Falklands, South Georgia, Antarctica

More Photo Pros. More Photo Ops. The Most Extraordinary Way to Explore the Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica.

November 18 – December 8, 2023

• Five photo pros and three naturalists onboard our private ship. More personal instruction, attention, and more inspiration to hone your craft.
• We limit this workshop to under 50 guests—so you’ll feel welcome and cared for—instead of being one among hundreds on a tourist ship.
• We go where other ships can’t, so you can capture more unique photographs. We have more landings and excursions, and you can be on every one of them every time.
• Single-occupancy and double-occupancy cabins are available.

Join us for a Southern Ocean adventure like no other! On this all-inclusive 22-day journey, we’ll experience the region’s best, including the subantarctic Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and the Antarctic peninsula. This trip has it all! We’ll encounter diverse and abundant wildlife, be awed by expansive landscapes, and visit historic sites that evoke the days of early exploration.

We’ve timed our expedition for the end of the Antarctic spring and the very beginning of summer, one of the best times for photography in the region. In the subantarctic islands, this is courtship time for seabirds; vast numbers are gathering. King, macaroni, gentoo, and chinstrap penguins are mating and beginning to tend eggs, and the previous year’s king penguin chicks are shedding their down. Wandering albatross chicks—nearly grown by now—are beginning to test their wings. Elephant seals are consolidating their harems as females arrive en masse to the beaches, and a few fur seals may also be spotted. On the peninsula, snowfall is still likely during late spring, adding drama to icy landscapes and wildlife tableaus, and whales are starting to arrive at their summer feeding grounds in the region’s nutrient-rich waters. Expect rapidly changing spring weather but also dramatic skies and unparalleled light conditions. Fewer visitors this time of year means greater opportunities to explore.

For this journey, we’ll be traveling aboard the ice-strengthened vessel, Polar Pioneer. The Polar Pioneer is a small, extremely sturdy expedition ship that provides regular expedition cruises in polar waters. Built in Finland in 1985 as an ice-strengthened research vessel, she was refurbished in 2021 and 2022 to provide a comfortable range of triple, twin, and suite cabin options for a maximum of 54 expeditioners. We are offering double and single-occupancy cabins on this expedition.

The highly-experienced crew ensures that this incredible ship is always in excellent condition and that guests’ experience is of the highest quality. The single, twin, and suite cabins are stylish and luxurious, and the large, spacious bridge offers incredible views of some of the world’s most staggering landscapes and seascapes. Meals on board are quite good—the breakfast buffet has both continental and hot options, lunch is served at your table, and the day ends with a three-course dinner. You won’t go hungry! Mealtimes are set by us and are based on our shore excursions—photography first.

Muench Workshops is the sole charterer, so we “own” the boat for this expedition. We control the itinerary. We’ll be able to adjust our course for ice conditions, light, and extraordinary wildlife and landscapes. This allows us to maximize photographic opportunities with as many shore landings and zodiac excursions as possible. Our ship is small and can access all potential landing sites—we’ll go where the big ships can’t and make more landings. And with only 50 guests alongside five pros and three naturalists, our instructor ratio is unmatched. Expect one-on-one instruction in the field and our signature image reviews in the evenings and during sea days. We’ll also have plenty of talks on the region’s natural history and photography topics—wildlife photography, beginning and advanced Lightroom, photographic composition, technical refreshers, and much more. We are dedicated to helping you capture the natural beauty of Antarctica! Your non-photographer spouse, partner, or traveling companion is welcome, and we’re happy to help them make the most of the adventure.

As always, everything’s all-inclusive.