Antarctica & the Total Solar Eclipse
Discover the wonders of Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands & experience the Total Solar Eclipse aboard the MS Hebridean Sky
- 24 November 2021
It is hard to put into words the sheer grandeur of an Antarctic landscape. This most southern of continents, this desert of ice, is so unique and rare to man’s experience, that even the most dramatic of photographs pale into insignificance when one is confronted by the sheer magnitude, beauty and wonder of the landscape. Enormous icebergs rise from the sea, hillsides are covered with thousands of penguins and seals bask on icebergs dotted in the ocean; the sights, sounds and emotions will stay with you forever. When these scenic marvels are combined with an incredible astronomical phenomenon, the total solar eclipse, we have something very special.
For most travellers Antarctica is a once in a lifetime visit, it is therefore important that the trip should be as rewarding as possible and the MS Hebridean Sky is the perfect vessel both in terms of the educational opportunities on board and the number of occasions to go ashore. Antarctica is to be experienced, not just to be seen, and we believe the only way to do this is on board a small ship.
Whilst an undoubted highlight of the cruise is the opportunity to witness a total solar eclipse, there is much more included to occupy us. The timing of the eclipse coincides with what is regarded as spring in Antarctica as the pack ice begins to melt. This is the mating season for penguins and other species and you can observe their spectacular displays of courtship ritual, nest building and such antics as stone stealing. This is also the time when fur seals claim their breeding territories.
In addition to the Antarctic Peninsula, we have also included magnificent South Georgia where you will experience one of the world’s natural wonders, the ‘Alps in mid-ocean’, offering remarkable concentrations of wildlife against a backdrop of glaciers and snow-covered mountains. Hugging the coast to the wildest reaches of the island we will land on beaches alive with rampaging fur seals, somnolent elephant seals and truly astonishing numbers of king penguins. We have three days of exploration in this unique animal paradise and using the Zodiacs we will aim to land each day allowing you the optimum time ashore to experience this rich animal kingdom. We also spend time on the Falkland Islands, a truly enchanting place with a unique character and staggering wildlife. This is the last sanctuary of the elegant albatross which soars gracefully against the blue sky, with colonies of elephant seals basking at the foot of vertiginous cliffs. In between our landings and while at sea, you can pass the time on deck looking for wildlife, attend the series of lectures by members of the expedition team and simply relax on board.
Useful links & Travel Advice
Please find a selection of useful websites to refer to for information from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, on visa requirements, NHS travel health advice and other useful travel tips.
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Total Solar Eclipse of 2021
During this cruise we will have the opportunity to experience an incredible astronomical phenomenon – the total solar eclipse. On 4 December 2021, the eclipse will paint a path through the sky over the Antarctic Peninsula and, aboard our small vessel we will be able to best position ourselves to be in the path of totality. Witnessing a total solar eclipse is an incredible experience; this rare celestial event occurs only when a New Moon aligns perfectly with the Sun as we see it, throwing a shadow onto the planet, and is only visible from a small area on earth. It is in the path of the shadow, away from the light pollution, that we hope to plummet into complete darkness for over two minutes as day turns into night. For this brief interval in time, the world as we know it completely transforms and our experts will be on hand throughout to enlighten us about this extraordinary phenomenon and its various manifestations, from flickering shimming waves of light and dark to the approaching shadow of the moon and the “diamond ring”, the remaining last bead of light before totality.
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What to Expect...
Every expedition to Antarctica and South Georgia is unique and no two days are the same. Flexibility is key and often the whole day’s schedule will be changed to maximise your experience based on weather conditions or wildlife sightings. Each day holds something new and here are some extracts from previous Antarctic expedition logs which will provide you with an idea of what to expect.
Salisbury Plain, South Georgia: From the ship we could see the huge extent of the king penguin colony, as well as a myriad of cigar-shaped rocks. The rocks were, of course, hundreds of seals of the elephant and fur kind. By the landing spot there was a group of elephants, including a pup that was still suckling. In addition, there were tiny fur seal pups around as well, which looked adorable. The male fur seals are often huge and intimidating but were not a problem today. A route parallel to the beach had been flagged for us by the expedition team so it was a simple matter to get to and from the king colony in small groups. The birds were so curious that if we stopped they would often come sidling up towards us, to get a better look. In their black, white, grey and orange plumage, the kings looked both regal and resplendent.
Elephant Island: Elephant Island came into sight at midday but at first it was indistinct, as it blended in with the murk so well. More and more of it became apparent as we got closer but it looked pretty daunting – largely snow-covered cliffs that disappeared up into the clouds. Every now and then along the inhospitable coast there was a grounded iceberg. The captain did an excellent job of getting us into the relatively sheltered bay opposite the bust of Captain Pardo. He was in command of the rescue vessel that eventually, with Worsley’s local knowledge, managed to get all of Shackleton’s men off.
