HIGHLIGHTS
- Watch
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
- Pass
the snow-capped Melchior Islands and Schollaert Channel, sailing
between Brabant and Anvers Islands
- Visit
Cuverville Island – Stabbing up between Rongé
Island and the Antarctic Peninsula, Cuverville houses a massive colony
of gentoo penguins as well as pairs of breeding brown skuas
- See
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
- Visit
Neko Harbour – An epic landscape of mammoth glaciers and
endless wind-carved snow. Opportunities for Zodiac cruising provide you
the closest possible view of the ice-crusted alpine peaks
- See
Paradise Bay – You may be able to take a Zodiac cruise in
these sprawling, ice-flecked waters, where you have a good chance of
seeing humpback and minke whales
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
| Start Date | End Date | Quadruple Porthole | Triple Porthole | Twin Porthole | Twin Window | Twin Deluxe | Superior | Junior Suite | Grand Suite |
|---|
| Mar 13, 2022 | Mar 26, 2022 | 8,050 | 9,100 | 9,950 | 10,400 | 11,000 | 11,900 | 12,600 | 14,450 |
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
| Start Date | End Date | (Starting from)
Quadruple Porthole | (Mid-range)
Twin Deluxe | (High-end)
Grand Suite |
|---|
| Mar 13, 2022 | Mar 26, 2022 | 8,050 | 11,000 | 14,450 |
ITINERARY
Day
1: End of the world, start of a journey
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.
Day
2 – 3: Path of the polar explorers
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.
Day
4 – 6: Entering Antarctica
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:
Cuverville Island
– Stabbing up between Rongé Island and the
Antarctic Peninsula, Cuverville houses a massive colony of gentoo
penguins as well as pairs of breeding brown skuas.
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. Opportunities for Zodiac cruising provide you the
closest possible view of the ice-crusted alpine peaks.
Paradise Bay
– You may be able to take a Zodiac cruise in these sprawling,
ice-flecked waters, where you have a good chance of seeing humpback and
minke whales.
You
may sail into the Weddell Sea via the Antarctic Sound. Here huge
tabular icebergs herald your arrival to the eastern side of the
Antarctic Peninsula.
Day
7: Legendary Elephant Island
You‘ve
now completed roughly the same route (albeit in the opposite direction)
as Sir Ernest Shackleton did using only a small life boat, the James
Caird, in spring of 1916. Watching Elephant Island materialize on the
horizon after crossing all that water, it’s hard not to
marvel at how he and his five-man crew accomplished that feat.
The
purpose of Shackleton’s crossing was to rescue 22 shipwrecked
members of his Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, also known as the
Endurance Expedition, who were stranded on Elephant Island. For four
and a half months, Shackleton undertook this legendary rescue.
Conditions
on Elephant Island are severe. The coastline is mostly made up of
vertical rock and ice cliffs highly exposed to the elements. If
possible you will take the Zodiacs to Point Wild, where the marooned
members of Shackleton’s expedition miraculously managed to
survive.
Day
8 – 9: Sea Life, Sea Birds
Though
you’re now at sea, en-route to the Falkland Islands,
there’s rarely a lonesome moment here: Several species of
bird follow the vessel southeast, such as albatrosses, storm petrels,
shearwaters, and diving petrels.
Day
10 -11: Finding the Falklands
The
Falkland (Malvinas) Islands offer an abundance of wildlife, easily
approachable – with caution. These islands are largely
unknown gems, primarily remembered for the war between the UK and
Argentina in 1982. Not only do various species of bird live here, but
chances are great you’ll see both Peale’s dolphins
and Commerson’s dolphins in the surrounding waters.
During
this part of the voyage, you may visit the following sites:
New Island, Coffin’s
Harbour – This location is a reasonable walk
from the landing site at the New Island South Wildlife Reserve,
providing views of nesting black-browed albatrosses and rockhopper
penguins. A more strenuous hike to Landsend Bluff may also show you
some South American fur seals. The site of the only land-based whaling
station on the Falkland Islands is south of the landing beach.
Carcass Island
– Despite its name, this island is pleasantly rodent-free and
hence bounteous with birdlife. Anything from breeding Magellanic and
gentoo penguins to numerous waders and passerine birds (including
Cobb’s wren and the tussock-bird) live here.
Saunders Island
– Here you can see the black-browed albatross and its
sometimes-clumsy landings, along with breeding imperial shags and
rockhopper penguins. King penguins, Magellanic penguins, and gentoo
penguins are also found here.
Steeple Jason
– Home to the world’s largest black-browed
albatross colony (roughly 113,000), Steeple Jason is a wild and rarely
visited island buffeted by the wind and waves. Weather and swell
conditions dictate the journey here.
Day
12 – 13: Familiar seas, familiar friends
Your
return voyage is far from lonely. While sailing to Puerto Madryn,
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.
Day
14: There and back again
Every
adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end.
It’s now time to disembark in Puerto Madryn, but with
memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies.
Hondius (Expedition, 170-guests)
MV Hondius offers luxury accommodation for up to 180 passengers. The ship has a luxury standard while Oceanwide's signature cozy and informal atmosphere. Hondius the strongest ice-strengthened vessel will be in the polar regions and will be equipped with stabilizers, and great trips for advanced, innovative exploratory quality in the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Included
in this voyage
- 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.
- Free
use of rubber boots and snowshoes.
- Luggage
transfer from pick-up point to the vessel on the day of embarkation, in
Ushuaia.
- All
miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the programme.
- Comprehensive
pre-departure material.
Excluded
from this voyage
- 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).
