South Georgia in the M/V Sylvia Earle

17 days - 16 nights

Day 1 - Ushuaia

Reception at the airport of the city of Ushuaia and transfer to the hotel. Remind the hotel staff to ask you for your cabin labels to put on your luggage, filling in your name and cabin number so that they can be taken to the ship on the day of embarkation.

Day 2 - Boarding and departure from the port of Ushuaia, previous visit to the city.

This morning, make sure your luggage is with cabin tags with your name and cabin number. Bring your luggage to the hotel reception before 8:00 a.m. The baggage allowance is 20 kilograms of checked baggage plus a piece of hand luggage that does not weigh more than seven kilos. Your luggage will be collected from your hotel and transferred directly to the port for authorization and delivered to your cabin before arrival on board. Keep all valuables or personal items with you throughout the day. Once you have left your hotel before 11.00 a.m., you have free time before meeting in the hotel lobby at 2.00 p.m. to start a tour of Ushuaia. Alternatively, enjoy some free time and head to the Prison Museum car park before 3:45 p.m. to meet the group and transfer to the dock to board.

Ushuaia, capital of Tierra del Fuego, is located on the banks of the Beagle Channel and is surrounded by the Martial Mountains, which gives it a unique landscape in Argentina, which is the combination of mountains, sea, glaciers and forests. On this introductory tour, you will visit the "La Misión" neighborhood, the old Government House and the upper area of ​​the city, which offers beautiful panoramic views of Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel. During the excursion, you will see the old houses that belonged to the first families settled in Ushuaia. The tour ends with a visit to the Old Prison Museum before moving to the dock to embark at approximately 4:00 p.m.

After boarding, you will have time to settle into your cabin before our important mandatory briefings. As the ship moves away from the port, we will meet on deck to begin our adventure with spectacular views of Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego. Tonight, meet your fellow expeditionaries and the friendly crew and crew of the expedition at a welcome dinner. Breakfast and dinner included. Lunch is on your own.

Day 3 - In the sea towards the Falkland Islands

As we begin our journey through the South Atlantic Ocean to the Falkland Islands, we make the most of our time to feel comfortable with the movements of the sea. Our expedition team prepares you for our first landing with important wildlife guidelines and biosecurity procedures and begins our conference program to help you learn more about the history, wildlife and environment of Antarctica. Our experiences with wildlife begin when we enjoy observing and photographing the many marine birds, including majestic albatrosses and giant petrels that follow us. They rise and fall skillfully, using the air currents created by the ship to gain momentum.

Day 4 to 6 - Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands comprise two large islands (East and West Falklands), with more than 700 islands scattered off the coast. All but seven of the islands are uninhabited, with windswept coastlines, white sand beaches, and crystal clear waters. These beautifully arid islands are true wildlife refuges, home to an impressive diversity of birds, including the largest black-browed albatross colony on earth. The cold and nutrient-rich waters that surround the islands make this a privileged place to observe marine life.

There are many beautiful areas to explore in the Falkland Islands, each of which offers a unique perspective of this magnificent archipelago. Their experienced expedition team, who have made countless trips to this area, will use their experience to design their day-to-day trip, choosing the best options based on prevailing winds, weather, and wildlife opportunities.

We generally make landings or excursions in Zodiac boats twice a day. Although we are north of the Antarctic Convergence, it can get quite cold here, so it is advisable to go warm in Zodiac boats to visit the rocky coves or along sea cliffs, watching for seals, sea lions, dolphins and penguins porpoises. We make landings where you can visit albatross colonies, penguin colonies and perhaps even have a traditional English "tea and buns" at a local cabin.

We also aim to land in historic Stanley, the capital of the Falklands. This charming town has a distinctly British character, with townhomes, pioneering country houses, and even an iconic red phone booth! The colorful buildings are home to cozy cafes, English pubs, souvenir shops, a post office, and the fascinating Shipyard Historical Museum, with exhibits on the Maritime history of the Falkland Islands, natural history, and links to Antarctica.

Day 7 to 8 - At sea

During the trip from Falkland Islands to South Georgia Island, you will be fascinated by the incessant flight of the many seabirds that follow our wake, skillfully using the air currents created by the ship to gain momentum. At this stage, we are usually traveling with some weather dependence, so it is difficult to estimate our precise arrival time to South Georgia Island. Our conference program will continue to highlight all the incredible views we have witnessed in recent days. You will have enough time to enjoy watching seabirds, watching whales from the observation areas or just relaxing with a book. If time and weather conditions permit, we can pass near Shag Rocks, a fascinating group of irregular rocky islets that protrude from the sea, in the vicinity of South Georgia.

