Antarctica expedition cruise

country:	Antarctica
departures:	2008: 28 Nov, 8 Dec, 18 Dec 2009: 7 Jan, 17 Jan, 6 Feb, 26 Feb, 8 Mar, 18 Mar
price:	From £1870 (11 days) excluding flights

Wildlife cruises

Antarctica holidays

the amazing things you'll be doing

11 day expeditionary cruise to the white continent.

This expedition cruise is aboard the vessel Ushuaia. Originally built for the US Navy as an arctic survey vessel this was recently refitted to carry 80 passengers.

An expeditionary cruiser, the Ushuaia also has great facilities, including a bar, restaurant and a library. We follow strict environmental regulations to operate in Antarctica, and all crew are highly trained a well equipped in the event of an emergency.

day-by-day itinerary

Day 1:	Ushuaia. We embark the expedition vessel in the afternoon and meet your expedition and lecture staff. After you have settled into your cabins we sail along the famous Beagle Channel and the scenic Mackinlay Pass.
Day 2-3:	Crossing the Drake Passage. As we sail across the passage, lecturers will be out with you on deck to help in the identification of an amazing variety of seabirds which follow in our wake (including albatrosses). The boat’s open bridge policy allows you to join our officers on the bridge and learn about navigation, watch for whales, and enjoy the view. A full program of lectures will be offered as well. The first sightings of icebergs and snow-capped mountains indicate that we have reached the South Shetland Islands, with favorable conditions in the Drake Passage our lecturers and naturalists will accompany you ashore as you experience your first encounter with the penguins and seals on day 3.
Day 4-8:	We explore the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula. Sailing through the narrow passage into the flooded caldera of Deception Island you will have the chance to swim in the hot springs of Pendulum Cove. King George Island, the largest of the South Shetland Islands, features colonies of nesting Adélie and Chinstrap Penguins, Kelp Gulls, Blue-eyed Cormorants, Antarctic Terns and Southern Giant Petrels. We hope to navigate some of the world's most beautiful waterways (depending on the ice conditions) including the Gerlache Strait, the Neumayer Channel, and the Lemaire Channel. The latter are narrow passages between towering rock faces and spectacular glaciers. We plan to make at least two landings per day. Possible landing sites may include Paradise Bay which is perhaps the most aptly named place in the world. We will also attempt a landing on the continent proper.
Day 9-10:	At sea crossing the Drake Passage, northbound. We leave Antarctica and head north across the Drake Passage. You are welcome to join our lecturers and naturalists on deck as we search for seabirds and whales and enjoy some final lectures. Take the chance to relax and reflect on the fascinating adventures of the past days on the way back to Ushuaia.
Day 11:	We arrive at Ushuaia in the early morning and disembark the vessel after breakfast.

how this holiday makes a difference

Antarctica is the largest wilderness area on earth, unaffected by large scale human activities. Accordingly, this unique and pristine environment has been afforded special protection. Furthermore, it is physically remote, inhospitable, unpredictable and potentially dangerous. All activities in the Antarctic Treaty Area, therefore, should be planned and conducted with both environmental protection and safety in mind. IAATO Charter – International Association of Antarctic tour operators.

A trip to the Antarctic is a completely different experience and quite unlike any other trip you have probably been on. We use a highly regulated, licensed vessel which is well equipped to operate in this pristine ecosystem. We are fully compliant with all rules set down by the IAATO. We carefully vet all ships we work with and choose them for their small size as this creates far less impact on shore landings with wildlife. We see the voyage Antarctic as an expedition, not a sightseeing trip. Smaller boats such as ours can navigate narrow waterways, and are far less polluting than the larger ships in Antarctic waters. By carrying less passengers, we have far less waste, and all waste is carried back to the home port, unlike some of the larger ships which do not allow for this.

We are regulated by very strict conditions, and we take our responsibility seriously. We are currently working towards supporting a nominated wildlife charity which operates in Antarctica and we have a long term commitment to maintaining its pristine condition while still offering some of the best value trips to this unique destination.

Our pre departure pack provides you with all the information required for your tour, from what to take with you to practical advice on how to minimise your impact on the Antarctic environment. This is in the form of waste reduction and how to interact with wildlife on the continent.

We really work hard to keep all our operations green! All our worldwide offices currently run on 90% green energy (we are working towards 100%) from hydro electric, wind to solar power. Being web based, we are close to becoming a paperless environment, brochure prints are at a minimum (and printed on a requirement basis) and all pre departure information is emailed. We use energy saving bulbs in our work centres, and recycle all our waste. We currently work with 3 different charities, giving us a broad spectrum and diversifying where our monies go. We work with Project Peru in the UK who run an orphanage in Zapallal in the shanty town outskirts of Lima, ANIA in Peru which is a high profile Peruvian NGO which works with children and helps to teach them about their local environment and how to manage it affectively, and GVI Foundation in Australia which work on several development projects in Latin America and around the world. We help these charities by fundraising treks, through donations as a company and through our clients and also through many of our customers who volunteer their time and expertise. These charities are close to our core of supporting the environment and children in need.

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