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Tell me more
about a trip to Antarctica!
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2008/09 Itinerary
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Antarctic
Peninsula, Falklands, South Georgia cruises
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Featured trips |
Antarctica
Cruise - The Peninsula
from $3,500 |
Antarctica
Cruise
Possibly the best overall trip, kayaking and scuba
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Falklands, South Georgia, & Antarctic Peninsula |
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South Georgia
and the Falkland Islands |
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Antarctic Peninsula
-climbing, kayaking |
Antarctica
Cruise
Comfortable expedition ship at half capacity |
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Emperor
Penguin Safari, ice-breaker trip to the Weddell Sea |
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Antarctica
Cruise - The Peninsula (Active Adventure) |
Antarctic Circle
optional scuba
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| Antarctic
Circle Kayaking, Camping |
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Antarctic
Peninsula - Hiking Voyage |
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Cruises in Eastern Antarctica
- Ross Sea Region |
Historic
Huts & Antarctic Heroes
Ross Ice Shelf, McMurdo Sound |
Epic Semi-Circumnavigation of Antarctica
31 days, icebreaker |
Antarctica the Ross Sea Region
Ross Ice Shelf, Cape Adare, Shackleton, Scott's Hut,
26 days |
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Whale watching cruises |
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Galapagos cruises |
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Lonely Planet travel guide to
Antarctica
Buy
USA
Buy
UK

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage, Alfred Lansing
Antarctic Oasis: Under the Spell of South Georgia, Pauline Carr
and Tim Carr
The Worst Journey in the World, Apsley Cherry-Garrard
Terra Incognita: Travels in Antarctica, Sara Wheeler
The Crystal Desert, David Campbell |
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Testimonials
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Ship types
Trip Highlights:
A quality expedition cruise that is good
value. Expect good guides, great food, and a simple "classic" expedition
ship. All cabins have a private bathroom.
Rates: $3,500 - $9,200
Triple from: $3,360, Twin from: $5,100, Single from: $8,850
Ship Name: Orlova
- Expedition ship
Passengers: 110
Summary
This well-established expedition cruise offers you the
ideal introduction to Antarctica. Departing and finishing in the port of
Ushuaia in Argentina, the itinerary visits prime sites along the
Antarctic Peninsula and the neighbouring South Shetland Islands. This
program will emphasize wildlife viewing, possible visits to scientific
bases, and the breathtaking scenery with narrow waterways, glaciers,
icebergs and rugged mountains.
Itinerary:
Days 1-2: Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
Arrive in Ushuaia and transfer independently to your conveniently
located hotel; explore at your leisure in this frontier port overlooked
by the rugged Martial Mounts. Next morning, enjoy a guided tour of
Tierra del Fuego National Park, home to Caracaras, Black-faced Ibis,
Magellanic Woodpeckers and the Fuegian red fox, among other species.
Walk seaside paths through guindo forest and by mountain lakes on the
Chilean frontier. Then learn more about local culture and history over a
traditional Argentine asado barbecue. In late afternoon, your Expedition
Team welcomes you aboard your ice-strengthened ship as you sail into the
scenic Beagle Channel to begin your Antarctic adventure.
Days 3-5: Drake Passage &
South
Shetland Islands
Wandering albatross, storm petrels and other seabirds
accompany the ship as you sail south across this famous passage named
after Sir Francis Drake, the 16th-century English navigator. A program
of lectures by the shipboard team of experienced naturalists and
Antarctica specialists will help prepare you for the many adventures
that lie ahead. In 1819, the British explorer William Smith described
the South Shetland Islands as “barren and covered with snow, with seals
in abundance.” Yet, mosses and lichens thrive during the short summer on
the low-lying peninsulas of these rugged maritime islands, which are
located directly adjacent to the Antarctic Peninsula. Places such as
King George Island or Livingston Island support huge numbers of nesting
penguins, while seabirds nest on the cliffs and elephant seals wallow
along the shores. Deception Island is still considered to be an active
volcano, and sailing through the narrow passage into its huge, flooded
caldera is a thrilling experience. Depending on weather and ice
conditions, we hope to be able to approach the South Shetland Islands
during the afternoon of day four.
