Book and Save: Up to 30%* off select cabins
This is the ULTIMATE Antarctic Peninsula journey. More days on the peninsula at affordable prices!
Visiting Antarctica is nothing shy of mind blowing! After a formidable journey across the drake passage, the endless seascape will give way to great white ethereal vistas, sculptured by ice, and weathered by isolation. This journey will take you from Ushuaia to the South Shetland Islands and onto the Antarctic Peninsula where you will be swathed in the beauty of the most enigmatic place on earth and greeted by an abundance of wildlife. On this this complete encounter, you will go on a deeper exploration than your average peninsula cruise and with the right conditions, venture over to the Weddell Sea where tabular icebergs lay and the history of Antarctic Exploration sighs in echoes through the rarely visited landscapes.
*Offers aboard the Ocean Endeavour 2022/23 season end 31 August 2022 and are subject to availability. Not combinable with any other promotion. Offers apply to new bookings only. Book cabin categories Cat 5, Cat 5a, Cat 6 and Cat 7 and save up to 25% off the regular retail price. Book cabin categories Cat 1, Cat 8, Cat 9 and the Owners Suite and save up to 30% off the regular retail price. Applies to selected departures only; cabins limited. Subject to availability and currency fluctuations. Further conditions apply, please contact us for more information.
Optional Activities : Kayaking, Camping, Snowshoeing, Photography, Yoga
Trip Code: ACAEAID
Travel Style: Small Ship Expedition Cruise
Location: Antarctic Sound, Lemaire Channel, Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands
Ship: Ocean Endeavour
Flights: We offer a range of flight options to meet your cruise
Traverse the Antarctic Sound - – a body of water that links east with west and is usually home to large tabular icebergs and startling scenery.
We will seek to visit Paulet Island, the Danger Islands and the Eagle Group – chains of islands famous for their enormous penguin colonies, exploration history and geological features.
Visit the Peninsula’s western side where Antarctica’s more famous sites are found such as the Lemaire Channel, Port Lockroy and Paradise Harbour.
After turning north, explore the dramatic shores of the South Shetland Islands or spot for albatross and orca while we cross the Bransfield Strait.
On arrival at Ushuaia Airport, please make your way through to the Arrivals Hall where our representative will be waiting for you to transfer you to your hotel. He/she will be holding a sign with your name on it.
The first night of your voyage is spent in the quaint town of Ushuaia, the most southerly city in the world and the capital of Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire).
The day is at leisure and you are free to explore, maybe making a few last minute purchases from the many shops or artisan markets, or relaxing in a café. Avenida San Martin is the main street and there are some excellent museums to visit or you may prefer to wander the streets taking in the town’s dramatic setting, with views of the mountains to the north and the Beagle Channel to the south.
This morning is free for you to explore Ushuaia, giving you time to wander the streets of this quaint port town, or discover Tierra del Fuego National Park.
Transfer to the pier of Ushuaia for embarkation in the late afternoon. You will be welcomed on board the Ocean Endeavour by the Expedition Team and the Ship’s Officers.
This evening we set sail through the Beagle Channel that was named after the British ship the HMS Beagle. This famous channel transects the Tierra del Fuego archipelago in the extreme south of South America, and is rich in wildlife. Keep a look out for Magellanic penguins, rock cormorants, petrels and black-browed albatross from the deck as well as sea lion colonies.
Enjoy your first taste of life at sea and a welcome dinner. The air is likely to be filled with anticipation, as your next view of land will be of Antarctica - the White Continent.
On day three of your voyage to the Antarctic, wake to the sights and sounds of the famous Drake Passage where albatross and other seabirds escort us south. In preparation for the days to come, your on-board experts in biology, oceanography, history and photography will begin their presentations in the Nautilus Lounge. Whether out on the Ocean Endeavour’s decks or from the warmth of the observation area on the ship’s bridge, keep your eyes peeled for the first sighting of an iceberg as the continent of Antarctica appears on our horizon.
In the real spirit of exploration, day five will hope to see the bow of the Ocean Endeavour round the eastern end of Antarctic Sound and point south toward the truly wild coastlines of the Peninsula’s eastern side. It’s within this ice-laden sea that Sir Ernest Shackleton and his men sledged and floated their way north from their crushed and sunken vessel and bordering this vast expanse is an endless coastline of dramatic basaltic beaches, towering islands that rise straight from the sea and a spattering of remote archipelagos barely seen by human eyes since the heroic era.
