Puerto Williams to King George Island

Puerto Williams is a Chilean city located on Navarino Island on the southern shores of the Beagle Channel. It claims to be the “southernmost city in the world”, however owing to its small size – 2500 residents approximately – the much larger Argentinean city of Ushuaia, which sits on the northern side of the same channel, also claims that title.
 
 The surrounding scenery is magnificent. The wild windswept mountains rise above the tree line and are regularly dusted with snow. The city itself has the dramatic backdrop called “Dientes de Navarino” (literally “teeth of Navarino”), which rival the famous Torres del Paine further to the north.
 
 The area was originally used by the Yaghan people, hunter-gatherers who despite enduring the harsh regional climate, could not weather the arrival of Europeans. 
 
 The current city was established as a naval base in 1953 and honours the British-Chilean naval commander John Williams Wilson of the 16th century. Initially it served to protect territorial possessions and fishing rights of the area, as well as offering logistical support to Antarctic bases. More recently it has become a departure point for scientific and tourism trips to the Antarctic region.
 
 In contrast to the bustle and traffic of a very commercial Ushuaia, Puerto Williams offers a quieter, more relaxed experience. It charms the visitor with a small village feel, complete with rustic buildings and the homely smell of drifting wood smoke. A haven of peace at the end of the world.


Charcoal-black mountains ladled with snow giant glaciers and thriving wildlife combine to make South Georgia one of the great natural islands. Adventure to these far flung lands - where the animals are in charge and humans come a distant second. Here you'll witness a cacophony of calling birds, natural set pieces like elephant seals clashing and thrashing and crowds of colourful king penguins stretching out as far as the eye can see. An overseas territory of the UK, these isolated subantarctic islands once formed a remote whaling centre - and you can still visit the former whaling stations. Nowadays the giants of the sea are free to cruise the icy waters uninhibited. Written into explorer history due to its links with Ernest Shackleton’s tale of Antarctic exploration, shipwreck and survival, the Endurance’s crew were saved when he reached the salvation of these shores in 1916 - before returning to collect the remaining sailors from Elephant Island. A museum commemorates the legendary mission and you can see the memorial to Shackleton that stands over his final resting place on this fabled island. South Georgia’s colonies of King Penguins - with vivid bursts of yellow and orange around their necks - stand squabble, and curiously investigate, enjoying the isolated respite of this island. They’re joined by smaller penguin species like Macaroni penguins and other glorious birdlife like the majestic wandering albatrosses which you can see gliding on gusts of wind over the choppy waves.

Charcoal-black mountains ladled with snow giant glaciers and thriving wildlife combine to make South Georgia one of the great natural islands. Adventure to these far flung lands - where the animals are in charge and humans come a distant second. Here you'll witness a cacophony of calling birds, natural set pieces like elephant seals clashing and thrashing and crowds of colourful king penguins stretching out as far as the eye can see. An overseas territory of the UK, these isolated subantarctic islands once formed a remote whaling centre - and you can still visit the former whaling stations. Nowadays the giants of the sea are free to cruise the icy waters uninhibited. Written into explorer history due to its links with Ernest Shackleton’s tale of Antarctic exploration, shipwreck and survival, the Endurance’s crew were saved when he reached the salvation of these shores in 1916 - before returning to collect the remaining sailors from Elephant Island. A museum commemorates the legendary mission and you can see the memorial to Shackleton that stands over his final resting place on this fabled island. South Georgia’s colonies of King Penguins - with vivid bursts of yellow and orange around their necks - stand squabble, and curiously investigate, enjoying the isolated respite of this island. They’re joined by smaller penguin species like Macaroni penguins and other glorious birdlife like the majestic wandering albatrosses which you can see gliding on gusts of wind over the choppy waves.

Charcoal-black mountains ladled with snow giant glaciers and thriving wildlife combine to make South Georgia one of the great natural islands. Adventure to these far flung lands - where the animals are in charge and humans come a distant second. Here you'll witness a cacophony of calling birds, natural set pieces like elephant seals clashing and thrashing and crowds of colourful king penguins stretching out as far as the eye can see. An overseas territory of the UK, these isolated subantarctic islands once formed a remote whaling centre - and you can still visit the former whaling stations. Nowadays the giants of the sea are free to cruise the icy waters uninhibited. Written into explorer history due to its links with Ernest Shackleton’s tale of Antarctic exploration, shipwreck and survival, the Endurance’s crew were saved when he reached the salvation of these shores in 1916 - before returning to collect the remaining sailors from Elephant Island. A museum commemorates the legendary mission and you can see the memorial to Shackleton that stands over his final resting place on this fabled island. South Georgia’s colonies of King Penguins - with vivid bursts of yellow and orange around their necks - stand squabble, and curiously investigate, enjoying the isolated respite of this island. They’re joined by smaller penguin species like Macaroni penguins and other glorious birdlife like the majestic wandering albatrosses which you can see gliding on gusts of wind over the choppy waves.