Days 6-9:
Antarctic
Peninsula
The Antarctic Peninsula is the most readily
accessible part of the White Continent and has some of the best wildlife
and scenery. You have plenty of time to experience the special magic of
this awe-inspiring wilderness of snow, ice, waterways 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 Terns are just
some of the many birds found here in abundance. 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 Peninsula also has a remarkable history and, during the voyage, you
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 we thread our way along the continent, you will
certainly feel the same sense of excitement as many of those early
explorers.
Sailing around the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula we hope to
navigate the Antarctic Sound, or 'iceberg alley' as it is often called,
where huge tabular icebergs drift north from the Antarctic continent. If
you are lucky, and weather and ice conditions permit, you will try to
land on Paulet Island to see its vast Adélie Penguin rookery. It is also
planned to visit aptly-named Paradise Harbour, or nearby Neko Harbour,
where glaciers fill the calm waters with a mind-boggling vista of
icebergs; this is where we hope to set foot on the Antarctic Continent
itself.
At Port Lockroy, as well as enjoying the thriving penguin colonies, you
will visit a former British scientific station that has recently been
renovated to serve as one of the most isolated and intriguing museums in
the world. The station also acts as a post office and you will have a
unique opportunity to send postcards home.
During the voyage you hope to navigate some of the most beautiful
waterways in the world (if they are not choked with pack ice and
icebergs); two in particular, 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 you get to 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.
Days 10-11: Drake Passage
Today we leave Antarctica and head north across the Drake Passage. In
between bird watching and whale watching, and enjoying some final
lectures by our expedition staff, this is a chance to relax and review
our adventures before returning to Ushuaia.
Day 12: Ushuaia
You 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.
Notes:
Read this itinerary as a guide only; the exact route and program varies
according to ice and weather conditions - and the wildlife you
encounter. Flexibility is the key to the success of this expedition.
Mandatory Travel Insurance: Passengers travelling on this expedition are
required to be covered by a travel insurance policy that includes
emergency evacuation coverage. As this voyage travels to remote regions
of the world, we recommend that the policy’s emergency evacuation
benefit be higher than minimum.
Included:
One pre-cruise night hotel night with breakfast (The number of guests
per room is the same as cabin occupancy on the ship. Due to limited
availability, travellers who reserve a suite on board are accommodated
in standard rooms at the hotel.); Shipboard accommodation with daily
housekeeping; All meals on board throughout voyage (Please inform us of
any dietary requirements as far in advance as possible. Unfortunately,
the ships’ galleys cannot prepare kosher meals.); All shore landings and
Zodiac excursions per the daily program; Formal and informal
presentations by Expedition Team and guest speakers; Photographic
Journal on DVD; A pair of rubber expedition boots on loan for shore
landings. (So you don’t have to pack any.); Hair dryer in every cabin;
24-hour coffee, tea, cocoa, and bottled water; Comprehensive
pre-departure materials; Group transfers from the hotel to the ship at
the embarkation port, and from the ship to the local airport on
disembarkation - plus all baggage handling aboard ship; All
miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program.
Not Included:
All airfare; Passport and visa expenses; Government arrival and
departure taxes; Any meals ashore with the exception of breakfast at the
host hotel before embarkation; Baggage, cancellation and travel
insurance (please note that emergency medical insurance is mandatory);
Excess baggage charges; laundry, bar, beverage and other personal
charges; Telecommunications charges; Customary gratuity at the end of
the voyage for stewards and other service personnel (guidelines will be
provided).
