This voyage follows the path of Shackleton's odyssey from the northern Weddell Sea, past Elephant Island and across the Scotia Sea to the south-western side of South Georgia.

Shackleton's epic story of survival, which started with the sinking of his ship, Endurance, in the Weddell Sea six months previously, symbolises heroic Antarctic exploration.

This is a magical region, where only a privileged few have walked among the tussock grass, sat quietly near an albatross nest, or gazed at the enormity of an ice cliff reflected in still, midnight-blue water.

Optional Alpine crossing of South Georgia ($500/person surcharge)
In recent years there have been a number of attempts to follow Sir Ernest Shackleton's footsteps across the island of South Georgia from King Haakon Bay in the south to Stromness whaling station in the north. The distance of the crossing is 35 to 50 kilometres depending on the route taken. It involves crossing large, heavily crevassed glaciers and alpine passes.

The group size will be limited to 12 plus the guide. The crossing is expected to take 3-4 days. We will be moving through the mountains as a self-contained expedition, carrying our own clothing, food, fuel and tents. Each member of the crossing party must have solid outdoor experience, preferably in crevassed alpine terrain.

We board our ship Polar Pioneer mid-afternoon, then slip away from the dock in the early evening. The cruise down the Beagle Channel provides a fine view of the mountains and beech forests of Tierra del Fuego.

While crossing the Drake Passage, accompanied by albatross and petrels, we are busy with lectures and briefings.

By mid-afternoon, we should have crossed the Antarctic Convergence cold water boundary to Antarctica, and hope to see our first icebergs near the South Shetland Islands.

We make contact with penguins, seals and whales in the beautiful Gerlache Strait, using our Zodiacs to cruise among the ice or make landings.

At the northern end of the Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctic Sound is often choked with icebergs but this waterway provides a wildlife-rich corridor into the Weddell Sea. We begin to retrace Shackelton's path near Paulet Island.

If the weather is kind we will land on the steep slopes of Elephant Island, the unexpected home for Shackelton's men for many months.

We cruise among the mountainous South Orkney Islands.

Cruising the Scotia Sea towards South Georgia.

We enter King Haakon Bay on South Georgia, hopefully stopping for a ceremonial landing at Cave Cove where Shackelton made his first landfall after the epic open boat voyage.

Four days exploring the whaling stations, bays and promontories of South Georgia. These will be busy days as we immerse ourselves in South Georgia's extraordinary wildlife diversity - at places like Salisbury Plain, St Andrews Bay and Gold Harbour, where hundreds of thousands of king penguins line the beach, or Albatross Island, where the lords of the Southern Ocean, the wandering albatross, nest among tussock grasses

While at sea we have time to reflect on our days on South Georgia and enjoy the delights of birdwatching from the outer decks.

We visit the southern islands of the Falklands, bristling with nesting birds.

We complete our lecture program during the short hop to the South American coast.

We dock in Ushuaia after cruising back along the Beagle Channel in the early morning. Transfer to a city hotel or commence your homeward journey.