Culverville Island: Waiting for us at Cuverville were more Gentoo Penguins; the largest colony of them in Antarctica in fact. Some of us went directly to the beach whilst others went cruising in the channel between Cuverville and Ronge islands. Before landing we saw lots of ice, an old boat from the whaling days and a sleepy Weddell Seal or two. With hardly a breath of air and near-cloudless skies the landscape was picture-perfect. There was more to come, in the shape of a barbecue lunch on the lido deck. Our restaurant must surely have had the best views in the world! The ship then headed out into a still flat-calm Gerlache Strait, en route to Paradise Bay. A pod of about 30 killer whales were spotted so the Captain slowed the ship.
Hebridean Sky
The MS Hebridean Sky is one of our three flag ships and sister vessel to the MS Island Sky and MS Caledonian Sky. All three vessels were built in the same ship yard in Italy at similar times and share the same excellent attributes that make them three of the finest small ships in the world. Formerly known as the Sea Explorer, the vessel underwent a multi-million pound refurbishment in Sweden in Spring 2016 before being re-launched as the MS Hebridean Sky.
Itinerary
Day 1 London to Santiago, Chile.
Fly by scheduled indirect flight.
Day 2 Santiago.
Arrive this morning and transfer to our hotel for an overnight stay. Spend the afternoon and evening at leisure to relax and enjoy the hotel facilities or explore the city independently.
Day 3 Santiago to Port Stanley, Falkland Islands.
After breakfast we will transfer to the airport for our specially chartered flight to Port Stanley, the charming capital of the Falkland Islands. On arrival transfer to the MS Hebridean Sky and enjoy welcome drinks and dinner as we moor overnight.
Day 4 Port Stanley.
Spend the day in Stanley where during our excursion we will see some of the highlights of the town including the cathedral, battle memorial and the Historic Dockyard and museum which documents the social, maritime, military and natural history of the islands. Alternatively learn more about the 1982 conflict whilst, if conditions permit, we also hope to offer nature walks or a 4x4 tour to one of the beaches where we may find King, Magellanic and rockhopper penguins. Sail this evening for South Georgia.
Days 5 & 6 The Southern Ocean.
As we cruise towards South Georgia the richness of these waters will be evident in the marine mammal life, especially the fur seals on fishing forays. We have a good chance of spotting whales such as fins and minkies whilst the birds circling our stern will be outstanding, especially the large albatrosses and numerous breeds of petrels.
Days 7 to 9 South Georgia.
We have two and a half days of expedition cruising in and around South Georgia, a paradise island with snow-clad mountain peaks rising 9000 feet and with 165 glaciers tumbling down towards the sea. We arrive early in the season when parts of the island are still covered by a thin layer of snow. For anyone interested in wildlife, South Georgia is a true oasis. The beaches will be covered by elephant seal bulls and females with feeding pups. They share the beach with a myriad of nesting King penguins. Most of the other sea birds have arrived and started nesting. This is also the time when the great arrival of the fur seals starts. Millions of fur seals will, over a few weeks, return to the beaches to breed. During our time here we hope to visit Salisbury Plain where we will find enormous elephant seals which crowd the beaches alongside thousands of pairs of King penguins whilst in Fortuna Bay we will see nesting light mantled sooty albatrosses and hope to witness their gracious courting flights. A few thousand King penguins nest here. Meanwhile in Grytviken we will visit the old whaling station and of course pay our respect at the grave of ‘the boss’ – Ernest Shackleton.
Day 10 At sea.
The waters between South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula are rich with fin whales, where in good conditions we have seen as many as a hundred in a day. If not whale-watching, lookout for Antarctic petrel, Kerguelen petrel and one of the most beautiful birds of the Southern Ocean, the snow petrel. The icebergs will also become more plentiful as we sail south. Alternatively join the lecture programme as we learn more about the wildlife and history of the region.
Day 11 Solar Eclipse Day.
Today we will position the ship to achieve the best location to view the solar eclipse which is due to start in the late morning. The advantage of our small ship is the ability to find a spot or break in the clouds to increase our chances and maximise our time under a total eclipse. With our onboard experts on hand to provide commentary we will remain here until the end of the eclipse’s passage when we continue our voyage to Antarctica.
Days 12 to 18 Antarctic Peninsula & South Shetland Islands.
