FALKLAND ISLANDS, SOUTH GEORGIA & ANTARCTICA

1. Arrive

2. Day 1 Embarkation, Ushuaia

   Arrive into Ushuaia, the capital of Argentina's Tierra del Fuego province, ready to embark on your seafaring adventure. After boarding Le Soleal, it's time to unravel after a weary day (possibly two) travelling and settle into your home for the next 2.5 weeks. Beside two restaurants, an alfresco bar with enticing wine list, Technogym overlooking the ocean, steam room and Parisian influenced spa; there is plenty to explore.

   Overnight: PONANT's Le Soleal, L'Austral, Le Boreal or Le Lyrial

3. Day 2 At sea

   Enjoy a whole day at sea and the multitude of wildlife surrounding you. Wrap up and head out on deck, to see the spectacular flight of the waved albatross and likely orcas and whales swimming alongside you. During the voyage, there will be several fascinating and informative lectures given by some of the world's top naturalist guides in the ships theatre, all worthy of a sit down to listen.

   Overnight: PONANT's Le Soleal, L'Austral, Le Boreal or Le Lyrial

4. Day 3 Falkland Islands

   Climb ashore the western edge of the Falklands, home to a tiny village of just two families. Walk along the golden sand of its flower-lined beaches; a remote and fur-flung natural paradise very few people are lucky enough to discover. Continue along the coast and you'll find yourself in the heart of a colony of southern rockhopper penguins with black-browed albatross (who can have a natural life span of up to 70 years) and imperial shags (the native black and white cormorant) decorating the skies. Continue to the north-western edge of the Falklands, home to Magellanic penguins, southern rockhopper penguins and the fabulous King penguins.

   Overnight: PONANT's Le Soleal, L'Austral, Le Boreal or Le Lyrial

5. Day 4 - 5 At sea

   Continue your voyage south towards South Georgia with two days at sea spent spotting marine mammals and seabirds. There will be talks in the theatre about the region's natural environment and its explorers. You may also like to take part in one of the photography workshops, aptly timed to hone your skills before meeting a humungous colony of King penguins on Salisbury Plain.

   Overnight: PONANT's Le Soleal, L'Austral, Le Boreal or Le Lyrial

6. Day 6 Salisbury Plain & Fortuna Bay, South Georgia

   Highlights today include visiting a colony of 60,000 King penguins. Amidst this sea of black and orange heads, southern elephant seals and fur seals with their young can be spotted nosing their way through the crowd. Continue to Fortuna Bay, where cliffs spring from the icy waters and small streams fed by melting mountain snow meander through vast green plains. During your excursion, you will follow the footsteps of Ernest Shackleton, weaving a suitable path through the grass tussocks, each one topped with a sleepy fur seal.

   Overnight: PONANT's Le Soleal, L'Austral, Le Boreal or Le Lyrial

7. Day 7 Saint Andrews Bay & Grytviken, South Georgia

   Fronting the tempestuous Atlantic Ocean, you'll come ashore in Saint Andrews Bay, home to huge colonies of breeding King penguins and the 6-mile-long Ross Glacier, which is slowly retreating leaving a gravel beach in its wake. Continue to Grytviken; this former whaling station, now a ghost town bar the museum staff, is set against a serene backdrop of ochre-coloured earth and offers a fascinating insight into the island's history. Grytviken's other historical point of interest is the grave of famous adventurer Sir Ernest Shackleton. Not many people can claim to have seen this with their own eyes.

   Overnight: PONANT's Le Soleal, L'Austral, Le Boreal or Le Lyrial

8. Day 8 Gold Harbour & Coopers Bay, South Georgia

   Gold Harbour (so called because the cliffs turn yellow in the morning and evening light) is home to majestic glaciers, waterfalls and black volcanic sands all framed by the snow-capped peaks beyond. This island where the summer days are endless, is a breeding ground for King penguins, gentoo penguins and southern elephant seals, who roar extraordinarily loudly, especially during the mating season.

