I have just returned from an amazing adventure with One Ocean Expeditions. About fifteen years ago I travelled to the Antarctic Peninsula and did not include South Georgia in my travels due to budget constraints. Ever since I have wanted to see South Georgia's amazing wildlife and this year I made it happen as a gift to myself for a milestone birthday.
Here is my review of One Ocean's Expeditions' South Georgia in Depth.
Grade: leisurely to moderate: You are reasonably fit, enjoy the outdoors and enjoy the exploratory nature of expedition cruising Duration: 15-17 days Price: from US$9,495 Best time to go: late-October to late February. Early November sees territorial fights between male elephant seals. Accommodation: comfortable cabins on-board the ice-strengthened vessel Akademik Sergey Vavilov. Cabins range from triples with shared facilities through twins with private facilities, all the way up to suites. Trip link: One Ocean Expeditions South Georgia in Depth
Operator description: Travel to South Georgia and visit hundred of thousands of king penguins on this unrivaled itinerary to explore South Georgia and its staggering wildlife. South Georgia hosts the most wildlife per square meter in the world. On this expedition cruise, you can see 100,000 king penguins, fur seals, whales and albatross. Spend seven days in South Georgia, more than ever before to immerse into the 'Serengeti of the Southern Ocean'.
Our opinion:
I can honestly say this was my best trip ever - we had a string of six days of splendid weather, unheard off in South Georgia, which allowed us to hit all the highlights. But it was the dedication and tireless efforts of the expedition crew that actually made the trip such a success. Travel plans were altered on short notice to get the most out of any particular location and take advantage of the ever-changing weather.
I have never experienced wildlife like it. While South Georgia does not have the variety of species Africa offers, it beats both it and the Galapagos in sheer numbers hands down. Everywhere we landed we had to find our way through dozens of elephant seals, hundreds of fur seals and hundreds of thousands of king penguins.
There were so many highlights on the trip, from walking in the footsteps and visiting the grave of renowned polar explorer Ernest Shackleton, to sitting on a hilltop overlooking 300,000 king penguins, to seeing a humpback whale breach and sitting eye to eye with the Oakum Boys (young king penguins)
Who will it appeal to One Ocean's Expeditions' South Georgia in Depth takes you to one of the most remote islands in the world, discovering extensive penguin rookeries, mating elephant seals, abandoned whaling stations and incredible scenery. One Ocean's Expeditions' South Georgia in Depth will appeal to wildlife enthusiasts, people who enjoy the unpredictable nature of expedition cruising, travellers who like to get off the beaten track, photographers of all abilities and nature lovers.
Who will it not appeal to One Ocean's Expeditions' South Georgia in Depth will not appeal to those looking for luxury, people who do not love the outdoors or travellers who cannot endure sudden changes to their itinerary. If you are prone to seasickness, come prepared with medication.
Our rating Adventure Coordinators rates One Ocean's Expeditions' South Georgia in Depth a 10 out of 10, our highest rating ever awarded.
The author travelled with One Ocean Expeditions in November of 2017. One Ocean Expeditions did not review this article.