Overview
Little islands with big tales to tell. The South Georgia Islands are teeming with wildlife and exploration history, while the intriguing Falkland Islands are unique, as is the great white wonder of Antarctica.
In South Georgia, photograph the impressive jagged mountain vistas and walk through some of the world’s largest king penguin colonies. Summer comes to Antarctica and South Georgia like a revelation. Penguins nest, and voraciously hungry chicks grow quickly as their parents work hard feeding them. The waters are teeming with whales feasting on krill, orcas hunt in packs and elephant seal beachmasters are busy guarding their harem. In the Falkland Islands, we explore the historic town of Stanley and the wildlife endemic to the region.
Itinerary
Arrive at your hotel for your one-night stay. Latin passion and European romance define the beautiful city of Buenos Aires, a dynamic city known for its wide-ranging architectural styles, contemporary and historical arts, and culinary experiences.
Your journey begins as you fly from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, known as the southernmost city in the world. The crew will warmly greet you as you seamlessly board Scenic Eclipse. Settle into your luxurious suite and acquaint yourself with the world-class facilities of your Discovery Yacht. Toast the start of your voyage as you sail away from South America and cruise through the Beagle Channel. Admire the dramatic views of the Andean mountains of Tierra del Fuego from the comfort of your private verandah.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Dinner
As we begin sailing across the famed Drake Passage, enjoy a sleep-in as you get comfortable with the rhythm of the ocean. The experienced crew are available to assist you with whatever you need. Join an introductory presentation by the Discovery Team in the state-of-the-art theatre – as you get ready for your first landing, they will share with you their excitement about what's to come, along with practical information about your polar expedition. Relax and enjoy the bars, lounges, dining, and wellness facilities as you cruise towards Antarctica.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today we will enter Antarctic waters, and the excitement starts to build as you search for your first iceberg. Put on your complimentary polar parka and head out on the Observation Deck to watch for seabirds, such as the wandering albatross with the largest wingspan of any flying bird. Alternatively, watch for the blow of a whale in the distance. Your palate will be delighted as you explore the extensive range of dining options on board, from casual to fine dining including private in-suite meals served by your butler.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Arriving in Antarctica for the first time is unlike anything you have experienced before. Welcome to a challenging, unpredictable, and stunningly beautiful environment that always finds a way to surprise you. Open your floor-to-ceiling sliding doors and step out onto the private verandah of your suite. See icebergs of different shapes and sizes sculpted by nature, majestic, glaciated mountains towering out of the ocean thousands of meters tall and enjoy the search for spotting penguins, seals, and whales. A truly unique way to wake up and start your day of discovery.
At the heart of your Antarctic Voyage is the Scenic Eclipse Discovery Team. With up to 20 members, all leading experts in their fields with diverse qualifications, from in science to geology, botany, history, photography, archaeology, anthropology, marine biology, and glaciology. They will answer your most curious and technical questions and be with you throughout every moment of your journey.
Included in your Expedition Voyage are incredible activities such as Zodiac excursions, landings, and hikes. You can also go kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding, which will become some of your favourite activities in Antarctica. Gliding along the water is peaceful and being at the same level as the icebergs is both a humbling and powerful experience. An expert guide is with you for any questions you may have, although it is the perfect time to embrace the silence and be in the moment.
Discovery: Partake in daily Scenic Discovery excursions. Cruise on the Zodiacs around ice formations, step onto shore to view vast penguin rookeries and seals. Kayak or stand-up paddle board around icebergs and hear the ice cracking and whales feeding all around.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Board your Zodiac and feel the fresh, crisp air on your face as you cruise towards the 7th continent. Hear the snow crunch under your boot as you prepare for what the landing has in store. Each new encounter will fill you with awe. Witness wildlife in their natural habitat, with no fear of humans, or see historic sites scattered on the shoreline. Antarctica is truly a land of wonder. Due to the extraordinary nature of the region, a host of choices throughout your Expedition Voyage are open and dependent on the ice and weather conditions. Your experienced Captain and specialist Discovery Team, who have made countless journeys to Antarctica, will use their expertise to design your voyage from day to day, making the most of 18–20 hours of daylight.
