HIGHLIGHTS
- Explore
the charcoal-black mountains of South
Georgia ladled
with snow, giant glaciers and thriving wildlife
- Adventure
to these far flung lands - where the animals are in charge and humans
come a distant second
- Witness
a cacophony of calling birds, natural set pieces like elephant seals
clashing and thrashing, and crowds of colourful king penguins
stretching out as far as the eye can see
- See
the memorial to Shackleton that stands over his final resting place on
this fabled island
- Enjoy
the sight of king penguinsand the smaller penguin species like Macaroni
penguins, and other glorious birdlife like the majestic wandering
albatrosses
- Sailing
the legendary Drake Passage that few are ever lucky enough to experience
- Visit Elephant
Island which is perhaps Antarctica’s best-known location
- Sailing
amid breathtaking winter vistas, witnessing incredible fauna and
feeling the sheer rush of an adventure to the unknown, following in the
footsteps of the brave explorers
- Set
foot on The Antarctic Peninsula, an experience sure to make your hairs
stand on end, as you experience the thrill of the truly unknown and
extraordinary
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person
|
| Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
|---|
| Dec 29, 2024 | Jan 13, 2025 | 19,500 |
20,261 |
| Jan 23, 2025 | Feb 07, 2025 | 20,900 |
21,715 |
Rates are listed per person
|
| Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
|---|
| Dec 29, 2024 | Jan 13, 2025 | 19,500 |
20,261 |
| Jan 23, 2025 | Feb 07, 2025 | 20,900 |
21,715 |
ITINERARY
Day
01: Puerto Williams, Chile
Puerto
Williams is a Chilean city located on Navarino Island on the southern
shores of the Beagle Channel. It claims to be the
“southernmost city in the world”, however owing to
its small size – 2500 residents approximately – the
much larger Argentinean city of Ushuaia, which sits on the northern
side of the same channel, also claims that title. The surrounding
scenery is magnificent. The wild windswept mountains rise above the
tree line and are regularly dusted with snow. The city itself has the
dramatic backdrop called “Dientes de Navarino”
(literally “teeth of Navarino”), which rival the
famous Torres del Paine further to the north. The area was originally
used by the Yaghan people, hunter-gatherers who despite enduring the
harsh regional climate, could not weather the arrival of Europeans. The
current city was established as a naval base in 1953 and honours the
British-Chilean naval commander John Williams Wilson of the 16th
century. Initially it served to protect territorial possessions and
fishing rights of the area, as well as offering logistical support to
Antarctic bases. More recently it has become a departure point for
scientific and tourism trips to the Antarctic region. In contrast to
the bustle and traffic of a very commercial Ushuaia, Puerto Williams
offers a quieter, more relaxed experience. It charms the visitor with a
small village feel, complete with rustic buildings and the homely smell
of drifting wood smoke. A haven of peace at the end of the world.
Days
02-04: Day at sea (International Waters)
Days
at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with
what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to
the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading
or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect
balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.
Days
05-07: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Charcoal-black
mountains ladled with snow, giant glaciers and thriving wildlife
combine to make South Georgia one of the great natural islands.
Adventure to these far flung lands - where the animals are in charge
and humans come a distant second. Here you'll witness a cacophony of
calling birds, natural set pieces like elephant seals clashing and
thrashing, and crowds of colourful king penguins stretching out as far
as the eye can see. An overseas territory of the UK, these isolated,
subantarctic islands once formed a remote whaling centre - and you can
still visit the former whaling stations. Nowadays the giants of the sea
are free to cruise the icy waters uninhibited. Written into explorer
history due to its links with Ernest Shackleton’s tale of
Antarctic exploration, shipwreck and survival, the
Endurance’s crew were saved when he reached the salvation of
these shores in 1916 - before returning to collect the remaining
sailors from Elephant Island. A museum commemorates the legendary
mission, and you can see the memorial to Shackleton that stands over
his final resting place on this fabled island. South
Georgia’s colonies of king penguins - with vivid bursts of
yellow and orange around their necks - stand, squabble and curiously
investigate, enjoying the isolated respite of this island.
They’re joined by smaller penguin species like Macaroni
penguins, and other glorious birdlife like the majestic wandering
albatrosses, which you can see gliding on gusts of wind, over the
choppy waves.
