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Spring in the South · 23 Days
From Buenos Aires to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia at the height of the king penguin courtship and the untouched snows of the Antarctic Peninsula in spring, finishing in Punta Arenas. Aboard the 200 guest MS Fram, next departing in October 2027.
The Voyage
Every Antarctic season has to start somewhere, and this is where HX start theirs. The Life Returns voyage leaves Buenos Aires in October and sails south through the opening weeks of the austral spring, taking in the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula before finishing in Punta Arenas in southern Chile. The name says it all. You are there as the wildlife comes back after the long winter. The 2026/27 sailing is about to leave, and the next one departs on 23 October 2027.
On South Georgia, spring means the king penguins are at the height of their courtship, with pairs displaying and calling on the great beaches of Salisbury Plain and St Andrews Bay. The elephant seal breeding season is in full swing too, so expect enormous bulls guarding their harems and newly weaned pups lying about the sand. Further south, Antarctica is at its most pristine. The snow lies deep and unmarked, the sea ice is still breaking up, and the penguins are returning to their colonies to claim nest sites and build with stones. For photographers, the crisp light and clean white landscapes of spring are hard to beat.
The ship is MS Fram, the smallest and nimblest of the HX ships in Antarctica, with just 200 guests. That means smaller groups ashore and more time at each landing. The voyage starts with three days at sea from Buenos Aires, and the Expedition Team use them well, with lectures on oceanography, geology, ornithology and history, and long sessions on deck watching albatrosses and petrels. It is an epic trip, and one that suits people who love wildlife and want to see the Southern Ocean in a season few visitors experience.
Day by Day
The voyage begins in Buenos Aires, where MS Fram is waiting in port. If you can arrive a day or two early, the city rewards it: tango in San Telmo, the colourful houses of La Boca and a long Argentine dinner. We can book hotel nights before the voyage for you. See our gateway cities guide for ideas.
Three days sailing south down the Atlantic coast of South America. The Expedition Team begin their programme with lectures on oceanography, geology, ornithology and the history of the region, and there is plenty of time on deck for watching the albatrosses and petrels that start to follow the ship. Briefings on the IAATO guidelines and biosecurity checks also take place before you reach the islands.
Three days in the Falklands, timed for the return of the seabirds. Black browed albatrosses and rockhopper penguins arrive back at their colonies in early spring, and landings that the team often choose include Saunders Island, Carcass Island and West Point Island, all depending on the wind. In Stanley, the included Stanley Community Walk takes you past the gardens of the Jubilee Villas, Christ Church Cathedral and the Historic Dockyard Museum, and there are optional excursions further afield.
Two days crossing the South Atlantic and the Antarctic Convergence, with talks on the wildlife and whaling history of South Georgia and the strict biosecurity rules for landing there.
Three days around the island often called the Serengeti of the Southern Ocean. Sites the team often choose include Salisbury Plain, St Andrews Bay and Fortuna Bay, where king penguins gather in huge numbers, and elephant seals and fur seals crowd the beaches. The ship will attempt a landing at Grytviken, the old whaling station where you can visit the museum, the Norwegian church and Sir Ernest Shackleton's grave.
Two days at sea heading south west towards Antarctica, through waters where the first icebergs begin to appear. The lecture programme turns to the history of Antarctic exploration and the Antarctic Treaty.
Up to five days on the Antarctic Peninsula and in the South Shetland Islands, with landings, boat cruises among the ice and, if conditions allow, kayaking and snowshoeing. Possible sites include Deception Island, a flooded volcanic caldera the ship can sail into, Half Moon Island, and on the Peninsula the gentoo colonies at Cuverville Island and Neko Harbour. In spring there can still be a lot of sea ice about, so the Expedition Team have to be flexible, but that is part of the excitement of being among the first visitors of the season.
The ship crosses the Drake Passage north towards Cape Horn and the channels of Tierra del Fuego, with the final lectures and a farewell evening on board.
You arrive in Punta Arenas, on the Strait of Magellan, and transfer to the airport for the included flight to Santiago de Chile, where you can connect with your flight home or stay on to see the city.
All itineraries are subject to weather, sea and ice conditions. On an expedition the route is a plan rather than a promise, and the Captain will always put your safety and the protection of the environment first.
2026/27 to 2028/29 Seasons
Life Returns sails once a season, in October, on MS Fram. The 2026/27 sailing leaves within days, so the 2027/28 departure is the one most people are now booking. Choose a season to see the date and brochure fares.
One departure on MS Fram, leaving Buenos Aires on 16 Oct 2026. It sails within days, so please call us for availability.
| Cabin Category | From, per person |
|---|---|
| Polar InsideInside cabin with no window, double bed or twins | £13,691 |
| Polar OutsideOutside cabin with window | £16,325 |
| Arctic SuperiorLarger outside cabins with window | £17,246 |
| Expedition SuiteSuites and mini suites, Lindstrøm dining and suite extras included | £21,987 |
Tour code FRANT2608.
One departure on MS Fram, starting in Buenos Aires and ending in Punta Arenas with a flight to Santiago.
| Cabin Category | From, per person |
|---|---|
| Polar InsideInside cabin with no window, double bed or twins | £13,771 |
| Polar OutsideOutside cabin with window | £16,385 |
| Arctic SuperiorLarger outside cabins with window | £17,300 |
| Expedition SuiteSuites and mini suites, Lindstrøm dining and suite extras included | £22,005 |
Tour code FRANT06.
Life Returns is not currently scheduled for the 2028/29 season. For an early season voyage that year, the new Antarctica & South Georgia, Kingdoms of Ice & Wildlife sails from Ushuaia to South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula on 16 November and 3 December 2028, and the In-Depth Antarctica, Falklands & South Georgia Expedition on MS Fram has its first departure of the season on 16 November 2028. Ask us and we will let you know if HX add new dates.
Brochure prices from, per person, two sharing, taken from the HX 2026/27 and 2027/28 brochures. HX use flexible pricing, so fares can move up or down with demand and are often reduced by special offers. Call us on 0333 405 0194 for today's price on your chosen date. Solo travellers, ask about cabins with no single supplement. For the 16 October 2026 departure, please call for availability.
Your Fare
International flights, hotel nights before the voyage, travel insurance and optional excursions are not included. Our what's included page explains the differences between cabin and suite fares in more detail.
Make More of It
Optional excursions in Stanley, priced per person:
Before the voyage, the Highlights of Buenos Aires tour (around £63) and the Buenos Aires Dinner & Tango Show (around £164) are good ways to see the city. Kayaking and other small group activities in Antarctica may be offered on board, depending on the conditions. We can also add hotel nights in Buenos Aires before you sail and in Santiago at the end.
Other Voyages
If the spring departure does not suit, the In-Depth Antarctica, Falklands & South Georgia Expedition visits the same three regions on MS Fram, with six departures between November and February. For spring in Antarctica on a shorter trip, the early sailings of Highlights of Antarctica leave from late October. Looking further ahead, two new voyages catch the same early season feeling: the Antarctica & Patagonia Expedition sails from Valparaíso through the Chilean fjords to Antarctica in October 2027, arriving in penguin nesting season, and Antarctica & South Georgia, Kingdoms of Ice & Wildlife visits South Georgia and the Peninsula from Ushuaia in November and December 2028. Every voyage is compared on our Antarctica cruises page.