FALKLAND ISLANDS, SOUTH GEORGIA & ANTARCTICA

Day 1 Embarkation, Ushuaia

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

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 L'Austral, Le Boreal or Le Lyrial

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 L'Austral, Le Boreal or Le Lyrial

Day 4 - 6 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 L'Austral, Le Boreal or Le Lyrial

Day 7 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 L'Austral, Le Boreal or Le Lyrial

Day 8 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 L'Austral, Le Boreal or Le Lyrial

Day 9 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 L'Austral, Le Boreal or Le Lyrial

Day 10 - 11 At sea

Spend your days at sea admiring the endless waves, possibly even spotting some of the region's marine animals along the way. This is a great time to return to the spa, take a dip in the swimming pool (weather permitted), or do some shopping in the boutique. It is also another excellent opportunity to learn more about your surroundings at a conference.

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

Day 12 - 15 Antarctic Peninsula

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 such as Adelie penguins, elephant seals and giant petrels. Those lucky enough might even spot an orca or Antarctic minke whale gliding beneath the surface of the water.

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

Day 16 - 17 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 L'Austral, Le Boreal or Le Lyrial

Day 18 Ushuaia

Disembark in Ushuaia and continue with your onward journey.