3
Included Shore Excursions
Zodiac
Cruise with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Moderate
Hiking
with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Extensive
Kayaking
with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Extensive
Days
08-09: Drake Passage (International Waters)
Sailing
the legendary Drake Passage is an experience that few are ever lucky
enough to experience. The southern tip of the Americas already feels
like a wild enough environment – but the sensation of
watching the distant cliffs of the peninsular known as the
‘End of the World’ fade into the horizon, is one
that’s equal parts epic, eerie and magical. Set sail, to
slowly drop off the bottom of the map from Cape Horn, and voyage on an
expedition down into the icy underworld of Antarctica. Drake Passage is
an extraordinary voyage of romantic ocean faring legend, as you aim for
Antarctica’s icy realm. On arrival, skyscraper sized icebergs
salute you, as you traverse the waters of this continent where snow and
ice dwelling creatures like penguins and whales roam undisturbed. Your
first sight of this most-unexplored place will most likely be the South
Shetland Islands. Walk in the footsteps of some of history’s
greatest and bravest explorers as you explore famed, snow-covered
landmasses like Elephant and Deception Island. If the journey across
Drake Passage sounds daunting, don’t worry – even
in rough seas you’re never alone, and will often be
accompanied on this spine-tingling adventure by soaring albatrosses and
maybe even a protective pod of humpbacks and hourglass dolphins or two.
Converging warm and cool ocean currents attract some spectacular animal
life to the passage. If this is your first visit to this magical
continent, you’ll also want to familiarise yourself with our
blog for first timers to Antarctica.
Day
10: Elephant Island, Antarctica
Promising
thrilling adventure, legendary tales and immaculate Antarctic beauty,
Elephant Island is perhaps Antarctica’s best-known location.
The exploits of its early explorers have immortalised this harsh,
monochrome island in the tomes of human history. Believed to take its
name from the elephant seals that early explorers spotted lolling on
its rocks, the volcanic island was not properly explored until 1916 -
when Ernest Shackleton and his men were stricken by the weather and
sought salvation on its shores. Their story of survival, stranded in
this barren land, is one of humanity’s most evocative and
inspiring accounts. Elephant Island is written deep into the legend of
Antarctic exploration, and you’ll discover
Shackleton’s tale for yourself as you arrive in the
island’s icy realm. The remarkable, slowly flowing Endurance
Glacier - which you’ll see on arrival here - takes its name
from their ship, The Endurance. Visit the monument that stands to
Shackleton, often surrounded by a migrating crowd of tiny gentoo
penguins, at Point Wild - the spot where he and his 28 crew members
camped for four and a half months of Antarctic winter. Eventually,
Shackleton and a handful of courageous others sailed for South Georgia
Island, before returning to secure the rescue of the remaining crew
members. Aside from sailing amid breathtaking winter vistas, witnessing
incredible fauna and feeling the sheer rush of an adventure to the
unknown - one of the true joys of any Antarctic cruise is to follow in
the footsteps of the brave explorers who first sought out the alluring
nectar of these dangerous, evocative landscapes. If this will be your
first-time visiting Antarctica, read our blog explaining how you can
prepare for the exploits ahead.
Day
11-12: Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica
The
Antarctic Peninsula unravels upwards towards South America, reaching
out a beckoning finger to the adventurous, who dare to explore this
untamed realm. Stretching up from the heart of the world’s
southernmost continent, the Antarctic Peninsula lies a mere 620 mile
from Tierra del Fuego and, for many, offers a spectacular first taste
of the snow-blanketed landscapes and colossal ice sculptures, which
make up Earth’s least-explored continent. Unseen by humans
until 1820 - a blink of an eye ago in relative terms - this is an
adventure sure to make your hairs stand on end, as you experience the
thrill of the truly unknown and extraordinary. The vast peninsula is
sprinkled with research bases, which are at the frontline of human
scientific endeavour, pushing to study and understand this unique
landscape, its exceptional wildlife, and the impact that humans are
having on this pristine continent. Witness cathedral-sized icebergs up
close, and blue-hued glaciers, slowly slipping from imposing locations
like Hope Bay. Blanched mountain peaks cover the peninsula, and
you’ll find thousands of adorable Adelie penguin pairs
thriving undisturbed in this peninsula’s unique setting.
