HIGHLIGHTS
- In
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, witness a cacophony of
calling birds, natural set pieces like elephant seals clashing and
thrashing, and crowds of colourful king penguins stretching out as far
as the eye can see.
- Visit
the museum which commemorates the legendary mission of Shackleton, and
see his memorial that stands over his final resting place.
- Watch
South Georgia’s colonies of king penguins - with vivid bursts
of yellow and orange around their necks - stand, squabble and curiously
investigate, enjoying the isolated respite of this island.
They’re joined by smaller penguin species like Macaroni
penguins, and other glorious birdlife like the majestic wandering
albatrosses, which you can see gliding on gusts of wind, over the
choppy waves.
- Sail
the legendary Drake Passage, an experience that few are ever lucky
enough to experience.
- Set
sail, to slowly drop off the bottom of the map from Cape Horn, and
voyage on an expedition down into the icy underworld of Antarctica.
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
Start Date | End Date | Adventurer Suite | Explorer Suite | View Suite | Vista Suite | Veranda Suite | Medallion Suite | Silver Suite | Grand Suite | Owner's Suite |
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
Start Date | End Date | (Starting from) Adventurer Suite | (Mid-range) Veranda Suite | (High-end) Owner's Suite |
ITINERARY
DAY
1: Ushuaia, Argentina
Departure
5:00 PM
A
southerly frontier - on the cusp of wild nature and extraordinary
adventures - the excitement in Ushuaia is palpable. Prepare for
memorable exploits amid the extremes of this southerly location - as
you adventure into the colossal scenery of the fractured Tierra del
Fuego and beyond. Known as the 'End of the World' Ushuaia looks out
across the Beagle Channel, and is surrounded by the Martial Mountains
to the north. Despite its remote location, Ushuaia is a surprisingly
busy and lively resort, with lots to keep its visitors entertained. For
many people, Ushuaia is their last glimpse of anything resembling a
city, before they jump off the map into the wilderness, to answer the
call of immense national parks or Antarctic expeditions. One of the
most dramatic landscapes on the planet - Argentina's land of fire,
National Park Tierra del Fuego, is a place of titanic natural forces
and limitless beauty. Snow-covered mountains poke the sky, while
glaciers spill down between peaks, and gaping fjords open up. With
incredible wildlife - from penguins to whales - the park offers some of
South America's most amazing hiking opportunities and panoramas. When
it comes to food in Ushuaia, locals cook up fierce flavours using the
freshest ingredients. King crab is one of the most popular dishes,
while sea bass - hauled freshly from the waters - and mounds of meaty
mussels - known as cholgas - are also on the menu here.
DAYS
2-4: Day At Sea
Days at sea
are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what
you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the
gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or
simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance
to busy days spent exploring shore side.
DAYS
5-8: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Charcoal-black
mountains ladled with snow, giant glaciers and thriving wildlife
combine to make South Georgia one of the great natural islands.
Adventure to these far flung lands - where the animals are in charge
and humans come a distant second. Here you'll witness a cacophony of
calling birds, natural set pieces like elephant seals clashing and
thrashing, and crowds of colourful king penguins stretching out as far
as the eye can see. An overseas territory of the UK, these isolated,
subantarctic islands once formed a remote whaling centre - and you can
still visit the former whaling stations. Nowadays the giants of the sea
are free to cruise the icy waters uninhibited. Written into explorer
history due to its links with Ernest Shackleton’s tale of
Antarctic exploration, shipwreck and survival, the
Endurance’s crew were saved when he reached the salvation of
these shores in 1916 - before returning to collect the remaining
sailors from Elephant Island. A museum commemorates the legendary
mission, and you can see the memorial to Shackleton that stands over
his final resting place on this fabled island. South
Georgia’s colonies of king penguins - with vivid bursts of
yellow and orange around their necks - stand, squabble and curiously
investigate, enjoying the isolated respite of this island.
They’re joined by smaller penguin species like Macaroni
penguins, and other glorious birdlife like the majestic wandering
albatrosses, which you can see gliding on gusts of wind, over the
choppy waves.
DAYS
9-10: Drake Passage
Sailing the
legendary Drake Passage is an experience that few are ever lucky enough
to experience. The southern tip of the Americas already feels like a
wild enough environment – but the sensation of watching the
distant cliffs of the peninsular known as the ‘End of the
World’ fade into the horizon, is one that’s equal
parts epic, eerie and magical. Set sail, to slowly drop off the bottom
of the map from Cape Horn, and voyage on an expedition down into the
icy underworld of Antarctica. Drake Passage is an extraordinary voyage
of romantic ocean faring legend, as you aim for Antarctica’s
icy realm. On arrival, skyscraper sized icebergs salute you, as you
traverse the waters of this continent where snow and ice dwelling
creatures like penguins and whales roam undisturbed. Your first sight
of this most-unexplored place will most likely be the South Shetland
Islands. Walk in the footsteps of some of history’s greatest
and bravest explorers as you explore famed, snow-covered landmasses
like Elephant and Deception Island. If the journey across Drake Passage
sounds daunting, don’t worry – even in rough seas
you’re never alone, and will often be accompanied on this
spine-tingling adventure by soaring albatrosses and maybe even a
protective pod of humpbacks and hourglass dolphins or two. Converging
warm and cool ocean currents attract some spectacular animal life to
the passage.
