Falkland and South Georgia Islands Photography Workshop

October 23, 2026: Ushuaia Arrival, Hotel Meet and Greet, Expedition Reception

Arrive in to Ushuaia where you’ll join our meet and greet at our included hotel. You’ll be our guest for a welcoming reception to present the details of the expedition ahead.  

October 24, 2026: Set Sail for Falklands, Sea Bird Photography, Educational Presentations

We’ll set sail for the Falkland Islands. We’ll have many presentations during our days at sea, including safety briefings and more. Enjoy spending hours on deck capturing images of the abundant sea birds and practice your new photography techniques to capture them with ease. 

October 25, 2026: Maritime Lecturers, Signature Image Review Session, Photography Insights

At Sea.

We have an extensive lecture program for you during our days at sea. Our signature image review sessions and lectures will be offered these days, enabling the Muench Workshops pros and expert naturalists to share their knowledge of photography, wildlife, and the unique ecosystems we will be encountering.

October 26–27, 2026: Explore Falkland Islands, Spot Marine Mammals, Visit Stanley’s Historic Sites

The remote and sparsely-populated Falkland Islands are a birder’s paradise. The Falklands are also a great place to observe marine mammals. The waters around the archipelago are home to cetaceans such as Peale’s dolphins and Commerson’s dolphins. Our exact route and exploration opportunities are dependent on weather among these isolated and windswept islands.

We also intend to visit the port of Stanley, the charmingly British capital of the Falkland Islands. Attractions within pleasant walking distance along the waterfront promenade include the Falkland Islands Museum, the governor’s house, a cathedral with an impressive whalebone arch outside, a war memorial, quality gift shops, pubs, and views of shipwrecks in the harbor.

October 28–29, 2026: Journey to South Georgia, Cross Antarctic Convergence, Prep with Expert Lectures

From the Falkland Islands we head east toward South Georgia. We will cross the Antarctic Convergence, the biological boundary of the Southern Ocean. Briefings, bio-security procedures, and lectures from our experts prepare you for our arrival in South Georgia.

October 30 – November 5, 2026: Wildlife Wonders of South Georgia, From Salisbury Plain to Grytviken

South Georgia

Our exact itinerary will depend on local ice, wind, and sea conditions, but the following destinations are among those that we would like to explore:

Salisbury Plain

Sometimes called the “Serengeti of the South,” Salisbury Plain is a wildlife site without parallel. Several large glaciers provide a dramatic backdrop for thousands of king penguins nesting among tussock grass. Crowds of curious, gentle penguins surround us. Southern Giant Petrels and Elephant seals also abound. Prepare for an awe-inspiring experience as massive male elephant seals joust on the beach and female elephant seals tend to their heavy big-eyed pups. Fur seals will also be present at the back of the beach.

Prion Island

Prion Island is a beautiful islet covered in tussock grass and an ideal nesting site for wandering albatross. The site offers comfortable viewing platforms, accessed by a wooden boardwalk, where we hope to watch the albatross engage in their spectacular courtship displays.

Grytviken

Grytviken lies within King Edward Cove, a sheltered harbor between Hope Point and Hobart Rock on the western shore of Cumberland East Bay. The rusting ruins of the Grytviken whaling station are situated on a level plain at the head of the cove. Now the site of the South Georgia Museum, the station remains a focal point of interest for many visitors, as does Sir Ernest Shackleton´s grave in the nearby whaler´s cemetery and his memorial cross on Hope Point.

The scenery in this area is breathtaking, even by South Georgia standards. The glaciers and snow-covered peaks of the Allardyce Range—Mt. Sugartop, Mt. Paget, Mt. Roots, Nordenskjöld Peak, Mt. Kling, and Mt. Brooker—form a magnificent backdrop to the cove, and the views from King Edward Point, in particular, must be among the finest on earth.

Godthul

Godthul is a 3km long inlet, situated 9km east of Cumberland East Bay, on the eastern shores of Barff Peninsula between Cape George and Long Point. A floating factory ship was stationed here each summer between 1908 and 1929, and a small shore depot supporting the whaling operations was established close by at the southeast corner of the harbor. Rusting barrels, wooden boats, and scattered bones are fascinating relics of the whaling era. Today, gentoo penguins are abundant on Godthul’s tussock plateau, and light-mantled sooty albatrosses nest in the cliffs that encircle the harbor.

St Andrews Bay

The surf-tossed coastline at St. Andrews Bay runs north-south in a 3km long uninterrupted sweep of fine dark sand, bounded in the interior by the Cook, Buxton, and Heaney Glaciers. The bay hosts the biggest colony of king penguins on South Georgia, and early in the season, fur and elephant seals are also abundant. Leopard seals patrol the rocks at this end of the beach, hunting for penguins along the edge of kelp beds. Sheathbills dart in and around the penguin colony, and Cape petrels nest in a small number on the cliffs north of St. Andrews Bay. A few white-chinned petrels and light-mantled sooty albatrosses nest on the tussock slopes. Brown skuas and Antarctic terns breed on the outwash plain and scree slopes at the north end of the beach.

Cooper Bay

Cooper Bay is an indentation in tiny Cooper Island, at the southeast extremity of South Georgia. Cooper Island holds Special Protection Area status, vital for its vast colonies of chinstrap and macaroni penguins, snow petrels, Antarctic prions, and black-browed albatross. We’ll likely also spot fur seals on the beach.

Drygalski Fjord

Drygalski Fjord is also located in the far southeast of the island. The glaciers in this dramatic fjord have retreated significantly in recent decades, but they remain one of the most striking features of the coastline. With a bit of luck, we may get a chance to see a glacier calve.

November 6–7, 2026: Return Voyage, Deck Time, Photo Editing, Reflective Lectures

At Sea

We will spend the next two days sailing back to the Falkland Islands. We’ll take advantage of the time to be out on the deck, catch up on some reading, check through and edit your photos, or reflect on the magical experiences of South Georgia. Lectures and our signature image review sessions will be offered throughout these days.

November 7–8, 2026: Revisit Falkland Islands, Wildlife Photography Opportunities, Shore Excursions

We’ll visit the Falkland Islands again, making stops with permitting weather to photograph and visit the seabirds and marine mammals on one of the many landings. 

November 8–9, 2026: Final Days at Sea, Image Processing with Pros, Enjoy Gourmet Meals

These will be our last full days at sea, with plenty of opportunities to process images with the pros and learn more about post-processing, enjoy incredible meals, and lectures by the staff.

November 10, 2026: Departure from Ushuaia, Group Transfers, To Airport or Town

The ship will remain near the city of Ushuaia overnight and dock once the approved docking time is shared with the Captain, likely early in the morning of this day. You will all have one last breakfast before disembarking. Once you are on the dock, you will confirm your luggage before it is loaded onto a bus that will transport you and your luggage to the airport or to the town center if you are staying on in Ushuaia. As you look back on your wonderful experience, you may already be looking forward to your next incredible polar adventure!