Antarctica’s awe-inspiring beauty has to be experienced to be believed, the scenes are impossible to describe in mere words and photographs. The sense of pristineness and purity is unique and will hopefully last forever; ice covered mountains and snowfields surrounded by incredible icebergs and teeming wildlife will leave you with lasting memories. Watch thousands of seabirds including the magnificent albatross and visit vast penguin colonies, along with seals on the beach. Encounter some of the great whales at close quarters, and finally return home truly inspired and personally enriched.

WildWings/WildOceans Antarctic Tours
Our ship-based Bird and Wildlife tours to Antarctica are second to none and it gives us great pleasure to show our clients some of the most fantastic places and wildlife spectacles on the planet. Dick Filby is our principle tour leader for bird tours to Antarctica, with Tony Marr leading a growing number of departures. Antarctica is ideal whatever your level of interest. You do not need to be an expert; the wildlife comes to you and it is possible to take superb photographs even with a ‘point and shoot’ camera. Being ship-based, you can pace your tour participation to suit; you can join in for as much or as little as you wish. Non-birding partners invariably enjoy these trips too!


If our tours don’t suit your dates or requirements, we are agents for most of the other vessels that visit the region, and can tailor-make your Antarctic trip.

WildWings and WildOceans expedition cruises include:-
* Comprehensive pre-trip information.
* Services of our expert leader/s throughout the trip .
* Additional included excursions (see itineraries).
* Daily seawatching sessions on deck and evening log call (at sea).
* Day by day bird & mammal checklist for use on tour.
* Use of WildWings onboard library.
* Group use of WildWings marine radios (to maximise sightseeings).
* Use of GPS on some tours to record exact species locations.

Wildlife Guide

Antarctic Peninsula
A finger of the continent and surrounding islands. Home to colonies of Adelie, Gentoo, Chinstrap and Macaroni Penguins. Watch pure white Snow Petrels around icebergs, Giant Petrels, skuas and sheathbills patrolling the penguin colonies. Weddell, Crabeater and the predatory Leopard Seals abound in the waters, whilst Antarctic Terns fish in the bays. See Humpback Whales and Orcas, dramatic snow and ice covered scenery, thousands of icebergs of different shapes and sizes, blue ice, scientific bases and historical expedition sites.

Drake Passage
The infamous stretch of sea between Argentina and The Peninsula. Two days of sailing each way through seas full of albatrosses, petrels, shearwaters, skuas, diving petrels and, on occasion, many cetaceans.

The Falklands
Beautiful wild landscapes and teeming seabird colonies, which include Rockhopper & Magellanic Penguins, Black-browed Albatross and island endemic birds. A chance to see Commerson’s & Peale’s Dolphins offshore.

South Georgia
The stunning cliffs of these dramatic islands rise straight out of the sea. Burial place of Shackleton, arguably the English Antarctic explorer. Vast rookeries of King Penguins, breeding Wandering & Light-mantled Sooty Albatross. Island endemics and Elephant and Fur Seal beaches.

Ross & Weddell Seas & The Far Side
The realm of the largest penguin, the magnificent Emperor, joined by vast colonies of Adelies, whilst Antarctic Petrels wheel above the waves. Orcas and Antarctic Minke Whales are often seen well in these areas, framed by icefields and stunning snowcapped mountains. South Pole historical expedition sites.

Sub-Antarctic Islands of New Zealand & Australia
Endemics galore, seabirds and land species including the strange Kiwi. The best itineraries include Macquarie Island with it’s vast Royal & King Penguin colonies.

South Indian Ocean Islands
For seabird and island fans, such fabled names as Kerguelan, Crozet and of course Amsterdam, with it’s endemic albatross.

South Atlantic Islands
The Tristan da Cunha group holds huge numbers of breeding seabirds including Spectacled, Petrel, Sooty & Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatrosses plus island endemics. St Helena boasts its endemic wader, the Wirebird. Ascension Island offers tropical seabirds including the endemic frigatebird.

IAATO ASSOCIATE MEMBER

Founded in 1991, the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators is dedicated to appropriate, safe and environmentally sound private-sector travel to the Antarctic. WildWings is currently an associate member having been a full member for some years now. Further information is available on the website (www.iaato.org) and some of the objectives are as follows:


*To represent Antarctic tour operators and others organizing and conducting travel to the Antarctic to the Antarctic Treaty Parties, the international conservation community and the public at large.
*To advocate, promote and practice safe and environmentally responsible travel to the Antarctic.
*To circulate, promote and follow the Guidance for Visitors to the Antarctic .
*To operate within the parameters of the Antarctic Treaty System.
*To coordinate itineraries so that no more than 100 people are ashore at any one time in any one place.
*To provide a forum for the international, private-sector travel industry to share expertise and opinions and to uphold the highest standards among members.
*To enhance public awareness and concern for the conservation of the Antarctic environment and its associated ecosystems .
*To create a corps of ambassadors for the continued protection of Antarctica by offering the opportunity to experience the continent first hand.
*To ensure that the best qualified staff and field personnel are employed by IAATO members through continued training and education.

WildWings played a large part in the organisation’s ‘Marine Wildlife Watching Guidelines’, available as a PDF from the website.

WildWings played a large part in the organisation’s ‘Marine Wildlife Watching Guidelines’, available as a PDF from the website, or from our office. www.iaato.org