We have seven days of exploration around the Peninsula and South Shetland Islands which will include many of the best places for wildlife and magnificent scenery. Whilst we arrive with a planned itinerary the final schedule will be determined by our Captain and the Expedition Leader based on sea, weather and ice conditions. Using our Zodiacs we hope to make daily landings or cruises for unique close encounters with animals such as adelie and gentoo penguins, fur seals and petrels. Watch avidly on deck as we approach land or sail through breathtaking channels surrounded by lofty peaks looking down on ice-strewn waters where resting crab-eater or leopard seals can be spotted. Enroute South we plan to see Elephant Island with its rocky and inhospitable shore where Shackleton’s crew famously survived. We hope to sail past the collapsed volcanic cone of Deception Island for a chance to visit Whalers Bay, Petermann Island, home to numbers of adelie penguins, picturesque Neko Harbour, the Lemaire Channel where towering icebergs rise from the sea and Half Moon Island with its rookery of chinstrap penguins. We also endeavour to sail through the breathtaking Antarctic Sound, alternatively known as ‘iceberg alley’, where massive icebergs drift north from the continent.
Days 19 & 20 Drake Passage.
Two days to relax onboard and reminisce with your fellow travellers about all you have seen and experienced during our expedition. Enjoy a lecture, look for wildlife or simply relax as we make our way across the Drake Passage toward Ushuaia. Named after the 16th century English seaman, Sir Francis Drake, the Drake Passage separates the southernmost tip of South America from Antarctica. This is a particularly good area to spot royal albatross and blue petrel and we will also be on the lookout for pods of sperm whales.
Day 21 Ushuaia to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Disembark after breakfast and transfer to the airport for our scheduled flight to Buenos Aires. On arrival transfer to our hotel for an overnight stay. This evening we will meet for dinner and a tango show in a local restaurant.
Day 22 Buenos Aires to London.
After breakfast in the hotel transfer to the airport for our scheduled flight to London.
Day 23 London.
Arrive this morning.
Dates and Prices
24 November to 16 December 2021 | ||
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Category | Brochure Price | Special Offer Price |
Amundsen Deck Standard Suite | £13395 | £12895 |
Byrd Deck Superior Suite | £14395 | £13895 |
Mawson Deck Premium Suite | £15395 | £14895 |
Mawson Deck Corner Suite | £15995 | £15495 |
Scott Deck Deluxe Balcony Suite | £17795 | £17295 |
Shackleton Deck Owner's Balcony Suite | £18995 | £18495 |
Shackleton Deck Hebridean Suite | £20495 | £19995 |
Amundsen Deck Standard for sole use | £17495 | £16995 |
Byrd Deck Superior for sole use | £19495 | £18995 |
Tour Reference Code: SCHSK241121
PRICE INCLUDES: Economy class scheduled international air travel • Specially chartered flight to Port Stanley • Overnight hotel accommodation in Buenos Aires & Santiago with breakfast • Dinner & Tango Show in Buenos Aires • 18 nights aboard the MS Hebridean Sky on a full board basis • House wine, beer & soft drinks with lunch and dinner • Shore Excursions • Noble Caledonia expedition team • Gratuities • Group transfers • Use of parka jacket & rubber boots on board • Expedition log • Port taxes.
Not Included: Travel insurance.
NB. The Total Solar Eclipse is a natural phenomenon and sighting is weather dependent and cannot be guaranteed.
Hebridean Sky
The MS Hebridean Sky is one of our three flag ships and sister vessel to the MS Island Sky and MS Caledonian Sky. All three vessels were built in the same ship yard in Italy at similar times and share the same excellent attributes that make them three of the finest small ships in the world. Formerly known as the Sea Explorer, the vessel underwent a multi-million pound refurbishment in Sweden in Spring 2016 before being re-launched as the MS Hebridean Sky.
Video Library
Total Solar Eclipse of 2021
During this cruise we will have the opportunity to experience an incredible astronomical phenomenon – the total solar eclipse. On 4 December 2021, the eclipse will paint a path through the sky over the Antarctic Peninsula and, aboard our small vessel we will be able to best position ourselves to be in the path of totality. Witnessing a total solar eclipse is an incredible experience; this rare celestial event occurs only when a New Moon aligns perfectly with the Sun as we see it, throwing a shadow onto the planet, and is only visible from a small area on earth. It is in the path of the shadow, away from the light pollution, that we hope to plummet into complete darkness for over two minutes as day turns into night. For this brief interval in time, the world as we know it completely transforms and our experts will be on hand throughout to enlighten us about this extraordinary phenomenon and its various manifestations, from flickering shimming waves of light and dark to the approaching shadow of the moon and the “diamond ring”, the remaining last bead of light before totality.

Travelling with You
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David Makepeace
A filmmaker by trade, David has spent the last 25 years crisscrossing the globe to chase the eclipse experience. His observations of 16 total eclipses, four annular and three partial eclipses has made him one of the busiest chasers in the world - and since the turn of the century he has fulfilled his goal of visiting each of the seven continents on the chase. As a member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) and a “celebrity” in the chaser community, David has devoted much of his life to the popularising of these events wherever they may occur. While not a scientist or professional astronomer, his style and enthusiasm are infectious, and his ability to make simple the hard science of eclipses has consistently earned him top marks from his audiences. His awardwinning documentary films and videos including “Hooked On The Shadow” (2000) and Still Hooked (2017) are widely regarded as films that define the eclipse chasing culture. David has accompanied RASC on many eclipse chases, and has personally lead expeditions to the Caribbean, India, Brazil and Australia.