DAY
11: Antarctic Sound, Antarctica
Few voyages
ignite the imagination like a journey down to one of the
planet’s most remote, extreme and enchanting wilderness,
Antarctica. An adventure in its purest form, only a handful of people
will ever be lucky enough to experience the majestic beauty of these
monochrome landscapes first-hand. The Antarctic Sound will be one of
your first encounters of this whitewash kingdom, located at the
northerly tip of the Antarctic Peninsula - which sprawls up like a
tentacle towards Tierra del Fuego, South America’s most
southerly point, otherwise known as the ‘End of the
World’. Taking its name from the first ship to brave the
passageway between the peninsular and the Joinville Island groups back
in 1902, the Sound is a raw, sensory assault of imposing iceberg slabs,
broken away from the disintegrating Larsen Ice Shelf. Come face-to-face
with stadium-sized islands of ice and meet the extraordinary birdlife
that call this whitewash kingdom home. Watch on, as colonies of Gentoo
penguins hop around, and cape petrels sweep overhead, as the
continent’s unique wildlife thrives around you. If
you’re planning your first venture into Antarctica,
you’ll want to brush up on your photography skills in
advance, to capture this unforgiving continent in all of its
unrestrained glory.
DAYS
12-13: Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica
The
Antarctic Peninsula unravels upwards towards South America, reaching
out a beckoning finger to the adventurous, who dare to explore this
untamed realm. Stretching up from the heart of the world’s
southernmost continent, the Antarctic Peninsula lies a mere 620 mile
from Tierra del Fuego and, for many, offers a spectacular first taste
of the snow-blanketed landscapes and colossal ice sculptures, which
make up Earth’s least-explored continent. Unseen by humans
until 1820 - a blink of an eye ago in relative terms - this is an
adventure sure to make your hairs stand on end, as you experience the
thrill of the truly unknown and extraordinary. The vast peninsula is
sprinkled with research bases, which are at the frontline of human
scientific endeavour, pushing to study and understand this unique
landscape, its exceptional wildlife, and the impact that humans are
having on this pristine continent. Witness cathedral-sized icebergs up
close, and blue-hued glaciers, slowly slipping from imposing locations
like Hope Bay. Blanched mountain peaks cover the peninsula, and
you’ll find thousands of adorable Adelie penguin pairs
thriving undisturbed in this peninsula’s unique setting.
DAY
14: South Shetland Islands, Antarctica
The
ice-coated Antarctic Peninsula forms perhaps the most accessible region
of mainland Antarctica, lying a mere 480-miles away from South America,
across the fabled waters of Drakes Passage. Lying close to the
northwestern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, separated by the
Bransfield Strait, the South Shetland Islands fall under the
jurisdiction of the Antarctic Treaty, suspending claims on their
sovereignty. Several countries maintain research bases here, and with
plump elephant seals, and crowds of Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adelie
Penguins also calling the islands home, it can even feel a little
crowded at times. King George Island is the largest and most hospitable
island, hosting the majority of the research stations - some of which
are populated all-year-round by tiny, hardy crews. Don’t be
fooled though, these islands offer extraordinary adventure in one of
the most remote locations on earth. The triple peaks of Mount Foster
tower above the archipelago, and you’ll feel your heart
pumping a little quicker, as you sail into the core of Deception
Island’s magnificent collapsed volcano caldera. Hike the luna
landscapes within, and even dip into the improbably warm,
geothermally-heated waters of Pendulum Cove. Elephant Island,
meanwhile, is written deep into the annals of Antarctic expedition
legend, as the site where Ernest Shackleton and the stricken crew of
the Endurance miraculously survived a harsh Antarctic winter, in 1916.
DAYS
15-16: Drake Passage
DAY
17: Ushuaia, Argentina
Arrive
8:00 AM
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- 1
night pre-cruise and 1 day-use post-cruise
- Transfers
(between airport/hotel and ship)
- In-country
flights when required by itinerary
- Guided
Zodiac, land and sea tours, and shoreside activities led by the
Expeditions Team
- Parka
- Enrichment
lectures by a highly qualified Expeditions Team
- Spacious
suites
- Butler
service in every suite
- Unlimited
Free Wifi
- Personalised
service – nearly one crew member for every guest
- Choice
of restaurants, diverse cuisine, open-seating dining
- Beverages
in-suite and throughout the ship, including champagne, select wines and
spirits
- In-suite
dining and room service
- Onboard
entertainment
- Onboard
gratuities