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Antarctica Basecamp | Hondius

13 Days
From USD 9,700

STYLE: Small Ship Expedition Cruise

Trip Code: ACOWABH

DIFFICULTY RATING: 2 (light adventure)

Start: Ushuaia, Argentina

Finish: Ushuaia, Argentina

SHIP: Hondius

DestinationDestination

Antarctic Peninsula

DestinationDeparture Date

01/11/2024, 23/11/2024, 05/12/2024, 27/11/2025, 09/12/2025

MealsMeals

All Meals Onboard The Ship

TransportTransport

Group Transfers On Disembarkation To The Airport 

TransportAccommodation

Cabin on board ship



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Included SightseeingIncluded Sightseeing

Daily Antarctica Excursions, Zodiac Cruising, Onboard Expert Lectures & Briefings by the Experienced Expedition Team. On 'Basecamp' departures all offered activities (including camping, kayaking, hiking, mountaineering, photo workshops) are free of charge

 

NOTE: Itinerary is subject to change depending on weather & ice conditions 

OVERVIEW

The Antarctic Peninsula Basecamp cruise offers you a myriad of ways to explore and enjoy the Antarctic Region. This expedition allows you to hike, snowshoe, kayak, go mountaineering, and even camp out under the Southern Polar skies. On board the Hondius you will undertake an incredible polar adventure to one of the most remote places on Earth.

PLEASE NOTE: During our 'Basecamp' departures all offered activities (including camping, kayaking, hiking, mountaineering, photo workshops) are free of charge
 

ITINERARY

Embarkation in Ushuaia

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.

Crossing the Drake Passage - 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.

Antarctica - Day 4 to 10

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.

Places you might visit includes:

Neumayer Channel – The vessel may position itself here, launching its multiple basecamp activities from the protected waters around Wiencke Island. You can enjoy the splendors of this alpine environment at sea with Zodiac and kayaking trips, or if you’re in the mood for a walk, there are possible snowshoe hikes and soft-climb mountaineering options farther inland. Naturally, favorable weather conditions determine the possible activities.

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. There are great opportunities also for kayaking and camping here, and when conditions are right, you can even snowshoe around the shore.

Pléneau & Petermann Islands – If the ice allows it, you can 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 here, as well as leopard seals. Kayaking, glacier walks, and more ambitious mountaineering trips are the potential activities of this location.

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 have the chance to make camp here like a true polar explorer (but with a better tent), enjoying a supreme overnight Antarctic adventure.

Errera Channel – Possible sites in this area include Danco Island and Cuverville Island, but also the lesser known (though equally picturesque) Orne Island and Georges Point on Rongé Island.

On your last day of near-shore activities, you pass the Melchior Islands toward the open sea. Keep a sharp lookout for humpback whales in Dallmann Bay. You might also shoot for Half Moon Island, in the South Shetlands, with further chances for activities.

Conditions on the Drake Passage determine the exact time of departure.

Return along The Drake - Day 11 & 12

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.

Disembarkation in Ushuaia

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.

DOWNLOAD ITINERARY PDF
Hondius

Hondius

Hondius offers the best of both worlds - Hotel comfort and expedition class. It is of the few vessels to be built to class “LR PC6”, meeting the latest and highest demands of Lloyd’s Register for “Polar Class 6” vessels, the highest Polar Class notation for ice-strengthened vessels. The vessel will also fully comply with the mandatory requirements of the Polar code, adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), for safe ship operation and the protection of the Polar environment.

Hondius is one of the strongest ice-strengthened vessel in the Polar Regions and is equipped with stabilizers, and very suitable for advanced, innovative exploratory quality voyages in the Arctic and Antarctic Regions.

The expert expedition team onboard will do their best to ensue you see a range of wildlife and terrain when the opportunities present themselves. You will have 70 crew and staff members (including expedition and hotel staff) at your service while on board, ensuring that what little time you do spend on the ship you will spend comfortably entertained.
 

