Antarctica, Falklands & South Georgia

Our Clients’ Reviews

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you're interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers. Any feedback collected (Good or bad) from Exodus clients is posted straight onto our website - totally unedited. Read more...

Average Review Rating: from 18 reviews.

Derek Holwill

ANTARCTICA, FALKLANDS & SOUTH GEORGIA

Written November 2011
Fantastic - great photographic trip. A lot of days at sea though - so an interest in sea-birds useful! South Georgia should be a must for anyone who enjoys photographing wildlife, so the time toget there is well worthwhile.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Gold Harbour on a sunny day with blue skies and mating elephant seals all over the place; and Shackleton's grave
What did you think of your group leader?
Excellent - the best we've had on 4 antarctic trips
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Be on the first zodiac going to land, and one the last one back! And take lots of sea-sickness tablets
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I know it's a Quark trip - but an extra day or 2 in the Falklands would be great
Terri Jones

ANTARCTICA, FALKLANDS & SOUTH GEORGIA

Written March 2011
A wonderful trip. Once youy have seen Antarctica, you understand the importance of conserving and protecting it. Be prepared to come back as an ambassador for the region!
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Too many to say! The first wonder was seeing an albatross fly past our cabin window when we opened the curtains in the morning. Then there were the hundreds of thousands of penguins on South Georgia at St Andrews Bay, Shackeltons Grave at Grytviken, and the pod of Orcas that swam past the ship at one point.
What did you think of your group leader?

Kirsten was an experienced and conscientous leader. Excellent briefing and debriefings. A general feeling that she knew the area well, the flora and fauna, together with the inherent risks associated with any landings.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Be prepared to accept that conditions in the Southern Ocean completely determine what you can or cannot do by way of landings. Choose a ship (like ours - The Ioffe) which can handle bad conditions and on which the movement of the ocean is less obvious than on lesser vessels.
Be prepared to be amazed!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The Expedition Team were exceptional, the Crew wonderful, the food was very good and very plentiful. Expect to put on weight! It helped to have a superb, well captained, ship like the Akademik Ioffe, which was more stable than one would imagine, even in a Force 12, in the Drake Passage.You will take more pictures than you imagine, but do spend some time not looking through the viewfinder.
The DVD at the end of the trip was great. It was nice not only to have a slide show, but also all of the peoples best picture choices. The maps and daily bulletins helped to write up journals and remind us of anything we had forgotten.
If you can go to South Georgia, do so. The combination of scenery, history and wildlife makes South Georgia one of the special places on this planet. It does help if you can get the very good weather we had.
If you have any desire to go - then GO!
Matt McKean

ANTARCTICA, FALKLANDS & SOUTH GEORGIA

Written January 2011
What a fantastic trip, Falklands and Albatross, South Georgia and Penguins/Seals and Antarctica and Tabular Icebergs. This trip is a true adventure where the rewards are high and the camera is rarely away from reach. Its jaw dropping beauty will leave you wondering where else on earth can i go that will give you so many fabulous memories.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
There are so many, from Elephant Seals to King Penguins but one that i have fond memories was when sitting down just watching, not taking pictures, just sitting and watching Chinstrap Penguins. You are all told at the start of the expedition that we must respect the animals space and not cause them any distress by being to close... Keep your distance... These little guys, like the Adélie and Gentoo will waddle up so close, you could reach out and touch them. There is no fear from them, they are just so inquisitive. They melt your heart and leave you knowing this is the adventure and experience you’ve been looking for......
What did you think of your group leader?
All Quark staff are fantastic and knowledgeable in there field of expertise from Historian to Ornithologist. All Expeditions are ran as the collective team, its the team that makes it work, no single individual, the expedition leader always gave praise to his team. Graham Charles was our expedition leader. Energetic, a mass of knowledge about polar travel and above all else he does what it takes to make this a trip that you will remember. His adventures are inspirational, his tales leave you wanting more he is a master at what he does.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Expect the unexpected… It does rain so take a rain cover for your camera and Lens. Always keep a spare set of batteries close to you in your jacket to keep them warm. Charge batteries every night as you will take more pictures then you can imagine. Don’t think you need an SLR with a huge lens. Penguins to Seals can be metres away, I saw great pictures from all levels of camera equipment. Its not as cold as you might think, but take plenty of layers for those days when the wind picks up and the chill factor plummets...
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Only one thing that i would advise any traveller on this trip.... Take time to stop... put the camera down and just watch everything that is going on around you..... its fantastic experience that is difficult to put into words.. don’t live the whole trip through a camera... You will miss so much....
Margaret Stapley

