HIGHLIGHTS
- Hear
tall tales of heroic exploration, tragedy and triumph in the Weddell
Sea region.
- Zodiac
cruise in secluded bays and quiet coves filled with brash ice and
photograph enormous glaciers and spectacularly shaped icebergs in
various shades of blue. Be awestruck by the array of wildlife that play
and hunt in Antarctic Sound.
- With
favourable conditions we hope to spend more time enjoying the
mind-blowing icy landscapes in the Weddell Sea region than on any other
of our voyages.
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
| Start Date | End Date | Stateroom Triple | Stateroom Twin | Superior Stateroom Twin | Balcony Stateroom C | Balcony Stateroom B | Balcony Stateroom A | Superior Balcony Stateroom | Junior Suite | Captain's Suite |
|---|
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
| Start Date | End Date | (Starting from)
Stateroom Triple | (Mid-range)
Balcony Stateroom B | (High-end)
Captain's Suite |
|---|
Day
1 Arrive Ushuaia
Having
made your way to Ushuaia, you will be met by a representative of Aurora
Expeditions and transferred to our group hotel. This evening, enjoy a
light refreshment as you meet your fellow expeditioners at a Welcome
Reception. Afterwards, dine at your leisure (dinner not included).
Accommodation:
Las Hayas Hotel (or similar)
Day
2 Embarkation
This
morning, please ensure your cabin luggage is fitted with cabin tags
clearly labelled with your name and cabin number. Your luggage will be
collected from your hotel and transferred directly to the port for
clearance and delivered to your cabin ahead of your arrival on board.
Please keep any valuables or personal items with you throughout the
day. Enjoy free time after check-out, meeting back in the hotel lobby
at 2.00 pm to commence a short sightseeing tour of Ushuaia.
Ushuaia,
capital of Tierra del Fuego is located at the shores of the Beagle
Channel and surrounded by the Martial Mountains giving you a unique
landscape in Argentina, which is the combination of mountains, sea,
glaciers and forests. On this brief introductory tour, you will visit
"La Mision" neighbourhood, the old Government House, and the upper area
of the city, which offers beautiful panoramic views of Ushuaia and the
Beagle Channel. During the excursion you will see the antique houses
that belonged to the first families settled in Ushuaia. The excursion
ends with a visit to the Old Prison Museum before transferring to the
pier for embarkation at approximately 4.00 pm.
If
you choose to not participate in the sightseeing tour, you will need to
make your own way to the Prison Museum carpark by 3.45 pm to re-join
the group for the transfer to the pier for embarkation.
After
embarkation, you'll have time to settle into your cabin before our
important mandatory briefings. As the ship pulls away from port, we'll
gather on the deck to commence our adventure with spectacular views
over Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego.
Days
3-4 Drake Passage Crossing
As
we commence the Drake Passage crossing, we make the most of our time
getting comfortable with the motions of the sea. Our expedition team
prepare you for our first landing with important wildlife guidelines
and biosecurity procedures and start our lecture program to help you
learn more about Antarctica's history, wildlife and environment.
Our
wildlife experiences begin as we enjoy watching and photographing the
many seabirds, including majestic albatrosses and giant petrels
following our vessel. On sea days, you may can enjoy the facilities on
board the vessel including the gym, wellness centre or the relaxing in
one of the observation lounges.
Nearing
the South Shetland Islands and the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula on
the afternoon of day four, the excitement is palpable with everyone
converging on one of the observation decks watching for our first
iceberg. The ocean takes on a whole new perspective once we are below
the Antarctic Convergence and are surrounded by the surreal presence of
floating ice sculptures. The memory of your first big iceberg sighting
is likely to remain with you for a lifetime. Time and weather
permitting, we may attempt our first landing in Antarctica by late
afternoon.
Days
5-11 Weddell Sea Region & Antarctic Peninsula
It
is almost impossible to describe the feeling of arriving in Antarctica.
Spotting your first iceberg and taking a deep breath of some of the
most fresh, crisp air on earth is an experience that will stay with you
forever.
Your
experienced expedition team, who have made countless journeys to this
area, will use their expertise to design your voyage from day to day,
choosing the best options based on the prevailing weather, ice
conditions and wildlife opportunities.
A
voyage to the Antarctic Peninsula is by its very nature a genuine
adventure, but to venture to the Weddell Sea region located on the wild
eastern side of the peninsula is turning up the dial a few notches. A
considerable aspect of a voyage to the Weddell Sea is the thrill of not
knowing if the ice will allow us to enter its frozen realm. The Weddell
Gyre pushes enormous amounts of ice from the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf
up towards the area near Antarctic Sound, blocking the entrance to the
Weddell Sea, but a visit to the region has numerous rewards.
Central
to the story of where Sir Ernest Shackleton's ship, the Endurance
became trapped in formidable sea ice, the Weddell Sea certainly is high
on the list for many polar adventurers. A small set of islands standing
off to the east of the Antarctic Peninsula collectively form the
Antarctic Sound – the gateway to the Weddell Sea. With a
well-deserved reputation as being an iceberg alley, many large tabular
bergs escape the Weddell Sea through the Antarctic Sound, often making
navigation difficult.