The ship takes up to 170 passengers and offers a range of high quality accommodation, a large observation lounge and separate, dedicated lecture room. The vessel is elegantly designed, but has a distinctive informal and cozy atmosphere onboard. 

 

Ice Class: Length: 107.6 meters
Breadth: 17.6 metersMax
Draft: Cruising
Speed: 15 knots
Electricity: Passenger
Capacity:
174

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Accommodation

We believe that appropriate accommodation should add to the authentic travel experience, as well as providing utmost enjoyment. For that reason our accommodation is scrutinised by our staff on the ground frequently, ensuring the properties adhere to our high standards. This key will help you understand the levels of accommodation available on this tour.

Standard

Comfortable properties with dependable facilities and service.

Superior

Comfortable properties with dependable facilities and service.

Deluxe

Luxurious properties with impeccable facilities and service.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES

Optional Activities vary for each itinerary. Limited spaces available. Contact your Destination Specialist for pricing & availability.

Kayaking

Experience the unforgettable thrill and serenity of kayaking in Antarctica as part of a small, expertly guided paddling group.

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Camping

Fall asleep amid the snow-capped mountains as you watch the colours of the Antarctic twilight bounce off the ocean and surrounding glaciers.

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Snowshoeing

Go even deeper into Antarctica’s interior and reach less visited places where many other visitors simply don’t go! 

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Photography

For photography enthusiasts of any skill level. You will receive expert advice on taking and producing amazing photos of Antarctica.

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Hiking

Hiking excursions are among the most popular options in Antarctica as many itineraries are short and suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels. Guided hikes lead you to amazing vantage points and allow even closer interaction with local wildlife, so don’t forget to pack your camera!

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Mountaineering

One step beyond cross-country skiing, in terms of challenge and adventure, mountaineering excursions in Antarctica are the stuff of legends. Push yourself just a little bit further and you can bag an exciting climb to the peak of an Antarctic mountain. Available on selected voyages only and requiring a somewhat decent level of fitness (given the snowy terrain, need for snowshoeing dexterity and uphill walking) mountaineering trips set themselves apart from general snowshoeing excursions, as they cross glaciated areas which require a certain level of care and experience. Groups are usually kept quite small for safety (up to 12 guests), with everyone tied together across the hairiest crevasse crossings. Whilst not an Antarctic activity that’s suitable for everyone, mountaineering is an absolute dream-come-true for the right adventure-seeker.

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Pricing per person & date

Antarctica Basecamp | Hondius from USD 9,700
Departing Ending Duration
01 Nov 2024 13 Nov 2024 13
23 Nov 2024 05 Dec 2024 13
05 Dec 2024 17 Dec 2024 13
27 Nov 2025 09 Dec 2025 13
09 Dec 2025 21 Dec 2025 13

Important Information

  • INCLUSIONS

    Cabin accommodation on board ship
    All meals whilst on board
    Guiding and lectures by experienced expedition crew
    All scheduled landings and excursions by zodiac
    Pre-scheduled group transfer from vessel to airport in Ushuaia (disembarkation day)
    All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges
    During our 'Basecamp' departures all offered activities (including camping, kayaking, hiking, mountaineering, photo workshops) are free of charge

    EXCLUSIONS

    International airfare
    Pre or post land arrangements not mentioned in itinerary
    Visa and reciprocity fees (if applicable) 
    Government arrival and departure taxes
    Any optional activities not mentioned in itinerary
    Customary gratuity for crew and personnel

  • 2 (light adventure)
  • Available upon request. Please contact us for more details. No single supplement will apply if willing to share in selected cabins. 

  • Prices are correct at time of publishing but are subject to change at any time. Price is based on Quad Share. 

    Itinerary is subject to change depending on weather and ice conditions. 

    During our 'Basecamp' departures all offered activities (including camping, kayaking, hiking, mountaineering, photo workshops) are free of charge

  • Departure Date, Fuel Surcharges, Cabin Category, Currency Fluctuations, Seasonality & Availability

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