Please note: Read this itinerary as a guide only; our exact route and program varies according to ice and weather conditions - and the wildlife we encounter. Flexibility is the key to the success of this expedition. Visits to research stations depend on final permission.

Days 1 & 2: Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

On reaching Ushuaia, check into our conveniently located hotel and spend the rest of the day exploring this historic port ringed by mist-shrouded mountains. The following morning, local guides take you into 63,000- hectare Tierra del Fuego National Park. Walk coastal paths through forests of twisted guindo trees, keeping an eye out for indigenous species such as Kelp Geese and Black-chested Buzzard-eagles. After our traditional Argentine asado lunch, you transfer to the ice-strengthened, 100-passenger ship for a late-afternoon sailing.

Days 3, 4 & 5: Exploring the Falklands (Malvinas)

Enjoy presentations by the Expedition Team and spend time taking in the views from the large decks and covered promenades as the ship heads northeast toward the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas). The archipelago's privately owned outer islands are home to impressive concentrations of wildlife, including several species found nowhere else in the world. Look for Flightless Steamer Ducks, Magellanic Penguins and Gentoo Penguins on Carcass Island; spot Rockhopper Penguins as well as nesting Black-browed Albatross and Blue-eyed Shags on nearby New Island; and as we explore the untouched shorelines, watch for Peale's and Commerson's dolphins, which frequently bow-ride and play alongside our Zodiacs. You can also walk over the tussock grass to enjoy a chat over tea and cake at a family “camp” (as Falklanders call their farms), and explore the streets of the historic capital Stanley, with its colorful buildings and British-style pubs.

Days 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11: South Georgia and Shackleton's Grave

You'll sight various pelagic birds in their open-sea habitat as we continue southward. Our shipboard historian offers fascinating presentations on the early explorers of the Southern Ocean. In addition to its abundant wildlife, South Georgia is distinguished by its diverse landscapes, from 2,100 m mountains to low-lying grasslands, from magnificent glaciers to deeply cut fjords. You're greeted by thousands of King Penguins at Salisbury Plain, while Wandering Albatross nest on Prion Island. Light-mantled Sooty Albatross are frequently sighted here. And at remote spots such as Gold Harbor, you encounter Southern elephant seals as well as King, Macaroni and Gentoo Penguins on the beaches. South Georgia was the final stop on Sir Ernest Shackleton's epic journey to rescue his stranded crew after the Endurance sank beneath the Antarctic ice. At Grytviken, once an active whaling station, you can pay tribute to the great explorer at his grave.

Days 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 & 17: South Shetlands to the Peninsula

As the ship heads for the Antarctic Peninsula, our naturalists prepare you for the many wildlife sightings and other natural wonders that lie ahead. En route we pass through the South Shetland chain, four groups of islands extending over 1,400 square kilometers. Eighty percent glaciated, the islands were discovered in 1819 by William Smith (who claimed them for Britain and named one for King George III) and soon became a favorite haunt of seal hunters and whalers. We make a landing to see the Adélie Penguin rookery on Elephant Island; it was here that most of the Endurance crew took refuge while Shackleton and five others journeyed on a further 1,300 km in an open lifeboat to complete their heroic rescue. Often we are able to sail through a narrow passage into the sunken volcanic caldera of Deception Island – where, if the tide allows, you can dip your toes (and more) into the paradoxically thermal waters of Pendulum Cove. Our approach to the Peninsula is (conditions permitting) through Iceberg Alley, where massive tabular icebergs drift northward through the Antarctic Sound. On some voyages we manage a stop at Paulet Island, home to more than 100,000 breeding pairs of Adélie Penguins. As we near our ultimate destination, the breathtaking views ahead are of snow-covered mountains and gigantic glaciers descending into deep blue seas. In the days to come, you can look forward to exploring extensive rookeries of Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adélie Penguins, along with Blue-eyed Shags, Kelp Gulls, Cape Petrels, Snowy Sheathbills and Antarctic Terns. You may also encounter Weddell, crabeater and leopard seals, as well as orcas, and humpback and Minke whales. Our first landfall on the Antarctic continent is often at Paradise Bay or nearby Neko Harbor, where glaciers cascade down into calm waters dotted with icebergs. We'll try to chart a course through Neumayer and Lemaire Channels, dramatically narrow waterways that wind among towering rock faces and spectacular glaciers. Your journey may also include a visit to one of the many Antarctic research bases on the Peninsula, as well as Port Lockroy, a secret World War II outpost that became a British research station and is now a museum (with the world's southernmost post office).

Days 18, 19 & 20: Back across the Drake to Ushuaia

Crossing the legendary Drake Passage is a remarkable experience in itself, as our comfortable ship is accompanied most of the way by an impressive array of seabirds, including Wandering Albatross, and Giant and Cape Petrels. You also have good chances to spot whales and dolphins from the deck – when you're not in the lounge taking part in our recap presentations. After docking at Ushuaia, disembark after breakfast and transfer into town for further exploring or head straight on to the airport to catch a flight.