Life Returns | Springtime Expedition to Antarctica

Feel the rhythm of bustling Buenos Aires Home to a proud and diverse community of porteños, or ‘people of the port’, Buenos Aires is a sensuous fusion of faded European splendour and Latin American panache.  There are plenty of places to explore, including many parrillas serving authentic Argentine steak. Or maybe you’d like to practise your dance moves in the famed birthplace of the tango. Your Expedition Ship MS Maud will be awaiting you for embarkation.  If you'd like to truly discover Buenos Aires, why not join our optional Pre-Programme.

Get into expedition mode Over the next days at sea, you'll learn more about the wonders we'll encounter during our trip. Members of the Expedition Team will start their lecture series on topics like oceanography, geology, ornithology, and history. Pop into the Science Center for hands-on presentations as well. Grab a pair of binoculars and scan for rare wandering albatrosses and petrels. Make the most of your onboard facilities and enjoy the hot tubs, panoramic sauna and gym.

Enjoy birding and hiking in these green islands The Falkland archipelago is filled with seamless horizons and white sands teeming with birdlife. Only the occasional farm dots the landscape amidst the grassy hills and wildflowers. Enjoy a community walk around Stanley, taking in the Jubilee Villas gardens, Christ Church Cathedral and the Historic Dockyard Museum.  Our landings, hikes and excursions are, as always, guided by the conditions. We hope to visit albatross and penguin colonies, which are often found sharing space with seals, and getting as close as we can without disturbing them.

Cruising the South Atlantic Sailing from the Falklands, we spend two days cruising towards beautiful South Georgia. You can look forward to seeing an archipelago filled with diverse wildlife.  Meet up with the Expedition Team as they prepare you for what lies ahead. They’ll tell you everything they know about South Georgia, including the area’s wildlife, polar history, geology, glaciology, and stories of Norwegian whalers.  You’ll also learn how to make your visit as safe and low-impact as possible, and you can join our Citizen Science programmes to help collect data for global research projects.

Visit a wildlife watcher’s paradise South Georgia’s abundant wildlife has earned it the nickname ‘Serengeti of the Southern Ocean’. Its unique position free from sea ice makes the island a breeding site for large colonies of penguins, other seabirds and seals. In fact, it’s an Important Bird Area, home to albatrosses, petrels, shags, skuas and terns.  Throughout our three days in the area, we’ll land as often as we can to explore the wilderness and wildlife. We’ll also try to reach Grytviken, the final resting place of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. Our expedition route will as always be guided by nature, responding to daily conditions to seek out the best possible experience.

Time to relax and reflect After visiting the Falklands and South Georgia, take some time while we head towards Antarctica to relax and reflect on your journey so far.  Antarctica is a continent dedicated to peace, science and wildlife. As we get closer, the Expedition Team will talk about the IAATO environmental guidelines and sustainability rules that we follow when visiting. We leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but pictures.

Experience Antarctica in all its majesty Nothing prepares you for your first sight of Antarctica’s immense, frozen beauty. Icebergs, sculpted by nature, float in the straits. Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adélie Penguins watch erect from the shores. Countless seabirds wheel overhead. Nature is in charge. You’ll spend five exciting days exploring several possible landing sites, on and around the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands. Wherever we go and whatever we do, each day will offer something different and thrilling. We might sail into a flooded volcanic caldera or land in icy bays, where remnants of whaling paraphernalia lie abandoned. You may also get a chance to go kayaking among icebergs and seals, or snowshoe to a stunning viewpoint. Bird enthusiasts should look skywards for Antarctic seabirds such as skuas, petrels and terns. Through onboard lectures and onshore talks, you'll learn more about this precious habitat and how we can all protect it for the future

Looking for land ahead Five unforgettable days in Antarctica are over, and MS Maud now embarks upon our final adventure together: the Drake Passage. Known for its potentially high winds and strong currents, the passage can also be silent and still, inspiring the nicknames ‘The Drake Shake’ and ‘The Drake Lake’ respectively.  But don’t worry, even if we experience rough seas, the MS Maud is perfectly equipped for this leg of the adventure exploring the Southern Ocean. During our crossing, the Expedition Team will recap our experiences, making it possible to keep your head in the Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica a little while longer.

Onwards from Punta Arenas Your Antarctica expedition cruise comes to an end in Punta Arenas. From here, you'll catch a flight to Santiago de Chile and then your connecting flight home, taking with you a wealth of fantastic memories. However, if you're not ready to end your adventures just yet why not extend your trip and join our optional Post-Programme.

Itineraries are subject to change.