CRUISES
TO ANTARCTICA
CLASSIC
ANTARCTICA
ANTARCTIC PENINSULA AND SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS
This adventure cruises offer the ultimate introduction to the White Continent.
Departing from and finishing in the port of Ushuaia, Argentina, they include
many of the wildlife and scenic highlights of the Antarctic Peninsula
and the South Shetland Islands. They are designed to include as much wildlife
viewing as possible but also incorporate visits to scientific bases and
allow plenty of time to enjoy the breathtaking scenery of icy waterways,
glaciers, icebergs and rugged mountains.
The itinerary shown here is for the 12-day voyage. Although it is impossible
to guarantee precisely what we will see, because sightings and encounters
invitably vary from trip to trip, we are confident that no-one will be
disappointed. Few people have ever set foot on Antarctica but those fortunate
few treausre precious memories of a unique unforgettable experience
DAY
1 - USHUAIA, TIERRA DEL FUEGO, ARGENTINA
Arrive in the southernmost city in the world and transfer independiently
to the Hotel Los Ñires or similar hotel. The remaider of the day
is free to explore this "frontier town" at leisure.
DAY
2 - USHUAIA, TIERRA DEL FUEGO, ARGENTINA
A chance to wander around Ushuaia, nestled between the spectacular snow-capped
mountains of the Andes and the Beagle Channel, or to explore the surroundings
wilderness areas. Embarkation begins later in the afternoon and after
we have settled into our cabins, the ship sets sail along the scenic Beagle
Channel, heading east towards the Drake Passage.
DAYS
3-5 - DRAKE PASSAGE & SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS
Our jorneys across the famous Drake Passage, named after the 16th-century
english navigator Sir Francis Drake, is an experience in itself. Our ship
is accompanied most of the way bt albatrosses, including the magnificent
wandering Albatross, along with an impressive variety of other seabirds.
We have a good chance of spotting whales and dolphins and many different
species have been encountered in these rich waters over the years. We
also cross the Antarctic Convergence, a biological barrier where cold
polar waters sink beneath the warmer waters of the more temparate zones.
When land is sighted for the first time in two days (ussually late afternoon
on day 4) we know we have reached the South Shetlands Islands. This impressive
group of islands, lying to the north and roughly parallel to the Antarctic
Peninsula, is a haven for wildliife. We visit vast penguin rookeries,
land on beaches ruled by Antarctic fur seals and ovserve wallowing southern
elephant seals. We also hope to visit one of the many research bases in
the archipelago and look for Antarctica´s only two flowering plants
which thrive here during the short southern summer. A highlight of our
visit to the South Shetlands will be sailing through a narroy passage
into the flooded caldera of Deception Islands.
DAY
6-9 - ANTARCTIC PENINSULA
The Antarctic Peninsula is the most readily accesible part of the Wite
Continent and has some of the best wildlife and scenery. We have plenty
of time to experience the special magic of this awe-inspiring wilderness
of snow, ice, waterwas, and mountains and can expect to see a wide variety
of Antarctic wildlife.
Enormous rookeries of Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adélie Penguins, Blue-eyed
Shags, Kelp Gulls, Cape Petrels, Snowy Sheathbills and Antarctic TTerns
are just some of the many birds found here. We are also likely to see
Weddell, crabeater and leopard seals, while orcas, humpback whales and
Minke whales are often encountered at close range.
The peninsulaalso has a remarkable history and during the voyage, we will
learn about some of the most important and dramatic expeditions to this
remote corner of the world. Keeping a lookout from the Bridge or the deck
of the ship, as wwe thread our way along the continent, we will certainly
feel the same sense of excitement as many of those early explorers.
Sailing around the northern tip of the Antarctic Penminsula we hope to
navigate the Antarctic Sound of "Iceberg Alley" as it is often
called, where huge tabular icebergs drift north from the Antarctic continent.
If we are lucky, and weather and ice conditions permits , we plan to land
on Paulet Island to see its vast Adélie Penguin rookery. We also
plan to visit aptly-named Paradise Harbor, or nearby NEki Harbor, where
glaciers fill the calm waters with a ming-boggling vista of icebergs;
this is where we hpoa to set foot on the Antarctic Continent itself.
During the voyage we hope to navigate some of the most beautiful waterwatys
in the world (if they are not choed with pack ice and icebergs), two in
partucular the Neumayer and Lemaire Channels, are narrow passages between
towering rock faces and spectacular glaciers that are so impressive they
are a highlight of the trip for many people. On some voyages we sail south
of the Lemaire Channel to Petermann Island where Adélie and Gentoo
Penguins, skuas and Blue-eyed shags nest close to the landing site.
DAY
10-11 - DRAKE PASSAGE
Today
we leave Antarctica and head north across the Drake Passage. In between
bird watching and whale watching, and enjoing some final lectures by our
expedition staff, this is a chance to relax and review our adventures
before returning to Ushuaia.
DAY
12 - USHUAIA, TIERRA DEL FUEGO, ARGENTINA
We disembark after breakfast and transfer by bus to the Antarctic Unit
office located at the entrance of the pier. Passengers departing the same
day on the morning flight will continue by bus to the airport.
