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12 Days$8650USD

Activities
  • 11 days cruising plus optional kayaking, camping and diving
Accommodation
  • 11 Nights aboard Plancius
Meals
  • 11 Dinners
  • 10 Lunches
  • 11 Breakfasts
1
Discovery and Cruising

Traveller Rating

 

 
 

Trip highlights


  • Look for numerous wildlife species including penguins, whales, seals, sea birds
  • Kayak through the cool Antarctic waters (optional)
  • Ride a zodiac and explore icebergs and active glaciers
  • Sail through a great variety of terrain over short distances
  • Narrow sheltered waterways and fjords
  • Active scientific stations
  • Spectacular mountains rising directly out of the sea
  • Historic sites
  • Scuba Diving (optional)

We will cross the Antarctic Convergence into the Southern Ocean via the fabled Drake Passage to explore this remote continent with its spectacular wildlife. This program sets the added goal to cruise south of the Antarctic Polar Circle that for many is the ultimate accomplishment. Our aim is to combine our voyage to the Peninsula with a crossing of the fabled Antarctic Circle at 66°33’. There are no shortage of photographic possibilities or one can simply savour the natural beauty of this ice-bound land. Whether enjoying the surreal landscapes or participating in one of the activities on offer the wonder of the Antarctic is yours to discover. There is ample time to utilise the ship’s fleet of zodiacs to explore the rich diversity of wildlife that flourishes in the sheltered bays, clustered castles of icebergs and steep glaciers that characterise the shoreline.

Trip Code: OP2

You will be warmly greeted by the crew and expedition staff as you embark Plancius in the afternoon. Sailing down the Beagle Channel, we will settle into shipboard life and enjoy our first meal on board.

Meals:  D

During these two days, we will sail across the Drake Passage. When we cross the Antarctic Convergence, we will arrive in the circum-Antarctic up welling zone. In this area we may see 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. Near the South Shetland Islands, we will glimpse at the first icebergs. The Master of the vessel may decide to sail the narrow English Strait, between Robert Island and Greenwich Island, if the conditions are favourable. We will then be in sight of Aitcho Island at the South Shetlands in the late evening of the third day. If the conditions do not allow us to manoeuvre through the English Strait, then we will continue sailing south of Livingston. These volcanic islands or the South Shetlands, are windswept and often shrouded in mist and fog, but do offer subtle pleasures. There is a nice variety of flora (mosses, lichens and flowering grasses) and fauna; such as Gentoo Penguins, Chinstrap Penguins and southern Giant Petrels.

Meals:  B,L,D

Options for Antarctic Peninsula activities are many, and no less great during the late summer. Humpback whales are prolific in this region, gorging themselves on krill before their migration north. The penguin chicks are also fledging, stirring up activity on the beaches while sleek leopard seals lie in wait, poised to attack the less fortunate ones. Sites for your Antarctic adventures may include: Livingston Island – Here you find a wide variety of gentoo and chinstrap penguins on Hannah Point, as well as southern giant petrels and elephant seals hauling out onto the beach. Deception Island – Actually a subducted crater, this island opens into the sea and creates a natural harbor for the ship. Hot springs, an abandoned whaling station, and multiple bird species – cape petrels, kelp gulls, brown and south polar skuas, and Antarctic terns – can be seen here. Wilson’s storm petrels and black-bellied storm petrels also nest in the ruins of the whaling station in Whalers Bay. Cuverville Island – A small precipitous island nestled between the mountains of the Antarctic Peninsula and Rongé Island, Cuverville houses a large colony of gentoo penguins and breeding pairs of brown skuas. 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. You might also be able to set foot on the continent here. Paradise Bay – You could take a Zodiac cruise in these sprawling, ice-flecked waters, where you have a good chance of seeing humpback and minke whales. Pléneau & Petermann Islands – If the ice allows it, you may sail through the Lemaire Channel in search of Adélie penguins and blue-eyed shags. There’s also a good chance you’ll encounter humpback and minke whales as well as leopard seals. Crystal Sound – Your journey takes you south along the Argentine Islands to this ice-packed body of water, and from here across the Polar Circle in the morning. Detaille Island – You may make a landing at an abandoned British research station here, taking in the island’s lofty mountains and imposing glaciers. Fish Islands – Further north you encounter one of the southernmost Adélie penguin and blue-eyed shag colonies in the Antarctic Peninsula. Melchior Islands – These islands offer a beautiful landscape rich with icebergs. Leopard seals, crabeater seals, and whales are found here, and there are excellent opportunities for kayaking and diving. Conditions on the Drake Passage determine the exact time of departure.

Meals:  B,L,D

In the Drake Passage, we will have again a chance of seeing many seabirds, and to take advantage of the knowledge of our lecture team.

Meals:  B,L,D

During the early morning we will cruise up the Beagle Channel, before quietly slipping into dock in Ushuaia. It is a busy time, with people saying farewell to our crew and others who have shared the intensity of being in a magnificent white wilderness. We will head off in our different directions, hopefully with a new found sense of the power of natural forces.

Meals:  B


Inclusions

  • 11 breakfasts, 10 lunches and 11 dinners
  • Comfortable cabin accommodation and use of all public areas on cruise
  • Specialist expedition staff
  • All shore excursions from the ship including the use of Zodiacs
  • Lectures, videos, slide and film shows and guide services
  • Medical services (there is a resident medical officer and infirmary on board)
  • Port taxes and port charges imposed by government authorities
  • Pre-departure information
  • Pre-scheduled group transfer from the vessel to the airport in Ushuaia (directly after disembarkation).

  • Air transport and transfers before and after the cruises (except for pre-scheduled group transfer from the vessel to the airport in Ushuaia, directly after disembarkation).
  • Passport and vaccination charges, reciprocity fees and airport departure taxes
  • Accommodation and meals or other services not included in the ship cruise itinerary
  • Laundry, postage, personal clothing, medical expenses, travel insurance and items of a personal nature such as bar charges, wine and phone calls
  • Emergency evacuation charges
  • Customary end of voyage tips

Cabins


Departure dates


Notes

CP
Camp
K
Kayak
D
Dive

Dates or itinerary don't fit?

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Priceper person from

$8650USD

Options & Supplements*
  • Twin Private with PortholeUSD$10700
  • Twin Private with WindowUSD$11150
  • Twin DeluxeUSD$11800
  • SuperiorUSD$12650
  • CampingUSD$225
  • Kayaking OptionUSD$560
  • Diving OptionUSD$800
*Prices listed are per person

Essential Information

Ready to book? Make sure you download and read the detailed Polar Circle and Antarctic Peninsula trip notes which contains all the essential information you need to know before booking. Once you’ve booked, we will supply you with a Pre-Departure document which contains a detailed gear list and other important information to help you prepare for your adventure ahead.


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Why travel with us

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Enhancing your journey with authentic experiences, genuine cultural exchange and real exploration are the focal points on all of our adventures. In 2019, we were crowned by our peers as the best in adventure travel at The Travel Awards in Sydney.

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Our vision is to leave the world a better place by following our sustainable active outdoor travel charter. All our adventures are 100% carbon offset and our Regenerative 2030 Project aims to integrate ‘regenerative’ projects into every one of our global operations by 2030.

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 When you book one of our adventures, you will receive quality services at the best prices with plenty of inclusions. There are no hidden costs, single travellers don’t pay more and you’ll enjoy many ‘extra touches’ that ensure your holiday is excellent value for money.

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Antarctic Peninsula | World Expeditions

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