Discovery: Continue exploring the Antarctica with your experienced team. Partake in daily Scenic Discovery excursions. Cruise on the Zodiacs around ice formations, step onto shore to view vast penguin rookeries and seals. Kayak or stand-up paddle board around icebergs and hear the ice cracking and whales feeding all around.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Remarkable wildlife encounters await during your time exploring Antarctica.
Eight species of penguins can be found in Antarctic and the sub-Antarctic region, with around twelve million penguins living on the Peninsula. Going on shore to witness a penguin colony is an unforgettable experience. Close your eyes to get the full experience as you approach. Smell will be the first sense to be awakened, with the not-so-sweet odour announcing that you are nearby. Hear their mighty calls getting louder as you get closer to shore. Watch on as they go about their day, clumsily waddling along and interacting with each other. Penguins that you may see on the Peninsula include Adélie, Chinstrap, Gentoo, and the very rare Emperor penguins.
Whales are another powerful creature that you may encounter during your voyage, and you'll find their gentle movement calming and impactful. Feel the anticipation of the first sighting of the blow of water shooting into the air, to finding where the second will come from, and seeing their giant body surface for another breath. It could be the back of a minke, the hump on a humpback or the dorsal fin of an Orca. You may be on Scenic Eclipse, watching from the comfort of the Observation Lounge, in a Zodiac with an experienced Discovery Team member, or lucky enough to experience this from their level in a kayak or stand-up paddleboard.
Antarctica is also a birdwatcher's paradise, drawing more than 40 different species. Keep your eyes peeled for wandering albatrosses, shearwaters, giant petrels, storm petrels, blue-eyed shags, diving petrels, cormorants, sheathbills, skuas, gulls and terns.
Discovery: Explore Antarctica with your expert Discovery Team. Partake in daily Scenic Discovery excursions. Cruise on the Zodiacs around ice formations, step onto shore to view vast penguin rookeries and seals. Kayak or stand-up paddle board around icebergs and hear the ice cracking and whales feeding all around.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After days of exploration take a moment to yourself in your luxuriously-appointed suite. Marvel at wildlife from the observation deck as your butler brings you an afternoon tea. Then delve into an insightful conversation with one of our Discovery Team members after an educational lecture in the world-class theatre. Or simply watch as the world slips by as you rug up and relax in your cabana on Deck 10.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sailing towards South Georgia gives you time to slow to the rhythm of the sea. Enjoy your time to relax and be entranced by the many seabirds you’ll encounter on your way. You may decide to join the avid whale watchers hoping to get a glimpse of one of these giant mammals or simply contemplate the vastness of the ocean from your private verandah while your butler pours you your favourite drink.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
South Georgia is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places in the world. During your time here , the expert team on board Scenic Eclipse will design a unique itinerary around weather and ice conditions toshow you South Georgia's immense wildlife and stunning landscapes.
A 3,000-metre mountain range forms the spine of the long, narrow island. Between the mountains, shattered glaciers carve their way through tussock grass to the deeply indented coastline. Despite being such a small outpost in the vastness of the South Atlantic, the sea around South Georgia is one of the liveliest areas on Earth. While it remains permanently uninhabited by humans, it is home to an abundance of wildlife, including king penguins, albatross, as well as elephant and fur seals.
With nicknames including ‘Serengeti of the Southern Ocean’ and ‘Galápagos of the Poles’, South Georgia is a top spot for wildlife photographers from all over the world. Recognised for being home to some of the world’s largest concentrations of king penguins, South Georgia will leave you in awe. Look along the black sand beach and witness a sea of black, white and bursts of yellow and orange, admiring as they stand, squabble, and curiously investigate. Listen as they loudly sing to each other.
In addition to king penguins, you will also find gentoo, Macaroni penguins, and other glorious birdlife like the majestic wandering albatrosses, which you can see gliding on gusts of wind, over the choppy waves. One day you may see rookeries with hundreds of thousands of pairs of king penguins waddling on a beach, and the next day you may visit another beach dotted with thousands of fur or elephant seals. You'll be stunned by the numerous wildlife you'll see.
Discovery: During the days spent in South Georgia, the Discovery Team plans to go ashore at several possible places to take you closer to the incredible wilderness and wildlife. They will also explain how important the landscape is for the breeding and survival of different species on the island.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Weather and ice conditions permitting, while in South Georgia, you may also explore the settlement of Grytviken.
