Ultimate Antarctica
Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
As veterans of numerous Antarctica expeditions, we’ve drawn on our broad experience to craft the foremost nature and photography tour to the legendary wildlife areas of South Georgia, the Falkland Islands, and the Antarctic Peninsula and adjacent islands. Because we direct all aspects of the cruise, photography and wildlife observation are second to no other activity aboard ship!
We have chartered an entire ship for our clients only. During our voyage, we visit the most prolific wildlife habitats at each destination, landing as much as possible and spending a luxurious amount of time on shore. Our philosophy is to spend more time on shore at choice locations instead of wasting photography time making multiple landings every day. And to top off our amazing itinerary, we have scheduled six full days on South Georgia!
Throughout our voyage, participants’ photography and wildlife interests shape our plans. Unlike other cruises, meals do not require participants to leave the shore. 
We avoid Antarctic bases, casual outdoor clothing is the order of the day, and we do not dress up for dinner. Our leadership team of 10 nature photographers, naturalists and wildlife biologists is unmatched in the industry. They offer our passengers exceptional photography and natural history experiences on shore and an excellent learning environment aboard ship. In short, this trip will be outstanding!
During our 24 days aboard ship we explore and photograph a number of almost mythic locations, including the Antarctic Peninsula, the iceberg graveyard in the South Orkneys, multiple spectacular wildlife areas on South Georgia, and some of the most diverse and photogenic islands in the Falklands.
Our sturdy research-expedition ship Ushuaia allows us to travel in safety and comfort in this magical land of penguins and ice. This ice-strengthened polar vessel is very well appointed and provides ample deck space and an open bridge policy. Originally built for the United States National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Ushuaia has been refurbished to accommodate a maximum of 76 passengers in 38 comfortable twin cabins and suites. We carry a fleet of Jacques Cousteau-designed Zodiac landing craft, which enable us to set foot on very isolated shores. Perfectly suited to expedition cruising, these nimble craft carry small groups ashore, landing on otherwise inaccessible terrain and exploring rugged, rocky headlands and broad wildlife-packed beaches.
Our itinerary allows maximum time to photograph the birds and mammals of the region, and to explore some of the most spectacular seabird colonies and seal rookeries in the world. This trip hits all the regional high points! You stand right on the edge of colonies comprised of more than one hundred thousand penguins and other birds. We photograph massive king penguin colonies and impressive albatross nesting areas, in addition to thousands of wheeling seabirds, gigantic elephant seals, feisty fur seals, and pods of killer whales navigating through spectacular ice-choked channels. This expedition is truly crafted to be a photographic highlight of a lifetime to one of the ends of the Earth. The adventure is everything you’ve hoped for, and more.
• Read the logbook from our 2011 Ultimate Antarctica Photo Cruise (PDF)
When we set out to create this one-of-a-kind expedition voyage, this is the question we asked ourselves most often: What does it take to offer our clients an expedition that draws from our broad experience and avoids some of the pitfalls of other Antarctica voyages?
A few of the attributes that sets our Ultimate Antarctica cruise apart from others are highlighted below.
More Leaders per Client. This may be one of the most important differences between our cruise and others. Why is it important? There are several reasons. First, our clients are very inquisitive and intent on learning photography tips and about natural history of the area. With one leader for 8 clients, you'll have excellent access to leaders when questions arise—and you'll have 10 different leaders to interact with throughout the cruise. Second, other tours often have only 3 or 4 expedition staff members for a group the size of ours, and they often have to double as Zodiac drivers and boat handlers during landings. This means there are extended times when most leaders on other trips are not accessible on shore because they have to ferry clients to and from the ship. Our leaders are always accessible on shore.
Time, Time and More Time! When you've made the effort to travel to a place as remote as Antarctica, you'll want time to explore this spectacular environment at your own pace instead of moving from landing site to landing site to keep a “forced-march” schedule. Our 24-day cruise allows plenty of time to slow down and enjoy each stop along the way. Where possible, we offer extended shore landings without skimping on the number of locations we visit.
Expert Planning with Built-in Flexibility. After operating more than 30 expeditions to Antarctica we have acquired the expertise needed to plan a nature itinerary that is second to none. We know the wildlife hotspots and have included them in our planned itinerary. We also know when and how to be flexible in our itinerary, both to ensure your safety and to take advantage of unexpected good weather and wildlife. Unlike other Antarctica itineraries, we try to be as flexible as possible when it benefits our clients.
