South Georgia and Falkland Islands photo Expedition

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. After giving birth the mother will then move around to face her baby, vocalize with it (they bond vocally) and defend it from birds.

We'll disembark at the optimal time for photography and spend as much time ashore as necessary and as the harsh Antarctic weather allows. We'll visit areas with the highest concentrations of animals and see the most captivating landscapes.

Spring in the Falklands is a wonderful time for photo expeditions. Black-browed albatrosses return from the sea, bar-headed geese raise their young, and king and gentoo penguins inhabit the islands year-round. Shorebirds are everywhere, including steamboat ducks and striated caracaras. A true paradise for wildlife photographers.

And let's not forget the abundant marine life. Dolphins are often spotted offshore, and enormous elephant seals happily pose on the picturesque cliffs.

For our expedition, we chartered an extra-class vessel Sea Spirit. A properly selected expedition vessel is the key to a truly unforgettable journey in the Antarctic. It must have two main qualities - good cruising speed and the "correct" size. We managed to find this "golden middle" in M/V Sea Spirit. The vessel has a high cruising speed, which will allow us to get to the South Georgia Archipelago faster and spend more time there. Sea Spirit possesses everything necessary for safe and comfortable sailing in the stormy waters of the South Atlantic.

The vessel has an ice-strengthened hull, a fleet of Zodiacs, and a set of retractable fin stabilizers for smoother sailing while maintaining the maneuverability and special atmosphere of small vessels. A maximum of 100 participants will be welcomed aboard Sea Spirit for our expedition cruise to South Georgia. Unlike large cruise ships, aboard Sea Spirit will not feel like you are in a big city with a bunch of strangers. You will be a member of a close-knit group of like-minded people with the main goal of exploring the wonderful world of South Georgia to the fullest and bringing home fantastic photos and videos.