If you have the time for a longer voyage, head to the islands north of the Antarctic Peninsula for the most incredible sight of a vast colony of king penguins and many species of marine mammals and sea birds.
One of the most spectacular highlights that rewards you on this longer journey to Antarctica that includes the Falkland Islands and South Georgia has to be the enormous colony of thousands of King penguins at Salisbury Plain on South Georgia.
These beautiful creatures are the second largest of the penguin species and considerably easier to reach than the colonies of Emperor penguins which are mostly to be found in the frozen Antarctic interior. You reach this incredible landing site by sailing first from southern Argentina towards the Falkland Islands before continuing to South Georgia and culminating in numerous days spent making landings on the Antarctic Peninsula for a truly memorable Antarctica experience.
Departing from Buenos Aires, arrive first in the Falkland Islands, looking out for albatrosses, prions or petrels who follow in the ship’s wake and even dolphins and whales. A few additional days at sea also gives you more time to listen to fascinating lectures with your expedition leaders who will be able to enlighten you on some incredible historic, geological and wildlife facts as you head further south.
Depending on your itinerary, you may head to the rugged Western Falklands, home to large family-run farms where sheep might graze alongside Macaroni, Rockhopper and King penguin colonies, your first glimpse of the incredible wildlife that is to be the feature of the next three weeks of your incredible voyage. Or you may have the chance to call into the port town of Stanley and explore the museum and meet some of the islanders as well as some great opportunities to spot sealions and birds at nearby Gypsy Cove.
Continue on then across the Southern Ocean to South Georgia to see the King Penguins at Salisbury Plain but also many more other wildlife colonies from fur seals to elephant seals, stunning rugged scenery dotted with glaciers and icebergs and discover more about the island’s fascinating history from the whaling station at Grytviken to the British Antarctic Survey station and the small graveyard where one of the great explorers, Sir Ernest Shackleton, is buried.
This is an incredible opportunity to observe the very best diversity of the wildlife of the southern polar regions as well as a chance to visit more of its fascinating historic sites than on a classic Antarctic Peninsula voyage. The rewards are very much worth it, if you have more time to spare for this truly epic journey of a lifetime to Antarctica.
By Marcela Kunova - 20th April 2017
Nicola Shepherd, founder and CEO of The Exploration Company, organises unusual trips for HNW and UHNW clients ranging from birthday parties at an Indian Maharajah's palace to reliving Sir Vivian Fuchs's 1950s expedition to the South Pole. Citywealth caught ...
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