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Antarctic Peninsula Region Cruises - (not
an exhaustive list)
- Featured trips -
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Trip |
Departure Dates |
Highlights |
Ship / Pax |
Options* |
Prices** |
Days |
Departure port |
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Classic Antarctica |
11/9/08, 11/19/08, 11/29/08, 2/10/09, 2/20/09, 3/2/09 |
South
Shetland Islands, Antarctic Peninsula, Lemaire Channel, Paradise Bay,
Port Lockroy |
Expedition Ship
Orlova - 110 |
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$3,360 - $9,200 |
11 |
Ushuaia, Argentina |
Antarctica Cruise - Endeavour
- Possibly the best overall expedition cruise to Antarctica |
10/31/08, 11/11/08, 11/22/08, 12/3/08, 12/14/08,
12/25/08, 1/5/09, 1/16/09, 1/27/09 |
South Shetland Islands,
Antarctic Peninsula, Lemaire Channel, Paradise Bay, Port Lockroy |
Expedition Ship National Geographic Endeavour
- 110 |
Kayaking
Scuba |
$10,250 - $17,590 |
15 |
Fly from Miami to Santiago - Chile, embark
in Ushuaia, Argentina |
Antarctica
Cruise The Peninsula
(Adventure Options)
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11/22/08, 12/20/08, 12/30/08, 2/6/09, 2/16/09,
2/26/09 |
South Shetlands, Antarctic Peninsula, Penguin
Rookeries, Lemaire Channel, Spectacular Glaciers |
Research Vessel
Shokalskiy - 48 |
Kayaking, Camping |
$4 800 - $10,600 |
12 |
Ushuaia,
Argentina |
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Antarctic
Peninsula -
one of the
most active programmes |
12/08/08 |
South Shetland Islands, Abundant Wildlife, Lemaire
Channel |
Research Vessel
Polar Pioneer - 56
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Climbing
Kayaking |
$5,790 - $8,990 |
12 |
Ushuaia, Argentina |
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Antarctica
Cruise - The Peninsula |
11/24/08, 12/4/08, 12/7/08, 12/14/08, 1/4/09,
1/14/09, 2/4/09, 2/14/09, 3/14/09 |
Antarctica Cruise - The Peninsula - South Shetland
Islands, Lemaire Channel, Paradise Bay, Port Lockroy |
Research Vessel
Professor Molchanov or Multanovskiy
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52
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$4,890 - $9,790 |
11 |
Ushuaia, Argentina |
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Antarctica
Cruise - The Peninsula
(Active
Adventure) |
11/22/07, 12/16/07, 12/20/07, 12/30/07,
1/9/08, 2/6/08, 2/16/08, 2/26/08 |
South Shetlands, Antarctic Peninsula, Penguin
Rookeries, Lemaire Channel |
Research Vessel
Akademik Ioffe
and Akademik Sergey Vavilov - 110 |
Kayaking,
Camping |
$4,400 - $9,010 |
12 |
Ushuaia, Argentina |
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Trip |
Departure Dates |
Visiting |
Ship / Pax |
Options* |
Prices** |
Days |
Departure port |
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Antarctica, Crossing The Circle |
02/09/09 |
Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetland Island, set foot
on Antarctica South of the Antarctic Circle |
Expedition Ship
Ocean Nova - 82 |
Kayaking, Camping |
$8,100 - £16,300 |
13 |
Ushuaia, Argentina |
Antarctica -
Cruise - The Peninsula
Comfortable expedition ship
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12/8/07, 2/13/08 |
South Shetland, Paradise Bay, Lemaire Channel |
Luxury Expedition Ship
Minerva - 199 |
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$6,695 - $17,995 |
14 |
Ushuaia, Argentina |
Antarctica Cruise - The Peninsula
Hiking voyage |
2/24/09, 2/27/09 |
Antarctic Peninsula, Penguin Rookeries, Lemaire Channel |
Research Vessel
Professor Molchanov or Multanovskiy
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52 |
A special walking expedition, be
prepared for walks up to six hours |
$3,950 - $7,490 |
10 |
Ushuaia, Argentina |
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Antarctic Peninsula
and Across the Circle |
2/6/09, 2/17/09 |
Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetland
Islands, Crystal Sound, Antarctic Circle |
Research Vessel
Polar Pioneer - 56 |
Scuba |
$5,490 - $9,790 |
12 |
Ushuaia, Argentina |
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Antarctica Cruise - Emperor Penguin Snow Hill Island Safari |