From here, the options for exploration are endless. From the secluded Danger Islands to the north, the historically important and penguin-covered Paulet Island, the sweeping Prince Gustav Channel to the south or the protected and glacier-lined coves of Duse Bay. Over three days in this area, we will work with ice conditions to land and zodiac cruise around as many remote locations as possible. Keep an eye out for minke whales as captain and expedition leader navigate the scenic channels around the eagle island group and for the most intrepid: prepare for a polar plunge like none other or even a chance to step onto your very own piece of sea ice. Whatever the weather delivers, what we are sure to find here is a rare Antarctic experience and the closest one is likely to get to a true sense of exploration on planet Earth.
Following our three days of discovery on the Peninsula’s east side, the Ocean Endeavour will plot a course to transit Antarctic Sound and to visit the more well-trodden western shores. As we attempt to enter the sound, a collection of tabular icebergs typically serves as a gateway from east to west and locations like Esperanza Station and the volcanic cliffs of Brown Bluff are viable landing points along the way. From here on out, we return to the more familiar sights and sounds of gentoo penguin colonies, a collection of Argentine and Chilean bases observable on craggy points and we lower the zodiacs again to explore famous sites like Orne Harbour, Paradise Bay or Port Lockroy. While the east side afforded us the most true sense of isolation and wilderness observable on Earth, the contrast becomes apparent on the western side as no excursion lasts long without the presence of gentoo or chinstrap penguins parading through the early-season snow and marine mammals hauling themselves onto ice-floes. After our four days of excursions in this region, we will again turn north to cross the Bransfield Strait. As we thread the Ocean Endeavour through South Shetland Islands, we will take to the aft deck of the Ocean Endeavour once more for a final toast to the Antarctic, to discovery and to the new horizon ahead.
Over days 12 and 13 we will watch as the outline of the Antarctic continent disappears over the horizon and again the albatross and seabirds of the open ocean join us for the voyage north. Whether enjoying some time out on deck to take in the sea air or making the most of our expert guides’ presentations, this is a great time to reflect on the journey behind us and all that we discovered on the Antarctic Peninsula over the previous days. For those still looking to brush up on their Antarctic knowledge, our guides will be out on deck binoculars in hand to help identify the amazing sea life that abounds in this part of the world. At night, we will take the opportunity to celebrate together and to share stories about this once in a lifetime voyage.
Following a steady night in the protection of the Beagle Channel, the early morning of our 14th day will see the Ocean Endeavour come alongside Ushuaia’s pier. Followed by breakfast, an 8am disembarkation means plenty of time to wrap up your exploration of Ushuaia before a short drive to the airport for any afternoon flight departures. Our guides will join you on the dock to say farewell and to wave goodbye to the ship’s team and crew who have shared the journey with you.
Departing | Ending | Duration | Price | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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30 Nov 2022 | 13 Dec 2022 | 14 | USD 9,490 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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27 Dec 2023 | 09 Jan 2024 | 14 | USD 10,190 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Cabin accommodation on board vessel
All meals on board including snacks
All onshore excursions and zodiac cruising
Free use of rubber boots and waterproof jacket during course of voyage
Pre-night accommodation prior to embarkation, including breakfast and transfer
Transfer to airport upon disembarkation
All port taxes
EXCLUSIONS
International airfare
Visa and passport expenses
Travel Insurance
Beverages (other then tea and coffee)
Personal expenses such as laundry and onbaord communication
Gratuities for Staff and crew
Optional activities whilst on board
Available upon request, contact us for more details.
Please note this itinerary may be subject to change depending on weather and ice conditions.
Departure date, seasonality and availability.
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We appreciate that voyages to the Antarctic to have an impact on this pristine environment. In light of this, all our voyages are double carbon offset. In addition, we strive to eliminate as many single use plastics as possible from our supply chain. In choosing this voyage you are also supporting the fantastic work done by the Antarctic Science Foundation (ASF) and their work in understanding and protecting this unique destination. In addition all voyages support the Mawsons Huts Foundation (MHF). The MHF support the legacy of Sir Douglas Mawson, the legendary Antarctic explorer and scientist. As a member of IAATO we follow strict guidelines appointed by the Antarctic Treaty System to go above and beyond in support of minimizing negative impacts on this pristine landscape. We also encourage clients to look to book pre-and post- accommodation with us, where local businesses will be supported. Our clients also receive restaurant recommendations which support locally owned restaurants.
We carefully select all ships we work with and choose smaller sized vessels to create less impact. We use a highly regulated, licensed vessel which is well equipped to operate in the Antarctic’s delicate ecosystem. We view the voyage to the Antarctic as an expedition, not a sightseeing trip. Smaller ships such as ours can navigate narrow waterways and are far less polluting than the larger ships in Antarctic waters. By carrying less passengers, we have far less waste. The waste is carried back to the home port to allow for environmentally conscious waste management and disposal.
For more information on our sustainability policies, including how we are striving towards being a paperless organisation, click HERE