South Georgia & Falklands - From Punta Arenas to Montevideo

The sights of Santiago de Chile

Welcome to Santiago, Chile’s bustling capital. With its colonial-era architecture, award-winning restaurants and fascinating museums, it’s the perfect place to start your expedition cruise. There’s a lot to see, from the Mercado Central to the Plaza de Armas and the Presidential Palace. Check out the Sky Costanera, which offers panoramic views of the city from 1,000 feet up.

Here, you’ll enjoy an overnight hotel stay.

Begin your expedition cruise in Punta Arenas

You'll have an early start today as we depart Santiago and fly to Punta Arenas, Chile’s southernmost port, where your expedition ship awaits. Once you’ve boarded the ship, get settled in, explore, and meet your Expedition Team.

As well as being your guides, hosts and local experts, they’re also your travel companions for the next three weeks. Friendly and welcoming, they’ll answer any questions you may have during your adventure in to the Falkland Islands and South Georgia.

Centre on science before your adventure

On the day crossing to the Falkland Islands, the Expedition Team will equip you with all you need to make the most of your expedition cruise.

Visit the onboard Science Centre and find out what lies ahead. Listen to experts talk passionately about Antarctica’s history, the science beneath the ice, and the impact of climate change and plastic pollution. You'll learn how to make your visit as safe and as low-impact as possible, and about the Citizen Science projects you can join.

There's plenty of time to relax, so unwind in the hot tub and sauna, enjoy some delicious cuisine and meet fellow travellers in the Explorer Lounge & Bar.

Southeast coast of East Falkland

Bleaker Island was first known as Long Island. It subsequently became Bleaker Island after the large waves that crash against it, but since at least 1857 it has been called Bleaker Island. Forty different breeding birds have been recorded including Magellanic, southern rockhopper, macaroni, and gentoo penguins, and a very large colony of imperial cormorants. Peale’s dolphins reside in the bays south of the settlements year-round.

Relax and prepare for more adventures ahead

As you savour your sailing, prepare for more adventures ahead as we cruise towards the South Georgia. Your Expedition Team will brief you about the history and biology of the islands. In the Science Centre, you can look through the microscope at the tiny krill and phytoplankton that sustains so much of the region's wildlife.

Enjoy all the amenities on the ship and get tips on how to improve your skills from our professional photographer, or join workshops on topics such as wildlife painting and nautical knot tying.

Visit a wildlife watcher’s paradise

South Georgia’s abundant wildlife has earned it the nickname ‘Serengeti of the Southern Ocean’. Its unique position free from sea ice makes the island a breeding site for large colonies of penguins, other seabirds and seals. By mid-March, the breeding season is beginning to wind down, but the island remains full of life, with penguin chicks forming crèches, fur seal pups active along the beaches, and seabirds still busy feeding and fledging. In fact, it’s an Important Bird Area, home to albatrosses, petrels, shags, skuas, and terns.

You'll spend four days exploring this remarkable area. We’ll also try to reach Grytviken, the final resting place of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. As always, our plans are guided by nature, responding to daily conditions and wildlife activity, to ensure we explore safely and bring you the best possible experience.

Visit a wildlife watcher’s paradise

South Georgia’s abundant wildlife has earned it the nickname ‘Serengeti of the Southern Ocean’. Its unique position free from sea ice makes the island a breeding site for large colonies of penguins, other seabirds and seals. By mid-March, the breeding season is beginning to wind down, but the island remains full of life, with penguin chicks forming crèches, fur seal pups active along the beaches, and seabirds still busy feeding and fledging. In fact, it’s an Important Bird Area, home to albatrosses, petrels, shags, skuas, and terns.

You'll spend four days exploring this remarkable area. We’ll also try to reach Grytviken, the final resting place of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. As always, our plans are guided by nature, responding to daily conditions and wildlife activity, to ensure we explore safely and bring you the best possible experience.

Cruising the South Atlantic

Sailing from South Georgia, we’ll spend two days cruising towards the beautiful Falkland Islands. Look forward to seeing an archipelago filled with diverse wildlife.

The Expedition Team will prepare you for what lies ahead with lectures on the area’s wildlife, history, geology, glaciology, and stories of battles.

You’ll also learn how to make your visit as safe and low-impact as possible, and you can join our Citizen Science programmes to help collect data for global research projects.

Enjoy birding and hiking in these green islands

The Falkland archipelago is filled with vast horizons and white sands teeming with birdlife. Only the occasional farm dots the landscape of grassy hills and wildflowers.

In Stanley, you can stroll at your own pace and explore the charming town.

Our landings, hikes, and excursions are always guided by the conditions. We hope to visit albatross and penguin colonies, often sharing space with seals, and get as close as we can without disturbing them.

Saunders Island is the fourth-largest of the Falkland Islands in the western portion of the archipelago. The island’s topography is unusual, being made up of three peninsulas linked by narrow necks, and three big upland areas. Today the island is run as a sheep farm, but has historical importance as the location of the first British settlement in the Falklands. Saunders’ wildlife is also impressively varied. It is possible to see Gentoo and King Penguins in the open dune and sand-flat area, while Rockhopper Penguins (with the odd pair of Macaroni Penguins in between them), Imperial Shags and Black-browed Albatrosses frequent Mount Richards, the highest point on the island at 457 m (1500 feet). Other key bird species are the Black–throated Finch, Ruddy-headed Goose and Falkland Steamer Duck.

As one of the most picturesque gems of the Falkland Islands, Carcass Island is a predator-free sanctuary where vibrant songbirds and colonies of Gentoo and Magellanic penguins thrive in remarkable abundance. Visitors can wander through towering tussac grass and across pristine white sand beaches, enjoying a rare sense of intimacy with wildlife that shows little fear of humans. This tranquil destination offers a perfect blend of rugged coastal beauty and warm island hospitality, making it an essential stop for nature lovers seeking the ultimate sub-Antarctic escape.

Time at sea to rest and reflect

On our sea days between the Falklands and Montevideo, our ship becomes a moving wildlife observatory. As we head north at the end of the season, we’ll be sailing alongside nature’s great migration– whales beginning their journey from Antarctic feeding grounds toward warmer waters, and seabirds tracking the same invisible ocean highways.

From the decks (and often right from the ship’s side), keep watch for blows on the horizon, breaching moments, and the effortless glide of albatrosses and other pelagic birds riding the wind.

With the Expedition Team on hand to help spot and identify species, these days at sea turn into a shared 'migration watch', combining real-time observations with talks and briefings that bring the journey – and the ocean’s wildlife corridors – to life.

This is the perfect time to go through your pictures and relive your experiences in Falklands and South Georgia. Enjoy the onboard comforts one last time. Relax in the hot tubs or sauna or unwind in our Explorer Lounge & Bar.

Plus, you can join the Expedition Team in the Science Centre for further investigations and contribute to Citizen Science projects.

Disembark the ship and explore the vibrant city

Disembark the ship in the morning and enjoy time to explore Uruguay’s interesting capital at your leisure.

You might stroll along the Rambla of Montevideo, a picturesque waterfront promenade stretching over 13 miles, or wander through Ciudad Vieja, the historic centre lined with colonial architecture, art galleries, and bustling markets. Don’t miss the colourful Mercado del Puerto, a lively spot selling traditional Uruguayan cuisine.

This is your chance to soak in Montevideo’s culture, history, and waterfront at your own pace.