Promising thrilling adventure legendary tales and immaculate Antarctic beauty, Elephant Island is perhaps Antarctica’s best-known location. The exploits of its early explorers have immortalised this harsh monochrome island in the tomes of human history. Believed to take its name from the elephant seals that early explorers spotted lolling on its rocks, the volcanic island was not properly explored until 1916 - when Ernest Shackleton and his men were stricken by ice and sought salvation on its shores. Elephant Island is written deep into the legend of Antarctic exploration and you’ll discover Shackleton’s tale for yourself as you arrive in the island’s icy realm. The remarkable slowly flowing Endurance Glacier takes its name from their ship The Endurance. You might visit the monument that stands to Shackleton often surrounded by a migrating crowd of tiny Gentoo penguins at Point Wild - the spot where he and his 28 crew members camped for four and a half months of Antarctic winter. Eventually Shackleton and a handful of courageous others sailed for South Georgia Island before returning to secure the rescue of the remaining crew members. Aside from sailing amid breathtaking winter vistas witnessing incredible fauna and feeling the sheer rush of an adventure to the unknown - one of the true joys of any Antarctic cruise is to follow in the footsteps of the brave explorers who first sought out the alluring nectar of these dangerous evocative landscapes.

The Antarctic Peninsula unravels upwards towards South America reaching out a beckoning finger to the adventurous who dare to explore this untamed realm. Stretching up from the heart of the world’s southernmost continent the Antarctic Peninsula lies a mere 620 mile from Tierra del Fuego and for many offers a spectacular first taste of the snow-blanketed landscapes and colossal ice sculptures which make up Earth’s least-explored continent. Unseen by humans until 1820 - a blink of an eye ago in relative terms - this is an adventure sure to make your hairs stand on end as you experience the thrill of the truly unknown and extraordinary. The vast peninsula is sprinkled with research bases which are at the frontline of human scientific endeavour pushing to study and understand this unique landscape, its exceptional wildlife and the impact that humans are having on this pristine continent. Witness cathedral-sized icebergs up close and blue-hued glaciers slowly slipping from imposing locations.

The Antarctic Peninsula unravels upwards towards South America reaching out a beckoning finger to the adventurous who dare to explore this untamed realm. Stretching up from the heart of the world’s southernmost continent the Antarctic Peninsula lies a mere 620 mile from Tierra del Fuego and for many offers a spectacular first taste of the snow-blanketed landscapes and colossal ice sculptures which make up Earth’s least-explored continent. Unseen by humans until 1820 - a blink of an eye ago in relative terms - this is an adventure sure to make your hairs stand on end as you experience the thrill of the truly unknown and extraordinary. The vast peninsula is sprinkled with research bases which are at the frontline of human scientific endeavour pushing to study and understand this unique landscape, its exceptional wildlife and the impact that humans are having on this pristine continent. Witness cathedral-sized icebergs up close and blue-hued glaciers slowly slipping from imposing locations.

The Antarctic Peninsula unravels upwards towards South America reaching out a beckoning finger to the adventurous who dare to explore this untamed realm. Stretching up from the heart of the world’s southernmost continent the Antarctic Peninsula lies a mere 620 mile from Tierra del Fuego and for many offers a spectacular first taste of the snow-blanketed landscapes and colossal ice sculptures which make up Earth’s least-explored continent. Unseen by humans until 1820 - a blink of an eye ago in relative terms - this is an adventure sure to make your hairs stand on end as you experience the thrill of the truly unknown and extraordinary. The vast peninsula is sprinkled with research bases which are at the frontline of human scientific endeavour pushing to study and understand this unique landscape, its exceptional wildlife and the impact that humans are having on this pristine continent. Witness cathedral-sized icebergs up close and blue-hued glaciers slowly slipping from imposing locations.

The ice-coated Antarctic Peninsula forms perhaps the most accessible region of mainland Antarctica lying a mere 480-miles away from South America across the fabled waters of Drakes Passage. Lying close to the northwestern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula separated by the Bransfield Strait, the South Shetland Islands fall under the jurisdiction of the Antarctic Treaty, suspending claims on their sovereignty. Several countries maintain research bases here and with plump elephant seals and crowds of Gentoo, Chinstrap, and Adelie Penguins also calling the islands home it can even feel a little crowded at times. King George Island is the largest and most hospitable island hosting the majority of the research stations - some of which are populated all-year-round by tiny hardy crews. Don’t be fooled though these islands offer extraordinary adventure in one of the most remote locations on earth. The triple peaks of Mount Foster tower above the archipelago. Hike the luna landscapes within and even dip into the improbably warm geothermally-heated waters of Pendulum Cove. Elephant Island meanwhile is written deep into the annals of Antarctic expedition legend as the site where Ernest Shackleton and the stricken crew of the Endurance miraculously survived a harsh Antarctic winter in 1916.

As the largest of all the South Shetland Island, King George is considered the gateway to Antarctica. At just 120 kilometres from the Antarctic Peninsula and the only airport in the South Shetlands, it is the connection between “real life” and “Antarctic life”. More than 10 different nations have year-round or summer-only scientific research stations on the island (considering that 90% of the island is covered by snow and ice, that is quite an achievement!). Maintaining a base on the island allows membership of the Antarctic Treaty. There is even a Russian Orthodox church, with a permanent on-site priest.The island might be home to a few international scientists, but they are very much outnumbered by the diverse wildlife that considers King George Island rightfully theirs. Adelie, Chinstrap and Gentoo Penguins all commute to and from the Antarctic peninsula from the island, while Weddell and leopard seals are regular visitors and can be spotted either in the water or on the shore. Naturally, this brings a huge amount of birdlife: skuas and southern giant petrels are regular summer residents, attracted by the warm climate (warm being a relative term, average temperature is between 1.5 and -6.5˚C).The island was named after King George III after British explorer discovered it in 1819. Since then the island has been claimed by both Chile (1940) and Argentina (1943), but remains part of British Antarctic Territory.