South Georgia and the Falkland Islands

Under the Spell of South Georgia. Famed for its astonishing number of king penguins — literally, hundreds of thousands — South Georgia is the ultimate destination for jaw-dropping scenery, boundless wildlife and captivating history, and it will affect the way you tell stories about travel and wildlife adventures for years to come.

In 2008, Lindblad Expeditions offers the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend a week on the island as part of our 20-day South Georgia & the Falklands voyage. Decades of exploring South Georgia has given the Lindblad staff the expertise and time needed to survey the island's terrain for hiking routes, as well as to uncover important landing spots that we will now be able to call on with ease.

If the epic stories of discovery, endurance and polar explorers like Shackleton, or the sheer magnificence and stunning beauty of the towering ice-capped peaks don’t grab you, the wildlife certainly will. There’ll be time enough with the animals—several species of penguins (king, gentoo and macaroni, to name a few), sea lions, enormous elephant seals and 95 per cent of the world’s population of fur seals cozy up to these shores. Spring is the time to pioneer, to be the first arrivals meandering among the bergs to witness a pristine landscape. Nowhere is springtime as intense as in the southern ocean. By October, as the land is fueled by sunlight and food, life here explodes in a frantic race to breed. It’s the best time to see the raucous courtship behavior of the penguins. Walk these beaches with your spouse or children as thousands of king penguins go about their busy lives: calling for mates and flashing and preening their bright colors in a courtship ritual. Take a more rugged hike and go by Zodiac and kayak where few have gone before, hiking the landscape and adventuring with Naturalists.

Itinerary:

DAY 1 — U.S./Santiago, Chile
Depart Miami on an overnight flight to Santiago. Please inquire for other gateways.

DAY 2 — Santiago
With the soaring Andes as a backdrop, Santiago makes a welcoming first impression on arrival — as does our hotel, the Grand Hyatt Santiago, located in a gracious residential neighborhood. The morning is free. After lunch, join a panoramic exploration of the city, including a visit to the Pre-Columbian Museum. (L,D)

DAY 3 — Santiago/Ushuaia, Argentina/Embark Ship
The morning’s LAN Chile charter flight offers some rare views as we fly over the rugged terrain of Patagonia before landing in Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world. We’ll have a traditional Argentinian barbecue for lunch and then embark our ship. (B,L,D)

DAY 4 — At Sea—South Atlantic Ocean
We relax and settle in to shipboard life, listening to informal discussions from our Naturalist staff to prepare us for the wildness ahead and spending time on deck and on the Bridge, scanning for seabirds, humpback and southern right whales. (B,L,D)

DAY 5-6 — Falkland Islands
Each Falkland Island is a variation on the theme of topographical beauty with white-sand beaches, vaulting cliffs, windswept moors and the sunlit yellows and sage greens of waving tussock grass. The Falklands boast the largest albatross colony in the world, thousands of irresistible gentoo, rockhopper and Magellanic penguins, as well as herds of fur and elephant seals. And, our visit to Port Stanley offers a chance to meet the hospitable locals, hoist a few at the famous Upland Goose pub and meander this remote Victorian town. (B,L,D)

DAY 7-8 — At Sea
During our days at sea, we learn about the fascinating history of Antarctic exploration, as well as the flora, fauna and geology of South Georgia. A lookout is kept to identify the seabirds that follow our ship: wandering albatross, prions and black-browed albatross. (B,L,D)

DAY 9-14 — South Georgia Island
These days are devoted to exploring the spectacular coastline of South Georgia Island. In keeping with the nature of an expedition, the schedule is flexible. Throughout our journey there will be opportunities for walking, hiking, kayaking and Zodiac excursions. Leisurely circumnavigating the island, we plan to make stops every day including Grytviken, the final resting place of Shackleton, and Stromness Bay where Shackleton, Tom Crean and Frank Worsley finally reached aid at a whaling station. And, at St. Andrew’s Bay, you may come upon 100,000 king penguins! (B,L,D)

DAY 15-16 — At Sea
These days are spent relaxing at Sea in the Southern Ocean, enjoying the amenities of the ship, hearing talks from our expedition staff, and absorbing all that we've seen and heard so far. (B,L,D)

DAY 17 — Falkland Islands
Our journey across theSouth Atlantic Ocean takes us once more to the island archipelago that teems with the wondes of nature and wildlife. Take a last walk along the beautiful white-sand beaches, meander through the tussock grass or sit atop a cliff and ponder the views. (B,L,D)

DAY 18 — At Sea
Our final days at sea allow us time to relax and reflect on all that we have seen and learned. At the Bridge, observe expert navigation at work as our skilled Captain and officers navigate the same waters that Shackleton and his expedition sailed aboard the Endurance. Sometimes misty and gray, other times calm and clear, the crossing is unforgettable — a milestone in any adventurer’s personal travel history. (B,L,D)

DAY 19 — Ushuaia, Argentina/Disembark/Santiago
Our journey ends in Ushuaia this morning, with time to explore before boarding our chartered LAN Chile flight to Santiago, and an overnight flight to the U.S. (B,L)

DAY 20 — Arrive U.S./Home

What's Included:

Charter flights Santiago/Ushuaia/Santiago, all accommodations aboard ship or in hotels per itinerary or similar, all meals aboard ship and as indicated, air transportation where indicated as included, all shore excursions and sightseeing, entrance fees, special acces permits, transfers to and from group flights, use of kayaks, tips (excpt to ship’s crew), taxes and service charges, services of a ship physician and services of our expedition staff.

What's Not Included:

Air transportation (except where shown as included), extensions, passport, visa, security fees, Chilean immigration fees, meals not indicated, baggage/accident/travel protection plan, items of a personal nature, such as alcoholic beverages, email, laundry. Gratuities to ship’s crew at your discretion.

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All rates are per person, double occupancy. Port charges, Government taxes and fees are additional. Limited availability and based on minimum fares for select departure dates. Other dates may be higher. These rates are for new, individual bookings only. Not responsible for last minute changes of price or itinerary by cruise line, or any errors or omissions in the content of this site. Some restrictions and cancellation penalties may apply.