Encircled by steep rugged mountains Grytviken was previously a haven for hunting whales, but due to overhunting, whale stocks around this region rapidly diminished. You can still see the remnants of the old whaling stations, with some ships left rusting around the bay and other abandoned outposts. Now that hunting is history, these islands have remarkable ecological recovery, with wildlife populations rebounding.
Grytviken is also the final resting place of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. As you stand in the cemetery, you'll feel the emotional connection to this legendary character, as if history came alive. Visit his grave, learn about his famous expedition and make a toast, paying respects to the great explorer.
Fortuna Bay is another possible landing site in South Georgia, subject to weather and ice conditions. Offering both teeming wildlife viewing and a wonderful panorama from its beach of jagged summit peaks and the remarkable expanse of the Konig Glacier, it is home to a large population of king penguin, Antarctic fur seal, elephant seal, brown skua, giant petrel, and Antarctic tern. This site’s varying tundra and curious penguins and seal pups will likely provide some of the best pictures of your voyage.
In Salisbury Plain, visit the world's second largest king penguin colony, with more than 250,000 of them. The impressive sights and sounds that you will experience are beyond any photo or video. Be in awe before the amphitheatre of snowcapped mountains looking down on the colony, as the penguins put on a show nesting, breeding and moulting on the shores. Large amounts of elephant and fur seals are also found along the 3km long pebble beach, moving between the clusters of wildlife. The basin is framed by tussac-covered hills and bluffs on one side and the Bay of Isles on the other, but it’s Grace Glacier and Lucas Glacier on each end that give Salisbury Plain its visual appeal.
Another must see is the deserted whaling village of Stromness, the saving grace for Sir Ernest Shackleton and his companions. After a gruelling 36-hour hike through the South Georgia Mountains, Shackleton was helped by the Norwegian whaling station manager at this remote outpost of civilisation. Listen as your expert Discovery Team leader shares stories from the past as you admire the structures from afar. Discovery: Equipped with a fleet of custom-built Zodiacs and kayaks, your discovery excursions will take you to the places of you could only dream of before.
Discovery: Enjoy all-inclusive discovery excursions on Zodiacs and kayaks guided by your Discovery Team specialist.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Your expedition of South Georgia could also visit some of the below locations.
The small cove of Gold Harbour is regarded as one of the most beautiful areas in the region. Framed by the glacier-covered peaks of the Salvesen Range, Gold Harbour summarises South Georgia's wildlife and scenery in one place. King penguins, gentoos and elephant seals are the major players in this all-natural amphitheatre.
A hidden gem located at the southeastern-most extremity of South Georgia, Cooper Bayoffers various inlets and crevices along the rocky shores. Explore by Zodiac while watching for Giant petrels and brown skuas as they soar around above, or look into the kelp forests for playful fur seals. Onshore, admire the many seals as you climb a short but steep hill to find a macaroni penguin colony hidden among tussock grasses.
Drygalski Fjord is one of the most scenic areas of South Georgia. The narrow channel is a reminder of the powerful glacier that shaped this land. Sheer, snow-covered walls lined the fjord on either side as icebergs and bergy bits gently float by Scenic Eclipse as you watch from the Observation Terrace. The Risting Glacier looms at the end of the fjord, so make sure you listen for a thundering crack that indicates a huge block of ice is falling into the water. Drygalski Fjord is also the main breeding area in South Georgia for snow petrels, so use your binoculars to find these as they blend into the white cliffs.
Discovery: Enjoy all-inclusive discovery excursions on Zodiacs and kayaks guided by your Discovery Team specialist.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today is your chance to indulge a little more in your Discovery Yacht’s facilities. Begin the day with a yoga class, followed by a soak in the heated vitality pool, the endless horizon your backdrop. Your active start to the day means you can reward yourself by calling on your butler to bring breakfast to your room. You could enjoy lunch here as well. Or make a date with your new friends to re-live Antarctica memories over a casual meal in Azure Bar & Café. On-board chefs prepare fresh and inspired meals that you’ll want to linger over well into the afternoon.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
When you’re visiting some of the world’s most fragile ecosystems, you have a commitment to protect them for future generations.