   Overnight: PONANT's Le Soleal, L'Austral, Le Boreal or Le Lyrial

9. Day 9 - 10 At sea

   Continue southwards towards Antarctica with unlimited time to relax and enjoy the pampering pleasures within the SOTHYS Spa, or perhaps a gym workout followed by a steam in the Hammam. Enjoy the lectures in the ship's theatre or grab a book from the library to swot up, thankfully there'll be no tests later.

   Overnight: PONANT's Le Soleal, L'Austral, Le Boreal or Le Lyrial

10. Day 11 Weddell Sea, Antarctica

    Deemed by scientists to have the clearest water of any sea, the Weddell Sea is abundant with whales and seals. Winding your way through a labyrinth of stunning ice mountains which line the 360˚ vista as far as the eye can see, you'll chance an encounter with Weddell and leopard seals, killer whales, humpback and minke whales, as well as Adélie penguins and wandering albatross.

    Overnight: PONANT's Le Soleal, L'Austral, Le Boreal or Le Lyrial

11. Day 12 Neko Harbour & Paradise Bay, Antarctica

    Neko Harbour is without doubt one of the most beautiful sites on the Antarctic Peninsula, discovered by Belgian navigator Adrien de Gerlache during his 1897-1899 expedition. Dramatic ice mountains, glistening still waters and captivating wildlife combine to form a truly magical landscape. During the outing to Paradise Bay, head to discover Almirante Brown, an Argentine Antarctic base and scientific research station named after Admiral William Brown.

    Overnight: PONANT's Le Soleal, L'Austral, Le Boreal or Le Lyrial

12. Day 13 Antarctica

    Immense ice sheets, thousands of metres thick line the shore of this most magical and coldest place on earth. Like exquisite works of art, these unusually-sculpted icebergs range in colour from white to blue and every shade in between. Explore the Peninsula on foot, walking through the snow in search of native wildlife.

    Overnight: PONANT's Le Soleal, L'Austral, Le Boreal or Le Lyrial

13. Day 14 Deception Island

    Easily distinguishable by its 'broken ring' shape, the channel into Deception Island is via a somewhat tricky 230m gap in the volcanic wall. Still bearing traces of its past as a long-time hub of the whaling industry, once inside, the vestiges of abandoned sheds that line the black sand of its volcanic beaches are as real as the island's spectacular animals that share it. The island is home to the Antarctic Peninsula's largest colony of chinstrap penguins, as well as numerous elephant seals and fur seals.

    Overnight: PONANT's Le Soleal, L'Austral, Le Boreal or Le Lyrial

14. Day 15 - 16 Drake Passage

    Set sail across the Drake Passage, back to Ushuaia. Time to relax and benefit from the comfort aboard your expedition ship, Le Soleal. There are two restaurants on board, serving delicious French-inspired fare and impressive wine 'cellar' to match. Spend time on deck watching as albatross, sooty shearwaters and white-chinned petrels dance above and alongside.

    Overnight: PONANT's Le Soleal, L'Austral, Le Boreal or Le Lyrial

15. Day 17 Ushuaia

    Disembark in Ushuaia and continue with your onward journey. 

16. Depart

THE IMPORTANT DETAILS

Expedition programs include activities such as Zodiac® (inflatable rib) outings (often with wet landings), moderate walks to more active hikes; all accompanied by a team of naturalist guides. Calls, landings and zodiac trips will always depend on weather conditions, position of ice, winds and the state of the sea. These can force a change to the scheduled plans at any time.

Taking into consideration the unusual and exceptional character of expedition itineraries, the calls shown are an indication only. The final route will be confirmed by the captain and expedition leader, who will consider the touristic quality of the sites and above all, the safety of the passengers. Their decision will be subject to that of local authorities and the expert pilots present on board during the navigation in polar and/or isolated zones.

Travelling to polar/isolated regions is an exhilarating experience. The raw beauty and untouched wilderness offer an unusual chance to experience a place where there is little evidence of human presence. Inevitably, there are some consequences that come with such remoteness: please remember that you are far from modern hospitals with full medical facilities, thus evacuation is highly expensive. Without the necessary medical coverage, all expenses will have to be immediately paid for with your personal funds. We urge you to subscribe a full coverage insurance, choose your insurance company very carefully and be extremely vigilant and ensure your insurance is fully comprehensive.