David Makepeace will be on the following tour dates: 24 November to 16 December 2021
What to Expect...
Every expedition to Antarctica and South Georgia is unique and no two days are the same. Flexibility is key and often the whole day’s schedule will be changed to maximise your experience based on weather conditions or wildlife sightings. Each day holds something new and here are some extracts from previous Antarctic expedition logs which will provide you with an idea of what to expect.
Salisbury Plain, South Georgia: From the ship we could see the huge extent of the king penguin colony, as well as a myriad of cigar-shaped rocks. The rocks were, of course, hundreds of seals of the elephant and fur kind. By the landing spot there was a group of elephants, including a pup that was still suckling. In addition, there were tiny fur seal pups around as well, which looked adorable. The male fur seals are often huge and intimidating but were not a problem today. A route parallel to the beach had been flagged for us by the expedition team so it was a simple matter to get to and from the king colony in small groups. The birds were so curious that if we stopped they would often come sidling up towards us, to get a better look. In their black, white, grey and orange plumage, the kings looked both regal and resplendent.
Elephant Island: Elephant Island came into sight at midday but at first it was indistinct, as it blended in with the murk so well. More and more of it became apparent as we got closer but it looked pretty daunting – largely snow-covered cliffs that disappeared up into the clouds. Every now and then along the inhospitable coast there was a grounded iceberg. The captain did an excellent job of getting us into the relatively sheltered bay opposite the bust of Captain Pardo. He was in command of the rescue vessel that eventually, with Worsley’s local knowledge, managed to get all of Shackleton’s men off.
Culverville Island: Waiting for us at Cuverville were more Gentoo Penguins; the largest colony of them in Antarctica in fact. Some of us went directly to the beach whilst others went cruising in the channel between Cuverville and Ronge islands. Before landing we saw lots of ice, an old boat from the whaling days and a sleepy Weddell Seal or two. With hardly a breath of air and near-cloudless skies the landscape was picture-perfect. There was more to come, in the shape of a barbecue lunch on the lido deck. Our restaurant must surely have had the best views in the world! The ship then headed out into a still flat-calm Gerlache Strait, en route to Paradise Bay. A pod of about 30 killer whales were spotted so the Captain slowed the ship.

Tour Extensions
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After our expedition, we are offering the opportunity to visit the Iguazu Falls, often considered the most dramatic waterfalls in the world.
Iguazu Falls
The Itinerary
Day 1 Buenos Aires to Iguazu Falls.
After breakfast in the hotel transfer to the airport for our scheduled flight to Iguazu Falls. On arrival check in to our hotel, the Loi Suites (or similar) for our two night stay and this afternoon enjoy a guided tour of the Brazilian side of the falls.
Day 2 Iguazu Falls.
Enjoy a full day at the Iguazu Falls on a series of guided walks seeing the upper and lower circuits and also the Triple frontier the meeting point of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.
Day 3 Iguazu Falls to Buenos Aires.
Return to the airport this morning and join our scheduled flight to Buenos Aires. On arrival transfer to our hotel for an overnight stay.
Day 4 Buenos Aires to London.
After breakfast in the hotel transfer to the airport for our scheduled flight to London.
Day 5 London.
Arrive this morning.
Prices per person based on double occupancy
15 to 19 December 2021 Category Price Twin £1695 Single £2345 Price Includes: Economy class scheduled air travel, overnight hotel accommodation in Buenos Aires and two nights hotel accommodation in Iguazu Falls at the Loi Suites with breakfast, lunch and dinner on days 1 & 2, guided tours at the Iguazu Falls, gratuities, transfers, airport taxes.
Not Included: Travel insurance.
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Also of Interest
Expedition High Arctic - In the Land of Extremes
An exploration of coastal Greenland & the Canadian Arctic aboard the Hanseatic Inspiration
Hanseatic Inspiration
Hanseatic Inspiration
Itinerary at a glance
- Dusseldorf / Kangerlussuaq / Baffin Island / Ellesmere Island / Smith Sound / Nares Strait / Etah / Siorapaluk / Cape York / Ilulissat / Disko Bay / Sisimiut / Kangerlussuaq / Dusseldorf
Highlights of Antarctica
Fly the Drake & Discover the Antarctic Peninsula aboard the MS Hebridean Sky with Antarctica21
Hebridean Sky with Antarctica21
Hebridean Sky with Antarctica21
Itinerary at a glance
- Santiago / Punta Arenas / King George Island / Antarctica
Book with Confidence
Speak to one of our advisors on 020 7752 0000