ANTARCTICA CRUISE:  CLASSIC ANTARCTICA 

Antarctic Peninsula & South Shetland Islands - Ushuaia to Ushuaia 

CRUAQCLA - 11/12 days / 10/11 nights
Rates per Person From     US$ 2,895.00

ICEBREAKERS: Akademik Shokalskiy, M/V Orlova, Professor Molchanov, Professor Multanovskiy
Departure Day: SET DATES as listed below
ADVENTURE OPTIONS: SET DATES as listed below

Classic Antarctica offers you the perfect introduction to the White Continent. Between your departure from and return to the port of Ushuaia, Argentina, you will experience the wildlife and scenic highlights of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands. Each voyage incorporates as much wildlife viewing as possible, with visits to scientific bases and plenty of time to enjoy breathtaking waterways, glaciers, icebergs and rugged mountains. No two voyages are exactly alike, no matter which Classic Antarctica voyage you choose. The Captain and Expedition Leader continually assess daily weather conditions and wildlife opportunities, taking advantage of the extended daylight to maximize time ashore. You will become one of the fortunate few to have set foot on the continent of Antarctica. On select sailings, adventure options are available for divers, campers, and sea-kayakers.

The itinerary shown here is for the 12-day voyage - the 11-day voyage has one day less along the Antarctic Peninsula. However, no two voyages can ever be exactly the same and so this itinerary is for guidance only. The Captain and Expedition Leader continually assess daily weather conditions and wildlife opportunities to take full advantage of the almost continuous daylight and to maximize time ashore. Although it is impossible to guarantee precisely what we will see, because sightings and encounters inevitably vary from trip to trip, we are confident that no-one will be disappointed. Few people have ever set foot on Antarctica but those fortunate few treasure precious memories of a unique, unforgettable experience.

CLASSIC ANTARCTICA ADVENTURE - With Scuba-diving, Sea-kayaking and Camping Options
Take the adventure cruises of Classic Antarctica and add SCUBA-diving, sea-kayaking or camping and you have our Classic Antarctica Adventures. These voyages offer the ultimate introduction to the White Continent - with a unique twist. Departing from and finishing in the port of Ushuaia, Argentina, they include many of the wildlife and scenic highlights of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands. As with Classic Antarctica, they are designed to include as much wildlife viewing as possible, as well as visits to scientific bases and plenty of time to enjoy the breathtaking scenery of icy waterways, glaciers, icebergs and rugged mountains. But with diving, kayaking and camping options, they also offer a whole new opportunity for the more adventurous traveler to experience and explore this remote corner of the world.

SCUBADIVING - Ship: Akademik Shokalskiy - Expedition Dates: January 7 to 18, 17 to 28 and January 27 to February 7, 2006.
Explore the magical underwater world of Antarctica with experienced Antarctic Dive Masters who guide you through a fantastic and largely unexplored paradise. Dive around naturally sculpted icebergs, encounter rich marine life from soft corals and fish to marine mammals, and experience the remarkable underwater sounds of the frozen continent.
Group size and number of dives: We can accommodate a maximum of 10 divers per departure. Each diver can expect to complete a maximum of four dives during the expedition, subject to weather and water conditions, of course. The maximum dive depth will be about 15 meters (50 feet). Possible dive sites include: Port Lockroy, Deception Island and Neko Harbor. Supplement for scuba diving: US$595 per person (Please note that participants must have PADI advanced open water certification or equivalent).

SEA KAYAKING - Ship: Professor Multanovskiy - Expedition Dates: January 31 to February 11, February 10 to 21 and February 20 to March 3, 2006 ; Ship: Akademik Shokalskiy - Expedition Dates: November 10 -21, November 20 to December 1.
Sea kayaking is a fabulous way to explore the little bays and waterways of the Antarctic Peninsula. You use 5-meter (16 foot) Prijon rudder-equipped double sea kayaks, which are very stable, surprisingly comfortable and incredibly tough - perfect for paddling through the icy environment. Each trip is led by two experienced and highly qualified kayak instructors and a Zodiac safety boat stays in constant communication ready to assist should the need arise.
Group size and number of excursions: There will be a maximum of 10 kayakers per departure and a minimum of four kayak excursions. Kayaking sites: Possible kayaking sites include Hannah Point/Aitcho Islands, Deception Island, Port Lockroy, Neko Harbor, Paradise Harbor, and Lemaire Channel. Supplement for sea kayaking: US$595 per person

