HIGHLIGHTS
- Sail
aboard the Hondius, the first-registered Polar Class 6 vessel in the
world, optimized for the most innovative exploratory voyages throughout
the Arctic and Antarctica
- Visit
a list of picturesque locations including Carcass Island, Grytviken and
Salisbury Plain
- Get
the opportunity to see and photograph King Penguins, Magellanic
Penguins, Rockhopper Penguins, the Black-browed Albatross, the South
Georgia Pintail and variety of exotic wildlife
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person
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| Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
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Rates are listed per person
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| Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
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ITINERARY
Day
1: Sandy Argentine beaches
You
embark from Puerto Madryn in the afternoon, your prow aimed for the
Falkland Islands. Golfo Nuevo is renowned for its visiting southern
right whales, so you have a good chance of spotting one as you sail
toward the open ocean.
Day
2 – 3: Sea life, sea birds
Though
you’re now at sea, 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
4: Finding the Falklands
The
Falkland Islands offer an abundance of wildlife that is easily
approachable, though caution is always advised. These islands are
largely unknown gems, the site of a 1982 war between the UK and
Argentina. 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 segment of the voyage, you may visit the following sites:
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 wind and waves. Weather and swell conditions
dictate the journey here.
Carcass Island
– Despite its name, this island is pleasantly rodent-free and
hence bounteous with birdlife. Anything from breeding Magellanic
penguins and gentoos to numerous waders and passerine birds (including
Cobb’s wrens and tussock-birds) live here.
Saunders Island
– On Saunders Island 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
gentoos are also found here.
Day
5: The seat of Falklands culture
The
capital of the Falklands and center of its culture, Port Stanley has
some Victorian-era charm: colorful houses, well-tended gardens, and
English-style pubs are all to be found here. You can also see several
century-old clipper ships nearby, silent witnesses to the hardships of
19th century sailors. The small but interesting museum is also worth a
visit, covering the early days of settlement up to the Falklands War.
Approximately 2,100 people live in Port Stanley. Admission to the
museum is included.
Day
6 – 7: Once more to the sea
En
route to South Georgia, you now cross the Antarctic Convergence. The
temperature cools considerably within the space of a few hours, and
nutritious water rises to the surface of the sea due to colliding water
columns. This phenomenon attracts a multitude of seabirds near the
ship, including several species of albatross, shearwaters, petrels,
prions, and skuas.
Day
8 – 11: South Georgia journey
Today
you arrive at the first South Georgia activity site. Please keep in
mind that weather conditions in this area can be challenging, largely
dictating the program.
Sites
you might visit include:
Prion Island
– This location is closed during the early part of the
wandering albatross breeding season (November 20 – January
7). The previous summer’s wandering albatross chicks are
almost ready to fledge, and adults are seeking out their old partners
after a year and a half at sea.
Salisbury Plain, St. Andrews Bay,
Gold Harbour – These sites not only house the
three largest king penguin colonies in South Georgia, they’re
also three of the world’s largest breeding beaches for
southern elephant seals. Only during this time of year do they peak in
their breeding cycle. Watch the four-ton bulls keep a constant vigil
(and occasionally fight) over territories where dozens of females have
just given birth or are about to deliver. You can also see a
substantial number of Antarctic fur seals here during the breeding
season (December – January).
Fortuna Bay
– A beautiful outwash plain from Fortuna Glacier is home to a
large number of king penguins and seals. Here you may also have the
chance to follow the final leg of Shackleton’s route to the
abandoned whaling village of Stromness. This path cuts across the
mountain pass beyond Shackleton’s Waterfall, and as the
terrain is partly swampy, be prepared to cross a few small streams.
Grytviken
– In this abandoned whaling station, king penguins walk the
streets and elephant seals lie around like they own the place
– because they basically do. Here you might be able to see
the South Georgia Museum as well as Shackleton’s grave.
In
the afternoon of day 11 and depending on the conditions, we will start
sailing southwards in the direction of the South Orkney Islands.
Day
12: Southward bound
There
may be sea ice on this route, and at the edge of the ice some south
polar skuas and snow petrels could join the other seabirds trailing the
vessel south.
Day
13: The scenic vistas of South Orkney
Depending
on the conditions, you might visit Orcadas Base, an Argentine
scientific station on Laurie Island in the South Orkney archipelago.
The personnel here will happily show you their facility, where you can
enjoy expansive views of the surrounding glaciers. If a visit
isn’t possible, you may instead land at Signy
Island’s Shingle Cove.
Day
14 - 15: Entering the Antarctic
Enormous
icebergs and a fair chance of fin whale sightings ensure
there’s never a dull moment on this last sea voyage south.
Also, your best chance to spot Antarctic petrels is here. Depending on
conditions, we aim to begin activities the afternoon of day 15.
Day
16 – 18: Awe-inspiring Antarctica
If
the ice conditions permit, you now sail into the Weddell Sea. Here
colossal tabular icebergs herald your arrival to the eastern side of
the Antarctic Peninsula. Paulet Island, with its large population of
Adélie penguins, is a possible stop. You might also visit
Brown Bluff, located in the ice-clogged Antarctic Sound, where you
could get the chance to set foot on the Antarctic Continent itself.
If
conditions aren’t favorable to enter the Weddell Sea from the
east, the ship will set course for Elephant Island and head into the
Bransfield Strait, between the South Shetland Island's and the
Antarctic Peninsula.
The
volcanic islands of the South Shetlands are windswept and often cloaked
in mist, but they nonetheless offer many subtle pleasures. A wide
variety of flora (mosses, lichens, flowering grasses) and fauna (gentoo
penguins, chinstrap penguins, southern giant petrels) live here.
On
Half Moon Island, Chinstrap penguins and Weddell seals often haul out
onto the beach near Cámara Base, an Argentine scientific
research station.
On
Deception Island, the ship plunges through Neptune’s Bellows
and into the flooded caldera. Here you can find an abandoned whaling
station, and thousands of cape petrels. A number of kelp gulls, brown
skuas, south polar skuas, and Antarctic terns can be spotted too.
Wilson’s storm petrels and black-bellied storm petrels also
nest in the ruins of the whaling station in Whalers Bay. As an
alternative, you can take part in activities near Telefon Bay, further
inside the caldera.
This
extended voyage gives you the chance to sail even farther down the icy
coast of the western Antarctic Peninsula. There are several
opportunities for great landings where you might set foot on the
Antarctic Continent, surrounded by an epic landscape of alpine peaks
and mammoth glaciers calving at sea level. Gentoo penguins, leopard
seals, Weddell seals, humpback whales, and minke whales are often seen
here.
The
breathtaking scenery continues in the Bransfield Straight and, if
conditions allow further South in the Gerlache Strait. Conditions on
the Drake Passage determine the exact time of departure.
Day
19 – 20: Familiar seas, familiar friends
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.
Day
21: Earth’s southernmost city
You
arrive and disembark in Ushuaia, commonly held to be the
world’s most southern city. It is located on the Tierra del
Fuego archipelago, nicknamed the “End of the
World.” But despite this stopping point, the wealth of
memories you’ve made on your Antarctic expedition will travel
with you wherever your next adventure lies.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- 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.
- 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.
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).
