5 Reasons to Love Our Antarctica & South Georgia Air-Cruise

5 Reasons to Love Our Antarctica & South Georgia Air-Cruise

Sure to be the journey of a lifetime, our Antarctica and South Georgia Air-Cruise is an adventure like no other. First setting sail for the western Antarctic Peninsula, passengers explore Elephant Island before arriving in South Georgia, a crescent-shaped wildlife oasis with mountain tops permanently covered in thick layers of ice and snow. It’s estimated that 30 million birds call the island home, as well as half of the world’s entire population of Southern Elephant seals. Here, adventures include visiting some of the largest colonies of penguins in the world, including the King penguin, and seeing the nesting grounds of thousands of albatrosses.

In late February 2022, Antarctica21’s Commercial Director Juan Cristobal Del Pedregal joined a group of eager passengers to set sail for Antarctica and South Georgia aboard the Magellan Explorer. Keep reading to learn a few of his favorite things about the trip.

Wildlife Sightings

Some of Juan Cristobal’s favorite wildlife sightings included seeing a variety of penguin species, whales, and the abundance of fur seals in South Georgia, a species that was once nearly hunted to extinction for their oil that was once used in the industrial process. Today, the fluffy, speedy divers are thriving in South Georgia and are the densest marine animal population on the planet.

Slow Mornings in the Observation Lounge

Juan Cristobal loved spending his mornings aboard the Magellan Explorer in the Observation Lounge, where he could drink his morning coffee while contemplating the immensity of the Last Continent. During his expedition, his favorite sighting from the Observation Lounge included witnessing whale’s fins glide through the icy waters of the Southern Ocean.

Quick Zodiac Boarding Times

As a boutique expedition vessel with a low passenger-to-guide ratio, the Magellan Explorer was built to make it as easy as possible to get on and off the ship so you see more of Antarctica during your travels. During Juan Cristobal’s trip, loading onto the Zodiacs only took about 15 minutes, which allowed him and his fellow travelers to explore South Georgia and Antarctica to the fullest. Each landing included more than 3 hours of exploration time.

Private Balcony Views

After getting ready in the morning and preparing for the day’s first excursion, Juan Cristobal loved taking a moment of quiet contemplation from his private balcony. He enjoyed the views of the landscape as well as sightings of giant petrels, opportunistic birds that often feed on other birds and can fly up to about 45 miles per hour (or 20 meters per second).

Festive Evenings

Although Juan Cristobal loved spending lunchtime with his fellow passengers, exchanging stories and highlights about the day’s adventures, his favorite part of the day was in the late afternoon and evening. Just like the explorers of yesteryear, he enjoyed listening to presentations led by the expedition team on topics such as Antarctica’s wildlife and environment. Some nights, following dinner, he joined his shipmates at the bar to continue chatting about the day’s landings over a silky glass of scotch.

Every November, Antarctica21 operates one Antarctica & South Georgia Air-Cruise expedition. Contact us today for a personalized quote and begin planning your trip of a lifetime.