Gigantic
icebergs, the size of skyscrapers, dwarf our Zodiacs as we attempt to
push through seemingly impenetrable sea ice to land on remote beaches
where ancient fossils can be found. The wildlife we may encounter in
the Weddell Sea region makes the attempt worthwhile. The abundant ice
attracts ice seals such as crabeater, leopard and Weddell seals, which
all breed and birth on sea ice. The Weddell Sea boasts a large
Adélie penguin colony just outside of the Antarctic Sound,
some of which breed on the rocky slopes of a small volcanic island,
where a large colony of Antarctic blue-eyed shags jostle for space with
nest-building Wilson's storm petrels.
We
generally make landings or Zodiac excursions twice a day. You'll want
to rug up before joining Zodiac cruises along spectacular ice cliffs or
among grounded icebergs, keeping watch for whales, seals and porpoising
penguins. Zodiacs will also transport you from the ship to land, where
you can visit penguin rookeries, discover historic huts and explore
some of our favourite spots along the peninsula and in the Weddell Sea
region.
On
thrilling Zodiac cruises or slicing a path through the maze of sea ice
in your kayak, keep watch for chinstrap and gentoo penguins in and out
of the water, as well as humpback, minke and orca whales. In the
Weddell region, fossils are a reminder of a more temperate era
– gastropods, large clams, and spiral-shaped ammonites, all
turned to stone. Your camera is sure to get a solid workout during your
time in the Weddell Sea.
While
ashore we aim to stretch our legs, wandering along pebbly beaches or
perhaps up snow-covered ridgelines to vantage points with mountains
towering overhead and ice-speckled oceans below. If you have chosen an
optional activity, you'll have the option to do that whenever
conditions allow, and of course keen polar plungers will have the
chance to fully immerse themselves in polar waters - conditions
permitting!
Days
12-13 Drake Passage crossing
Enjoy
a final morning landing before we re-enter the Drake Passage for our
return journey to South America.
With
lectures and film presentations to complete our Antarctic experience,
there is still plenty of time to enjoy the magic of the Southern Ocean
and the life that calls it home. There is time for reflection and
discussion about what we have seen and experienced. We hope you become
ambassadors for Antarctica telling your family, friends and colleagues
about your journey to this magical place, advocating for its
conservation and preservation so that they might one day visit the
region to experience what you have been lucky to see and do here.
As
we approach the tip of South America, our Captain may sail close to
legendary Cape Horn, weather and time permitting.
Day
14 Disembark Ushuaia
During
the early morning, we cruise up the Beagle Channel, before quietly
slipping into dock in Ushuaia, where we disembark from approximately
8.00 am. Farewell your attentive crew, expedition team and fellow
passengers as we all continue our onward journeys, hopefully with a
newfound sense of the immense power of nature. A transfer to Ushuaia
airport or to your hotel is included in the voyage fare.
Note:
At the conclusion of the voyage, we do not recommend booking flights
departing Ushuaia prior to 12.00 pm on the day of disembarkation in
case there are delays.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- All
airport transfers mentioned in the itinerary.
- One
night’s hotel accommodation including breakfast, in Ushuaia
on Day 1.
- Onboard
accommodation during voyage, including daily cabin service.
- All
meals, snacks, tea and coffee during voyage.
- Beer,
house wine and soft drinks with dinner.
- Captain’s
Welcome and Farewell receptions including four-course dinner, house
cocktails, house beer and wine, non-alcoholic beverages.
- All
shore excursions and Zodiac cruises.
- Educational
lectures and guiding services provided by Expedition Team.
- Complimentary
access to onboard expedition doctor and medical clinic (initial
consultation).
- One
3-in-1 waterproof, polar expedition jacket.
- Complimentary
use of Muck Boots during the voyage.
- Comprehensive
pre-departure information.
- Port
surcharges, permits and landing fees.
- Gratuities
for ship’s crew.
Exclusions
- International
or domestic flights - unless specified in the itinerary.
- Transfers
- unless specified in the itinerary.
- Airport
arrival or departure taxes.
- Passport,
visa, reciprocity and vaccination fees and charges.
- Travel
insurance or emergency evacuation charges.
- Hotel
accommodation and meals - unless specified in the itinerary.
- Optional
excursions and optional activity surcharges.
- All
items of a personal nature, including but not limited to alcoholic
beverages and soft drinks (outside of dinner service), laundry
services, personal clothing, medical expenses, wi-fi, email or phone
charges.
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
Included
Activities
- Bird
watching
- Lectures
on wildlife, our environment, history and destinations
- Photography
- Polar
plunge
- Walking
- Trips
ashore
- Whale
and mammal spotting
- Zodiac
cruises
Add-on
Activities
- Sea
Kayaking USD 1,295
- Snorkelling
USD 640
- Scuba
Diving USD 1,260
