Discover some of the most wild and beautiful places on the planet with an expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula.
Antarctica and the Sub-Antarctic Islands are some of the last truly un-spoilt regions of the world. The mysterious White Continent, with its multi-coloured ice caps, glistening glaciers and towering snow-capped mountains, offers unparalleled scenery and photographic opportunities. Enormous numbers of penguins, whales, seals and seabirds congregate in the food-rich waters along the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic shores. The future of Antarctica is crucial to the climate and ecology of the world and on most of our cruises we have an opportunity to visit one of the many scientific bases.
Follow in the path of the great polar explorers on small, specially designed expedition ships as you journey south from Ushuaia, Argentina taking full advantage of the 24 hours of daylight during the austral summer. Ice-strengthened hulls and state-of-the-art equipment allow us to navigate safely through the pack ice and narrow waterways. Land excursions, guided by foremost Antarctic experts, offer the freedom to explore remote locations and observe Antarctica’s abundant wildlife.
Description of the Ship
Built in Finland, and designed as ice-strengthened vessels, the ships have now been converted for passenger use, making them ideal for expedition cruising.
The vessels are strongly built of steel with an ice-strengthened hull, perfect for the polar seas. They are manned by an enthusiastic Russian crew of around 20, all highly experienced in ice navigation. Russian captains are recognized experts in polar navigation.
All our international expedition leaders and lecturers are highly knowledgeable, helpful and dedicated to the protection of the environment.
The ships have a large bridge, good open deck-viewing areas and they carry a full complement of Zodiac craft, excellent for landings and wildlife viewing opportunities in otherwise in-accessible areas.
Guests will be able to enjoy the following on-board facilities: dining room which offers excellent cuisine prepared by international chefs, bar, library and sauna.
Sample ItineraryPolar Circle & Antarctic Peninsula (Ushuaia- Ushuaia)
Day 1
In the afternoon, we embark in Ushuaia and sail through the Beagle Channel.
Day 2 - 3
During these two days we will sail across the Drake Passage. When we cross the Antarctic Convergence, we arrive in the circum-Antarctic up welling zone. In this area we may meet a large variety of Albatrosses, Cape Pigeons, Southern Fulmars and Petrels.
If the winds are favourable we might do our first landing in Antarctic waters in the evening of the third day at Aitcho Island or Penguin Island at the South Shetlands.
These volcanic islands are windswept and often shrouded in mist and fog, but do offer subtle pleasures. There is a nice variety of flora (mosses, lichens and flowering grasses) and fauna, such as Gentoo penguins, chinstrap penguins and southern giant petrels.
Day 4 – 9
We may start our first day in Antarctica with a landing at Hannah Point, where we will find a nice variety of Gentoo penguins, Chinstraps and southern giant petrels, as well as Elephant seals hauling out on the beach. At Deception Island, we will try to land at Baily Head home to a colony of ten thousands of Chinstrap Penguins. Deception itself is a sub ducted crater, which opens into the sea, creating a natural harbour for the ship. Here we find hot springs, an abandoned whaling station, thousands of Cape pigeons and many Dominican gulls, Brown and South Polar Skuas and Antarctic Terns. Wilson’s Storm Petrels and Black-bellied Storm Petrels nest in the ruins of the whaling station in Whalers Bay. Good walkers may hike from Baily Head over the ridge of the crater into Whalers Bay, while our ship braves its entrance into the crater through the spectacular Neptune´s Bellow into the ring of Deception Island.
On our way further South we will sail to Orne Islands with large colonies of Chinstrap Penguins and a beautiful view across the Gerlache Strait or to Cuverville Island, a small precipitous island, nestled between the mountains of the Antarctic Peninsula and Danco Island. It contains a large colony of Gentoo Penguins and breeding pairs of Brown Skuas.
In Neko Harbour and Paradise Bay with its myriad icebergs and deep cut fjords, we have the opportunity to set foot on the Antarctic Continent. We shall have the opportunity for zodiac cruising between the icebergs in the inner parts of the fjords.
We sail through the spectacular Lemaire Channel to Petermann Island offering Adelie Penguins and Blue-eyed Shags. We also try to land at Pleneau Island with Elephant Seals and fair chances to encounter Humpback, Minke and Fin Whales.
We head south along the Argentine Islands to Crystal Sound, south of the polar circle. The landscape is very impressive with very high mountains and huge glaciers. At the Fish Islands, we land at one of the southernmost Adelie Penguin and Blue-eyed Shag colonies in the Antarctic Peninsula.
A base visit will also be provided, to give you an insight about the life of modern Antarcticans working on the White Continent.
At Detaille Island, south of the Polar Circle, in Crystal Sound we reach probably our farthest south. Sailing north again through Neumayer Channel and Gerlache Strait, we arrive at the Melchior Islands with a very beautiful landscape and again possibilities for zodiac cruising among the icebergs, where we may encounter Leopard Seals, Crabeater Seals and whales.
Day 10 - 11
In the Drake Passage we have again a chance of seeing many seabirds.
Day 12
We arrive in the morning and disembark in Ushuaia.
