PHOTOGRAPHY EXPEDITION
South Georgia is one of the places on Earth where superlatives are born. The Pinnacle, the Culmination of Creation.
Join Arctic Wildlife Tours guides Svein and Jens onboard the M/V Sea Spirit and visit South Georgia. We cooperate with Mike Reyfman and Dmitry Arkhipov on this expedition. As it is the first trip for Arctic Wildlife Tours visiting these parts of the world we seek to find our own way to look at this world of wildlife and create some great images there.
South Georgia is a distant, isolated world, living by its own laws and rules. You won't find anything like that anywhere else. South Georgia is the place where wildlife photographers and landscape lovers won't have problems composing the frame. A group of penguins or elephant seals will give a scale to the powerful background of snow-capped peaks and glaciers.
The archipelago is the home to hundreds of thousands of king penguins, which makes South Georgia the best location to photograph penguins. We'll bear witness to the daily lives of those incredibly interesting creatures, who, unexpectedly, are very similar to humans. We'll visit South Georgia at a time when the snow still on the ground and thousands of king penguins peacefully wobble along the shore — the sight of teeming bird colonies against the backdrop of sharp mountain peaks is truly breathtaking. It is also the time when growing chicks gather in huge crèches. When the chick is old enough, King Penguins put it in one of the crèches, returning every several days with food. Both parents will leave at the same time. All the chicks in the rookery will stay together until their parents return. When the parents come home they recognize each other by the sound of their voices. Despite the thousands of youngsters crowded together, the parents are incredibly able to locate their youngsters by detecting their individual calls. The sight of a very serious adult penguin walking among very serious chicks is provides incredible photographic opportunities.
Besides king penguins, South Georgia has colonies of very photogenic macaroni and gentoo penguins. The island also harbors large pipits, pintails, several species of albatrosses, such as black-browed, gray-headed, and wandering albatrosses, southern giant petrels, brown skuas, and Antarctic terns.
Wandering albatrosses are incredible birds and the opportunity to see them and other albatross species is making South Georgia worth a visit. The largest bird species on earth, whose wingspan can reach up to 3.5 meters (11.5 ft) wandering albatross can cover nearly 1000 km (621 miles) in a single day even flying against the wind. Photographing these magnificent birds in flight is a rare and exciting opportunity. In October, the aggressive Antarctic fur seals still mostly hunting in the sea, and we'll have easier access to the nesting sites of various albatross species, and the magnificent Prion Island - the breeding place of the wandering albatrosses will be open for visitors.
The southern elephant seals are the largest species of seals on the planet and a highlight among South Georgia wildlife. October is the mating season for elephant seals when huge alfa males define and defend territories. They collect a harem of 40 to 50 females, which are much smaller than their enormous mates. Males battle each other for mating dominance. Some encounters end with roaring and aggressive posturing, but many others turn into violent battles. Southern elephants are the largest of all seals. Males can be over 20 feet long and weigh up to 8,800 pounds. You can only imagine what photographic potential brings the fight of such giants. Females give birth to a single pup and nurse it for approximately a month. Touching scenes of baby elephant seals and their attentive moms - one of the highlights of the South Georgia coastline in October. They are great fun to observe and photograph.
We start and finish this expedition onboard the M/V Sea Spirit, sailing from the Falkland Island and returning to the same harbour.
Dates: OKTOBER 13 - 28 2023
Duration: 15 nights
Embark: RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands
Disembark: RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands
TRIPLE SUITE
Price: 10 095 USD / pax
Single occupancy is calculated using a factor of 1.7
MAIN DECK SUITE
Price: 13 395 USD / pax
Single occupancy is calculated using a factor of 1.7
CLASSIC SUITE
Price: 14 395 USD / pax
Single occupancy is calculated using a factor of 2.0
SUPERIOR SUITE
Price: 14 595 USD / pax
Single occupancy is calculated using a factor of 1.5
DELUXE SUITE(PRIVATE BALCONY)
Price: 16 295 USD / pax
Single occupancy is calculated using a factor of 1.6
PREMIUM SUITE(PRIVATE BALCONY)
Price: 17 495 USD / pax
Single occupancy is calculated using a factor of 2
PREMIUM SUITE(PRIVATE BALCONY)
Price: 22 195 USD / pax
Single occupancy is calculated using a factor of 2
You will find images and cabin descriptions by following the link to M/V Sea Spirit below. We cooperate with other photographers on this expedition and share the effort for doing the work marketing the expedition.
Ship: M/V Sea Spirit
Please ask us for availability!
DECK PLAN M/V SEA SPIRIT
Estimated travel route and program during this photo tour
October 13, 2023
Arrival to Santiago
Today we'll meet in Santiago de Chile. Due to tomorrow's early morning flight to the Falklands, we advise participants to fly to Santiago a day earlier and spend the night at the Holiday Inn hotel located in the airport terminal..
October 14, 2023
Start of the photo expedition
Early in the morning, we'll board a LATAM flight to the Falkland Islands. After a short landing in Punta Arenas in Patagonia, we'll continue our flight to RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falklands. Upon arrival, we'll take a comfortable bus to Port Stanley where our ship will be waiting.
October 15 - 16, 2023
Crossing to South Georgia - M/V Sea Spirit.
Although we far from the land, we'll witness incredible wildlife from the ship decks. A huge variety of birds, including several species of albatrosses such as black-browed, gray-headed, and wandering albatrosses, southern giant petrels, cape petrels makes photography from decks very entertaining.
During our sailing days, we'll have lectures about South Georgia and its inhabitants. Photography guides will share their secrets and show Antarctic portfolios. We can enjoy a glass of wine in a cozy bar, restaurant, or lounge. Contemporary, international cuisine created by our talented chefs is beyond praise.
October 17 - 25, 2023
Exploring South Georgia - M/V Sea Spirit.
We are visiting some of the best areas for wildlife and landscape photography, such as Salisbury Plains, St. Andrews Bay, Gold Harbour, Cooper Bay, Drygalski fjord and other great places. Nine days in South Georgia will allow us to see and photograph most of its interesting inhabitants and landscapes.
October 26 - 27, 2023
Crossing to Falklands - M/V Sea Spirit.
During our return to the Falklands, we'll share our impressions, discuss the footage and spend time in the pleasant company on our comfortable ship! Albatrosses are still circling around the ship prompting us outside.
October 28, 2023
Back on Earth
After disembarkation at Port Stanley, transfer to the airport and flight to Santiago. Due to the schedule of international flights, most travelers will spend the night in Santiago.
October 29, 2023
Flights home

South Georgia gallery
Booking Information
Booking Inquiry for South Georgia tour 2023
PS! We give an early bird booking price before August 1 2021.
Registration: You register by sending in the booking forms we send you upon your request and submitting full payment. This inquiry is not a binding booking.
Please send your tour reservation from the Booking page and we will send you the booking form on email. Send in the completed reservation/booking form together with 1/3 of the payment as a deposit and your booking will be confirmed. A expedition fee of NOK 450 will be added on your payment.
Booking Inquiry
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