The Route to Distant Islands: The Falklands, South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha on a Voyage from Patagonia to Cape Town

Fly from the U.S. to Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Arrive in Buenos Aires. Transfer to the hotel Palacio Duhau - Park Hyatt Buenos Aires.Enjoy a cocktail reception in the evening.

In the morning, fly to Ushuaia in Argentina’s Patagonia. Upon arrival, transfer to a local restaurant for lunch, and then take a tour of this southernmost city in the world, built between the Andes and the Beagle Channel. Board Corinthian II and sail through the scenic Beagle Channel.

Be on deck as the sun rises and the ship approaches Cape Horn. Weather permitting, we will go ashore to explore this legendary landmark.

Enjoy the ship’s facilities and attend lectures as we sail toward the Falkland Islands.

Reach the Falklands in the morning. Located 350 miles east of South America, these remote, isolated islands are the habitat of an extraordinary concentration of wildlife. Over 219 species of birds have been recorded in the archipelago, including such endemic species as the Falkland Steamerduck and the tussock bird. Visit Carcass Island, where Magellanic Penguins nest in the tall tussock grass and oystercatchers, geese and steamerducks are common along the shore. Then cross the channel to Westpoint Island for a walk across the moors to a busy rookery of elegant Black-browed Albatross and raucous Rockhopper Penguins.

Call at Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands. Tour this quaint town to see its colorful architecture, and visit the cathedral and the Brittania House Museum.

Cruise toward South Georgia.

Cruise toward South Georgia.

Spend three days exploring the rugged icebound area in and around the island of South Georgia. Once ravaged by the South Atlantic whaling industry, the waters of South Georgia are now strictly protected and harbor abundant numbers of elephant seals, fur seals and King Penguins. Visit the Bay of Isles, home to a massive rookery of King Penguins; Prion, a paradise for wandering albatross; and Grytviken, where renowned Antarctica explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton is buried in the small cemetery beyond the abandoned haling station.

Spend three days exploring the rugged icebound area in and around the island of South Georgia. Once ravaged by the South Atlantic whaling industry, the waters of South Georgia are now strictly protected and harbor abundant numbers of elephant seals, fur seals and King Penguins. Visit the Bay of Isles, home to a massive rookery of King Penguins; Prion, a paradise for wandering albatross; and Grytviken, where renowned Antarctica explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton is buried in the small cemetery beyond the abandoned haling station.

Spend three days exploring the rugged icebound area in and around the island of South Georgia. Once ravaged by the South Atlantic whaling industry, the waters of South Georgia are now strictly protected and harbor abundant numbers of elephant seals, fur seals and King Penguins. Visit the Bay of Isles, home to a massive rookery of King Penguins; Prion, a paradise for wandering albatross; and Grytviken, where renowned Antarctica explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton is buried in the small cemetery beyond the abandoned haling station.

Cruise to remote Tristan da Cunha.

Cruise to remote Tristan da Cunha.

Cruise to remote Tristan da Cunha.

Cruise to remote Tristan da Cunha.

Corinthian II anchors off the coast of Tristan da Cunha, considered to be the most remote inhabited island in the world. Located halfway between South America and South Africa, this small volcanic island boasts a population of 300, who sustain themselves by fishing and farming. In 1961, a volcanic eruption forced the evacuation of the entire island, but almost
all of the residents chose to return. The island is an ornithologist’s dream, with 14 different types of petrel found here, including the Great Shearwater, the prion and the storm petrel. Rockhopper Penguins and wandering albatross are also common. Visit the settlement of dinburgh, set on a rugged volcanic cone rising 6,760 feet above sea level. And be sure to purchase a few postage stamps, which are prized by philatelists and other collectors throughout the world.

Cruise toward South Africa.

Cruise toward South Africa.

Cruise toward South Africa.

Cruise toward South Africa.

Arrive in South Africa’s Cape Town in the morning. Tour the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Overnight aboard ship docked in Cape Town.

Just a short ride from Cape Town, nestled in three bucolic valleys, are South Africa’s celebrated wine lands. The rambling vineyards and whitewashed Cape Dutch farmhouses found here make this one of the country’s prettiest regions. Most famous among the wine towns is Stellenbosch, with its historic buildings and oak-lined streets, which we will explore. Transfer to the airport for return flights to the U.S.

Arrive in the U.S.