The Shag Rocks are also called in Spanish the Aurora Islands, they are a group of ocean sedimentary rocks that we find over the South Atlantic, in the northernmost region of the Southern Antilles Arc. They are 1200 km east of States Island and about 232 km from San Pedro Island that belongs to the South Georgia. They are mountains that have stood out from the Scotia Dorsal, which is the underwater continuation of the Andes Mountains.

Day 9 to 13 - South Georgia Island

As you approach the rugged island of South Georgia, think of Captain James Cook, who arrived here in 1775 and believed it to be the northern tip of a great southern continent. In fact, it's a small island only 176 km (110 miles) long, but with a 3,000 m (9,842 ft) snowy mountain range, some of the largest wildlife congregations in the world, and a truly fascinating human history, South Georgia is an island of incredible riches. As they approach, jagged mountain peaks rise abruptly, while seabirds are often seen flying around the ship. We sail along the east coast, enjoying the spectacular glacial landscape and enjoying a small refuge from the prevailing westerly winds. The experienced expedition team, who has made countless trips to this area, will use their local knowledge to plan their day-to-day trip, choosing the best options based on weather, sea conditions and wildlife opportunities.

We generally make landings or excursions in Zodiac boats twice a day. We are amazed at South Georgia's seaweed forests - these remarkable underwater ecosystems are quite fascinating as their fronds sway back and forth across the water's surface. Thanks to the Zodiac boats we sail from the ship to the coast, where we can visit some of the largest king penguin colonies on earth, take a guided walk among sea lions and sea elephants or stroll along streams and grassy plains glacier.

We also hope to visit the remains of the thriving whaling stations of South Georgia and pay our respects to Sir Ernest Shackleton, whose incredible survival journey is synonymous with this island. If you have chosen an optional activity, you will have the option to do it whenever conditions allow. This is a good time to find a comfortable spot in the observation room or head to the bridge for uninterrupted views of the majestic South Georgia coastline.

South Georgia is one of the most amazing natural environments in the world. Just a stain in the vastness of the South Atlantic Ocean, and lying entirely within the Antarctic Convergence, the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands are a haven for life for some of the world's largest wildlife congregations . The surrounding sea is one of the most productive areas on Earth and supports the lives of millions of seals, whales, penguins, and other seabirds. A mountain range forms the backbone of this long, narrow island.

Among the mountains, shattered glaciers make their way through weedy grass to the deeply indented shoreline, a landscape that's synonymous with the epic Shackleton, Worsley, and Crean survival expedition. The abandoned and rusty whaling stations and the remains of explorers reflect the passage of time, while summer workers carry out scientific and regeneration projects. As we explore southern Georgia, we will have an opportunity to reflect on Shackleton's epic journey. If conditions allow, we plan to follow in the footsteps of Shackleton, Worsley and Crean and complete the final leg of their trek from Fortuna Bay to Stromness.

Day 14 to 16 - Crossing the Drake Passage

Today our landings end when we enter the Drake Passage for our return trip to South America. With lectures and movie presentations to complete our Antarctic experience, there is still plenty of time to enjoy the magic of the Southern Ocean and its wildlife. There is time to reflect and debate on what we have seen and experienced, and the impact this journey has had on our outlook on life. As we get closer to the tip of South America, our Captain can sail near the legendary Cape Horn, if time and weather permit.

Day 17 - Ushuaia

During the early morning, we sail along the Beagle Channel. We arrive at the dock of the port of Ushuaia, where we begin to disembark around 8:00 am. We say goodbye to the expedition team and fellow travelers while we all continue our future trips, hopefully with a new sense of the immense power of nature. The cost of the trip includes a transfer to the center of Ushuaia or to the airport.

Note: At the end of the trip, we do not recommend booking flights that leave Ushuaia before 12.00 pm on the day of disembarkation in case of delays.

Sample itinerary: All the itineraries described are only presented for reference. Programs may vary depending on the weather and ice conditions in the area, as well as accessibility to landings and the opportunity to observe local wildlife. The final route will be determined by the leader of the Expedition. Flexibility is the fundamental principle to enjoy the cruise expedition.