Small chunks of ice, once attached to the glaciers we can see in the distance, bump against the plastic hulls of our kayaks. The ice is glittering like diamonds in the sunshine as we make our way towards Half Moon Bay on Livingston Island, part of Antarctica’s South Shetland Archipelago. The water is so clear we can see all the way to the bottom as we paddle towards a waiting Zodiac and hitch a ride to the shore.
We’ve sailed south on Aurora Expeditions’ 23-day Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula cruise and our mission for the day is to visit a colony of chinstrap penguins.
We carefully avoid a penguin highway – despite our good intentions, they quickly realise our heavier footsteps are far easier to follow. Within minutes, we find ourselves giving way to our feathered friends as they go about their day.
Expedition cruises aren’t just about venturing off the beaten track, they’re about getting properly acquainted with each destination you visit – which in our case means bidding a polite “how do you do?” to the tuxedo-clad locals passing us by. Here are 10 other options to suit every type of adventurer.