Day 1
Arrive Ushuaia

Arrive in Ushuaia, a small Patagonian city on the Beagle Channel, and transfer to our hotel. The balance of the day is free, with a cocktail reception this evening. Overnight at hotel.

Day 2
Ushuaia / Embark

This morning we enjoy a tour of Tierra del Fuego National Park, celebrated for its stunning scenery. After lunch we embark on the Clelia II and navigate the Beagle Channel.

Day 3
At Sea

Enjoy a day at sea, listening to lectures as our expedition ship cruises to the Falkland Islands.

Days 4-5
Falkland Islands

The rugged Falklands are known for their incredible variety of sub-Antarctic wildlife, including the world’s greatest concentrations of black-browed albatross and gentoo penguins. Along with vast numbers of fur seals, breeding petrels, and albatrosses, these isolated islands are also the only place on our voyage where we see rockhopper penguins, famous for their daring surf landings on the Falkland Islands’ windward cliffs. On Westpoint Island, we walk across the moors to a busy rookery of raucous rockhoppers and explore the dramatic beaches of nearby Saunders Island, brimming with gentoo and Magellanic penguins. We also visit Port Stanley, the charming British Victorian capital.

Days 6-7
At Sea

We keep an eye out for wildlife from the deck and enjoy presentations as we head to remote South Georgia.

Days 8-10
South Georgia

Rising 10,000 feet out of the Scotia Sea and covered with glaciers, South Georgia is breathtakingly beautiful. The scale and grandeur of this island must be seen to be believed, and it is a virtual oasis for wildlife, home to four species of albatross, eight species of penguin, a million southern fur seals, and hundreds of thousands of elephant seals. We search the grassy slopes for nesting wandering albatross, with their 12-foot wingspan, and we watch tall, stately king penguins in their thousand-strong breeding colonies. South Georgia has played a vital role in the history of Antarctic exploration and is the place where Sir Ernest Shackleton ended his epic journey by open boat to seek rescue for the men of the Endurance. We may also visit the abandoned whaling station at Grytviken, where Sir Ernest Shackleton is buried.

Day 11
Sailing the Scotia Sea

We attend presentations and watch for whales and seabirds as we cruise the Scotia Sea.

Day 12
South Orkney Islands

A vista of enormous grounded icebergs is visible as our vessel approaches the South Orkney Islands to call at Coronation Island. With British scientists from Signy Station, we visit the island’s rookeries of penguins and snow and cape petrels.

Days 13-16
Antarctic Peninsula & its Islands

The pristine Antarctic Peninsula is the most wildlife-rich part of the Antarctic Continent. As the Clelia II sails through scenic waterways, we witness a breathtaking panorama of jagged icebergs and massive glaciers and cruise by Zodiac among ice floes, landing at penguin rookeries and visiting with scientists at research stations. Our first day is at Elephant Island, where in 1916 Sir Ernest Shackleton’s crew was stranded, forcing Shackleton and five of his men to undertake a do-or-die thousand-mile rescue mission on a 20-foot whaleboat to secure help. Our itinerary varies according to local ice and wind conditions, but we also hope to land at Petermann Island, where humpback and minke whales are often sighted, Deception Island, whose waters are often warm enough for a dip, and King George Island, home to several research stations. Voyages through the magnificent Lemaire, Neumeyer, and Errera channels are also planned.

Days 17-18
At Sea

Our naturalists and historians offer lectures as the Clelia II crosses the Antarctic Convergence and Drake Passage.

Day 19
Ushuaia / Disembark

Disembark in Ushuaia and transfer to the airport for departing flights.

This is the Itinerary-at-a-Glance. For the complete trip description, Download Full Trip Brochure

The Clelia II

More like a private yacht than a cruise ship, the all-suite 100-guest Clelia II is one of the most luxurious expedition ships cruising the Antarctic. All of the ship’s outside facing suites provide views of the sea and landscape, and feature a sitting area or separate living room, twin or queen-size beds, spacious closets, and marble-appointed bathroom. Facilities aboard the Clelia II include two lounges, a library, beauty salon, gym, spa, Jacuzzi, and an elegant restaurant accommodating all guests in a single, unassigned seating. An infirmary is attended by a resident physician and an elevator serves all decks. The Clelia II is staffed by 65 seasoned officers and crew, and boasts one of the best guest-to-staff ratios in the cruising world. She is ice-strengthened for voyages into Antarctic waters and is equipped with a fleet of Zodiac inflatable craft for forays ashore.

 

 

 

 

Deck Plan