Antarctica

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Title

Antarctica - Discovery and Learning

Start – End

Tripcode

PLA27-28

Language

English

Ship

m/v Plancius

Embarkation / Disembarkation

Ushuaia - Ushuaia

Nights / Days

10 nights

More about

Antarctica cruises

Antarctic Peninsula cruises

Group request For reservations with more than 15 guests you can contact us directly

Itinerary

Voyage overview

This Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands cruise delivers you into a landscape of dark rugged rock, pure white snow, and a fantastic variety of wildlife. Come say hello to whales, seals, and thousands of penguins.

End of the world, start of a journey Day 1

Your voyage begins where the world drops off. Ushuaia, Argentina, reputed to be the southernmost city on the planet, is located on the far southern tip of South America. Starting in the afternoon, you embark from this small resort town on Tierra del Fuego, nicknamed “The End of the World,” and sail the mountain-fringed Beagle Channel for the remainder of the evening.

Path of the polar explorers Day 2 - 3

Over the next two days on the Drake Passage, you enjoy some of the same experiences encountered by the great polar explorers who first charted these regions: cool salt breezes, rolling seas, maybe even a fin whale spouting up sea spray. After passing the Antarctic Convergence – Antarctica’s natural boundary, formed when north-flowing cold waters collide with warmer sub-Antarctic seas – you are in the circum-Antarctic upwelling zone. Not only does the marine life change, the avian life changes too. Wandering albatrosses, grey-headed albatrosses, black-browed albatrosses, light-mantled sooty albatrosses, cape pigeons, southern fulmars, Wilson’s storm petrels, blue petrels, and Antarctic petrels are a few of the birds you might see.

Enter the Antarctic Day 4 - 7

Gray stone peaks sketched with snow, towers of broken blue-white ice, and dramatically different wildlife below and above. You first pass the snow-capped Melchior Islands and Schollaert Channel, sailing between Brabant and Anvers Islands.

Sites you may visit include:

Danco Island – Activities here may focus on the gentoo penguins nesting on the island, in addition to the Weddell and crabeater seals that can be found nearby.

Neko Harbour – An epic landscape of mammoth glaciers and endless wind-carved snow, Neko Harbour offers opportunities for a Zodiac cruise and landing that afford the closest views of the surrounding alpine peaks.

Paradise Bay – You may be able to take a Zodiac cruise in these sprawling, ice-flecked waters, where there’s a good chance you’ll encounter humpback and minke whales.

Port Lockroy – After sailing through the Neumayer Channel, you may get a chance to visit the former British research station – now a museum and post office – of Port Lockroy on Goudier Island. You may also be able to partake in activities around Jougla Point, meeting gentoo penguins and blue-eyed shags.

When conditions are right, you can snowshoe around the shore and to the old ski-way at nearby Damoy Point.

Scenes of South Shetland Day 8

The volcanic islands of the South Shetlands are windswept and often cloaked in mist, but they do offer subtle pleasures: There’s a wide variety of flora (mosses, lichens, flowering grasses) and no small amount of fauna (gentoo penguins, chinstrap penguins, southern giant petrels).

In Deception Island, the ship plunges through Neptune’s Bellows and into the flooded caldera. Here you find an abandoned whaling station, and thousands of cape petrels – along with kelp gulls, brown and south polar skuas, and Antarctic terns. A good hike is a possibility in this fascinating and desolate volcanic landscape.

As an alternative, you may be able to engage in activities near Half Moon Island. Here chinstrap penguins and Weddell seals often haul out onto the beach near Cámara Base, an Argentine scientific research station. Conditions on the Drake Passage determine the exact time of departure.

Familiar seas, familiar friends Day 9 - 10

Your return voyage is far from lonely. While crossing the Drake, you’re again greeted by the vast array of seabirds remembered from the passage south. But they seem a little more familiar to you now, and you to them.

There and back again Day 11

Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. It’s now time to disembark in Ushuaia, but with memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies.