3
Included Shore Excursions
Zodiac
Cruise with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Moderate
Hiking
with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Extensive
Kayaking
with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Extensive
Day
13: South Shetland Islands, Antarctica
The
ice-coated Antarctic Peninsula forms perhaps the most accessible region
of mainland Antarctica, lying a mere 480-miles away from South America,
across the fabled waters of Drakes Passage. Lying close to the
northwestern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, separated by the
Bransfield Strait, the South Shetland Islands fall under the
jurisdiction of the Antarctic Treaty, suspending claims on their
sovereignty. Several countries maintain research bases here, and with
plump elephant seals, and crowds of Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adelie
Penguins also calling the islands home, it can even feel a little
crowded at times. King George Island is the largest and most hospitable
island, hosting the majority of the research stations - some of which
are populated all-year-round by tiny, hardy crews. Don’t be
fooled though, these islands offer extraordinary adventure in one of
the most remote locations on earth. The triple peaks of Mount Foster
tower above the archipelago, and you’ll feel your heart
pumping a little quicker, as you sail into the core of Deception
Island’s magnificent collapsed volcano caldera. Hike the luna
landscapes within, and even dip into the improbably warm,
geothermally-heated waters of Pendulum Cove. Elephant Island,
meanwhile, is written deep into the annals of Antarctic expedition
legend, as the site where Ernest Shackleton and the stricken crew of
the Endurance miraculously survived a harsh Antarctic winter, in 1916.
Discover even more reasons to visit this incredible icy kingdom and
find out why many consider the South Shetland Islands to be the jewel
in Antarctica’s Crown, by reading our blog.
1
Included Shore Excursion
Zodiac
Cruise with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Moderate
Day
14: Drake Passage (International Waters)
Day
15: Cruising Cape Horn, Chile
In
the past, no two words conjured up more fear to sailors than Cape Horn.
With its reputation of ferocious storms and mountainous seas it was a
place where a seafarer garnered respect for bravery against the odds.
That is, if he lived to tell the tale (he also got to wear a gold hoop
ear-ring and dine with one foot up on the table).
The
Cape itself is the rugged insular tip of South America that projects
into the storm-swept Drake Passage. The Dutch sailor Willem Schouten
and merchant Jacob Le Maire, both from the town of Hoorn (hence Cape
Horn), put it on the map in 1616 when attempting to circumvent the
trade monopoly exercised by the Dutch East India Company over the
Straits of Magellan.
Once
an unavoidable physical gateway to adventure and commerce in the
Pacific Ocean, Cape Horn nowadays has more of a spiritual attraction,
drawing intrepid travellers to pay homage to the brave sailors who, by
necessity, attempted to pass this wild and inhospitable headland.
During
clear weather, when the island is free from the frequent icy squalls
that batter its shores, a 7-metre (23 feet) high steel monument can be
seen standing about 1.5 kilometres (1 mile) away from the true cape,
near the Chilean navy station. It depicts the silhouette of an
albatross, a bird that is said to carry the souls of those sailors who
perished “rounding the Horn”. With that in mind,
consider yourself lucky to confront the Horn on a luxury Expedition
cruise ship rather than from the wave-washed and perilous deck of a
windjammer.
Day
16: Puerto Williams, Chile (Cruise ends)
Silver Cloud (Luxury Expedition, 254-guests)
As the inaugural ship for Silversea Cruises, Silver Cloud epitomises everything that is Silversea. Designed to provide the most intimate of sailing experiences, a Silver Cloud cruise provides 254 privileged guests with the luxury of space and the ability to slip into exotic ports off the beaten path. Our shining luxury cruise ship is often described by returning guests as their own private yacht, their home away from home.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Butler
service in every suite
- Unlimited
Free Wifi
- Personalised
service – nearly one crew member for every guest
- Choice
of restaurants, diverse cuisine, open-seating dining
- Beverages
in-suite and throughout the ship, including champagne, select wines and
spirits
- In-suite
dining and room service
- Onboard
entertainment
- Onboard
gratuities
Adventure Options - Zodiac Cruise
- Hiking
- Kayaking
