Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands
From $10,980 per person, based on double occupancy; single rates from $15,980
November 15 – December 6, 2008
Aboard Le Diamant
See the brochure (pdf)
See ship info and a deck plan for Le Diamant (pdf)
Trip Overview
On this voyage you will witness the vast number of birds and marine life that make their home in the Antarctic Peninsula, the South Shetland Islands, South Georgia, and the Falklands. Watch delightful fur seal pups in their first weeks of life, and observe countless penguins sitting on their eggs, an arduous--and ultimately miraculous – process for the perpetuation of the species. Take Zodiac excursions and nature walks ashore for an intimate look at the incredible wildlife and numerous marine species that live in this harsh environment. Learn about early explorers and visit the burial site of Sir Ernest Shackleton. Extend your voyage of discovery with a trip to the World Heritage Site of Torres del Paine National Park in Chile.
Trip Itinerary
Saturday, November 15: USA
Depart from home on your independent flight to Buenos Aires. (Meals aloft)
Sunday, November 16: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Upon arrival in Buenos Aires, transfer to your centrally located hotel. Spend the rest of the day relaxing or sightseeing in this lively cosmopolitan city. Enjoy lunch on your own at one of the many wonderful neighborhood restaurants. Dinner and overnight at the Sheraton Buenos Aires. (D)
Monday, November 17: Buenos Aires / Ushuaia / Board Le Diamant
In the early morning, transfer to the airport for your flight to Ushuaia, where you will have lunch and a tour before boarding Le Diamant. Set sail for the Falkland Islands in the late afternoon. (B,L,D)
Tuesday, November 18: At Sea
Enjoy a day at sea as you make your way to the Falkland Islands. Lecturers introduce you to the natural and historical highlights ahead. (B,L,D)
Wednesday, November 19: Sea Lion Island / Bleaker Island, Falkland Islands
Today you will make stops on two islands off the south coast of East Falkland Island. With your naturalists, walk along the coast of Sea Lion Island to a gentoo penguin colony and a large freshwater pond with an excellent variety of Falklands waterfowl. Bleaker Island provides one of the highlights of our Falklands visit. Here you will see western rockhopper penguins and king cormorant colonies, in addition to viewing gentoo and Magellanic penguins, and communities of elephant seals and sea lions. (B,L,D)
Thursday & Friday, November 20 & 21: Cruising the South Scotia Sea
Your lecturers recap your experiences in the Falklands and prepare you for your visit to South Georgia. On deck, join your naturalists in search of seabirds and marine mammals that flourish in these nutrient-rich waters. (B,L,D daily)
Saturday through Monday, November 22 through 24: South Georgia
Flexibility in this area is a must. All of your expedition leaders have been to South Georgia numerous times and, if the weather is favorable, there may be a landing before breakfast or even after dinner. You will call at some of the many islands, bays, and coves where you can see outstanding birdlife and elephant and fur seals upclose. The following is a list of places we plan to visit on South Georgia. Some of them are pending final government approval. (B,L,D daily)
- Elsehul Bay: This beautiful bay on the north end is home to thousands of fur seals as well as macaroni penguins. Listen for the highpitched trumpeting of the king penguins amid the magnificent sounds of marine mammals that echo throughout this bay.
- Salisbury Plain: Two glaciers flank Salisbury Plain, on South Georgia's north coast. Here, more than 200,000 king penguins congregate and breed, and you are greeted by one of the more remarkable sights--and sounds--on earth
- Stromness Bay: Site of Sir Ernest Shackleton's arrival after he and his party harrowingly crossed the island's glaciers on foot, Stromness offers views of cliffs and a glacier from which the adventurer and his companions descended
- Grytviken: You will go ashore and explore here, discovering the old ruins of this once-active whaling station. The cemetery holds a special fascination, as it is here that Shackleton is buried on the island he loved. Walking along the coast, you will spy seabirds, penguins, and marine mammals.
