Antarctic cruises

Antarctic Circle Quest

South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula

15 day itinerary

Very few people in the world can claim to have crossed the Antarctic Circle, reaching an extreme latitude at the very bottom of the world. Only the most adventurous travellers include this Circle on their life list of goals. Share this momentous achievement with a few select adventurers on board the Akademik Vavilov, Sea Spirit, or Ocean Nova.

Itinerary

Day 1: Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina Arrive in the southernmost city in the world and make your way to the Hotel Los Nires or similar hotel.

Day 2: Ushuaia Spend the morning with a local guide on a group excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park, then enjoy a traditional Argentine BBQ asado lunch. Settle into your cabin and get to know the ship. You will meet your Expedition Team as the ship heads through the scenic Beagle Channel.

Days 3-5: Drake Passage & South Shetland Islands Journey across the famous Drake Passage, named after the 16th-century English navigator Sir Francis Drake. As the ship sails, our naturalists and historians offer presentations on the marvels ahead. If the weather allows it, you can spend time on deck spotting for albatrosses - including the magnificent Wandering Albatross - and other seabirds.

The South Shetland Islands, which lie to the north of the Antarctic Peninsula, are usually sighted in the late afternoon on Day 4. Here you visit vast penguin rookeries, land on beaches ruled by Antarctic fur seals, and observe wallowing southern elephant seals. You may also 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. Often the ship sails through Neptune Bellows, a narrow passage leading into the sunken caldera of Deception Island. Here, if the tide allows it, you may dip your toes in the steaming waters of Pendulum Cove.

Days 6-12: Antarctic Peninsula Our exploration of the Antarctic continent may begin with a visit to the aptly named Paradise Bay, or to the nearby Neko Harbor. Glaciers fill the calm waters with an amazing vista of icebergs as you set foot on the Antarctic continent itself.

During the voyage, expect to see enormous rookeries of Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adélie Penguins. You may also encounter Weddell, crabeater and leopard seals, as well as orcas, humpback and Minke whales. If the pack ice and icebergs allow it, the ship navigates some of the most beautiful waterways in the world. Two in particular, the Neumayer and Lemaire Channels, are impressive narrow passages between towering rock faces and spectacular glaciers. Sailing south of the Lemaire Channel we may visit Petermann Island, where Adélie and Gentoo Penguins, skuas and Blue-eyed Shags nest close to the landing site.

The quest for the Antarctic Circle continues as the expedition pushes farther south. You will be in the vicinity of historic Stonington Island, which served briefly as a base for the Byrd's Little America Expedition in 1940. The site also served as the base for Finn Ronne's 1947-48 Antarctic Research Expedition that mapped a great portion of the continent by air. We will mark our arrival at the southernmost location with a celebration on board.

Days 13-14: Drake Passage You bid farewell to Antarctica as you sail north across the Drake Passage. The adventure is not over, as there are more opportunities to watch birds and whales cavorting in the open ocean.

Day 15: Ushuaia Disembark after breakfast and transfer by bus to the Antarctic Unit office located at the entrance to the pier. If you are departing on the morning flight, the transfer continues to the airport.

* Airfare is not included in the program.

Please note: Read this itinerary as a guide only. Flexibility is the key to the success of this expedition. Every effort will be made to push for the Antarctic Circle. Since ice and weather conditions can change quickly, we cannot guarantee that the vessel will reach the Antarctic Circle. Visits to research stations depend on final permission.

Prices and departure dates

Code: ANTQUA008

Departures:
31 December 2011 aboard the Sea Spirit
12 February 2012 aboard the Akademik Vavilov
13 February 2012 aboard the Ocean Nova

Price: From £7,230 per person based on two sharing. For more information, or to make a reservation, please enquire.