Smaller Group. Cruise ships carrying 400 or more passengers are more common in Antarctica each year. The logistics of getting such large groups ashore are difficult since IAATO rules only allow a maximum of 100 passengers on shore at any location in Antarctica, except on Prion Island, where only 50 are allowed. With only 76 passengers, 10 expedition staff members, and plenty of Zodiac landing craft, we can get our clients to shore quickly, often, and with minimal hassles. Once ashore, there are fewer in our group so it's much easier to find personal time away from the group (following IAATO guidelines). These days, the trend on many Antarctica cruises is for more shipboard cruising and less time ashore. By contrast we offer as much shore time as we can to allow you the flexibility to explore, photograph and observe wildlife, or to return to the ship at your leisure.
Photography and Nature Guides. Whether you're serious about photography, or just want to learn a few tips to take better photos, our photography leaders can help. Wayne Lynch, Joe Van Os, John Shaw, Jeff Vanuga, and Joe and Mary Ann McDonald are all professional photographers who have led hundreds of nature photography trips all over the world. Photographing nature and wildlife are our primary goals. And to provide the best in nature interpretation we have dedicated expert naturalists on board—Chris Edwards and Anna Sutcliffe. They'll help you understand the incredible diversity of life we'll see around the Southern Ocean. And many of the staff are both accomplished interpretive naturalists AND professional photographers.
Prime November Dates. Our voyage is timed to travel in the Southern Ocean when courtship and nesting activity of penguins and other species is high. Snow is a good possibility at this time of year at South Georgia and Antarctica—which greatly enhances the look of your photography. The bird colonies are much cleaner and relatively free of excrement than later in the season. There are many big icebergs. Further north, the spring breeding season at the Falkland Islands is in full swing with albatrosses, geese, penguins and wading birds at the nest or tending young. Wildflowers are blooming. Using these dates we avoid the huge crush of travelers flying between North and South America during the December holidays.
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart from home.
Day 2 (Nov 3, 2013)
Arrive in Ushuaia, Argentina. The hotel tonight is included.
Day 3
The morning is free to explore the southernmost city in the world. A bus tour of Tierra del Fuego National Park is optional. In late afternoon we board our ship and set sail to the Falkland Islands. (BD)
Day 4
We start our journey around the "Scotia Arc," traveling with the prevailing current to the Falkland Islands. We see a variety of birds, including our first black-browed and wandering albatrosses, and thousands of shearwaters and petrels; we also hope to see whales and dolphins. On all our "at sea" days throughout the cruise, there are photography and natural history discussions and slide presentations; plus, if wind conditions are right, great bird-flight shots can be made on deck. (All meals are included while aboard ship.)
Days 5–7
During our three days in the Falklands we make landings on four substantially diverse islands with photogenic rockhopper penguins, beaches dotted with oystercatchers and with kelp and upland geese, meadows punctuated with active Magellanic penguin burrows, and exciting black-browed albatross colonies. Other photo subjects should include striated caracaras, snowy sheathbills, imperial cormorants and a host of other waterbirds.
Days 8–10
Departing the Falklands, our ship crosses the Scotia Sea. Although we are far from land, there is much to see if you are an active wildlife observer on deck, and numerous leader presentations prepare us for the landings to come. Our course takes us across the Antarctic Convergence, the invisible boundary between the cold Antarctic water and the warmer currents flowing from the South Atlantic. We start to see our first icebergs. Our next landfall is South Georgia, some 800 miles from the Falklands. With favorable weather, we arrive at South Georgia the evening of Day 10.
Days 11–16
This absolutely phenomenal island is 102 miles long and 24 miles wide—a mere speck in the vast Southern Ocean. At South Georgia, we repeatedly find ourselves in stunning colonies of king penguins, macaroni penguins and wandering albatrosses. Here, at the most spectacular island on Earth, we usually stop at only one landing site per day, but our experience at these locations surpasses what any other ship offers to its passengers, without exception. We visit the enormous king penguin colony of the incomparable Salisbury Plain for two very full days, Prion Island in the Bay of Isles for fur seals, wanderers and gentoo penguins, Hercules Bay for macaronis, and spend a day each at wildlife-packed St. Andrews Bay and Cooper Bay for good measure. There are innumerable seals throughout the landing sites, including gigantic elephant seals and Antarctic fur seals. The landscape, reminiscent of the last ice age, is dotted with vast glaciers, meltwater streams, alluvial beaches and offshore icebergs. Our six days should allow us to locate and photograph some of the more unusual nesting species, such as light-mantled sooty albatrosses, southern giant petrels and macaroni penguins, as well as to let us take our time looking for the best possible photo situations in the vast king penguin colonies. John Shaw once commented that his first visit to the Salisbury Plain, with its tens of thousands of king penguins, was one of the two best wildlife photography days of his career, rivaled only by his best day in Kenya.
Days 17–19
We spend these days cruising the South Atlantic en route to Antarctica via the South Orkneys. Icebergs are now a familiar sight and, depending on our timing we may choose to cruise the South Orkney’s iceberg graveyard in hopes of photographing a beautiful berg covered with penguins.
Days 20–24
The Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetlands offer photography that packs these exciting next five days. We select landings at wildlife and scenic areas only, avoiding national bases and historic sites that have meager wildlife populations. We visit Paulet Island with its massive Adélie colonies, cruise the Neumayer and Lemaire Channels—the quintessential Antarctic scenery locations—and also land our Zodiacs adjacent to gentoo and chinstrap penguin colonies and loafing beaches. Our leaders use their experience to select the best areas to optimize our photography and ensure our safety.
Days 25–26
We spend these two days at sea, crossing the renowned Drake Passage. Cape Horn looms on the horizon as we make our return trip and cruise up the Beagle Channel toward Ushuaia.
Day 27 (Nov 28)
Arriving in Ushuaia, we disembark the ship and transfer to the airport to depart for home. (B)
Day 28
Arrive home.
About The Vessel, Ushuaia
The Antarctic expedition ship Ushuaia was originally commissioned as the R/V Researcher for the US National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In 1995, while in the service of the US government, the ship was the first NOAA vessel to circumnavigate the globe on a scientific voyage carrying out baseline studies to gather data critical for later comparison on the ocean's role in global climate change, the Antarctic ozone hole, and the El Niño phenomenon, among other projects.
Now, renamed Ushuaia, the 278-foot-long ship has been converted for passenger travel and refurbished as a privately-owned expedition/research/Antarctic supply vessel to accommodate a maximum of 84 passengers and expedition staff in 41 comfortable twin cabins and suites. Navigation and communication equipment have been upgraded and passenger email access on the ship's bridge has also been installed. Cabins on this ice-strengthened polar vessel are nicely appointed and feature two lower berths in the Suite and Superior cabins and some Twin cabins, and upper and lower berths in all others. Depending on the cabin category selected, rooms provide private or semi-private facilities. A desk, washbasin and ample storage space is standard in all cabins. Public areas feature a large dining room, an observation lounge and bar, a conference room with modern multimedia equipment, a well-stocked "Antarctic" library, a changing room and a small infirmary.
The ship has a large bridge with an open bridge policy. Ushuaia is staffed by an Argentine captain and crew, highly experienced in the art of Antarctic navigation. A large amount of outside deck space is available to passengers for photography, wildlife viewing or gazing at Antarctica's spectacular scenery. A full complement of inflatable Zodiacs is available for use for shore landings and for cruising to view wildlife and explore Antarctica's amazing icy coastline.
View Ushuaia's deck plan
Expedition Rates
| Cabin Type |
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Rate |
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| C Cabins: Twin inside cabins on Deck D, two berths (upper/lower), semi-private facilities |
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$15,995 |
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| B Cabins: Twin outside cabins with portholes on Deck E, two berths (upper/lower), semi private facilities. Twin outside cabins (214 and 215) with portholes on Deck G, two berths (upper/lower), private facilities |
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$16,995 |
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| A Cabins: Twin outside cabins with windows on Deck G,
two lower berths, private facilities |
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$17,995 |
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| Superiors: Twin outside cabins with windows on Deck G,
two lower berths, private facilities. Cabin 301 features one double and one single bed |
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$18,995 |
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| Suites: Twin outside cabins with windows on Deck G,
two lower berths, private facilities, lounge, DVD player, TV and fridge |
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$20,995 |
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Land and cruise only,
per person, from Ushuaia, Argentina, based on shared occupancy
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