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Trip Details

South Georgia & the Falklands - Vast Colonies of King Penguins, Breathtaking Scenery, Historic sites - kayaking option, resident photographer
20 Days   |   Departure:  10/15/08   |   From $12 740

Locations:  Antarctic Peninsula | South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands | South Shetland Islands | Falkland Islands

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Southwards, a magnificent Alpine country, illuminated by the rising sun, rose slowly from the sea; there were mighty fells with snowy crowns and with sharp, uncovered teeth, around the valleys through which enormous, broad rivers of ice came flowing to the sea.
J. Gunnar Andersson, 1902 - describing South Georgia

Trip Highlights: Extended time exploring South Georgia, outstanding naturalists and guides, National Geographic photographer and kayaking.

Rates: $12,740 - $21,660
Above rates are per person, double occupancy.
Single Rate: from $15,930
Fuel surcharge: $10 per person per night

Ship Name: National Geographic Endeavour - Expedition Ship
Passengers: 110

Introduction

Due to its remote location, South Georgia is not always included in the Endeavour's itineraries. When it has, it's only been for 3-4 days. This voyage offers the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend six days on the island. Famed for its astonishing number of king penguins - literally, hundreds of thousands - South Georgia is the ultimate destination for jaw-dropping scenery, boundless wildlife and captivating history, and it will affect the way you tell stories about travel and wildlife adventures for years to come.

Itinerary

Day 1: U.S./Santiago, Chile
Depart Miami on an overnight flight to Santiago. Please inquire for other gateways.

Day 2: Santiago
With the soaring Andes as a backdrop, Santiago makes a welcoming first impression on arrival—as does your hotel, the Grand Hyatt Santiago, located in a gracious residential neighbourhood. The morning is free. After lunch, join a panoramic exploration of the city, including a visit to the Pre-Columbian Museum.

Day 3: Santiago / Ushuaia, Argentina / Embark Ship
The morning’s LAN Chile charter flight offers some rare views as you fly over the rugged terrain of Patagonia before landing in Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world. You’ll have a traditional Argentinean barbecue for lunch and then embark your ship.

Day 4: At Sea - South Atlantic Ocean
You relax and settle in to shipboard life, listening to informal discussions from your Naturalist staff to prepare you for the wildness ahead and spending time on deck and on the Bridge, scanning for seabirds, humpback and southern right whales.

Days 5-6: Falkland Islands
Each Falkland Island is a variation on the theme of topographical beauty with white-sand beaches, vaulting cliffs, windswept moors and the sunlit yellows and sage greens of waving tussock grass. The Falklands boast the largest albatross colony in the world, thousands of irresistible gentoo, rockhopper and Magellanic penguins, as well as herds of fur and elephant seals. And, your visit to Port Stanley offers a chance to meet the hospitable locals, hoist a few at the famous Upland Goose pub and meander this remote Victorian town.

Days 7-8: At Sea
During your days at sea, you learn about the fascinating history of Antarctic exploration, as well as the flora, fauna and geology of South Georgia. A lookout is kept to identify the seabirds that follow your ship: wandering albatross, prions and black-browed albatross.

Days 9-15: South Georgia
These days are devoted to exploring the spectacular coastline of South Georgia Island. In keeping with the nature of an expedition, the schedule is flexible. Throughout your journey there will be opportunities for walking, hiking, kayaking and Zodiac excursions. Leisurely circumnavigating the island, you plan to make stops every day including Grytviken, the final resting place of Shackleton, and Stromness Bay where Shackleton, Tom Crean and Frank Worsley finally reached aid at a whaling station. And, at St. Andrew’s Bay, you may come upon 100,000 king penguins!

Days 16-17: At Sea
These days are spent relaxing at Sea in the Southern Ocean, enjoying the amenities of the ship, hearing talks from your expedition staff, and absorbing all that you've seen and heard so far.

Day 18: Falkland Islands
Your journey across the South Atlantic Ocean takes you once more to the island archipelago that teems with the wonders of nature and wildlife. Take a last walk along the beautiful white-sand beaches, meander through the tussock grass or sit atop a cliff and ponder the views.

Day 19: At Sea
Your final days at sea allow you time to relax and reflect on all that you have seen and learned. At the Bridge, observe expert navigation at work as your skilled Captain and officers navigate the same waters that Shackleton and his expedition sailed aboard the Endurance. Sometimes misty and gray, other times calm and clear, the crossing is unforgettable — a milestone in any adventurer’s personal travel history.

Day 20: Ushuaia, Argentina / Disembark / Santiago
Your journey ends in Ushuaia this morning, with time to explore before boarding our chartered LAN Chile flight to Santiago, and an overnight flight to the U.S.


Notes:

Travel with National Geographic: Photographer Flip Nicklin
The photo team can enhance everyone's voyage with useful tips for improving your travel and wildlife images, strategies for being in the right place at the right time, and time-saving hints for editing and storing digital images. Whether expert or interested beginner, you'll find added benefits such as walks ashore and Zodiac cruises dedicated to photography, presentations on the creative and technical aspects of photography, and one-on-one mentoring and coaching in the field.

About Flip Nicklin
Flip Nicklin is regarded as one of the world's leading photographers of whales. Of the more than 20 articles Flip has photographed for National Geographic magazine, five were shot in the Arctic, including "Polar Bears, Stalkers of the High Arctic" published in January 1998.

Included:
Charter flights Santiago/Ushuaia/Santiago; accommodations aboard; most meals; one hotel night in Santiago; all shore excursions and sightseeing; transfers to and from group flights; gratuities (except to ship's crew); taxes and service charges; services of a ship physician and natural history staff.

Not Included:
International airfare; Chilean immigration fee; passport and visa expenses; baggage/accident/cancellation insurance; items of a personal nature; gratuities to ship's crew at your discretion; fuel surcharge ($10 per person per night).