PLEASE NOTE:

All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. Landings are subject to site availabilities, permissions, and environmental concerns per IAATO regulations. Official sailing plans and landing slots are scheduled with IAATO prior to the start of the season, but the expedition leader determines the final plan. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises. The average cruising speed for our vessel is 10.5 knots.

This voyage

Includes Excludes

Voyage aboard the indicated vessel as indicated in the itinerary.
All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee and tea.
All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac.
Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff.
Complimentary use of waterproof neoprene expedition muck boots and snowshoes.
Luggage transfer from pick-up point to the vessel on the day of embarkation, in Ushuaia.
Pre-scheduled group transfer from the vessel to the airport in Ushuaia (directly after disembarkation).
All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the programme.
Comprehensive pre-departure material.
Complimentary Wi-Fi connectivity. All guests receive 1.5 GB of data usage per day, which resets every 24 hours.
Complimentary Dopper water bottle for use during and after your expedition.

Any airfare, whether on scheduled or charter flights.
Pre- and post- land arrangements.
Passport and visa expenses.
Government arrival and departure taxes.
Meals ashore.
Baggage, cancellation and personal insurance (which is strongly recommended).
Excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges.
The customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided).

Highlights you might experience

Neko Harbour

A pleasant beach in Antarctica’s larger Andvord Bay, Neko Harbour is a scenic landing site that offers great views of gentoo penguins and a nearby glacier

Lemaire Channel

A classic route for our expeditions to Antarctica, this iconic waterway serves as the gateway to the southern Antarctic Peninsula

Port Lockroy

A former British base built in 1944, Port Lockroy is located on Goudier Island near the Antarctic Peninsula

Paradise Bay

A breathtakingly beautiful bay offering classic views of colossal ice formations and iconic Antarctic wildlife

Cuverville Island

Home to thousands of gentoo penguins, this island lies just off the Antarctic mainland

Deception Island

A volcanic island in the South Shetlands, north of the Antarctic Peninsula

Weddell Seal

Named after the British navigator and sailor James Weddell, these extensively studied seals live farther south than any other mammal

Gentoo Penguin

These hygienic divers are the only penguin species whose population is currently increasing along the Antarctic Peninsula

What Our Travelers Say

Since we curate unique itineraries for every sailing, these reviews reflect similar past cruises. They illustrate the general atmosphere and quality standards, though specific activities and wildlife encounters will vary.

Helpful

by Igwe Divine

Antarctica

Very amazing

Wonderful experience

by Marina Brusa

Antarctica

Wonderful experience .. I wonder why I didn't do it before !!!! Expecially in nov-dec you can find many nesting species and chicks . Great treatment on the ship : you will learn so many things ...

Amazing wild life & amazing trip

by Natalia Krebs

Antarctica

Best company, best trip and best wild life ever! We will book again with OceanWide!

Great Antarctica - Polar Circle - Whale watching trip

by Sylvia Vergeer

Antarctica

We had a great trip which gave us all that we were hoping for. Incredible number of whales and pinguins and beautiful weather after a very stormy drake passage. Crew and guides were amazing with all the interesting lectures and wonderful food and service. Also the other guests on the boat were great. I truly recommend this trip.

by Hedda von Olnhausen

Antarctica

Very unique trip to the Antarctic Peninsula and South Circle. The staff made the trip so special. Experienced expedition crew, good food and overall very happy with the trip.

Seconda volta ancora meglio della prima!!

by Barbara Nave

Antarctica

Sono ritornata in Antartide dopo 6 anni..il mio paradiso personale a cui si accede dopo l' inferno del passaggio di Drake..sempre sulla Plancius perché e' la nave perfetta, piccola, organizzatissima e green..non pensavo che avrei uguagliato le emozioni di 6 anni fa..invece il viaggio e' stato ancora più fantastico e spettacolare..quante balene, quante orche, centinaia di pinguini, le foche, all'atmosfera e cormorani..non potevo chiedere di più.. e' stato indimenticabile! Grazie di cuore e sono cetta che tra qualche anno, non troppi, ci sara' pure la terza volta!!

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