Im Königreich der Könige – Falklandinseln, Südgeorgien & Antarktis

Reiseverlauf

Reiseverlauf abhängig von Wetter- und Eislage. Beschriebene Naturerlebnisse/Tiersichtungen sind mögliche Ereignisse auf den Expeditionen und nicht garantiert.

• Day 1: Departure from Ushuaia

  Your journey into the Kingdom of Kings begins at the southern tip of South America.

  Board Terra Nova Adventurer, settle into your cabin and meet your expedition team and fellow travellers. Following our safety briefings, we leave Ushuaia behind and begin our journey into the South Atlantic.

• Day 2: At Sea: Settling into Expedition Life

  Today we continue east across the South Atlantic towards the Falkland Islands.

  This first full day at sea is an opportunity to settle into the rhythm of expedition life and get to know your expedition team.

  Our lecture programme begins with introductions to the wildlife, history and environments we hope to encounter over the coming weeks.

  Spend time outside too. Albatrosses, petrels and other seabirds may begin accompanying the ship, while whales and other marine mammals are always worth watching for.

• Day 3: Falkland Islands

  Our first expedition experiences take us amongst the remote islands and rugged coastlines of the Falklands.

  These islands support an extraordinary variety of wildlife, including several species of penguin, enormous seabird colonies and marine mammals.

  We'll explore by Zodiac and on foot, choosing our locations according to the conditions and wildlife activity on the day.

  Along the way, our expedition team will introduce the natural and human history of an archipelago shaped by its isolation in the South Atlantic.

• Day 4: Continuing to Explore

  Presentations turn towards the wildlife and history of the archipelago as we prepare for our first expedition landings. Boots, equipment and Zodiacs are readied — tomorrow, the ship becomes our base for exploring ashore.

• Day 5: Into the Southern Ocean

  We begin our crossing of the Scotia Sea.

  Far from simply being a transit day, the crossing is an important part of the expedition. These productive waters support vast numbers of seabirds and marine mammals.

  Albatrosses and petrels may accompany the ship, while everyone keeps watch for whales.

• Day 6: Approaching South Georgia

  Our journey east continues, and anticipation builds for South Georgia.

  Lectures introduce the island's enormous wildlife populations, exploration history and extraordinary landscape. Outside, the wildlife watching continues.

  Eventually, one of the Southern Ocean's great sights may appear on the horizon: the mountainous outline of South Georgia.

• Day 7: Welcome to the Kingdom of Kings

  Few arrivals compare with South Georgia.

  Glacier-covered mountains rise dramatically behind sweeping beaches, while penguins, seals and seabirds occupy the coastline.

  Today we hope to make our first South Georgia landing, beginning several days of exploration in one of the world's greatest wildlife destinations.

   

• Day 8: Among the King Penguins

  Today we seek one of the experiences at the very heart of this expedition: South Georgia's immense king penguin colonies.

  Birds can gather in numbers stretching almost beyond sight, filling beaches and valleys beneath dramatic mountains.

  At this time of year, colonies may contain adults at different stages of their long breeding cycle alongside thousands of unmistakable fluffy brown chicks.

• Day 9: Wildlife Everywhere

  Our exploration continues.

  King penguins may be the headline act, but South Georgia's wildlife extends far beyond them. Fur seals, elephant seals and countless seabirds share these remarkable shores.

  We'll use our Zodiacs to explore remote bays and beaches, going ashore wherever conditions and wildlife opportunities are best.

• Day 10: History & One Final Landing

  Our final planned day around South Georgia offers another opportunity to follow the wildlife and conditions.

  Conditions permitting, we hope to visit Grytviken, where the island's human history comes into focus and we can pay our respects at Sir Ernest Shackleton's grave.

  Eventually, it's time to leave the Kingdom of Kings behind and set our course south.

• Day 11: South Towards Antarctica

  Eventually, we leave South Georgia behind and turn south-west towards another of the planet's great wildernesses.

  These days at sea give us time to reflect on South Georgia while looking ahead to Antarctica.

  The expedition programme continues with lectures and presentations on Antarctic wildlife, history, glaciology and conservation.

  Outside, keep watching the horizon as we move deeper into Antarctic waters.

  The first iceberg is always worth waiting for.

• Day 12: History, Wildlife & One Final Adventure

  Our final planned day around South Georgia gives us another opportunity to follow the conditions and wildlife.

  Conditions permitting, we may also visit Grytviken, once a centre of the island's whaling industry and today closely associated with the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton.

  Wherever the day takes us, we'll make the most of our remaining time before turning south towards Antarctica.

   

• Day 13: South Towards Antarctica

  We leave South Georgia behind and turn south-west towards Antarctica, beginning the two-day crossing towards Elephant Island. Temperatures fall, Antarctic seabirds become more common, and we watch for the first icebergs on the horizon.

  As we reach the vicinity of Elephant Island, we enter waters rich in Antarctic exploration history before continuing towards the Antarctic Peninsula.

• Day 14: Following the Ice South

  From Elephant Island, we continue through the Antarctic Sound, known for its immense tabular icebergs, before making our way towards the Antarctic Peninsula.

  Early-season sea ice may influence our route, with the expedition team monitoring conditions closely throughout.

• Day 15: First Antarctic Exploration

  Welcome to Antarctica.

  Winter has only recently loosened its grip. Mountains can remain covered in deep snow, bays may hold extensive sea ice and the landscape has the pristine character of the very beginning of the expedition season.

  Conditions permitting, we'll begin exploring by Zodiac and on foot.

• Day 16: Among Ice & Penguins

  Another day of exploration begins, but there is deliberately no fixed programme.

  We may navigate among sculpted icebergs, cruise beneath glaciers or go ashore near a penguin colony. Early-season snow and ice can transform familiar Antarctic locations into completely different landscapes.

  Where conditions permit, opportunities may also include kayaking, snowshoeing, hiking and photography.

• Day 17: Following the Best Conditions

  By now, the rhythm of expedition travel has taken over.

  The Captain and Expedition Leader will assess the weather, wildlife and ice before choosing where today's adventure takes us.

  Perhaps a sheltered bay offers spectacular Zodiac cruising. Perhaps ice conditions open a route towards an unexpected landing. Or perhaps wildlife changes our plans entirely.

  That's the beauty of expedition travel.

• Day 18: One More Day in the Wild South

  Our final planned day of Antarctic exploration gives us another opportunity to make the most of this extraordinary early-season environment.

  We'll follow the conditions and seek out the best experience available — whether that's ashore, among the ice by Zodiac, kayaking or simply stopping to watch wildlife.

  Eventually, we turn north and begin our journey towards South America.

• Day 19: North Across the Drake

  We begin our northbound crossing of the legendary Drake Passage.

  After days packed with exploration, today offers time to slow down and absorb what we've experienced — from elephant seal breeding beaches and king penguin colonies to the snow and ice of early-season Antarctica.

• Day 20: Towards Cape Horn

  Our final full day aboard takes us closer to South America.

  Join the expedition team's final presentations, share photographs and stories with fellow travellers or spend time outside watching for albatrosses, petrels and whales.

  As Cape Horn draws closer, we prepare to enter the Beagle Channel and return to Ushuaia.

   

• Day 21: Disembarkation

  We arrive in Ushuaia this morning.

  After breakfast, say goodbye to Terra Nova Adventurer, your expedition team and fellow travellers, bringing to a close an extraordinary journey from Montevideo through the Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica.