Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands

Light-mantled Albatross © Andrew Whittaker

An unforgettable visit to the “White Continent” in all its majesty, birding two of the most bird-rich sub-Antarctic islands: South Georgia and the famous Falklands; unparalleled viewing of immense colonies of seabirds (7 species of penguins) and mammals of the Southern Ocean, seen in combination with the world's most spectacular scenery. The trip of a lifetime!

To many, a trip to Antarctica represents the ultimate travel destination. Here the visitor—a stranger in an ice-locked world of breathtaking beauty—comes face to face with some of the world’s most sensational wildlife spectacles, replete with penguins, sheathbills, albatrosses, skuas, seals, and whales. Soaring mountains, sculpted icebergs, glaciers, immense ice sheets, and ice-clogged waterways present landscapes of unsurpassed grandeur.

VENT is proud to present an opportunity for interested travelers, natural history enthusiasts, and birders to venture to the White Continent, a place that has enticed explorers into its waters for more than a century. For this remarkable voyage, we’ve assembled an itinerary that offers maximum opportunities for viewing the birds and mammals of the Antarctic Peninsula AND South Georgia and the Falkland Islands; for birders and natural history enthusiasts this is essential, as most of the wildlife is found on these two bird-rich South Atlantic island outposts. This comprehensive expedition to the Southern Ocean is truly the trip of a lifetime.

Over the course of this expedition, we will witness some of the finest scenery on the planet, enjoy intimate encounters with wildlife that is totally unafraid, and experience the thrill of treading in places where comparatively few have gone before. Partnering with Polar Latitudes, we will travel aboard the 139-passenger MSSeaventure, a beautiful expedition vessel perfect for exploring rugged Antarctic environments. Once aboard, we will cruise in total comfort, enjoying immaculate accommodations, friendly staff, and excellent cuisine.

In the Falkland Islands we’ll have most of two days to experience colonies of Southern Rockhopper and Magellanic penguins, as well as colonies of Black-browed Albatrosses and Imperial Cormorants, and the endemic steamer-duck, in addition to visiting the famous Port Stanley.

Incredible South Georgia rises from the Southern Ocean like a great alpine citadel. Lofty, snow-covered peaks, windswept moorlands, and a magnificent coastline scalloped with inlets and deepwater fjords provide beautiful scenery in staggering proportions. This outpost hosts some of the world’s most stupendous wildlife spectacles, with hundreds of thousands of King Penguins its most obvious inhabitants, as well as the famous grave of Shackleton. Millions more seabirds breed here including albatrosses, prions, diving-petrels, terns, and the endemic pipit and pintail. Antarctic Fur Seals and Southern Elephant Seals abound on the island’s beaches and grassy slopes.

We will have four full days to explore the Antarctic Peninsula, cruising protected waterways, landing on remote islands aboard Zodiac landing craft, and experiencing close wildlife encounters, and visiting scientific research bases. Our itinerary will be flexible, but a representation of places we hope to visit includes picturesque Neko Harbor; sheltered Paradise Bay, where Gentoo Penguins share space with Weddell and Leopard seals, and where calving glaciers and icy waters present scenes of overpowering beauty; Wilhelmina Bay, favored by Humpback Whales; and Deception Island, known for its volcanically-heated hot springs. We will navigate the magnificent Lemaire and Neumeyer channels, whose narrow waterways are lined with soaring 9,000-foot mountains and encrusted with massive glaciers and snow fields. On every horizon we’ll be surrounded by one dramatic mountain range after another, and all of it buried under timeless snow and ice.

The Southern Ocean is home to some of the finest pelagic birding in the world. Watching from the ship’s decks, we should see five species of albatross, including the huge Wandering and Royal albatrosses; the gorgeous Snow Petrel; and thousands of other prions, shearwaters, petrels, and storm-petrels. We’ll cross the Antarctic Convergence where the cold waters of the Southern Ocean override the warmer waters to the north. On an exciting Ushuaia day excursion, we'll seek the incomparable Magellanic Woodpecker and many more Patagonian birds before beginning our cruise down the Beagle Channel, enjoying spectacular vistas of rugged mountains and rocky headlands.

Hotel in Ushuaia and ship conditions excellent; first-rate service, friendly and knowledgeable crew, and top-notch cuisine aboard ship; excursions on comfortable Zodiac landing craft; walking conditions vary from sandy beaches to loose rock but nothing too difficult; temperatures range from the 30s (F) to 40s; some agility required for Zodiac landings, but travelers in good to moderate health will have no problems.

King Penguin © Andrew Whittaker