EXPEDITION CRUISES:
ANTARCTICA
SOUTH GEORGIA & FALKLAND ISLANDS

Visiting Antarctica can be described as being temporarily united with the magical elements of the Polar wilderness, a powerful force that is beyond comprehension.

A place where existence doesn’t exist, where reality becomes unreal. Departing Antarctica leaves us confused, as it is hard to imagine that we have truly witnessed the colours, purity and movement of this fascinating region.

Antarctica often evokes a longing to return, time after time, for every visit seems to be the first. Feelings that suggest that not much has really changed since scholars started to philosophise and man had the desire to explore, and to re-explore this continent. Only a few can resist the southerly attraction...

'Grigoriy Mikheev'

Going ashore

ANTARCTIC PENINSULA
10 nights / 11 day

Sailing from Ushuaia, the southernmost city in Argentina, we cross the Drake Passage and make our first landing in Antarctic waters at Aitcho or Penguin Island, which both offer a good variety of flora and fauna such as Gentoo & Chinstrap Penguins and Southern Giant Petrels. Elephant Seals and Fur Seals may also haul out at the beaches.

Over the following days we will explore the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula, including the Lemaire and Neumayer Channels. Weather and landing conditions permitting, we will spend as much time ashore as possible, hiking and exploring the sites. The limited number of passengers aboard the vessel enables us to bring everyone, all at once, quickly and smoothly ashore with our inflatable Zodiacs. Regularly we try to land at "unknown" locations, which will contribute to the exploratory character of the Polar voyage.

*The total may vary slightly according to the dollar / sterling exchange rate.

FALKLAND ISLANDS, SOUTH GEORGIA & ANTARCTIC PENINSULA
Length varies but typically 18 nights / 19 days.

From Ushuaia, beneath the last peaks of the Andes, we follow the Beagle Channel and cross the Southern Ocean to the Falkland Islands. During the crossing we expect to see several species of albatrosses and shearwaters, as well as storm petrels and diving petrels. We shall visit Stanley, Falkland's capital, and other islands in the archipelago where there are colonies of Black-browed Albatrosses, Rockhopper and Magellanic Penguins as well as endemic and interesting local flora and fauna.

From the stunning beauty of South Georgia, we cruise 800 miles west through the remote Southern Ocean towards the Antarctic Peninsula. We will be travelling during this leg via the Iceberg Graveyard where we encounter numerous floating ice-bergs in the spectacular array of of colours, shapes and sizes. We edge cautiously through Neptune's Bellows to reach the flooded caldera of Deception Island: here the brave can swim in waters heated by volcanic activity deep under the sea. Hikers can walk the steep hills of the crater at Telephone Bay from where there is a stunning view of Whalers Bay.

From Deception it is a short sail to the Antarctic Peninsula and a landing on that most remote of continents. On our way we might be accompanied by Humpback, Minke and Fin Whales. We sail through the spectacular Lemaire Channel to reach islands on which colonies of penguins and other southern birds live, all the time keeping watch for local predators: Leopard Seals and Killer Whales.

Finally we turn north, perhaps having one last glimpse of a Weddell or Crabeater Seal, before crossing the Drake Passage.

*The total may vary slightly according to the dollar / sterling exchange rate.