less than two centuries ago. The lowest temperature ever recorded anywhere on earth, -89.2°C, was registered on July 21, 1983, at Vostok Station. Winds have been recorded at 200 mph in the interior of the continent and the average annual water precipitation in the interior is only about 50 mm.

The Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands abound with wildlife activity. Penguins gather with their fast-growing chicks, whales are seen in great numbers, seals haul out onto ice floes and beaches, and numerous albatross and other seabirds trail in our wake. We may visit scientists working in modern research bases, and there is plenty of time to enjoy the sheer beauty and the breathtaking scenery of ice-choked waterways, blue and white icebergs, impressive glaciers and rugged snow-capped mountains. The Peninsula also has a remarkable history and, during the voyage, we will learn about some of the most important and dramatic expeditions to this remote corner of the world. Keeping a lookout from the bridge or the deck of the ship, as we thread our way along the continent, you'll feel the same sense of excitement as many of those early explorers.

We continue along the peninsula, visiting the numerous penguin rookeries. Penguins are speedy and agile swimmers, but extremely slow on land - three varieties that can be found here are; the Adelie Penguin, named after French explorer Dumont d'Urville's wife; the Chinstrap Penguin, identified by the distinctive black line connecting the black cap to below the chin and the playful Gentoo Penguin, with its orange bill and white flash above and behind its eyes. You will soon become an expert on spotting your favourite variety ! There will be plenty of time to walk amongst them or to simply, sit and relax and enjoy the breathtaking scenery in front of you.

The scenery can be quite different in the early season. There will be more ice around and much more snow underfoot. Icebergs are just starting to thaw, as the warmer temperatures move in and you really do get a sense of the magnitude of these glacial beasts. Many of the landing sites will have remained untouched since the previous Polar season - there is something truly magical about being the first to set foot on this undisturbed terrain.

Heading north across the Drake Passage, spend two days enjoying the beauty of the sea as we sail towards Ushuaia.

Another day at sea and more time to reflect on the magnificent events of your three-week adventure.

The trip ends after breakfast on board the ship. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart at any time after 9am. You will receive a complimentary transfer at the end of your trip. For those on morning flights, a transfer will take you directly to Ushuaia City Airport (USH). For those on later flights, you will be transferred to the luggage storage point and given time to explore the city. You will need to return later to retrieve your luggage and board a second transfer to Ushuaia City Airport in the afternoon, depending on flight times.