10/8/08, 10/20/08, 11/1/08 |
Weddell Sea - Ice-Breaker / Helicopter trip Emperor
Penguin Rookery, Gentoo and Adelie penguins, set foot on continental
Antarctica |
Icebreaker
Kapitan Khlebnikov - 108 |
Helicopter Sightseeing Flights |
$11,500 - $20,900 |
14 |
Ushuaia, Argentina |
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Cruises Visiting South Georgia |
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Trip |
Departure Dates |
Visiting |
Ship / Pax |
Options* |
Prices** |
Days |
Departure port |
Antarctica, Falklands, & South Georgia - Most popular trip
including South Georgia at the best time of year |
1/14/09 |
Falkland Islands, South Georgia, Antarctic Peninsula, South
Shetland Islands, as much wildlife viewing as possible, visits to
scientific bases,
Great guides and cuisine! |
Expedition Ship
Orlova - 110 |
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$9 800 - $18,400 |
20 |
Ushuaia, Argentina |
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South
Georgia & the Falklands |
10/15/08 |
Vast Colonies of King Penguins, Breathtaking Scenery, Historic sites
- kayaking option, resident photographer |
Expedition Ship National Geographic Endeavour
- 110
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Kayaking option, Resident photographer |
$12,740 - $21,660 |
20 |
Ushuaia, Argentina |
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Falklands, South Georgia, & Antarctic Peninsula |
11/19/08, 12/17/08, 1/4/09, 1/22/09 |
Antarctic Peninsula, Vast Colonies of King Penguins
with chicks, Breathtaking Scenery, Sir Ernest Shackleton Historical
Sites |
Research Vessel
Professor Molchanov or Multanovskiy
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52 |
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$8,590 - $17,350 |
21 |
Ushuaia, Argentina |
Notes
* options may be at additional cost and are usually booked
when the cruise is booked - it may be too late once the cruise has
started.
** prices are based per person, the
lowest price is usually for triple occupancy and the highest for
double occupancy in the best available suite.
Feeling overwhelmed?
contact our travel partners who will help you find the best
cruise for your requirements. |
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Antarctica Ross Sea Region Cruises - (not
an exhaustive list)
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Trip |
Departure Dates |
Visiting |
Ship / Pax |
Options* |
Prices** |
Days |
Departure port |
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Great
Antarctic Explorers - Ross Sea |
12/4/07, 12/9/08
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Enderby Island, McMurdo Station, Historic huts of
Scott and Shackleton, Dry Valleys |
Icebreaker
108 -
Kapitan Khlebnikov |
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$18,500 - $33,500 |
26 |
Christchurch New Zealand - disembark Hobart, Tasmania |
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Historic Huts & Antarctic Heroes - Ross Sea
Exploration |
1/8/09, 2/3/09 |
Auckland Islands, Macquarie and Campbell Islands,
Explore the Ross Sea, Historic Huts, Ross Ice Shelf, McMurdo base. |
Expedition Ship
100 - Marina Svetaeva |
Helicopter Sightseeing Flights |
$10,990 - $23,190 |
26 |
Port of Bluff / Invercargill, New Zealand -
disembark Hobart, Tasmania |
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Epic Semi-Circumnavigation of Antarctica |
11/13/08 |
Weddell Sea, Amundsen Sea, Ross Ice Shelf, Scott and
Shackleton's Huts, Spectacular Scenery - rarely visited regions |
Icebreaker
108 -
Kapitan Khlebnikov |
Helicopter Sightseeing Flights |
$19,900 - $36,900 |
31 |
Ushuaia, Argentina
-
disembark
Lyttelton, New Zealand |
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Antarctica and the Ross Sea Region |
1/11/09, 2/9/09 |
Macquarie Island and Campbell Island,
Ross Ice Shelf and Cape Adare, Emperor Penguins, Shackleton and Scott's
Hut. |
Research Vessel
48 - Spirit of Enderby |
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$11,881 - $19,115 |
30 |
Port of Bluff / Invercargill, New Zealand -
disembark same |
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