Take advantage of our open bridge policy to meet with the Captain and his team to find out all about Scenic Eclipse’s state- of- the- art technology and environmentally sustainable systems that aim to leave as small a footprint as possible.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Remote and sparsely populated, the Falkland Islands are a wildlife lover’s paradise. You will visit several of the outer islands, where large colonies of penguins and albatross thrive. Fur seals and elephant seals roam sandy beaches, while the surrounding waters are home to whales and dolphins.
During your time in the Falkland Islands, you will also be likely to visit Stanley, the capital of the archipelago on East Falkland. Since its colonisation in the 18th century, the ownership of the Falkland Islands has been clouded in controversy between French, British, Spanish and Argentina. In 1982, the Falklands War resulted in this remote outpost and the islands remain part of the British Commonwealth.
This town offers a unique British outpost feel as you meander through its central streets. Visit an array of local shops and see incredible landscapes such as the Christ Church Cathedral with its whalebone arch, or maybe even stop in at an English pub to share a pint with the friendly locals.
Freechoice: Take a walking tour of the small capital with an expert local guide for a closer look at the Islanders' daily life in this rugged, remote but beautiful location. Alternatively, visit the key sites of the Falklands War on a Battlefields Tour, delving into the events that led up to the 1982 battle while admiring the views of the Island.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Throughout your time in the Falkland Islands, you will see why it is considered one of the wonders of the far Southern Hemisphere. Admire the windswept green hills and clear waters that lap the white sand beaches that could be mistaken for a much more tropical location. Walk along beautiful beaches, wander through tussock grass or sit atop a cliff and ponder the views. The photographer in you will feel the joy as your camera gets a workout.
Overflowing with natural beauty, the Falkland Islands is home to an army of penguins and birdlife. The world’s largest population of Gentoo penguins is found here, in addition to other penguin species such as King, Magellanic and rockhopper penguins. Sit on the beaches and watch as they waddle along, interacting with each other.
You can also find the black- browed albatross, plus the Cobb’s wren and the Falkland’s flightless steamer duck which are both endemic bird species. Your expert Discovery Team, comprised of biologists, historians, geologists and other leading specialists, will be sure to educate you on the local flora and fauna, making the most out of your time in the Falklands.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Thousands of penguins. Countless seals and whales. Antarctica-only birdlife. Endless expanses of ice. The remarkable sights of the world’s southernmost continent take a while to digest. Sometimes, quiet contemplation is the best way to do that – perhaps editing images, writing in your journal, marking highlights on a map. At other times, being with others who appreciate your emotions is ideal. Join your fellow passengers and relive every moment that sparked joy over the last three weeks.
Continue sailing towards Montevideo enjoying your last couple of days on board Scenic Eclipse.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
End your journey in the same way you began it – by indulging in Scenic’s truly all-inclusive philosophy. Enjoy an unrivalled selection of premium beverages available on board all day, every day, across nine bars and lounges and including premium gin, saké and more than 100 varieties of whiskey.
Visit Night Market @ Koko’s where chefs prepare unique dishes inspired by the markets of Asia while you watch on, from behind the hot and cold grill. Knowing that you share this night only with your chef and seven other guests makes it all the more memorable.
Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A vibrant city, Montevideo boasts an eclectic and fascinating mix of architecture and culture. Your cruise ends this morning as you farewell the crew. Disembark after breakfast, taking away memories of a truly unforgettable experience.
Please book your flight to depart out of Montevideo after 12:00 PM.
The itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons. As such Scenic cannot guarantee the tour will operate unaltered from the itinerary stated above. Please refer to our terms and conditions for further information.
Inclusions: Breakfast
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What's Included
- Only 200 guests for an exclusive small-ship experience and more multiple landings each day
- A specialist Polar Discovery Team of up to 20 members
- Butler service for every guest and an almost 1:1 crew-to-guest ratio
- Up to 10 dining experiences from casual to fine dining
- The finest selection of included premium branded beverages, all day, every day
- Indulgent 550m² Senses Spa, gym, yoga and Pilates studio
- Engaging lectures and education program with on board experts
- Scenic Discovery excursions