ANTARCTICA, FALKLANDS & SOUTH GEORGIA

Written January 2011
A trip I have wanted to do for years and it was wonderful. Quark had an excellent expedition staff on my trip who got us out on the zodiacs whenever they safely could.Nothing was too much trouble and the knowledge of the staff in their lectures enhanced the experience out with the animals and icebergs.A great crowd on the boat also allowed us to do all we could as all were committed to do with extra time for penguins and races around icebergs. In particular I would like to sing the praises of Graham Charles for being an inspiration because of his love for the areas we visited.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Race around an iceberg in the Weddell Sea , the Adelie penguin colony on Paulet island as it was snowing so truly Antarctic weather but best of all Gold Harbour with the King penguins and elephant seals a magical place.
What did you think of your group leader?
See above cannot sing his praises enough. Without him and his determination to make sure we got assure at every opportunity it would have not been so excellent.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Take sea sick pills with you I would recommend Phenergan. Plenty of warm lightweight clothes but not on the boat which was always warm. Quark info is really helpful so follow that.Don't spend all your time taking photographs sit and watch and take it in the smells and the noise cannot be captured on a picture!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
No!!!
But I would like to go again and spend more time in the Falklands and South Georgia as they were the best !!!
Christina Draper

ANTARCTICA, FALKLANDS & SOUTH GEORGIA

Written January 2011
I had high expectations, but this trip surpassed them all. The ship was functional & comfortable; the ship crew & expedition team were fun & hard working. The landscapes and wildlife were AWESOME (I hate that word, but no other word does it justice!). The sea and sunshine smiled on us most of the time, which was a real bonus. I've travelled a lot, but i feel truely privileged to have visited this corner of the world. I'm now planning my next polar trip.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
2 exceptionally special moments: 150k penguins at Salisbury Plain, St Georgia - spectacular! And a zodiac cruise around a sea of floating blue ice bergs (though i'm sure the expedition team would say they were bergy bits not bergs!). Spectacular doesn't even come close.
What did you think of your group leader?
Lynn is Miss Antarctica, we benefitted from her experience in the region and she had the full respect of her team which says a lot.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
book it now!
Joanne Hart

ANTARCTICA, FALKLANDS & SOUTH GEORGIA

Written March 2010
It was a fantastic trip - the crew, ship, wildlife (penguins, penguins and more penguins) and places we visited were all fantastic. A most amazing experience.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Sitting amonst the penguins was really special and then on our last day in Antarctica we had a landing on Petterman Island and a Zodiac cruise in Flanders Bay where we were surrounded by lots of Humpback Whales we then spent the evening watching an amazing sunset which lasted for hours - a truly happy memory and it has gone down as one of my best ever days!!!!
What did you think of your group leader?
Rupert was outstanding - I think the main thing I'd like to say about Rupert is that it was so obvious he really wanted everyone's trip to be perfect - and he delivered that!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Book it now!!!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Another Exodus triumph!!!!!!
Helena Cooke

ANTARCTICA, FALKLANDS & SOUTH GEORGIA

Written March 2010
An amazing trip, a brilliant expedition team and a woderful crew!
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
My first steps on the beach of mainland Antarctica - as a group of 10 - 12 whales drifted by.
What did you think of your group leader?
Fabulous
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Bring waterproof gloves - really waterproof!