ANTARCTIC CAMPING - Ship: Professor Multanovskiy - Expedition Dates: January 31 to February 11, February 10 to 21 and February 20 to March 3, 2006 ; Ship: Akademik Shokalskiy - Expedition Dates: November 10 to 21 and November 20 to December 1, 2005
This is your chance to be one of the few who have spent a night camping on the pristine ice of the White Continent. Experienced staff members handle all the logistics.
Group size and number of excursions: You will be one of a maximum of 20 campers who venture ashore for the night. Weather and ice permitting, you will spend one night ashore. All meals are taken on board the vessel. Camp sites: Our camp sites are generally close to Port Lockroy, on the shores of Neumayer Channel, and are selected away from vegetated sites and wildlife concentrations to avoid contamination or disturbance. There is no supplementary charge for this option. Participation will be confirmed at booking on a first come, first served basis.

Highlights

Daily Itinerary

Day 1     Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
Arrive in the southernmost city in the world and transfer independently to the Hotel Los Nires or similar hotel. The remainder of the day is free to explore this 'frontier town' at leisure.

Day 2     Ushuaia
Spend the morning with a local guide on a group excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park, and then enjoy a traditional Argentine BBQ asado lunch. Embark in the afternoon, settle into your cabin, and meet your Expedition Team before the ship sets sail along 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 - an experience in itself. The ship is accompanied much of the way by albatrosses - including the magnificent Wandering Albatross - along with an impressive variety of other seabirds. Cross the Antarctic Convergence, a natural border where cold polar waters sink beneath the warmer waters of the more temperate zones. Land is usually sighted for the first time late afternoon on Day 4 - the South Shetland Islands, which lie to the north of the Antarctic Peninsula. 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 or look for Antarctica's only two flowering plants, which thrive here during the short southern summer. Often the ship sails through the narrow passage leading into the sunken caldera of Deception Island. Here, if the tide allows, you may dip your toes in the thermal waters of Pendulum Cove.

Days 6-9     Antarctic Peninsula
The Antarctic Peninsula, the most readily accessible part of the White Continent, 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. Expect to see enormous rookeries of Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adélie Penguins. Blue-eyed Shags, Kelp Gulls, Cape Petrels, Snowy Sheathbills and Antarctic Terns are also abundant. You may also encounter Weddell, crabeater and leopard seals, as well as orcas, humpback, and Minke whales. Our exploration of the Antarctic continent often begins with a visit to the aptly named Paradise Bay, or to nearby Neko Harbor. Glaciers fill the calm waters with an amazing vista of icebergs as you set foot on the Antarctic continent itself. When visiting Port Lockroy, you enjoy the thriving penguin colonies and visit a recently renovated former British scientific station that serves as one of the most isolated and intriguing museums in the world. The station also acts as a post office from which you can mail postcards home. If pack ice and icebergs allow, you navigate 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. Some voyages 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. On our longer voyages, the expedition may also visit the northern tip of the Peninsula to navigate the Antarctic Sound, or 'iceberg alley', where huge tabular icebergs drift north from the Antarctic continent. If weather and ice conditions permit, you land on Paulet Island to see its vast Adélie Penguin rookery.

Days 10-11     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. Final presentations by our expedition staff enhance the voyage en route to Ushuaia.

Day 12     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.

Please note: The itinerary presented here is for the 12-day voyage - the 11-day voyage has one less day along the Antarctic Peninsula. *Airfare is not included in the program. Some group flights are available on request. Read this itinerary as a guide only; our exact route and program varies according to ice and weather conditions - and the wildlife we encounter. Flexibility is the key to the success of this expedition

Departure Dates

Rates Include:

Not Included:

INSURANCE NOTE: Cancellation policies are strictly enforced! We highly recommend to protect your travel investment should you need to cancel your trip. We have designed an exclusive insurance plan to provide broad protection!