Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Ushuaia, Argentina
In the afternoon, we embark in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, the picturesque southernmost city in the world located at the Beagle Channel and sail through the Beagle Channel.
Day 2: At Sea
At sea, in the westerlies the ship is followed by several species of albatrosses, storm petrels, shearwaters and diving petrels.
Day 3: Falklands
In the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) we plan to spend the whole day on New Island offering among others large colonies of Black-browed Albatrosses, Rockhopper Penguins, Blue-eyed Shags, and Sea Lions.
Day 4: Falklands
In Port Stanley , the capital of the Falklands, we can experience Falkland culture, which has some South-American characteristics. In Port Stanley and surrounding area we can see a quite important number of stranded clippers from a century ago.
Days 5-6: Antarctic Convergence
At sea, on our way to South Georgia we will cross the Antarctic Convergence. Entering Antarctic waters, the temperature will drop as much as 10 degrees C in the time span of only a few hours. Near the Convergence we will see a multitude of southern seabirds near the ship; several species of albatrosses, shearwaters, petrels, prions and skuas.
Days 7-10: South Georgia
In South Georgia we shall visit Grytviken with the abandoned whaling village, where King Penguins now walk in the streets, and King Edwards Point with a British garrison and the grave of Shackleton.
Fortuna Bay and Bay of Isles with breeding Wandering Albatrosses on Albatross Island, and Salisbury Plain with a large colony of King Penguins are other highlights of the South Georgia program. We may also visit Elsehul, Right Whale Bay, Possession Bay, Gold Harbour and Drygalski Fjord to give you a good opportunity to see a wide spectrum of landscapes and wildlife, like the introduced Reindeer, Fur Seals, Elephant Seals, Gentoo Penguins, Macaroni Penguins, Grey-headed Albatrosses, Light-mantled Sooty Albatrosses, Northern and Southern Giant Petrels, White-chinned Petrels, several species of prions and storm petrels, Brown Skuas, Dominican Gulls, Antarctic Terns, sheathbills and the endemic South Georgia Pintail.
Day 11: At Sea
At sea, where the ship is again followed by a multitude of seabirds.
Day 12: South Orkneys
In the South Orkneys we plan to call at Laurie Island and may visit the friendly Argentine base, in which vicinity we can see breeding Southern Giant Petrels. With permission of the base personnel we may also visit Punta Cormoran which has an Adelie Penguin colony.
Day 13: At Sea
At sea when we approach the sea-ice, we may have a chance to see some high-Antarctic species like Maccormick Skua, Snow Petrel and the elusive juvenile Emperor Penguin. Chances to encounter Minke Whales are also increasing when we approach the ice.
Days 14-16: South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula
We will sail into the Weddell Sea through the ice-clogged Antarctic Sound. Huge tabular icebergs will announce our arrival to the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula. We plan to visit Paulet Island with a million pairs of Adelie Penguins and the remains of the Nordenskiöld expedition. At Brown Bluff we can put our feet on the continent.
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. In the afternoon we may land at Half Moon Island, where we can obsereve Elephant, Weddell and Fur Seals as well as Chinstrap Penguins, Blue-eyed Shags, Wilson’s Storm Petrels, Kelp Gulls, Snowy Sheatbills, Antarctic Terns and Antarctic Brown Skuas.
On our way West, we sail to Cuverville Island, a small precipitous island, nestled between the mountains of the Antarctic Peninsula. It contains a large colony of Gentoo Penguins and breeding pairs of Brown Skuas. From there we sail to Neko Harbour in Andvord Bay and through Paradise Bay with its myriad icebergs and deep cut fjords, while having chances of seeing large Whales. We will have opportunities for zodiac cruising between the icebergs in the inner parts of the fjords.
Days 17-18: Drake Passage
On our way north we are again followed by a great selection of seabirds while crossing the Drake Passage.
Day 19: Ushuaia
We arrive in the morning in Ushuaia and disembark.
(Ship: Professor Molchanov)
Departure Dates 2009: Feb 9
Departure Dates 2010: Jan 5, Feb 12
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
- Sea Kayaking Option: US$700 per person
- Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars and represent costs per person, double or triple occupancy. Request the Twin or Triple Share Program where you are matched with a cabin mate of the same gender. Even if a cabin mate is not found for you, no single supplement will be charged.
- Standard twin cabins are available for single occupancy at 1.8 times the shared price. Superior cabins and suites available for single occupancy at 2 times the shared price.
Prices are based on a 3% cash discount.
Also see tour packages in:
Antarctica
Antarctica
Falkland Islands
S. Georgia and S. Sandwich
Boating and Sailing
Glacier Tours
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