- Gold Harbour: At the foot of the Bertrab Glacier, Gold Harbour is often referred to as the "jewel in the island's crown." In addition to a large king penguin colony, you are likely to see elephant and fur seals, gentoo penguins, giant petrels, and perhaps even some light-mantled albatross.
Tuesday & Wednesday, November 25 & 26: South Scotia Sea
Your lecture series continues as Le Diamant ventures south. Naturalists recap your memorable visit to South Georgia and introduce you to the history, geology, and wildlife of the Antarctic Peninsula and its surrounding islands. (B,L,D daily)
Thursday, November 27: Elephant Island
This morning you will arrive at Elephant Island, made famous by the Shackleton expedition. Awesome glaciers, speckled with pink algae, create a dramatic backdrop. Weather permitting, enjoy a Zodiac cruise around the island and have an opportunity to view a thriving chinstrap penguin colony. (B,L,D)
Friday through Tuesday, November 28 through December 2: Antarctic Peninsula
As you cruise the waters of the Antarctic Peninsula and its adjacent islands, your daily schedule of landings are dependent upon weather and ice conditions. There is the possibility that you may visit a research station and observe the scientific activities conducted by a multinational community of scientists working there. The expeditionary nature of your voyage precludes guaranteeing specific stops; in the past we have visited the locations below. This list is a guideline only of the places you may experience (B,L,D daily):
- Brown Bluff: The volcanic promontory of Brown Bluff rises 2,450 feet above an ash beach littered with huge and bizarrely shaped boulders. Some 20,000 pairs of Adelie and hundreds of gentoo penguins call this area home, often building nests against the rocks. Skuas and pintado petrels nest near the top of the cliff, and kelp gulls fill the air with perpetual sound and motion.
- Deception Island: As you approach Deception through Neptune's Bellows – a channel just wide enough for the ship to navigate – southern fulmars and pintado petrels soar overhead. Your anchorage is inside a volcano whose collapsed cone was filled by rushing seawater.
- Neko Harbour and Paradise Bay: We hope to set foot on the Antarctic continent at Neko Harbour. Occasionally, Weddell seals haul out on the beach, and a gentoo penguin colony overlooks a spectacular glacier that is sometimes quite active calving icebergs. In your Zodiac you will weave your way among these fantastic shapes sculpted by wind and water. Later, Le Diamant navigates the scenic waters of Paradise Bay, where Chile and Argentina both maintain bases
- Lemaire Channel and Pleneau Island: Cruising the beautiful Lemaire Channel, watch for the humpback and minke whales frequently spotted here. This narrow channel is one of the most visually impressive areas of the Antarctic Peninsula and is often referred to as the "Kodak Gap," "Canon Channel," "Fuji Funnel," or "Nikon Niche" because of the wonderful photo opportunities it offers. Steep mountain peaks jut out of the sea on both sides, and the waters surrounding your vessel are often choked with icebergs and frequented by crabeater seals. A stunning labyrinth of grounded icebergs lies in the shallow waters west of Pleneau Island, presenting a superb Zodiac cruising experience. Crabeater and leopard seals haul out on the ice, and elephant seals and gentoo penguins occupy the island itself
- Petermann Island: Discovered by a German expedition in 1873-74 and named after geographer August Petermann, the island is home to the world's southernmost colony of gentoo penguins. Snow-capped and small at just a mile long by a half mile wide, it offers close-up, picture-perfect scenes of penguins – both gentoo and Adelie – as well as skuas and blue-eyed shags that nest nearby.
Wednesday & Thursday, December 3 & 4: Drake Passage
Named for the 16th-century English seaman, Drake Passage is a deep waterway spanning 600 miles from the southern tip of South America to the South Shetland Islands. Strolling the decks, you will have opportunities to see and photograph the wandering and black-browed albatross in company with sooty shearwaters and white-chinned petrels. Keep a lookout for the whales often seen in these waters. (B,L,D daily)
Friday, December 5: Ushuaia, Argentina
Today you will disembark in the world's southernmost town and transfer to the airport for your independent flight homeward. (B, meals aloft)
Saturday, December 6: USA
Early-morning arrival in the USA and connect to your homeward flights.
