Far to the south lie perhaps the most spectacular, most pristine lands on the planet. Mountains of ice glittering in the sunlight. Magnificent fjords that surpass by far anything found anywhere else in the world. Immense pale-blue glaciers. And along the rocky shoreline, millions of penguins, seals, albatross, and other seabirds. To travel to Antarctica, South Georgia, and the Falkland Islands is almost like stepping back in time, to the era when the world was new. We invite you to join us aboard Clelia II on this grand adventure and experience for yourself the unspoiled splendor of Antarctica, South Georgia, and the Falkland Islands. The Falkland Islands are a thriving wildlife habitat with touches of English charm. Along the coast you’ll see large colonies of seabirds and penguin rookeries, and offshore it’s not unusual to encounter whales. And scattered across the islands are small English towns and villages set amid broad green meadows where flocks of sheep graze. Our ship for this expedition is the 100-guest Clelia II, an all-suite vessel with deluxe accommodations but also outfitted for adventure travel with the most current navigational and communications technology as well as retractable fin stabilizers for smooth sailing, an ice-strengthened hull, and a fleet of Zodiacs— inflatable landing craft developed by Jacques Cousteau that give you access to almost any shoreline.
Day 1: Ushuaia / Argentina
Arrive in Ushuaia, located on the Beagle Channel and surrounded by the Darwin Cordillera, glaciers, and forests of southern beech. Transfer to Las Hayas Resort Hotel, beautifully situated amidst beech trees below the mountain of the Martial Glacier. This evening, enjoy a welcome dinner.
Day 2: Ushuaia / Tierra del Fuego National Park / Ushuaia / Embark
Explore Tierra del Fuego National Park, Argentina’s southernmost protected region. This stunning wilderness is celebrated for its stunning scenery. Ride to Ensenada Bay and take a short walk to view Redonda and Estorbo Islands, backed by Chile’s Sampaio Mountains. Continue to Lake Roca, the Green and Black Lagoon, and Lapataia Bay. After lunch at a local restaurant, continue to the pier to embark on Clelia II. As the ship navigates the Beagle Channel, enjoy a spectacular vista of glaciers and misted mountains.
Day 3: At Sea
Days 4 & 5: Falkland Islands
Reach the windswept Falkland Islands, consisting of two main islands and some 200 small ones, which are mostly rugged, rocky moorlands. Located 450 miles northeast of Cape Horn in the exceptionally rich waters of the southern Atlantic, they boast abundant wildlife, including over 219 bird species (including endemic species like the Falkland Steamer Duck and the Tussac Bird) and the world’s largest numbers of Black-browed Albatross and Rockhopper and Gentoo Penguins. On Westpoint Island, walk across the moors to a rookery of raucous Rockhopper Penguins. Also explore the dramatic beaches of Saunders Island, teeming with Gentoo and Magellanic Penguins, cormorant, and Black-browed Albatross colonies. Continue to Stanley, the islands’ quaint capital.
Days 6 & 7: At Sea
Days 8 – 10: South Georgia
Mountainous and magnificent, remote South Georgia is renowned for its wildlife, stunning beauty, and vital role in the history of Antarctic exploration. First claimed in 1775 by Captain Cook, the island has hosted explorers Larsen and Shackleton as well as a succession of sealers and whalers. More regular visitors include four species of albatross, eight species of penguin, a million southern fur seals, and thousands of elephant seals. Explore the island, searching grassy slopes for nesting Wandering Albatross with 12-foot wingspans and enjoying the antics of thousands of 3-foot-high King Penguins. We may also visit Grytviken’s abandoned whaling station (now overtaken by fur and elephant seals) and Shackleton’s grave.
Day 11: Sailing the Scotia Sea
Day 12: South Orkney Islands
A vista of enormous grounded icebergs is visible as Clelia II approaches the South Orkney Islands to call at Coronation Island. Visit rookeries of penguins and Snow and Cape Petrels.
Days 13 – 16: Antarctic Peninsula and its Islands
Explore the pristine wilderness of the Antarctic Peninsula, a finger of land separating the ice-choked waters of the Weddell and Bellingshausen Seas. Sail through scenic waterways, witnessing a breathtaking panorama of icebergs, glaciers, and snow-capped mountains. Using Zodiac craft, cruise among ice floes, land near penguin rookeries, and visit scientists at research stations. Our first day will be at Elephant Island, where in 1916 Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance was stranded, forcing him and five of his men to undertake a thousand-mile rescue mission on a 23-foot whaleboat to secure help. Although the itinerary varies according to local weather conditions, we also hope to land at such places as Paradise Harbour, where humpback and minke whales are often sighted offshore; Petermann Island, the habitat of Gentoo and Adelie Penguins; Deception Island, whose waters are often warm enough for swimming; and King George Island, home to many research stations. Voyages through the magnificent Lemaire, Neumeyer, and other protected channels are also planned.
Days 17 & 18: At Sea
Attend lectures by naturalists and study leaders as Clelia II crosses the Antarctic Convergence, where the warm waters of the north override the colder waters of the Southern Ocean. Sail through the Drake Passage.
Day 19: Ushuaia / Disembark
Disembark and transfer to the airport for flights home
